Nanaimo news

• Jail for recording minor in Penticton Community Centre changeroom

  15-01-2026 22:48 via nanaimobulletin.com
  ~Warning: This story contains references to child sexual abuse that may be upsetting to some readers.
  A Penticton man will spend 45 days in jail and 10 years on the sexual offenders registry for recording a video of a minor showering at the Penticton Community Centre in 2024.
  Zachary Nicholas Sarault, 24, appeared in Penticton Provincial Court on Jan. 14 to hear his fate after having previously pleaded guilty to the charges of secretly recording nudity in a private place and possession of child
  
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• Columbia Shuswap protective services manager urges haste on ‘Canada on Fire’ recommendations

  22-06-2026 21:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  By Barb Brouwer
  Contributor
  Wildfires in Canada are now a crisis.
  Canada on Fire, a report of the federal Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, calls for immediate action on managing the rapidly escalating wildfires across the country and the impact they have on forestry and agriculture industries as well as rural and Indigenous communities.
  Considering the report to have many positive aspects, Derek Sutherland, the Columbia Shuswap Regional District’s general manager of c
  
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• BC Ferries: booking is not mandatory on Comox–Powell River route

  22-06-2026 20:45 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  BC Ferries posted a statement to its social media to clarify what it called “misinformation” claiming that bookings are mandatory and drive-up customers are being turned away on their Comox–Powell River route.
  “Unlike what you may have read, bookings are not mandatory and customers without a booking are not automatically turned away,” the post said. “In fact, drive-up travel remains available on every sailing. However, we encourage customers to book in advance
  
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• Community condemns alleged attack against B.C. Muslim leader

  22-06-2026 20:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Several community groups are condemning an alleged attack against an Imam of the local Masjid Al Iman, which leaders say may have been hate-motivated.
  According to the Canadian Council of Imams, Ebrahim Ali said he was seated in his vehicle with his wife on Thursday, June 18, when someone opened the vehicle door and attempted to forcibly remove him. Ebrahim is said to have resisted the attack and pursued the individual for 20 minutes while on the phone with 911.
  They say police apprehended the i
  
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• B.C.-based potato chip brand teams up with BC Lions for fiery new flavour

  22-06-2026 20:08 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A Surrey-based Canadian potato chip brand is bringing BC Lions-style heat to life this summer with a unique buffalo wing-flavoured chip.
  The BC Lions issued a release Monday (June 22) noting the new chips are a Hardbite limited edition flavour, as they team up with Naturally Homegrown Foods Ltd. to bring the brand-new taste to store shelves across the province.
  Hitting stores starting Monday, the potato chip bags feature the faces of four BC Lions players: quarterback Nathan Rourke, White Rock n
  
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• Traffic collision south of Nanaimo takes one life

  22-06-2026 19:10 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Nanaimo RCMP is investigating a fatal two-vehicle collision that claimed the life of an adult woman.
  The collision occurred at approximately 6:15 p.m. on Sunday June 21, 2026, at the intersection of the Nanaimo Parkway and Island Highway South (Highway 19).
  Emergency services responded to the crash that involved a blue Kia SUV and a white Acura sedan.
  The two occupants of the Kia SUV were transported for medical treatment with non-life-threatening injuries.
  The driver and sole occupant of th
  
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• Tour de Rock: Finding that youth sports magic on the back of a bike

  22-06-2026 19:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  There is a feeling you get in youth sports that is hard to replicate anywhere else. You show up to practice, look around at a group of completely different people, and somehow everyone is pulling in the same direction.
  It is my favourite thing about sports. I never expected to find that feeling again as an adult.
  But halfway through Tour de Rock training, there it was. We are 23 people from across Vancouver Island. Every single person is sacrificing their own time, stepping away from families an
  
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• Reconfigured Qualicum Beach golf course to open in spring of 2027

  22-06-2026 19:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Eaglecrest Golf Course reconfiguration is well underway and is expected to reopen to the public in spring 2027.
  “The updated golf course will operate as a par-35, creating a regulation 9-hole course that will allow golfers to maintain official handicaps and participate in organized competitions,” said Mayor Teunis Westbroek.
  “The reconfiguration will improve safety, playability, and long-term operational sustainability, while preserving the character and quality of the cour
  
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• B.C. student among 20 Canadians to receive prestigious TD scholarship

  22-06-2026 18:15 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A Surrey student known for empowering young women has been awarded one of Canada’s most prestigious scholarships.
  Isabella Wen, a Surrey resident and Grade 12 graduate of R.E. Mountain Secondary in Langley, is one of just 20 students across Canada to receive a 2026 TD Scholarship for Community Leadership.
  The scholarship provides up to $70,000 toward post-secondary tuition and living expenses, along with mentorship, networking opportunities and paid summer employment.
  The scholarship is sa
  
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• WORLD CUP DAILY, June 22: Egypt scores historic win in Vancouver; Argentina plays this morning

  22-06-2026 16:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Daily FIFA World Cup match updates and news for Black Press Media publications.
  Egypt jumped to the top of the Group G table with a 3-1 win in Vancouver on Sunday evening, June 21.
  New Zealand managed to score once at BC Place Stadium, filled with 52,497 fans who watched Egypt score their first FIFA World Cup victory since making their debut 92 years ago.
  Key stat: This was the first time Egypt had ever gone in behind at half-time in a World Cup fixture.The celebration is on as Egypt defeats New
  
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• Filmmakers fundraise to finish late friend’s West Coast story of resilience

  22-06-2026 15:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Decades after a life-changing journey, friends are corralling footage entrusted in their care by a late friend and forging the path he wanted – making a feature documentary “preserving his impact.”
  Twenty years ago, Brad Jacobsen accomplished what many believed was impossible.Jacobsen’s life changed in spring 1994 when an accident left him living life as a quadriplegic. Jacobsen refused to accept that adventure, wilderness, and purpose were no longer part of his future: H
  
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• Seven staff members at City of Nanaimo made more than $200,000 in 2025

  22-06-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Seven employees in the City of Nanaimo made more than $200,000 in total compensation in 2025.
  CAO Dale Lindsay topped the list with $306,926 in remuneration from the city last year.
  Lindsay’s compensation is comparable to other municipal CAOs in B.C. in similar-sized cities.
  While the financial information from the City of Victoria, which has several thousand less people than Nanaimo, for 2025 has yet to be released, in 2024, Victoria’s CAO was paid approximately $283,000, according
  
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• June 30 proclaimed as Indigenous Survivors Day in City of Parksville

  22-06-2026 13:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Mayor Doug O’Brien has proclaimed June 30 as Indigenous Survivors Day in the City of Parksville.
  The intention of Indigenous Survivors Day is to recognize and honour the enduring resilience of Indigenous communities, according to a news release by the city.
  “We acknowledge the lives and communities impacted by the residential school system in Canada,” O’Brien said.
  “June 30 is a day to honour and support survivors and inter-generational survivors of the residential
  
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• NIWRA: Thousands of animals killed on B.C. highways each year

  22-06-2026 04:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  It is estimated between 16,400 and 23,000 wild animals are killed annually on roads in British Columbia, and, sadly, wildlife collisions are becoming more common.
  Deer are the wildlife most often struck on B.C. roads, involved in nearly three out of every four wildlife collisions. Other animals impacted are bears, raccoons, wolves, cougars, beavers, muskrats, moose and elk. And before highway crews can pick up the carcasses, scavengers such as eagles, hawks, ravens, and turkey vultures arrive on
  
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• Oceanside RCMP: Thieves steal Cadillac, beer; large tree set ablaze

  22-06-2026 02:35 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  During the week of May 11 to May 17, the Oceanside RCMP received 278 complaints.
  Some of the incidents included:
  A business break-and-enter was reported with a Yamaha 9.9 HP outboard motor stolen from a locked compound in the 1000 block of Lee Road East in Parksville on May 12. The same day, another business break-and-enter was reported with two storage utility trailers entered and several cases of beer missing in the 3200 block of Island Highway West in Qualicum Beach.
  Also May 12, a black, fou
  
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• PHOTOS: Father’s Day Car Show draws big crowd in Qualicum Beach

  22-06-2026 01:05 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Seaside Cruizers Father’s Day car show returned for its 33rd year on June 21, with more than 500 cars registered.
  The show and shine event showcased classic cars, as well as cars and trucks of various types, for an estimated 20,000 spectators.
  The weekend also included Cruise Night on June 19 and a Poker Run on June 20, back from a one-year hiatus.
  The event also serves as a fundraiser for charities in the Parksville Qualicum Beach area. Last year, Seaside Cruizers donated a total of $
  
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• VIDEO: Otter family turns Beach Avenue into a wildlife crosswalk in Oak Bay

  22-06-2026 00:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Cyclists and pedestrians along Beach Avenue near Willows Beach were treated to an unexpected wildlife sighting Saturday morning.A family of four river otters stopped traffic near Willows Beach this morning, turning Beach Avenue into a makeshift crosswalk.Story to come. pic.twitter.com/w6Ds8luIeG
  — Oak Bay News (@OakBayNews) June 20, 2026
  Just after 9 a.m. on June 20, a family of four river otters, a mother and her three pups, brought traffic to a temporary halt as they made their way acros
  
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• Saw Creek wildfire near Lytton reported as 704 hectares

  21-06-2026 21:52 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Saw Creek wildfire near Lytton is being reported as 704 hectares on Sunday, June 21.
  The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) last updated the public at 10:46 p.m. about the wildfire of note, which was sized at 600 hectares on Saturday, June 20. They say the fire remains out of control.
  EmergencyInfoBC has a breakdown of all the evacuation orders and alerts in place for the Saw Creek fire.
  An evacuation alert was issued on June 20 at 2:15 p.m. by the Siska Indian Band for Zacht 5, Siska Flat 5A, and S
  
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• 47 properties in Lytton downgraded to evacuation alert due to Saw Creek wildfire

  21-06-2026 21:52 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE: 8:30 p.m.
  The Saw Creek wildfire continues to burn out of control at an estimated 704 hectares as of Sunday evening.
  However, the evacuation order for 47 properties in the Village of Lytton has been downgraded to an evacuation alert as of 7 p.m.
  An evacuation order remains an effect for approximately three properties in the village as well as 12 properties in Electoral Area “l” or Blue Sky Country.
  An amended evacuation alert is now in place for approximately 212 addressed pr
  
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• THORPE REPORT: Junior boys’ volleyball takes the court

  21-06-2026 20:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Continuing our review of top junior volleyball teams from local schools, we focus this week on boys’ competition.
  At the junior boys’ level, the top local team came from Nanaimo District Secondary School, where the entry coached by Natalie McCallum and Acacia Christensen finished third on the Island and seventh at provincials. On the roster were players Jordan Arevalo-Pascua, Neven Bains, Henry Carlson, Ken Coffey, Adrian Cunnian, Emryst Maki, Brock Matheson, Mathew Morrison, Arlo Mo
  
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• Chilliwack author releases memoir about surviving mother’s ‘web of lies’

  21-06-2026 18:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A Chilliwack woman is sharing her story about surviving her mother’s web of lies in her newly released book.
  Phillippa Mann’s memoir House of Cards was released in February and she’ll be having a book signing on June 27.
  She grew up in a home where everything appeared perfect on the surface while something much darker was happening behind closed doors.
  Her mother has “undiagnosed munchausen by proxy,” she said, which is a mental illness where a caregiver (often a mo
  
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• WORLD CUP DAILY, June 21: Vancouver hosts New Zealand vs. Egypt today at 6 p.m.

  21-06-2026 16:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Daily FIFA World Cup match updates and news for Black Press Media publications.
  Vancouver will be alive again for a Sunday match featuring New Zealand vs. Egypt, 6 p.m. start at BC Place Stadium, on the first day of summer (June 21).
  The Group G game is one of two today, with Belgium facing Iran at noon in Los Angeles.
  In Group H action, Spain plays Saudi Arabia at 9 a.m. in Atlanta, and Uruguay faces Cabo Verde in Miami at 3 p.m.
  Saturday was busy with four games. Germany scored a late 2-1 win
  
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• Business Notes: Troller’s Fish & Chips moves to new location

  21-06-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Troller’s Fish & Chips has moved to a larger and more picturesque site.
  The restaurant, which has been located right on the docks in the Nanaimo Waterfront Marina alongside the Harbourfront Walkway for more than 30 years, has moved just one dock away from its former location.
  Manager Ritchie Evans said a larger space and a better view of the ocean for the restaurant’s customers was wanted.
  “The restaurant used to hide the view of the harbour, but the new location has the di
  
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• QUIZ: A salute to fathers and fatherhood

  21-06-2026 14:20 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Father’s Day, on the third Sunday of June, is a time set aside to honour fathers.
  How much do you know about famous fathers, in history, culture and fiction? Put your knowledge to the test with these 10 questions.
  Good luck.READ MORE: QUIZ: AI technology creates new worlds
  READ MORE: QUIZ: In celebration of hockey
  READ MORE: QUIZ: In praise of communication
  
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• ‘Resilient people’: Stories from Lytton on the second day of 2026 wildfire

  21-06-2026 05:20 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  It’s safe to say that Lytton is a community full of brave people.
  Almost five years to the day since the start of the Lytton Creek wildfire, which killed two people and brought almost the whole town to ruin in 2021, the people of Lytton once again had to face a forest-fuelled fire encroaching on their town.
  What was first reported as a 10-hectare fire by the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) the afternoon of June 19, quickly grew to 100 hectares, and then a few hours later, to 200 hectares. By th
  
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• Broombusters society celebrates 20 years of cutting broom on Vancouver Island

  21-06-2026 04:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  More than 30 local volunteers gathered in Coombs on June 13 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Broombusters Invasive Plant Society.Attendees included past and present volunteers who have helped clear Scotch broom throughout the Parksville-Qualicum-Beach area, from Nanoose Bay to Bowser and west to Whiskey Creek.
  Broombusters began in June 2006 when Joanne Sales asked Qualicum Beach Mayor Teunis Westbroek why the town wasn’t removing the large stands of Scotch broom lining local roads
  
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• Specialist on James Webb Telescope to present in Nanaimo

  20-06-2026 22:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Astrophysicist Nathalie Nguyen-Quoc Ouellette, the only outreach scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope in Canada, will be travelling to Nanaimo to discuss the advanced telescope, the search for alien worlds and her research on galaxy formation.
  In the June presentation hosted by the Nanaimo Astronomy Society, on Thursday, June 25, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Beban Park Social Centre, audiences will hear about “Cosmic Wonders with the James Webb Space Telescope.”
  Ouellette, who
  
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• LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Empathy and compassion is the answer

  20-06-2026 20:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  To the editor,
  Re: Nanaimo’s council considers banning camping in two downtown parks, June 17.
  This letter is directed toward the South End Community Association (SECA) and other “neighbourhood advocates” with regard to their ongoing efforts to eradicate people experiencing homelessness from their neighbourhoods. I have witnessed your “advocacy” for your “neighbours” throughout the past few years in successfully shutting down essential, life-saving servi
  
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• HERBERT: Black Hills Nota Bene an icon on the B.C. wine scene

  20-06-2026 20:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Black Hills Nota Bene has been an icon on the British Columbia wine scene for more than a quarter-century.
  Ross Wise, MW, head winemaker at Black Hills Estate Winery, led the way until recently, when he handed over the winemaking reins to Ryan McKibbon. That has not been the only change at Black Hills. Following the 2023 harvest came the winter freeze of January 2024, wiping out much of the old vines. Immediately, a major replant began.
  A more nuanced replant had already been in the works, but &
  
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• Lytton wildfire grows to 600 hectares on second day of blaze

  20-06-2026 18:54 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Saw Creek wildfire near Lytton is sized at 600 hectares as of Saturday morning (June 20).
  The wildfire was discovered on June 19 and was initially noted as 10 hectares in size. Within a couple of hours it had jumped to 100 hectares, and later in the evening it was marked as 200 hectares by the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS). The latest update at 9:14 a.m., June 20, puts the wildfire at 600 hectares.
  The fire is suspected by the BCWS to be human caused.
  The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD
  
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