Nanaimo news

• Family vehicle impounded after Williams Lake learner caught speeding 168 km/h

  20-07-2026 17:01 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A Williams Lake family’s brand new vehicle was recently impounded for excessive speed after a learner driver was caught doing 168 kilometres an hour in a 120 km/h zone on the Coquihalla Highway.
  The 20 year-old-woman, who was accompanied with five family members, was stopped on Highway 5, south of Merritt, in her dad’s 2026 Honda Pilot on Saturday, July 11 by the BC Highway Patrol.According to a news release, the Williams Lake woman was issued a $368 fine under the BC Motor Vehicle A
  
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• Evacuation orders issued for Pear Lake fire near Clinton

  21-07-2026 03:04 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Two regional districts have issued evacuation orders in response to the Pear Lake wildfire, burning approximately 20 kilometres southwest of Clinton in the B.C. Interior.
  On Monday, July 20 the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) issued an evacuation order for the Downing Provincial Park day use and campground areas.
  The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) has issued an evacuation order for properties between 100 and 400 Pear Lake Road, as well as for properties between 650 and 980 P
  
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• Nanaimo Silly Boat Regatta commemorates 40th anniversary

  21-07-2026 02:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Nanaimo Silly Boat Regatta celebrated its 40th anniversary, with teams using boats consisting of various recycled materials, and then hitting the water on it.
  The regatta serves as the largest fundraiser for the Nanaimo Child Development Centre.
  “It basically is a family friendly event that has got some fun fundraising going on, and we encourage teams to come and build boats out of recycled materials, and then race them in the harbour against each other, and then we have a whole park f
  
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• Province, BC Hydro to build 100 MW battery storage facility in Cowichan Valley

  21-07-2026 01:41 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The province and BC Hydro will be building a 100 megawatt battery storage project in North Cowichan, officials announced on Monday, July 20.
  The project will be the first of its kind in the province. The purpose of the utility-scale battery energy storage project is to strengthen reliability and prepare for the growing electricity demand in the region as the island continues to experience population growth, housing development, economic investment and increasing electrification.
  “This firs
  
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• VIDEO: ‘No nurse wants to be out here’: BCNU rallies outside Kelowna hospital

  21-07-2026 01:35 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Cheers, car horns and cowbells filled the air outside Kelowna General Hospital the afternoon of July 20.Nurses and supporters rallied at 2 p.m. at the corner of Pandosy Street and Rose Avenue holding up signs, waving to cars, and cheering with every honk to prove that they aren’t backing down.“I think it’s important to know that no nurse wants to be out here,” said BCNU President Adriane Gear. “Nurses didn’t sign up because they wanted to be on rallies or have
  
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• Arrest made year after fatal Okanagan Granfondo crash

  21-07-2026 01:26 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  One year and a week after a crash during the Okanagan Granfondo killed an athlete and hospitalized two others, one man has been arrested and charged.
  The charges were approved by the BC Prosecution Service, and on Monday, July 20, Jonathan Crant was arrested. He now faces one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death and two counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm.
  “This has been a complex investigation requiring significant investigative ef
  
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• Trump says 50% tariffs coming to some Canadian products

  21-07-2026 01:14 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  U.S. President Donald Trump is again threatening tariffs against Canada.
  Trump signed three proclamations, according to the White House on Monday (July 20), that would impose additional 50-per-cent tariffs on certain Canadian goods “in response to Canada’s discriminatory treatment of American products.” The latest tariffs fall under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and include products ranging from wine to hockey sticks to cement.
  The tariffs are set to take effect 30 days
  
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• Effort to recall B.C. MLA Dallas Brodie falls short

  21-07-2026 01:09 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The petition to recall Vancouver-Quilchena MLA Dallas Brodie, leader of the OneBC Party, has failed to gather the necessary number of signatures by a wide margin.
  For a petition to be successful, registered canvassers must collect signatures from 40 per cent or more of the 15,232 people who were eligible to vote in the Vancouver-Quilchena riding on Oct. 19, 2024.
  Petitioners managed to gather just 3,663 signatures.
  The recall effort was organized by riding resident Dorothy Cumming, who submitted
  
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• B.C. MLA Dallas Brodie recall petition falls far short

  21-07-2026 01:09 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The petition to recall Vancouver-Quilchena MLA Dallas Brodie, leader of the OneBC Party, has failed to gather the necessary number of signatures by a wide margin.
  For a petition to be successful, registered canvassers must collect signatures from 40 per cent or more of the 15,232 people who were eligible to vote in the Vancouver-Quilchena riding on Oct. 19, 2024.
  The campaign to recall Brodie managed to gather just 3,663 signatures in a recall effort organized by riding resident Dorothy Cumming.
  
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• Crown contends Campbell shot, killed man at Nanaimo Wendy’s as trial starts

  21-07-2026 01:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A gun and phones were collected by police when accomplices failed to dispose of evidence after Yasin Khan was killed in Nanaimo four years ago, prosecutors are theorizing.
  Ronald Joseph Campbell, 42 when charged with the first-degree murder in 2024, was arrested in relation to the incident and his trial began Monday, July 20 at B.C. Supreme Court in Nanaimo, with Justice Douglas Thompson presiding.
  Prior to the start, Campbell pleaded not guilty, and Nick Barber and Gregory Furmaniuk, co-Crown c
  
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• Former B.C. Liberal cabinet minister Mike Bernier to lead CentreBC party

  21-07-2026 00:26 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Former B.C. Liberal cabinet minister Mike Bernier is the new leader of the CentreBC party.
  Bernier was a member of the B.C. legislature for 11 years as a member of the Liberal party, through its rebrand to B.C. United in 2023. He is also the former mayor of Dawson Creek and spent 20 years working in the oil and gas industry.
  Founding CentreBC leader Karin Kirkpatrick stepped down in June, triggering a search by the party’s executive council.
  Bernier hasn’t been a member of a party si
  
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• Former B.C. Liberal cabinet minister Mike Bernier to lead CenterBC party

  21-07-2026 00:26 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Former B.C. Liberal cabinet minister Mike Bernier is the new leader of the CentreBC party.
  Bernier was a member of the B.C. legislature for 11 years as a member of the Liberal party, through its rebrand to B.C. United in 2023. He is also the former mayor of Dawson Creek and spent 20 years working in the oil and gas industry.
  Founding CentreBC leader Karin Kirkpatrick stepped down in June, triggering a search by the party’s executive council.
  Bernier hasn’t been a member of a party si
  
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• Loyal Nanaimo Bathtub Society puts out SOS for support boats

  20-07-2026 23:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  There is need for boats to assist racers in the upcoming Great World Championship Bathtub race in Nanaimo.
  The race takes place Sunday, July 26 and Greg Peacock, Loyal Nanaimo Bathtub Society commodore, told the News Bulletin that as of July 17, four racers have had issues with their crews.
  “Every racer requires an escort boat to stay within sight of the actual tub itself and be able to get to [them if they] run into some trouble,” he said. “Escort boats are a big challenge. It
  
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• 16 foreign nationals arrested in Vancouver during World Cup

  20-07-2026 21:28 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Vancouver police have wrapped up policing activities related to the World Cup, noting it was the single largest deployment of officers ever in Vancouver.
  As many as 1,300 officers were out and about on each of the seven BC Place match days, Vancouver police said in a briefing Monday (July 20).
  The joint Canada-U.S.-Mexico tournament ran for 39 days across 16 host cities and wrapped up Sunday with the final match between Spain and Argentina. Spain scored in extra time for a 1-0 win.
  While Vancouv
  
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• Victoria Deaf community calls for new service hub after closure

  20-07-2026 20:50 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  More than two weeks after the Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre (IDHHC) shut its doors, members of Vancouver Island’s Deaf community gathered at Victoria City Hall on Friday afternoon, sharing emotional stories of loss while calling on the province to help restore services they say are essential.
  The town hall brought together Deaf, Deaf-Blind, hard of hearing residents, interpreters, parents, advocates and allies following the organization’s June 30 closure after 35 years of op
  
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• Nanaimo considers contributing $75,000 to affordable housing pilot project

  20-07-2026 20:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Nanaimo is considering contributing $75,000 to the Nanaimo Prosperity Corporation as part of an effort to increase the number of affordable-housing units in the municipality.
  The city’s governance and priorities committee made that recommendation at its meeting on July 13, after a lengthy discussion.
  Members of the Housing Nanaimo Working Group, which consists of a number of partners, including the Anchor Corporation and the Nanaimo Prosperity Corporation, spoke to the committee at its mee
  
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• Strong Cowichan presence helps Crimson Tide claim B.C. regional rugby title

  20-07-2026 20:25 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The 2026 provincial regional rugby championships were held at Abbotsford Exhibition Park June 4 and 5, with the Vancouver Island Rugby Union’s Crimson Tide earning the overall title, just two points ahead of the Fraser Valley Venom.
  The tournament featured British Columbia’s top U15 to U19 players representing four regional teams: the Crimson Tide (Vancouver Island), Fraser Valley Venom, Vancouver Wave and the Interior. The championships returned to Abbotsford after being held at Sha
  
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• Campbell River RCMP investigating early morning stabbing

  20-07-2026 19:43 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  On July 19, at approximately 2:30 a.m., police were called to a parking lot in the 1200 block of Cedar Street for a report of a 30-year-old female who had been stabbed.Multiple RCMP members responded to the scene, locating the 30 year old victim and ensured that she received the necessary medical assistance from Emergency Health Services. She was later transported to hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.RCMP members from the Major Crime Unit, Forensics Unit and General Duty, remained
  
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• Heat warning in effect for B.C.’s North, Central coasts

  20-07-2026 19:22 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Parts of B.C.’s North and Central coasts are under a heat warning until Wednesday, Environment Canada says.The yellow warning was issued Monday (July 20) for Terrace, Kitimat and Bella Coola, with a high forecast confidence. The warning is in effect until Wednesday, and will then be followed by a cooling trend.Environment Canada says a ridge of high pressure will bring high temperatures to the region, with daytime highs expected in the low 30s and overnight lows in the mid-teens.The warnin
  
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• Some residents not evacuating Brunswick Complex wildfires: FVRD

  20-07-2026 16:01 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Eight evacuation orders are in place due to the Brunswick Complex wildfires in the Fraser Canyon, but the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) said some residents have chosen to stay behind or return to the areas after evacuating.
  In a video update on Sunday (July 19), FVRD communications manager Samantha Piper said the regional district “continues to be aware” that some residents have not evacuated or have returned to evacuation order areas.
  “You are violating the law. This
  
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• 7 buildings destroyed in Brunswick Complex wildfires; some residents not evacuating

  20-07-2026 16:01 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE (11 a.m.) –Seven buildings have been destroyed by the Ainslie Creek wildfire, according to the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD).
  In a statement, the FVRD said four buildings were either residential structures or seasonal cabins, while the other three were accessory structures or structures supporting commercial uses.The regional district conducted rapid damage assessments on buildings confirmed to be damaged or destroyed by the fires. The FVRD said further damages may be repor
  
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• Fire smoke set to settle across Greater Victoria

  20-07-2026 14:59 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The air is anticipated to thicken with particulates as wildfire smoke from the interior of B.C. is expected to filter down to the coast Monday (July 20).Particulates in the air will be minimal for the South Island, spreading across the Island. The smoke is forecast to linger into Wednesday morning, which is as far as the predictor firesmoke.ca projects.
  The program shows interactive forecasts of hourly and daily averages and daily maximum concentrations of PM2.5 particles – fine inhalable
  
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• Early-bird tickets on sale for Nanaimo Independent Film Society fall season

  20-07-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Early-bird tickets are now on sale for the fall season of the Nanaimo International Film Screen Society.
  Eight films have been announced for the season, running from September to December, five for the main features, and three additional ones for matinees.The five main films shown will be Thelma (2024), Eleanor the Great (2025), It Was Just An Accident (2025), Koln 75 (2025) and The Mother and the Bear (2024). The three matinee films that will be shown are Mr. Nobody Against Putin (2025), Peak E
  
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• Death during annual swim event confirmed as 5th drowning on Okanagan this year

  20-07-2026 05:45 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A person who drowned at Tugboat Bay was participating in the annual Across the Lake Swim, Kelowna RCMP have confirmed.
  Emergency crews were called to the bay on Saturday morning, July 18. According to Cpl. Steven Lang, media relations officer with the Kelowna RCMP, police were alerted to a drowning in the area.“They were a part of the Across the Lake swim yesterday,” he said.
  Lang added he did not have the exact circumstances of how the victim was found, but added that strong headwin
  
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• City of Kimberley under evacuation alert due to wildfires

  20-07-2026 05:16 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The City of Kimberley and outlying areas are on evacuation alert due to wildfires burning roughly 15 kilometres the west of the municipality.
  The evacuation alert, issued late July 19, covers the entire city, including the ski hill, as well as 66 properties in Area E west in the St. Mary’s Lake region.
  “Given the current and forecasted conditions on both fires, particularly with ongoing hot, dry weather and little to no rain, the BC Wildfire Service has made the recommendation that E
  
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• THORPE REPORT: High school girls drain hoops

  19-07-2026 22:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Continuing our review of top local secondary school basketball teams from the past season, we turn now to girls’ results.
  Schools with the highest level of population compete at the Quad A or AAAA level, which locally applies to Dover Bay and Nanaimo District Secondary.
  This year the top senior girls’ team came from Dover Bay, as the senior Dolphins hosted and placed second at the Islands and advanced to provincials. Shayne Pfeiffer, Curtis Slater, and Adrienne Linder coached the squ
  
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• Latest designs viewable at City of Nanaimo Loudon Park project open house

  19-07-2026 20:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Nanaimo residents will have a chance to view the latest Loudon Park improvement project concept drawings and give their two cents later this month.
  An open house will be held Thursday, July 23 at the park by Long Lake at 4295 Victoria Ave. from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the city said in a press release. Part of the project is a new community building and the new designs took into consideration input from user groups, community organizations and residents provided thus far, the city said.
  The community
  
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• B.C. golfer wins U.S. Girls’ Junior championship

  19-07-2026 19:19 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  B.C. golfer Clairey Lin has won the U.S. Girls’ Junior championship.
  Lin, from Langley, defeated Amelie Zalsman of St. Petersburg, Florida, in the 36-hole final at Old Chatham Golf Club on Saturday.What a week by Langley, B.C.’s Clairey Lin at the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship at Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham, N.C.
  Stroke Play (36 holes): Medallist (-13)
  Round of 64: W, 3&2
  Round of 32: W, 4&3
  Round of 16: W, 4&2
  Quarter-finals: W, 2&1
  Semifinals: W, 1-up
  Fi
  
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• WORLD CUP DAILY, July 19: Kick-off for the championship match is 12 p.m. PT today

  19-07-2026 16:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Daily FIFA World Cup soccer match updates and news for Black Press Media publications.
  Argentina will face Spain in the World Cup championship match today (July 19) at New Jersey Stadium.
  The game will be refereed by Slovenian Slavko Vinčić, who will be the first Slovenian to referee a World Cup final.
  “So, first of all, a shock. Then happiness. I was shaking, so it’s an incredible honour to get the World Cup final,” he said. “It’s something that… i
  
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• Business Notes: Woodgrove Centre’s Landmark Cinemas completes major upgrades

  19-07-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Get ready for a whole new movie-viewing experience at Landmark Cinemas, located at Woodgrove Centre in Nanaimo.
  After approximately seven months, Landmark Cinemas has completed major renovations to each of the theatre’s eight theatre auditoriums that will transform movie-watching just in time for the summer-blockbuster season.
  Ryan Dion, Landmark Cinema’s vice-president of operations, and Mark Welton, president of IMAX Global Theatres, presented the upgrades to the press on July 9.
  G
  
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