Nanaimo news

• THORPE REPORT: High school student athletes celebrated

  26-10-2026 05:00 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  With our municipal election out of the way, the “Thorpe Report” is settling back into its normal routine, set to appear on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.
  Today we play catch-up. Local students are well into their new school year and also into another year of extra-curricular activities. That said, let’s look back to give belated recognition to secondary school students who earned top athlete awards at the end of last school year…
  Working from north to south, we’ll start
  
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• Smith nets 2 as Sharks rally for 3-2 win over Vancouver Canucks

  30-10-2026 05:34 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Will Smith scored a pair of goals, leading the San Jose Sharks to a come-from-behind 3-2 win over the visiting Vancouver Canucks in NHL action Thursday at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.
  Mason Marchment also scored for the Sharks (7-6-1), who trailed 2-0 midway through the third period. Yaroslav Askarov made 23 saves to earn the win in goal.Drew O’Connor and Liam Öhgren scored for the Canucks (3-11-1), who ended a 10-game losing skid Tuesday in Anaheim. Leevi Merilainen stopped 21 of 24 sh
  
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• Nanoose Bay resident scores $100,000 MAXPLUS prize playing Lotto Max

  30-10-2026 02:59 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Richard S. was relaxing at home when he won a $100,000 MAXPLUS prize from the Oct. 16, 2026 Lotto Max draw, leaving him in a state of shock.
  The Nanoose Bay resident first shared the news with his wife. “She was speechless!”
  Richard doesn’t have any immediate plans to celebrate his win, but shared his plans to complete some home maintenance.
  “It feels good,” he said, when asked how it feels to win. “It’s a wonderful win.”
  The winning ticket was purchased at Walmart at Woodgrove C
  
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• Nanaimo RCMP seeing public’s help locating missing woman

  30-10-2026 01:05 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Nanaimo RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance in locating 43-year-old Ashley Edgars.
  According to an RCMP press release, she was reported missing on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026.
  Edgars was last known to be in Nanaimo approximately one month ago.
  Family members have not been able to contact her, and are concerned for her safety and well-being.
  Edgars is described as 5 ft 3 in tall and 133 lbs, with black hair and brown eyes.
  She also has a scar on left side of neck, a scar on her left ankle and
  
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• $55K in support helping victims of Bradley Creek wildfire near Vernon

  30-10-2026 00:54 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Support continues to make its way to people affected by the Bradley Creek wildfire near Vernon.Community Foundation North Okanagan (CFNO) has granted $55,000 from the Wildfire Response 2026 Fund to 13 local organizations supporting people displaced by the blaze that rapidly spread on Aug. 1.
  The grants are funding food security, mental health support help for families who were evacuated or lost property, animal rescue, and services for newcomers and Indigenous residents.
  The fund was established
  
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• Nanaimo Concert Band to perform concert on theme of flying

  30-10-2026 00:18 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Nanaimo Concert Band is preparing to take flight for its next concert.Flying High is the fall concert the band will be putting on and Scott MacInnes, music director, said that it is about “anything and everything to do with flight from airplanes to dragons.”
  He added that he picked the music because he felt there was something to music inspired by flying that has a different feel to it.
  “I thought it would be a really fun concert for an audience member to just sit and get that feeling of �
  
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• Longtime advocate for people with disabilities in Vernon dies

  29-10-2026 23:58 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  A woman who spent nearly a lifetime dedicated to caring for and supporting those with disabilities is being fondly remembered.
  Isabella Dorothy Alexander died Oct. 1, 2026 at the age of 87.Better known as Dorothy, her contributions to the Vernon area touched countless lives and continue to be felt through the community.
  “Dorothy Alexander was not only a remarkable advocate for persons with disabilities in our community, but also a true pioneer whose vision and dedication helped shape the servi
  
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• UPDATE: More than 30 cms of snow falls on Vernon’s SilverStar Mountain

  29-10-2026 23:09 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Winter has come early to SilverStar Mountain Resort.
  The Vernon ski hill has been blanketed with more than 30 centimetres of snow since Wednesday, Oct. 28, nearly a month ahead of downhill season.
  With fresh powder accumulating on the mountain and more snow in the forecast, winter preparations are beginning to ramp up ahead of opening day.
  “This is the time of year when the excitement for winter really starts to build across our team and community,” said Doug Chimuk, marketing manager at Sil
  
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• $840K byelection looms in B.C. city where Conservative was twice elected in October

  29-10-2026 23:02 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  A judge might decide whether Surrey will have a school trustee byelection at a cost of close to $840,000.
  The situation involves Garry Thind, re-elected trustee on Oct. 17 and then elected Conservative MLA in Surrey-Guildford a week later, Oct. 24.
  Once sworn in as MLA in coming weeks, Thind will be disqualified from being a school trustee, Surrey Schools confirms.
  Moving forward, if a court application is made under the Local Government Act, a judge can order that the trustee position is vacant
  
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• UPDATE: No injuries in large blaze at UBC Okanagan building, fire started due to roof work

  29-10-2026 22:38 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  UPDATE: 2:17 p.m.
  A fire that broke out at the Creative and Critical Studies building at UBC Okanagan has been contained, according to the Kelowna Fire Department (KFD).
  The blaze, which started at around 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29, was extinguished due to the efforts of the KFD, who deployed 30 firefighters, five engines and two ladder trucks to the scene.
  Deputy Fire Chief Larry Watkinson told reporters at the scene that the preliminary investigations suggest the fire was started due to c
  
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• New Westminster-Coquitlam MLA named interim leader of B.C. NDP

  29-10-2026 22:25 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  New Westminster-Coquitlam MLA Jennifer Whiteside has been named the interim leader of the B.C. NDP as the party tries to get back on its feet following a devastating loss in the 2026 provincial election last week.
  The former cabinet member announced her leadership role after a caucus meeting at the legislature on Thursday, Oct. 29. She said it was a unanimous decision of the caucus.
  “I have to tell you this is deeply, deeply humbling,” she told reporters after the meeting. “It is not an ou
  
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• Man arrested in Quebec after fatal hit-and-run in the South Okanagan

  29-10-2026 21:45 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  A man has been arrested in Drummondville, Que., following a fatal hit-and-run collision that occurred near Oliver in June 2025.
  Dominic Kavanagh Latreille was arrested on Oct. 14, four months after the BC Prosecution Service approved one charge against him for failing to remain at the scene of the crash.
  The collision took place on June 15, 2025, near the Cassini Winery south of Oliver along Highway 97. BC Highway Patrol responded to the single-vehicle incident in which a 22-year-old pedestrian
  
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• Shuswap’s Quaaout Lodge begins ‘building back better’ with groundbreaking ceremony

  29-10-2026 20:30 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  The ground breaking ceremony Friday, Oct. 23 was a major milestone in Quaaout Lodge rising from the ashes in its journey to rebuild following the fire that destroyed the guest wing at Talking Rock Resort in 2022.
  The start of the rebuild of the lodge rooms comes after “years of planning, community engagement and navigating significant setbacks.”
  Friday’s long awaited ceremony brought together community members, leadership, and project partners to celebrate this step forward.“Today’s gr
  
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• CPKC moves 130 small-town rail workers to Kamloops after housing, cost-of-living issues

  29-10-2026 20:30 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  It’s been four months since CPKC, a major railway company and Revelstoke employer, began relocating a large amount of its local workforce to Kamloops.
  The company first shared in summer 2025 that it would transfer away as many as 125 Revelstoke-based railroaders to resolve housing and cost-of-living issues that caused repeated turnover there.
  This summer, the relocation was underway by July after CPKC and its union failed to reach a settlement and an arbitrator decided what benefits and assist
  
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• Sparwood’s Hadden Kelloway is first known transgender mayor in B.C

  29-10-2026 20:28 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  When Hadden Kelloway stepped into his role as mayor of Sparwood following the 2026 municipal election, he finally felt like the person he’d always wanted to be.
  Kelloway, 65, is a transgender man who began transitioning in 2011. Electing a transgender mayor to town council is a big milestone in a community that has a reputation for being a right-wing conservative mining town, and for greater B.C. Kelloway is the first mayor in B.C to publicly come out as a transgender person.
  Kelloway’s camp
  
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• Exhibition talking about hauntings from resource extraction to be shown at Nanaimo Art Gallery

  29-10-2026 20:16 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  An exhibition dedicated to talking about the metaphorical ghosts of resource extraction will be opening at Nanaimo Art Gallery at the end of this month.Haunting the Undermined Zone will be shown at the gallery, starting on Saturday, Oct. 31, with an opening reception on Friday. Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.
  Jesse Birch, art gallery curator and artistic director, said that the new exhibition is thinking about the way humans extracted from the land, and the evidence that the extraction would come back to haun
  
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• ‘Mermaid of Chemainus’ celebrates more than 100 ocean swims this year

  29-10-2026 19:30 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  For Chemainus resident Diana Hardacker, a trip to Kin Beach isn’t just about enjoying the view. It’s an opportunity to dive into the ocean, visit some familiar wildlife and enjoy the beauty of the coastline from a different perspective.
  Hardacker recently celebrated her 100th ocean swim of 2026, surpassing her previous personal record of 94 swims — and she hasn’t stopped there.
  “I’m actually up to 107 now,” she said.
  Most of those swims have taken place at Kin Beach, where Hardacke
  
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• B.C. NDP MLAs meet to decide new interim leader after devastating loss

  29-10-2026 19:27 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  The remnants of the B.C. NDP caucus are in discussions on who will take the helm of the party after a crushing defeat in the 2026 provincial election – dropping from 47 to 28 seats and handing a majority government to the B.C. Conservatives for the first time in nearly a century.
  “There’s no sugarcoating it, it was a tough day,” said Vancouver-Hastings MLA Niki Sharma. “We had to say goodbye to MLA’s that were excellent, that really served their community well. So we were reflective,
  
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• National recall issued for Victoria-based hard coffee

  29-10-2026 19:00 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  A Victoria-based coffee brand is being recalled by its bottler.
  The Canadian Food Inspection Agency shared a recall by Artus Bottling Ltd. for Buck Wild brand Shaft Cocktail Canadian Hard Coffee due to container integrity defects and spoilage.
  The recall impacts Shaft Cocktail Canadian Hard Coffee in the 250 ml individual and four packs.The food may have non-harmful “microbial contamination” impacting quality, according to the CFIA recall notice.
  Those who purchased should not use, sell, ser
  
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• 20 cms of snow falls on Vernon’s SilverStar Mountain

  29-10-2026 18:59 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Winter has come early to SilverStar Mountain Resort.
  The Vernon ski hill got 20 centimetres Wednesday, Oct. 28, nearly a month ahead of downhill season.
  “Can you believe we’re only three weeks out from our tentative nordic opening on Nov. 20? And four weeks out from our tentative alpine opening on Nov. 27!” the resort boasted Thursday morning.It’s a big difference from a week ago, when the resort was green and brown in all its fall glory. Now it’s a winter wonderland.
  And it caps off a
  
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• Fireworks, sparklers on Canucks’ lit Diwali logo for festive home game Nov. 3

  29-10-2026 18:49 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Artist Arpan Panglia created another Diwali-themed logo for Vancouver Canucks ahead of this year’s celebration game Tuesday, Nov. 3, vs. Anaheim Ducks at Rogers Arena.
  Panglia’s colourful, lit-up logo features diyas, hand sparklers, twinkle lights and rangoli (curved flower petals).
  “Growing up, one of my favourite ways my family would celebrate (Diwali) was to light up dazzling sparklers,” the artist said in a Canucks post on social media. “With glowing sparklers in our hands and cous
  
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• Lumby murder sentencing moved to 2027

  29-10-2026 18:31 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  WARNING: This article contains content related to a domestic violence murder 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 man found guilty of second-degree murder of his ex-wife has had his sentencing pushed back.
  Defence for Vitali Stefanski applied in Kamloops Court today, Oct. 29, to ad
  
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• North Cowichan working to connect displaced forestry workers with new employment opportunities

  29-10-2026 18:24 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  The Municipality of North Cowichan is working to connect forestry workers impacted by the Crofton pulp mill closure and ongoing sawmill curtailments in Chemainus and Cowichan Bay with new employment opportunities, including positions in manufacturing and mining.
  In a statement posted to social media, North Cowichan Mayor Rob Douglas outlined several initiatives underway to support displaced workers, including industry information sessions recruitment opportunities and retraining programs.
  Throug
  
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• Hockey Without Limits expands inclusive ball hockey program to Cowichan Valley

  29-10-2026 18:19 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Building on the program’s success in Victoria, Hockey Without Limits, a recreational floor hockey program for adults with diverse abilities, has expanded to the Cowichan Valley.
  Hockey Without Limits is designed for adults aged 18 and older of all abilities, including those with developmental disabilities and support needs.
  “We would like to expand the Duncan program to offer a similar opportunity for individuals with diverse abilities, isolation, and barriers to be connected in a positive e
  
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• MARS patients show why animals need companionship

  29-10-2026 18:02 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Have you heard about the depressed goose? This might sound like the opener for a lame joke, but at MARS it’s a real thing.
  One of our Canada Goose patients with a fractured toe acquired a foot infection and had to be moved to an isolation unit for treatment. This goose was well fed, had multiple x-rays, antibiotics and pain management but spent its entire time snuggled up to a mirror. It would get up to eat, go back to the mirror, hunker down and sleep until it next felt peckish.This routine c
  
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• Ladysmith-Oceanside sees highest number of ballots cast in provincial election

  29-10-2026 18:00 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Ladysmith-Oceanside voters turned out in droves for the provincial election — the riding saw 30,155 votes cast, the most in any district in B.C.
  Not far behind were two other ridings on the Island, with 29,894 voters showing up in Saanich North and the Islands and 29,722 in Courtenay-Comox.
  Of the 30,155 votes in Ladysmith-Oceanside, 30,112 were considered valid by Elections BC. Ballots are rejected if they are not marked clearly for one candidate, according to Elections BC.
  Ladysmith-Oceansid
  
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• B.C. realtor nearing 44 million views from Google photography days

  29-10-2026 17:48 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  When people are looking into locations, they like to get the lay of the land.Thanks to Sean Phillips and his camerawork, they’re able to with a few clicks on the internet.
  Now a realtor in Vernon, Phillips spent eight years as a Google trusted photographer, photographing hundreds of B.C. resorts, attractions and businesses and creating Google Street View virtual tours that let people step inside online.
  Phillips is now nearing a significant milestone: his roughly 7,700 photos have been viewed
  
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• ‘Fund the fire hall’: MP Caputo brings Barriere’s critical infrastructure needs to Ottawa

  29-10-2026 17:20 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Barriere’s emergency infrastructure needs have been heard in the House of Commons, with MP Frank Caputo requesting help to fund a new fire hall for the rural community.On Sunday, Oct. 25, Caputo, MP for Kamloops-Thompson-Nicola, posted a video of his petition in the House of Commons on behalf of Barriere.“Barriere needs a new fire hall. Their fire hall is over 70 years old, it services many communities in the area and within Kamloops-Thompson-Nicola,” the MP said in Ottawa.
  “The people o
  
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• THE MOJ: For Canucks forward Brendan Gallagher, coming home is bittersweet

  29-10-2026 17:16 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Brendan Gallagher’s homecoming hasn’t gone exactly as planned.
  After 14 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, the Vancouver Canucks signed the former Vancouver Giant to provide veteran leadership to a rebuilding team.
  But almost a month into the season, the 34-year-old has just one assist in 12 games and was a healthy scratch in Tuesday’s 6-5 overtime win in Anaheim, which snapped Vancouver’s 10-game losing streak.
  Then again, overcoming adversity is nothing new for Gallagher, who at 5-fo
  
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• Does your dog actually feel guilty?

  29-10-2026 13:30 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  You come home to find a chewed shoe or a knocked-over garbage can. Your dog lowers their head, avoids your eyes, and tucks their tail. It looks like guilt. But does your dog actually feel guilty, or are we interpreting their behaviour through a human lens?
  Dr. Alexandra Horowitz, a cognitive scientist at Barnard College and head of the Horowitz Canine Cognition Lab, explored this question in her landmark study, “Disambiguating the ‘guilty look’: Salient prompts to a familiar dog behaviour.
  
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