Nanaimo news

• COLUMN: My camera’s getting old

  17-10-2026 14:30 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  My editor recently told me that my old Nikon D70s digital camera is nearing the end of its usefulness.
  She said the well-used camera, which I’ve dragged around me with during the last 26 years of my writing career and produced thousands of photos that ended up in publication, is now taking grainy pictures due to its advancing age.
  My editor said that, generally, most cameras have a life span of about 10 years, so I guess mine should be in a museum somewhere.
  I was surprised because to my k
  
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• Winnipeg Blue Bombers clinch CFL playoff spot with 34-10 win over B.C. Lions

  24-10-2026 07:09 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  An injury to their starting quarterback may have saved the season for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
  Backup QB Dru Brown tossed a pair of late touchdowns, lifting the Bombers to a 34-10 win over the host B.C. Lions in CFL action Friday at BC Place.
  The Bombers needed a win in their last game of the regular season to advance to the playoffs and were listless for two-plus quarters, trailing the Lions (who had already clinched a playoff spot and were resting many of their starters) 10-3. Then starting
  
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• Eby steps in to campaign effort to take OneBC Leader Brodie’s riding for the NDP

  24-10-2026 05:00 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  The Vancouver-Quilchena riding, deep within a leafy-green, wealthy Vancouver neighbourhood, has long been a bastion of B.C. right wing.
  Former B.C. Liberal leaders Kevin Falcon, Andrew Wilkinson and Gordon Campbell all represented the riding for a spell.
  Recently, OneBC Leader Dallas Brodie, elected as a B.C. Conservative before she was ejected from the party, has held the seat.
  But with her running as a far-right alternative, and Carson Binda of the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation running for
  
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• Headline history: Harkening back when there were grow-up busts in Nanaimo

  24-10-2026 03:00 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  A Nanaimo News Bulletin news brief from close to two decades ago is a relic of a bygone era, when marijuana was considered an illegal substance in Canada.
  The item from the Nov. 15, 2008 issue, reported on a bust that took place in the south end of Nanaimo, with the local RCMP’s Green Team and 30 other personnel executing four warrants on four residences on Roberta Road West and James, White and Main roads.
  “Police seized a large amount of cash, more than eight kilograms of dried marijuana,
  
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• Headline history: Harkening back when there were grow-op busts in Nanaimo

  24-10-2026 03:00 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  A Nanaimo News Bulletin news brief from close to two decades ago is a relic of a bygone era, when marijuana was considered an illegal substance in Canada.
  The item from the Nov. 15, 2008 issue, reported on a bust that took place in the south end of Nanaimo, with the local RCMP’s Green Team and 30 other personnel executing four warrants on four residences on Roberta Road West and James, White and Main roads.
  “Police seized a large amount of cash, more than eight kilograms of dried marijuana,
  
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• Follow along here Saturday evening for live B.C. election coverage

  24-10-2026 02:30 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Voters in B.C. will soon learn the result of casting their ballots across the province, from who will represent their community to who will lead the province.
  Final voting day is Saturday, Oct. 24. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., local time.The race is on between the New Democrats, led by David Eby, and Lorne Doerkson’s B.C. Conservatives and Emily Lowan’s B.C. Greens. Provincial party newcomers, CentreBC, led by Elenore Sturko, and OneBC led by Dallas Brodie also have dozens of ca
  
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• Eby explains B.C. election call, makes his last pitch to voters in sit-down interview

  24-10-2026 02:30 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  On the eve of election day, B.C. NDP Leader David Eby is still explaining why he dissolved the legislature and called the snap vote when his party still had two years left on its mandate.
  “People are very surprised and frustrated by the election call,” he told reporters in Surrey on Friday. “I should have done a better job of letting them know how stalled out the legislature was.”
  His opponents have capitalized, with leaders of both the Conservative and Green parties calling it a “cyni
  
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• Eby promises Langley long-term care facility

  24-10-2026 02:16 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  NDP leader David Eby said the 300-bed long-term care facility his government promised Langley before the last election would be built if he’s re-elected.
  Eby met with Langley-Willowbrook NPD candidate Andrew Mercier and Langley-Walnut Grove’s hopeful Holly Isaac on Friday, Oct. 23, in Langley City, visiting several local stores and chatting with people on the street in the final hours before the provincial election.
  Asked about the promised local facility, which was to be built on the ground
  
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• Missing senior fisher found alive in Nanaimo Lakes area

  24-10-2026 01:51 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  A 75-year-old man who was reported missing in the Nanaimo Lakes area has been found alive.
  Reserve Const. Gary O’Brien, a spokesperson for Nanaimo RCMP, said the man was reported missing after he was overdue returning from a fishing expedition on Tuesday, Oct. 20.
  In a press release, he said that just before 7:30 p.m. that day, Nanaimo RCMP received a report that the man had not returned home after leaving to fish earlier that morning.
  “Concern grew when family and friends were unable to loc
  
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• Leaders focus on crucial Surrey ridings as B.C. election nears

  24-10-2026 01:29 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  With 10 ridings up for grabs, including at least seven potential swing districts, both the NDP and Conservative leaders hit the campaign trail in Surrey in the days leading up to B.C. election day.
  B.C. Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson held a raucous rally in the Surrey-Newton riding in front of hundreds of fired-up supporters.
  Several local political heavyweights attended, including newly elected mayor Doug McCallum and former mayors Linda Hepner and Dianne Watts. Former premier Christy Clark
  
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• Williams Lake woman calling for action after family dog killed in baited snare

  24-10-2026 01:24 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  “If I would have known the dangers in my backyard, maybe she would have been able to be saved,” is the thought that keeps coming back to Victoria Savile of Williams Lake as she calls for change after her family’s beloved dog, Berta, was killed in a baited snare not far from their home.Savile has recently joined The Fur-Bearers, a Canadian wildlife protection charity dedicated to protecting fur-bearing animals through conservation, advocacy, research and education. She’s also working with
  
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• University fires back at Heated Rivalry star for scathing B.C. capital review

  24-10-2026 00:40 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  A playful rivalry is heating up between the University of Victoria (UVic) and the star of the hit hockey romance TV series that has taken the world by storm.
  While promoting new drama series Yaga, filmed in and around Victoria, Heated Rivalry actor Hudson Williams offered a less-than-favourable review of B.C.’s capital when asked to name the city’s “hot spots.”
  “A lot of hot spots of, like, old people on their little scooters, people retiring,” he told Etalk. “Like, it’s Victoria
  
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• Rural Shuswap residents frustrated with ‘slapstick downgrade’ leaving road covered in loose rock

  24-10-2026 00:00 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  “This new road is supposed to be an upgrade, and it’s the exact opposite.”
  Jeff Seabrook, a resident of Chase-Falkland Road that was supposed to have asphalt resurfacing, said they’re literally getting dinged by the “bait and switch” project, and their vehicles are paying the price.According to a June 9 media release from the Ministry of Transportation and Transit (MoTT), more than $136 million was invested this year to resurface interior highways and local roads to ensure “driver
  
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• THE MOJ: Canucks look to establish identity amid 9-game winless streak

  23-10-2026 23:30 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Being held without a shot on goal for almost 40 minutes is not good.
  Losing your ninth straight game isn’t either.
  But that’s exactly what happened to the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night as they dropped a 5-2 decision to the Detroit Red Wings at Rogers Arena.
  Everyone knew there would be some disastrous stretches during the Canucks’ rebuild. It’s just that no one expected them to come this early in the season.
  “It’s the same stuff game after game. I don’t know where the disconn
  
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• Bald Range wildfire victims, BC SPCA plead for more pet-friendly housing

  23-10-2026 21:30 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  After months of searching, the Hayman family will finally have their whole family back under one roof in November.The family, which includes two dogs and four cats, lost their home in the Bald Range wildfire in August. On top of losing belongings and memories, the Hayman’s feared they would have to give up their pets in order to find housing.“It’s kind of been impossible,” said Erin Hayman. “We know we have a lot of pets, and no one wants to rent to a family with two dogs and four cats
  
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• Audiences will experience ghost stories at Opera Nanaimo’s upcoming performance

  23-10-2026 21:30 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  An anthology of ghost stories will be delivered through opera.
  Opera Nanaimo’s Ghosts, Ghosts, Ghosts will be performed on Saturday, Oct. 24 at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church at 7 p.m.In addition to three soloists, Carol Fetherston, Opera Nanaimo’s artistic director, said audiences will hear Vancouver-based composer Roan Shankaruk’s horror opera U-29, which tells the story of a sinking submarine. The opera was previously commissioned by Vancouver’s Opera Unbound.
  Performers throughou
  
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• Vernon killer confined to halfway house after drinking alcohol while on release

  23-10-2026 21:20 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  WARNING: this article contains content related to domestic violence (gender-based violence), which may be distressing to some readers. Reader discretion is advised. If you or someone you know has been harmed by domestic violence (gender-based violence), contact Archway Society for Domestic Peace at 250-542-1122 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
  A former Vernon pharmacist found guilty of a “brutal and prolonged beating,” during which he ended up killing his partner in 2018, has been ordered to
  
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• B.C. Conservatives criticized for limiting media access in lead up to election day

  23-10-2026 20:36 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  As the B.C. election campaigns hit the home stretch, Conservative Party Leader Lorne Doerkson is suddenly being criticized for becoming media-shy.
  “The Conservative leader has been missing an action for the last few days,” NDP Leader David Eby said on Thursday. “I understand he’s appearing today. I’m glad he’s okay.”
  Eby accused Doerkson of prioritizing time with wealthy donors over the media, and called him out for restricting reporters to a single question without the customary f
  
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• House fire on Protection Island quickly dealt with

  23-10-2026 20:00 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  A home on Pirates Lane, a residential roadway on Protection Island, sustained damage to a deck and exterior of the structure in a fire.
  Geoff Whiting, a deputy chief with Nanaimo Fire Rescue, said firefighters responded to the call at approximately 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22, and a crew from the Protection Island fire hall quickly brought the fire under control.
  He said the fire appears to have started in the deck area behind the house and caused damage to the deck and exterior of the house
  
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• Duncan Showroom closing its doors after building sold

  23-10-2026 19:55 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  The building housing the Duncan Showroom was sold earlier this month, and now word has come that the entertainment venue has to be out by the end of December.
  Longevity John Falkner, the man behind the dream is keeping as cool as a cucumber considering he found out the Showroom will have to find a new place to live after Dec. 31 just hours before flying to the Folk Canada Conference in Hamilton to solicit performers to play both his Showroom and festival stage for the year ahead.
  Falkner found o
  
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• New calf born to B.C. endangered orca who carried dead newborn for 17 days

  23-10-2026 19:35 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  The southern resident killer whales’ fight for survival has been buoyed by the birth of a new calf.
  Researchers from Washington-based Center for Whale Research observed a “very young whale” travelling with J35, better known as Tahlequah, on Oct. 19.
  Based on the calf’s appearance and previous sightings of Tahlequah, the newborn, designated J65, is believed to be less than a week old.
  Drone footage helped the team confirm the calf is male.
  “The team saw no signs of health issues in this
  
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• Good Will Haunting: Big Shop of Horrors takes over Cowichan Exhibition grounds

  23-10-2026 19:34 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Hungry for horror?
  Get fed like Audrey II as Daphne and Rick Swift scare up a good time for their 7th annual Big Shop of Horrors which oozes back to the Cowichan Exhibition Grounds from Oct. 15 to Oct. 30.
  Oh the horror!
  The non-profit society which scares up funds for a variety of charities has grown over the years since the couple’s first event. They are grateful to the Cowichan Exhibition Grounds who, since 2019, have provided more than 3,000 square feet of multiple rooms that ooze with eer
  
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• SD72 warns of unauthorized Carihi Secondary fire repair fundraisers

  23-10-2026 19:30 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Campbell River’s School District 72 is warning the public after learning individuals have been going door-to-door soliciting donations while claiming to represent Carihi Secondary School.
  The solicitors claim the funds are needed to support repairs following the 2024 school fire, but local officials say neither the school nor SD72 has authorized any door-to-door or public fundraising campaigns on Carihi’s behalf.
  “While we are grateful for the community’s ongoing support of Carihi Second
  
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• Ballots cast on B.C.’s election day to be mostly hand-counted, potentially delaying results

  23-10-2026 18:22 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Because of the snap election call, Elections BC says it will need to hand-count some ballots cast on Saturday.This means it could take longer than in 2024 to get a final result.
  “This is due to the short timeframes and complex operational logistics of a snap election,” Elections BC said in a statement.
  So far, 891,348 advance votes have been cast, out of 3,738,182 registered voters. Two years ago in the last provincial election, 1,001,331 early votes were cast, and four years prior to that,
  
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• Nanaimo-Gabriola Island election profiles

  23-10-2026 18:00 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Since the election was announced, the Nanaimo News Bulletin has been connecting with local candidates for Nanaimo-Lantzville and Nanaimo-Gabriola Island.Here are those profiles for Nanaimo-Gabriola Island in one place for voters, in the order in which they went online.
  Sheila Malcolmson – B.C. NDP
  Sheila Malcolmson ready for election campaign, Sept. 24, by Robert Barron
  The snap election that B.C. Premier David Eby called for Oct. 24 came as no surprise for Sheila Malcolmson.
  Malcolmson, the N
  
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• Eby makes last-minute B.C. election promise to legislate nurse-to-patient ratios

  23-10-2026 14:45 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  B.C. NDP Leader David Eby made a late election pledge on Thursday to satisfy a long-time demand of the B.C. Nurses’ Union, promising that if he is re-elected premier, the NDP will pass legislation to lock in minimum nurse-to-patient ratios.
  “We’re going to ensure that we’re putting the minimum nurse-to-patient ratios into legislation, into the law, to make sure that the health authorities know, that the hospital managers know, that everybody knows that this is where the government is goi
  
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• Nanaimo-Lantzville election profiles

  23-10-2026 14:30 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Since the election was announced, the Nanaimo News Bulletin has been connecting with local candidates for Nanaimo-Lantzville and Nanaimo-Gabriola Island.Here are those profiles for Nanaimo-Lantzville in one place for voters, in the order in which they went online.
  George Anderson – B.C. NDP
  George Anderson will be representing the B.C. NDP in the Nanaimo-Lantzville riding, Sept. 24, by Jessica Durling
  George Anderson said he plans to seek re-election in the Nanaimo-Lantzville riding, following
  
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• Raymond scores 2 as Red Wings dump struggling Vancouver Canucks 5-2

  23-10-2026 06:31 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Lucas Raymond scored twice and assisted on another, leading the visiting Detroit Red Wings to a 5-2 win over the struggling Vancouver Canucks in NHL action Thursday at Rogers Arena.
  William Wallinder, Emmitt Finnie and Surrey’s Michael Rasmussen also scored for Detroit (4-3-3), with Michael Brandsegg-Nygard adding two assists. John Gibson made four saves to pick up the netminding win. He left with an injury after two periods and was relieved by Michal Postava, who stopped seven of eight shots.
  
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• Group wants space in Nanaimo’s Loudon Park for radio-controlled model boats

  23-10-2026 01:40 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  A group of local radio-controlled model boat enthusiasts want to use a portion of Loudon Park for their gatherings and activities.
  Former tug-boat captains Bill McKay and Ron Burchett spoke on behalf of the group at a Nanaimo council meeting last month, stating that they are working towards rebuilding a club that was dedicated to radio-controlled model boat activities on Loudon Park’s Long Lake a number of years ago.
  “If we can reform the club and legitimize it, we would then form a society,
  
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• Conservatives remain ahead in polls as B.C. election day nears

  23-10-2026 00:31 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  The B.C. Conservatives have maintained their lead in the polls three days ahead of the B.C. provincial election, but the B.C. NDP remain within striking distance according to the latest surveys.
  Recent polls from Angus Reid Institute and Mainstreet Research indicate the Conservatives are ahead of the NDP by three or six percentage points, respectively. The Angus Reid poll had a margin of error of three points, putting the Conservatives anywhere from 43 to 49 per cent support and the NDP in the r
  
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