Nanaimo news

• ‘It’s what’s best for my constituents’: MLA Boultbee explains decision to join B.C. NDP

  04-07-2026 14:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Penticton-Summerland MLA Amelia Boultbee says her decision to join the B.C. NDP caucus came down to what would be best for the people she represents.
  “I’ll be the first MLA in 10 years who’s been on the government bench in my riding, and that’s going to be great for my community and for my constituents,” she told the Western News. “It wasn’t something I did lightly, but I feel great about the decision, and I know that it’s going to be nothing but g
  
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• WORLD CUP: Canada battles Morocco for quarter-final berth

  04-07-2026 18:25 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  **
  9 a.m.
  Starting 11 announced, which includes Burnaby’s own Niko Sigur and also Max Crépeau, Richie Laryea, Moïse Bombito, Luc De Fougerolles, Alistair Johnston, Stephen Eustáquio (wearing captain’s armband), Ali Ahmed, Tajon Buchanan, Jonathan David and Tani Oluwaseyi.
  Alphonso Davies not included, but is expected to see action. Derek Cornelius out with muscle injury, according to reports.Today’s starters, presented by @GE_Appliances Max in-between the sti
  
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• WORLD CUP DAILY, July 4: Canada set to take on Morocco at 10 a.m. PT

  04-07-2026 16:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Daily FIFA World Cup soccer match updates and news for Black Press Media publications.
  Today is a big day for Canada at the 2026 World Cup, as it is the first time the men’s team has advanced into the round of 16.
  Canada is aiming to be the 5th CONCACAF team to reach the quarter-finals, after Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico and the USA.
  Canada will play against Morocco at 10 a.m. PT in Houston, Texas.
  The last time Canada and Morocco met in the World Cup was in 2022 during the group stage, when M
  
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• Vancouver Island BMX rider to represent Canada at world championships in Australia

  04-07-2026 15:35 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Qualicum Beach BMX racer Sarah Ferguson is preparing for the biggest competition of her career as she gets ready to represent Team Canada at the 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Brisbane, Australia.
  The championships, July 17 to July 25 at the Brisbane SX International BMX Centre, will mark Ferguson’s first appearance on the world stage — a milestone she says is both exciting and deeply meaningful.
  “I will be attending the World BMX Championships in Australia as part
  
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• Wells Gray Country director probes Trans Mountain pipeline proposal

  04-07-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  With Thursday’s announcement that a new oil pipeline will follow the previous Trans Mountain route through the North Thompson, an electoral area director is calling for community engagement as the project moves forward.
  Usoff Tsao, Area A (Wells Gray Country) director with the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, shared some comments on the proposed pipeline project and some information he received from a Trans Mountain representative.
  “The feedback so far from myself and residents who
  
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• Remembering Kelowna’s Bailey McCourt, legacy lives on in Bill C-225

  04-07-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  This article discusses intimate partner violence and may be triggering to some readers. If you or someone you know is experiencing violence or abuse contact the Kelowna Women’s Shelter 24/7 support line at 250-763-1040 or text 236-970-0704. In an emergency, call 911.
  It was one year ago on July 4, that Bailey McCourt died following a brazen daytime attack allegedly carried out by her estranged ex-husband.
  Police were called to Mill Creek Crossing at Enterprise Way and Spall Rd. around 12:4
  
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• COLUMN: Efforts to revitalize downtown seem to have paid off

  04-07-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  It was often said about 20 years ago that you could fire a cannon up the middle of Commercial Street after 5 p.m. and you wouldn’t hit a single person.
  Downtown Nanaimo was going through a bit of a crisis back then as people and businesses began gravitating towards the city’s other, newer centres in the northern parts of the municipality, including the Woodgrove and Country Club areas, leaving the downtown core looking pretty empty.
  A number of businesses decided to stay put and ride
  
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• Quick response by Kelowna Fire Department snuffs suspicious grass fire

  04-07-2026 04:40 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A grass fire that sparked off the Rail Trail in Kelowna on July 3 is considered suspicious and under investigation.
  The Kelowna Fire Department responded to multiple calls at 2:30 p.m. for a fast spreading fire near Spall Road and Clement Avenue.
  Upon arrival, crews found a rank two grass fire estimated to be 100 feet by 200 feet and spreading toward the Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery.
  The fire was quickly contained and crews remained on scene to put up a fire guard and extinguish hot spots.A wi
  
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• B.C. Conservative Leader Findlay emphasizes party unity following caucus retreat

  04-07-2026 02:05 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  B.C. Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay says her party is unified and ready to get out and hear from British Columbians following the party’s caucus retreat in Penticton.
  Findlay, backed by her caucus, spoke to reporters at the Penticton Lakeside Resort and Conference Centre in the second media scrum since her May 30 leadership race victory.
  “We know our purpose, know what we intend to do, what we want to do,” Findlay said. “We’re going to be talking to constit
  
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• Evacuation alert issued for wildfire north of Boston Bar

  04-07-2026 01:24 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Fraser Valley Regional District has issued an evacuation alert due to the Brunswick Creek wildfire north of Boston Bar.
  The wildfire, which is now 14 hectares, was discovered on July 2. B.C. Wildfire lists it as out of control.
  It’s believed to be human caused.
  B.C. Wildfire Service says its crews are currently helping the Boston Bar Fire Department respond to the fire. Along with the fire department, there are two initial attack crews, two unit crews and two response officers.
  There a
  
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• Nanaimo RCMP seek owner of bike ditched after alleged meat theft

  04-07-2026 01:02 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A mountain bike was ditched after an alleged meat thief was confronted at a north Nanaimo grocery store.
  Now police seek its owner.
  According to a press release, Nanaimo RCMP said it wants to find the owner of the black and white Schwinn, which has a serial number that includes 19B20. Police believe it was linked to an individual who is accused of stealing meat from the Save-On-Foods at Woodgrove Centre on Wednesday, July 1 – the suspect fled with the items.
  Anyone who believes the bike be
  
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• Mixed emotions from B.C. environmental groups on Alberta’s pipeline proposal

  04-07-2026 01:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Alberta’s plans for a new oil pipeline to B.C.’s coast that runs close to or alongside the current Trans Mountain were met with mixed reviews from environmental groups.
  On the one hand, it does not require chopping down a giant swath of forest and lifting the moratorium on oil tankers docking on B.C.’s North Coast, as a northern route would.
  But it’s still an oil pipeline that would be more than 1,000 kilometres long.
  “The decision to uphold the North Coast tanker b
  
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• Surrey judge grants conditional discharge to woman who assaulted her girlfriend

  03-07-2026 23:45 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A Surrey judge has granted a woman a conditional discharge with 30 months probation after she pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm against her girlfriend.
  The court heard Tricia Monsalud assaulted Danica Ricci between Feb. 27, 2025 and March 1, 2025. They had been in a relationship since 2023.
  Judge Michael Libby in his reasons for sentence noted that a suspended sentence would result in a criminal record whereas a conditional discharge “that later becomes absolute through complia
  
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• ‘All hands on deck’: Clearwater mayor responds to new possible oil pipeline in town

  03-07-2026 23:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Thursday’s pipeline route announcement from the federal and Alberta governments has Clearwater in expectation of a new oil project running through town.
  In a press conference on Thursday, July 2, Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced what they call a nation-building project that they hope will bring over $200 billion in direct investments to Canada, create over 175,000 jobs and help connect Alberta oil to global markets.
  They announced that the proposed pi
  
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• Former B.C. RCMP Supt. pleads guilty to assault with weapon

  03-07-2026 23:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A former superintendent for the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon Friday, almost one year after he was involved in an incident near Bella Coola.
  Steven McVarnock, born in 1961, was charged with assault with a weapon and assault Aug. 20, 2025, related to an incident that took place in Hagensborg July 29 of that year.
  McVarnock appeared virtually from Bella Coola in Robson Square Provincial Court July 3, and entered a guilty plea on the assault with weapon charge.
  
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• Viewing party for Canada-Morocco FIFA World Cup game at Nanaimo park

  03-07-2026 21:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Nanaimo residents are being invited to watch Canada play Morocco in FIFA 2026 World Cup action at a public gathering this weekend.
  City of Nanaimo will host a viewing party for the Round of 16 matchup Saturday, July 4 from 10 a.m. to noon at Harewood Centennial Park, stated a social media post.
  There is no fee for admission and the city is recommending attendees bring a blanket, lawn chair as well as their Canadian pride.
  Canada went 1-1-1 and finished second in Group B in round robin play, defe
  
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• Owl found on side of Williams Lake road transported to rehabilitation society

  03-07-2026 20:21 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A long-eared owl found by a paramedic is hopefully on its way to recovery after being transported to Delta by a Williams Lake trucking company.
  The medium-sized, slender owl made its journey in a plastic-covered pet carrier on Friday, July 3, by Bandstra Transportation Systems Ltd. to the city in B.C.’s Lower Mainland, where it was anticipated to be picked up by a volunteer who would take it to the OWL Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society.
  It was found a few days earlier by a paramedic
  
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• Tom Cochrane to headline B.C. stop of national culinary championship

  03-07-2026 20:10 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Life is a highway, and Canadian rock icon Tom Cochrane is steering his way to Oak Bay this September to headline a high-stakes culinary showdown.
  Cochrane is set to headline the live entertainment for Canada’s Great Kitchen Party All-Star Invitational on Sept. 29 at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel. Victoria resident and 2008 Olympic gold medallist Adam Kreek will serve as the emcee for the regional culinary qualifier.
  The event is a part of the 20th anniversary season for the organization.
  “
  
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• Penticton-Summerland MLA Boultbee joins Eby’s B.C. NDP

  03-07-2026 20:02 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The B.C. NDP have further secured their majority after the surprise addition of Penticton-Summerland MLA Amelia Boultbee, an Independent and former B.C. Conservative.
  The move comes less than two months after the B.C. Conservative Party stripped Boultbee of her party membership, following her vote to send a BC NDP bill on Freedom of Information requests to the committee stage for review and debate.
  The announcement of Boultbee joining the NDP also comes on the same day the B.C. Conservative Cauc
  
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• Former Victoria Royals captain Gannon Laroque retires at 22

  03-07-2026 20:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Former Victoria Royals captain Gannon Laroque has announced his retirement from hockey at the age of 22.
  The defenceman shared the news in an Instagram post on Thursday (July 2), saying long term concussion issues and other injuries led him to retire.
  “After many years of chasing my dream of becoming and being a professional hockey player, it’s time to officially hang up the skates,” Laroque wrote.
  “This isn’t how I imagined my career would end. After battling long
  
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• B.C.’s Jamie Benn signs one-year extension with Dallas Stars

  03-07-2026 20:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn will be back for at least one more season after the Central Saanich product signed a one-year contract extension with the Stars through the 2026-27 NHL season.
  The deal carries a base salary of $850,000 USD, with up to $1.15 million USD available in performance bonuses.
  “Jamie’s leadership and commitment to this organization is truly unmatched, and he has helped define our culture,” Stars general manager Jim Nill said in a team release.
  “He
  
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• Vancouver Island firm awarded $74.7 million RCMP patrol vessel contract

  03-07-2026 19:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The federal government has awarded Ocean Pacific Marine a $74.7 million contract to design and build three Next Generation Police Coastal Patrol Vessels (NG-PCPV) for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s West Coast Marine Services.
  The project will see the advanced aluminum patrol vessels designed through a joint venture between Ocean Pacific Marine and Camarc Design, the internationally recognized Scottish naval architecture firm whose high-speed patrol vessel designs are in service with p
  
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• MARS eagle ambassador Humpty: a gentle soul with fierce resilience

  03-07-2026 19:25 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  MARS Wildlife Rescue announced the passing of their beloved bald eagle ambassador and feathered educator, Humpty, on July 2.
  Humpty exemplified the spirit of resilience. After suffering a devastating fall in 2015, several days passed before he was found and brought to MARS. He arrived in rough shape: dehydrated, emaciated and potentially suffering from heat stroke. While his chances were slim, the MARS team put Humpty back together again through their training and their commitment to animal welf
  
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• VIDEO: ‘Fin-nomenal’ rare behemoth whale surfaces in Vancouver Island waters

  03-07-2026 18:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  With years of experience observing the abundance of wildlife in Greater Victoria waters, it takes something truly extraordinary to surprise the region’s most seasoned naturalists.
  The rare sight of the second-largest animal on the planet cruising through the Salish Sea most certainly fits that description.
  Estimated to be around 70 feet long – which is as long as a seven-storey building is high – a fin whale was spotted in waters west of Race Rocks June 28.
  The encounter was a
  
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• Nanaimo’s long-time parks director retires

  03-07-2026 18:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  After a 30-year career working for the City of Nanaimo, the municipality’s director of parks, recreation and culture, Darcie Osborne, is retiring.
  Since joining the city in 1996 in the parks and recreation department, she has worked her entire career in eight different positions, which includes recreation programmer, coordinator, supervisor, manager, director and acting general manager, before taking on the department’s top job.
  Mayor Leonard Krog paid a tribute to Osborne at the cou
  
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• THE MOJ: 11th version of golf ‘Shootout’ a huge success in Kelowna

  03-07-2026 17:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Some news and notes from the World of Sports…
  WORLD CUP FEVER: Go anywhere in downtown Vancouver and you’ll see them wandering around. Fans wearing the colours of any country that is playing here or even participating in the World Cup. Of course, the biggest contingent is the one that represents Canada and the atmosphere for the two games our National Team played at BC Place – or ‘Vancouver Stadium’ – was unbelievable.
  There was plenty of boasting on social m
  
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• ‘Put on the map’: Blue Jays gift $50K to Saanich baseball, softball academy

  03-07-2026 16:50 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A wave of disbelief hit Graham Campbell when a former major league outfielder told him the Toronto Blue Jays were sending a major grant to Saanich.
  The Blue Jays and Jays Care Foundation are donating $50,000 to the Lambrick Park Baseball and Softball Academy. The funds are part of the Jays Care First Pitch Fund, distributing $300,000 across Canada to celebrate the franchise’s 50th season.The local academy was selected for the financial boost by former major league outfielder and 2004 Lambr
  
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• Vancouver Island student helps provide reduced-fee dental services

  03-07-2026 15:35 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  For many people, visiting the dentist can be difficult when they don’t have insurance or a dental plan to help cover the cost.As a result, routine care is often delayed, allowing dental problems to worsen.
  Qualicum Dental, which has served the Oceanside region for more than 50 years, is offering a temporary solution for residents who cannot afford dental care.
  For three weeks in July, the clinic will have dental student Brendil Sabatino, an Oceanside native entering his fourth year in the
  
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• Nanaimo’s former poet laureate would like to see local writers highlighted on plaques

  03-07-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A campaign is underway that would see local poets and authors recognized on public plaques as part of a national initiative called Project Bookmark Canada.
  Kamal Parmar, Nanaimo’s former poet laureate, and Arlene Blundell, cultural award recipient, spoke to city council at its meeting on June 22 asking for the city’s support to begin installing poster-sized bookmark plaques around Nanaimo.
  Parmar explained that Project Bookmark Canada is a nationally registered charitable organizatio
  
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• Alberta government submits West Coast pipeline application

  03-07-2026 02:58 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Alberta has officially submitted an application to the federal Major Projects Office for listing as a project of national interest to build a new pipeline to the West Coast.
  The proposed pipeline runs through southern British Columbia, largely following the existing Trans Mountain pipeline corridor to a deep-water, VLCC-capable port terminal on B.C.’s southwest coast.
  To facilitate this project, Alberta’s government will enter into a partnership with Trans Mountain Corporation and Pe
  
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