Nanaimo news

• Donald Lloyd Hearsey

  25-08-2026 23:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  March 22, 1948 – August 12, 2026It is with heartfelt sympathy that we announce the passing of Donald “Don” Lloyd Hearsey, our beloved husband, father, and grandfather.
  Don leaves behind his beloved wife of 50 years, Geraldine (Snuggles); his two sons, Mark (Noelle) Hearsey and Paul (Susan) Hearsey; and his cherished grandchildren, Wyatt, Tyler, Aiden, and Alyssa.
  He is also survived by his siblings, Bob (Linda) Hearsey, and Judy (John) Lachman, along with many nieces, nephews,
  
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• 37 crashes in four years prompt safety review of Chemainus intersection

  26-08-2026 20:20 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A Chemainus resident is calling for changes at the Trans-Canada Highway and River Road intersection, saying a history of collisions and near misses shows the crossing needs to be made safer.
  Rob Bauer, who has lived on River Road for about seven years and has advocated in the past regarding other traffic issues on the same road, said his concerns stem from seeing serious collisions at the intersection and hearing similar concerns from his neighbours in the Cedar Ridge Village.
  “There&rsquo
  
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• Vancouver Islanders named to Rugby Canada Men’s team for Pacific Nations Cup

  26-08-2026 20:19 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Rugby Canada Men’s team has been announced for the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2026, and it includes a player from Courtenay.
  Foster DeWitt was named as one of the 32-man strong team to kick off against Fiji in the shortened 2026 Pacific Nations Cup this year.
  The forward, who can play hooker and prop, has been capped by Canada seven times. He played four seasons with Major League Rugby’s New England Free Jacks from 2022 to 2025, winning three consecutive titles (2023, 2024,
  
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• Cowichan Tribes issues shelter in place notice over report of person with weapon

  26-08-2026 20:16 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Cowichan Tribes put out a shelter in place notice on Tuesday morning, Aug. 25, saying a person with a weapon had been reported to the RCMP.
  The notice was cancelled just before noon, with Cowichan Tribes saying RCMP and CT Enforcement had cleared the area.
  North Cowichan/ Duncan RCMP said they responded to a report of someone discharging a firearm on Boys Road. They deployed multiple units including the Emergency Response Team, Police Dog Services, and Air 8.
  The shelter in place notice was for
  
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• Williams Lake man charged in fatal Highway 1 crash near Lytton

  26-08-2026 20:06 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A Williams Lake man has been charged following a fatal crash south of Lytton last year that killed two people.
  According to an RCMP press release, on Aug. 15, 2025, just before 5 p.m., a black Ford SUV collided with a grey GMC pickup on Highway 1, just south of Lytton.
  Two people were killed and four others were injured in the crash. Both vehicles were destroyed by fire.
  Police said during the weeks following the collision, the conduct of the investigation was transferred to BC Highway Patrol. T
  
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• Nanaimo NightOwls’ Reynolds named West Coast League MVP

  26-08-2026 19:38 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Nanaimo NightOwls have another feather to add to the cap that was their banner 2026 baseball season – their outfielder was named most valuable player.
  In a Monday, Aug. 24 press release, the West Coast League announced Ethan Reynolds, ‘Owls right fielder, was its MVP for 2026. Not only did Reynolds lead the WCL with 53 runs batted in (RBI) in 2026, but he set a league record with 29 doubles and 36 extra-base hits, crucial as Nanaimo made its first playoff appearance ever.In a pre
  
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• What’s On, Aug. 26

  26-08-2026 19:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  MUSIC
  Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra: Pops in the Park will be performed at Maffeo Sutton Park on Aug. 27 at 6:30 p.m. It is a free concert, and promises to play everything from Mozart to Joplin and everyone else in-between.
  The Endless Punk Summer with The Grinning Barretts, Die Job, End of Thread and Scraped Blind will be playing at the Globe Live Studio on Aug. 28 at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are available at www.theglobelivestudio.com.
  Dan Biehler will be playing at The Queen’s on Aug. 28, with doo
  
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• RCMP seek help finding missing man known to frequent Nanaimo waterfront

  26-08-2026 19:04 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Police are asking the public’s help to find a man who could be at Nanaimo’s waterfront.
  In a press release, Nanaimo RCMP said that Brian Mowbray, 35, has not been heard from since the end of July and both his family and police are worried about his well-being.
  He is thought to be “living somewhere near the waterfront area of Nanaimo, but his exact whereabouts are unknown,” the press release stated. Mowbray stands 5-foot-9, weighs 165 pounds, has blue eyes and brown hair,
  
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• Wags and Whiskers: What kind of dog guardian are you?

  26-08-2026 18:31 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Living with a dog is about more than food, walks and the occasional game of fetch. Dogs also need chances to sniff, play, learn and unwind — and every guardian approaches those needs a little differently.
  So, which type of dog guardian are you? Be honest. Your dog isn’t judging you … probably. Keep track of each A, B, C or D answer as you go, then tally them up at the end to see where you land.
  1. Your dog brings you a toy. You…
  A. Say, “Not right now.”
  B. T
  
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• Former chief sentenced to 4 years for historic sex crimes in Williams Lake court

  26-08-2026 18:21 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  WARNING: This article contains details about a criminal sexual assault trial and may be disturbing to some readers. If you or someone you know has been impacted by sexual violence, contact the 24-hour Sexual Assault Support Crisis line at 1-877-954-6242 or the RCMP.
  A former longtime chief of the Tŝideldel First Nation west of Williams Lake will be spending his 81st birthday behind bars after being convicted of historic sex crimes involving a minor.
  Ervin Charleyboy, whose legal first name
  
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• Nanaimo RCMP looking for witnesses to crash on Departure Bay Road

  26-08-2026 18:14 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Nanaimo RCMP have initiated an investigation following a two-vehicle collision that occurred just after 3 p.m. on Saturday August 22, 2026, in the 2700 block of Departure Bay Road.
  Police and emergency medical services responded to the crash involving a Volkswagen GTI and a GMC Sierra.
  Officers determined that the Volkswagen was travelling southbound on Departure Bay Road when the vehicle crossed the centre line and collided with the northbound GMC Sierra. Both drivers were assessed by emergency
  
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• Haven Society hosting Hike 4 Haven fundraiser on Sunday

  26-08-2026 18:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Haven Society will be hosting a Hike 4 Haven event to raise funds and awareness about gender-based violence in the community.
  Uzor Uzoma, Haven’s fund development manager, said this is the non-profit organization’s first-ever Hike 4 Haven, which takes place on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 11:30 in Bowen Park.
  “Each step we take supports safety, hope, and healing for women, children, and families in our community,” she said.
  “Together, we can make a meaningful difference one s
  
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• 2026 GENERAL LOCAL ELECTIONS

  26-08-2026 17:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  REGIONAL DISTRICT OF NANAIMO – ELECTORAL AREAS
  NOTICE OF NOMINATIONGABRIOLA ISLAND LOCAL TRUST AREA
  NOTICE OF NOMINATIONNominations for the offices of the Electoral Area Directors and the offices of the two Local Trustees will be received by the Chief Election Officer or a designated person, during the Nomination Period, from 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, to 4:00 p.m. on Friday, September 11, 2026 (excluding statutory holidays and weekends), as follows:
  By hand, mail, or deliver
  
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• Richmond’s Teresa Wat is the 3rd MLA to leave B.C. Conservatives in 3 days

  26-08-2026 17:15 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Richmond-Bridgeport MLA Teresa Wat is leaving the Conservative Party of B.C. and says she will sit as an Independent.In a statement posted to social media Wednesday (Aug. 26), Wat said she can no longer serve as a member of the B.C. Conservative caucus under Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay.
  Wat is the third MLA to leave the B.C. Conservatives since Monday. Delta South MLA announced he was leaving the Conservatives Monday and Prince George-Valemount MLA Rosalyn Bird announced Tuesday she was leaving t
  
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• Wildfire-related evacuation alert cancelled for areas including Boston Bar

  26-08-2026 16:57 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  An evacuation alert has been cancelled by the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) for North Bend, Fishblue Lake, Canyon Alpine, Nahatlatch, Boston Bar, Scuzzy Creek FSR, and south of Boston Bar.
  According to a news release from the FVRD, the cancellation comes at the recommendation of BC Wildfire Service (BCWS). The evacuation alerts were originally issued on Aug. 5, when they were downgraded from evacuation orders.
  The Brunswick Complex, which includes the 67,722-hectare Ainslie Creek wildfi
  
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• ‘Not enough beds’ Nanaimo hospital expansion highlighted in provincial budget consultation report

  26-08-2026 14:40 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  An expansion to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital was among the list of priorities expressed throughout B.C. for the upcoming 2027 provincial budget.
  Released on Aug. 11, the Budget 2027 Consultation report by the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services serves to identify key priorities for the next fiscal year, using input received through its consultations.
  Communities consulted included Smithers, Dawson Creek, Prince George, Cranbrook, Kelowna, Castlegar, Burnaby, Mission
  
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• Crews conducting mop-up duties inside fire’s edge at Bald Range blaze by Summerland

  26-08-2026 14:33 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Progress is being made at the Bald Range wildfire, but more smoke and flame could be visible on Wednesday, Aug. 26, due to the forecasted high of 31 C.
  As of Wednesday morning, six evacuation orders and three evacuation alerts remain in place.
  On Tuesday, BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) crews worked inside the fire’s perimeter around much of the blaze.
  On the west flank, north of Isintok Lake, crews have been mopping up and extinguishing heat 25 feet in from the fire’s edge where it&rsquo
  
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• UPDATE: Wildfire in Peachland now considered held

  26-08-2026 03:45 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE: (8:25 p.m.)
  The BC Wildfire Service and Peachland Fire and Rescue have brought a brush fire along Lipsett Road under control.Peachland Mayor Patrick Van Minsel and the BC Wildfire Service posted updates confirming that the fire had been brought under control after 8 p.m., with crews still on scene dealing with remaining hot spots.“My thanks goes out to the fire departments for their fast action, keeping Peachland safe,” said Van Minsel.
  The exact cause of the fire has not yet
  
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• BC Wildfire Service pulls air support from Peachland over drone

  26-08-2026 03:45 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE: (8:00 p.m.)
  The BC Wildfire Service is assisting Peachland Fire and Rescue with a fire along Lipsett Road that sparked in the evening of Aug. 25.According to the BCWS, aerial resources that had been deployed to assist the fire had to be grounded after a drone was seen operating in the area.Under Canadian Air Regulations, the space around all wildfires — a radius of five nautical miles around any smoke or fire — is automatically considered restricted, with drone operators faci
  
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• Plans for large Revelstoke heli-ski lodge rejected following public opposition

  26-08-2026 03:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A Revelstoke heli-skiing company won’t be proceeding with long-sought plans to rezone and transform a rural lot north of town into an all-season lakefront lodge.
  The Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) has denied Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing (STHS) a third reading on its Mars Creek Wilderness Lodge proposal, which required a zoning bylaw and official community plan (OCP) amendment for Area B.
  STHS’s application for the property — 65 hectares located at Mars Creek off High
  
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• UPDATE: Bald Range wildfire still out of control, grows west of Summerland

  26-08-2026 01:35 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE (4 P.M.)
  The Bald Range wildfire continues to grow west of Summerland.
  Eighteen days after it was discovered, the out-of-control blaze is 25,171 hectares in size.
  BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) on Tuesday said temperatures over the 24 hours will be “progressively warmer and drier.” It also noted that it is expecting higher fire activity on the active portion of the west flank, north of Isintok Lake.
  “Overall, smoke and some flame will be more visible than previous days as ou
  
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• Eby talks tough on tariffs as B.C. businesses nervously await news on supports

  26-08-2026 01:33 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Premier David Eby is continuing to take a hard line on tariffs as B.C.’s business community grapples with an escalating trade dispute between Canada and the U.S.
  “The only way to deal with a thug and a bully is to stand up to him,” Eby said at a Tuesday afternoon press conference staged in a Vancouver liquor store, a clear nod to the province’s ongoing policy to keep U.S. alcohol products off shelves. “That’s why the prime minister’s step was the right
  
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• Weekend rain helping slow growth of South Cariboo’s Pear Lake fire

  26-08-2026 00:41 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Weekend rain and humidity have helped slow the growth of the Pear Lake fire burning in the South Cariboo.
  In an Aug. 25 update, the BC Wildfire Service stated that thunderstorms brought rain to the Big Bar Complex over the weekend. While most of the area received some precipitation, amounts ranged from 2 to 18 millimetres, with the heaviest rain falling to the south and west.
  “The rain dampened fine surface fuels and slowed spread but had minimal impact on the deeper, heavier fuels, which
  
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• Nanaimo RCMP played part in arrest of man in Ucluelet for alleged sex crimes against minor

  25-08-2026 23:46 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Officers from the Nanaimo RCMP detachment were involved in the arrest in Ucluelet last weekend of a man who has been indicted in Hawaii for the alleged sexual exploitation of a child.
  The B.C. RCMP said in a press release that the Ucluelet RCMP received notification from Federal Policing – Pacific Region, in cooperation with the FBI, to be on the lookout for a sailing vessel associated with Donald Steven Lang, 62, who was wanted by the FBI for three counts of lewd conduct with a minor, and
  
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• Sara Edmondson

  25-08-2026 23:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  June 1981 to August 2026It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our daughter Sara Edmondson in Nanaimo. Sara was a beloved daughter, sister, aunt, niece and cousin whose life touched many people. She was deeply loved by her family and the people who knew her.
  Sara found purpose and community through her volunteer work at NANDU in Nanaimo. She passionately supported harm reduction and offered generously of her time, understanding and care to others. Her compassion and sensitivity
  
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• Helmut Gittinger

  25-08-2026 23:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Dec. 10, 1934 – Aug. 8, 2026
  It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dad Helmut Gittinger on Aug 8/2026 at the age of 91. Helmut was born in Stuttgart Germany on Dec 10 1934. He came to Canada in 1956 with his wife, Hilde and began working at the pulp mill in Port Alice as a pipe fitter where he also started his family. In 1964 the family moved to Nanaimo where he began working at the Harmac pulp mill. Helmut, Hilde, and their two kids lived in Nanaimo until 1976 when
  
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• Ernest James (Jim) Slotte

  25-08-2026 23:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  July 17, 1944 – August 18, 2026We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Jim Slotte on August 18, 2026 while recovering from surgery in the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria.
  Jim was born in Nanaimo to Ernest Slotte and Isabella (nee Baines). He was predeceased by his sister Elve Moore (nee Beck). Jim leaves behind Astrid (nee Einarsen), his wife and partner of more than 60 years, and their three sons, Vincent, Brent and Jason.
  Jim was committed to his friends and family and was w
  
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• David John Copley

  25-08-2026 23:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  March 27th, 1943 – August 8th, 2026Nanaimo BC
  It is with sadness and regret that we inform our friends and family, the passing of David John Copley. Our hearts are broken but take relief in knowing that Dad/David passed suddenly and peacefully in his home. We are grateful he did not suffer nor have to endure Hospital or long term care.
  Dad/David is survived by his loving wife of 55 wonderful years, Helen, his son and biggest admirer Bryan, beautiful Daughter in-law Heidi and sister Jean An
  
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• Majority of Gabriola Island animal rescue casualties caused by cat maulings

  25-08-2026 23:25 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  After another baby squirrel was left orphaned from a cat mauling, Gabriola Rescue of Wildlife Society (GROWLS) is pushing for cat owners to consider alternatives to letting their feline companions run wild.
  GROWLS, started in 1992 by two Gabriola Islanders, now consists of 40 rescue volunteers around the Island, who work together coordinating about 200 rescue cases a year from eagles, to songbirds, to squirrels, to fawns.“The summers are always so, so busy. In winter months you could go al
  
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• New chapter in recovery: $6.4M Bill’s Place expansion launches in Vernon

  25-08-2026 23:22 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A $6.4 million campaign has kicked off and is set to add 36 treatment beds at Bill’s Place Addiction Recovery in Vernon.Turning Points Collaborative Society announced Tuesday, Aug. 25, plans for a new 13,500-square-foot, three storey facility that will add 36 treatment beds and increase Bill’s Place capacity by 133 per cent.The Foord Family Foundation is helping pave the way for the expansion by providing Turning Points Collaborative Society (TPCS) with a $2.5 million gift to get sta
  
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