Nanaimo news

• UPDATE: Out-of-control West Kelowna wildfire ‘like standing inside a campfire’

  16-06-2026 20:13 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE: 2:16 p.m.
  The wildfire remains listed at eight hectares on the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) map.
  Black Press Media has reached out to West Kelowna Fire Rescue reguarding the blaze.
  The blaze was discovered on Tuesday morning in Kalamoir Regional Park and is believed to be human-caused.
  A muster station has been set-up at Westbank Lion’s Hall Community Centre, located at 2566 Main Street for evacuees.
  According to a Central Okanagan Emergency Operations (COE) volunteer, the muster sta
  
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• Brentwood rows to 5 golds en route to 2nd place national finish

  17-06-2026 22:23 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Brentwood College School’s 59 student-athletes and their coaches placed second overall at the 79th Canadian Secondary Schools Rowing Association (CSSRA) National Championships, held June 5 to 7 in St. Catharines, Ont.
  The national high school regatta featured 130 clubs and 651 entries, including crews from multiple U.S. states.
  “It was a great day for the sport of rowing in Canada and a great day for Brentwood rowing,” said legendary Brentwood coach Brian Carr. He stepped in to
  
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• Four derelict boats to be removed from Cowichan waterways

  17-06-2026 22:21 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Four derelict vessels will be removed from Cowichan Valley waterways unless they are somehow dealt with before then according to Transport Canada.
  The ministry has given public notice that under the Wrecked Abandoned and Hazardous Vessels Act it intends to dispose of the ‘Valhalla’, a 45-foot black ketch, and a 21-foot red Campion power boat (BC1903505) both anchored in Maple Bay, along with a 30-foot beached white sailing vessel with a blue keel in the Cowichan Bay Estuary, and a 40
  
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• Repeat offenders drive rise in property crime as Duncan sees spike in violence and fraud

  17-06-2026 22:17 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Staff Sgt. Ken Beard, the officer in charge of the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP detachment, presented the quarterly report covering January to March 2026 to Duncan city council at their meeting on June 8.
  Beard said Mounties were involved in “quite a cross-section of events” over the three-month span.
  Of the detachment’s 5,740 files, 1,229 — or 22 per cent — originated within Duncan city limits.
  “We were involved in some exciting things, some fun things, and som
  
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• Scientists watch for super El Niño’s potential impact on B.C.

  17-06-2026 22:15 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Yukon and Western provinces could be looking at a warmer winter next season as scientists around the world have officially declared the formation of an El Niño weather pattern.
  On June 11, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) declared an El Niño year following earlier predictions by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations.
  According to research scientist Bill Merryfield of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), the formation
  
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• Alcohol tied to higher pancreatic cancer risk: UVic study

  17-06-2026 22:05 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A new study led by researchers at the University of Victoria has added to growing evidence that alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest forms of the disease.
  The research, conducted by the university’s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR), found a dose-response relationship between alcohol use and pancreatic cancer after accounting for several factors that can affect study results.
  The findings were published in the I
  
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• Williams Lake business owner devastated after delivery van fire deemed suspicious

  17-06-2026 21:55 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Emotions still ran high for Gwen Balmer early Monday morning, June 15.
  “I can’t that fix that,” she exclaimed to Black Press Media, before weeping after a suspect threw an object breaking the window of one her vans used to deliver water in Williams Lake setting it on fire a few days earlier.
  The owner of the Williams Lake Water Factory was doing a delivery to West Fraser in her other van early Saturday evening, June 13, before returning to a scene of fire trucks and firefighter
  
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• ‘Reason for hope’: Newborn calf spotted cruising with B.C.’s endangered orcas

  17-06-2026 21:45 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A month-long art project honouring all 75 of B.C.’s endangered Southern Resident killer whales has an unexpected addition to make.
  Researchers spotted a new calf on June 14, with the family group known as L pod. The newborn has been designated L130, and researchers have yet to confirm its maternity, said Washington-based Center for Whale Research.
  “We’re thrilled to welcome a new calf during our 50th year working with this endangered population,” said the organization&rsq
  
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• Courtenay Fire Department responds to structure fire on McPhee and Eighth

  17-06-2026 21:41 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Courtenay Fire Department responded to a structure fire at T’s PitStop Auto Repairs on McPhee Avenue and Eighth Street on the morning of June 17.
  One employee was working in the building at the time. Paramedics examined the individual for smoke inhalation but they did not sustain any injuries.
  Neighbours on McPhee mentioned hearing the sound of an explosion shortly before 9 a.m., promptly followed by flames and smoke coming from the automotive repair shop.
  Brandon Galandy was with his
  
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• North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre releases 5 black bears

  17-06-2026 21:25 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre has been caring for five orphaned black bear cubs for approximately 18 months, giving them the chance to develop survival skills with minimal human interaction.
  Tuesday, June 16, brought both excitement and emotion to the NIWRA — it was finally time to return the young bears to their natural habitat.
  NIWRA founder Robin Campbell said the organization has been caring for and releasing bears for more than 25 years and the thrill never fades.
  “I
  
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• British Columbians reminded to be prepared for wildfire evacuations, alerts

  17-06-2026 20:31 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The provincial government is reminding British Columbians to be prepared for evacuation alerts and orders.
  Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene and Forests Minister Ravi Parmar gave an update on the current wildfire and drought situation in the province, along with a reminder on how to prepare in the event of evacuations due to wildfires.
  “Being evacuated from your community in any emergency is a challenging experience, and that’s why taking simple steps now can make a big diff
  
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• Nanaimo RCMP seeks help in locating stolen shotgun

  17-06-2026 20:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Nanaimo RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance following the theft of a shotgun from a vehicle.
  The incident occurred sometime between midnight and 11 a.m. on June 6, from a pickup truck parked in the 100 block of Cameron Road.
  During that time, an unknown suspect smashed the rear passenger window of the parked pickup truck and removed a Mossberg 500 Mossy Oak 12-gauge pump action shotgun.
  The serial number is not available.
  The vehicle had been parked overnight near the Vancouver Isla
  
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• Penticton restaurant out on cash after festival vendor scam

  17-06-2026 20:14 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Businesses are asked to be vigilant after a local restaurant was targeted in a scam involving an individual representing the Penticton Peach Festival and offering vendor space for the event.
  Lala Ji’s was impacted by the scam, according to the festival, and submitted payment for what they believed to be a legitimate vendor opportunity.
  In a media release, Peach Fest said it has since confirmed the individual was not affiliated with the event and that no vendor space has been secured.
  &ldqu
  
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• What’s On, June 17

  17-06-2026 20:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  MUSIC
  Steve Hill will be performing live in Nanaimo with guests at the Globe Live Studio on June 17. Doors open at 6 p.m. and music at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available at www.theglobelivestudio.com.
  Nanaimo Idol – Final Round taking place at the Queen’s on June 17 with doors at 6:30 p.m. and show at 7 p.m.
  No Faith in Fortune, Mutual Trauma, ENDR, and Josh will be performing live in a Thursday night metal bash at the Globe Live Studio on June 18 with doors at 5 p.m. and the show at 6
  
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• Man charged in connection to shooting incident near U.S.-Canada border

  17-06-2026 20:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The man charged in connection with a shooting incident near the U.S.-Canada border near Peace Arch Park in South Surrey will appear in court Wednesday in Seattle.
  Nathanial A. Muniz-Spry, 39, of Everson, Wash. will appear at 2 p.m. Wednesday (June 17) on a federal criminal complaint charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, an email from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington said.
  His appearance will be on the 12th floor of the federal courthou
  
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• Fresh optimism airs as B.C. town tackles wastewater odour woes

  17-06-2026 19:40 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A prolonged malodour lingering through the streets of Southside appears to be subsiding, amid ongoing work to alleviate the smell of Revelstoke’s wastewater treatment plant.
  Construction to modernize and extend the life of the lagoon-style facility from the 1970s brought extended periods of foul wastewater smells, over the last year, as individual sewage ponds are taken out of service to allow new reactors to be built.
  With at least a year of work still to go, the unpleasant odour brought
  
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• ‘No significant growth’: Wildfire between Kamloops and Merritt held, still 149 hectares

  17-06-2026 19:35 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Kullagh Creek wildfire that spread to 149 hectares on Tuesday, June 16, saw minimal growth overnight and is now being held.
  The fire above Stump Lake on Highway 5A between Kamloops and Merritt was first discovered on June 16, and initially noted as 30 hectares. By late afternoon, it grew to 149 hectares, and remains that size as of 9:58 a.m. on Wednesday morning, when BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) made its latest update.
  Shae Stearns, fire information officer at the Kamloops Fire Centre, said t
  
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• ‘No significant growth’: Kullagh Creek wildfire being held, still noted as 149 hectares

  17-06-2026 19:35 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Kullagh Creek wildfire that spread to 149 hectares on Tuesday, June 16, saw minimal growth overnight and is now being held.
  The fire above Stump Lake on Highway 5A between Kamloops and Merritt was first discovered on June 16, and initially noted as 30 hectares. By late afternoon, it grew to 149 hectares, and remains that size as of 9:58 a.m. on Wednesday morning, when BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) made its latest update.
  Shae Stearns, fire information officer at the Kamloops Fire Centre, said t
  
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• ‘Price is Right Live’ game show coming to 5 B.C. cities this fall

  17-06-2026 19:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  An interactive, non-televised live version of an iconic game show is coming to B.C. this fall with tour stops in Surrey, Kelowna, Victoria, Duncan and Abbotsford.
  The Price is Right LIVE invites audiences members to “come on down!” to the stage for a chance to win prizes playing games such as Plinko, Cliff Hangers, spinning the Big Wheel and more.
  The games, energy and prizes are similar to what you see on TV, notes a post on the tour website, where Canadian show dates are listed. Ti
  
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• Wildfire west of Princeton grows to 57 hectares, evacuation alert issued

  17-06-2026 18:43 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Grasshopper Mountain wildfire has grown to 57 hectares, with an evacuation alert issued for the area.
  The blaze is located west of Princeton, near Tulameen.
  BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) has been responding to the incident with air tankers and helicopters alongside the Tulameen and District Fire Department.
  The Regional District of the Okanagan Similkameen (RDOS) issued the alert for properties west of Tulameen on Lawless Creek Road and Tulameen River Road due to the fire.
  The alert has been is
  
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• Mervin Ward Osler

  17-06-2026 18:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  In Loving Memory ~
  July 7, 1948 – May 26, 2026
  It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Mervin Ward Osler.
  In 2023 Merv suffered a spinal cord injury which left him a quadrapeligic.
  He was a fighter and never complained about being confined to a wheelchair.
  Unfortunately he suffered with many issues due to his paralysis and on May 26, 2026 with his wife and son by his
  side he passed away. A kind and loving husband to Irene and a proud devoted father to Ryan.
  Born July 7, 19
  
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• Anthology of nature poems featuring Nanaimo writers

  17-06-2026 18:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  An anthology by a local publisher, featuring poems about Canadian nature, has recently launched.
  Eyes Wild Open is a collection of poems which documents and celebrates the natural wonders, and unites poets from B.C., Alberta, and Ontario under a common theme.
  Celebrated in a Nanaimo launch on Saturday, June 13 at the Nanaimo Harbourfront branch of the Vancouver Island Regional Library, poet Ian Cognitō is the publisher and an editor on the selection committee for Eyes Wild Open, alongside D
  
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• WORLD CUP DAILY, June 17: Stars shine for France, Argentina and Norway; England vs. Croatia today

  17-06-2026 16:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Daily FIFA World Cup updates and news for Black Press Media publications.
  Favoured France booted their way to a 3-1 win over Senegal in the first of four World Cup matches Tuesday (June 16), a day when soccer superstars came to play.
  Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi all had multi-goal games on Day 6 of the tournament.
  In Group I action, Mbappe scored twice for France in New York, where Bradley Barcola added a third for the winners and Ibrahim Mbaye netted Senegal’s lone goal.
  
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• THE MOJ: B.C. Lions need win over Ticats to avoid falling into 0-2 hole

  17-06-2026 15:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A good start.
  It was a point of emphasis by B.C. Lions general manager Ryan Rigmaiden and head coach Buck Pierce during training camp in Kamloops.
  The Lions were 2-5 after two months of play last season but rallied to finish at 11-7 and second in the Western Division.
  That start cost the Lions first place – and home field advantage against Saskatchewan in the playoffs.
  It proved to be critical as the Riders won the Western Final 24-21 at Mosaic Stadium in Regina to advance to the Grey Cup,
  
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• NOTICE OF DISPOSITION: Household Items, Estevan Road

  17-06-2026 15:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The following personal property, abandoned by KATHLEEN “KATHI” FANCE
  KATHLEEN FANCE, former tenant at #5 – 1430 Estevan Road, Nanaimo BC V9S 3Y4, will be disposed of unless claimed by Kathleen Fance or by a person who establishes a legal right to the said property before July 17th, 2026. Property includes various women’s clothing and shoes, furniture, kitchen dishes and utensils, queen bedroom set, books, boxes of personal items and 30’ tv and other various househol
  
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• NOTICE OF AGM: Nanaimo F.O.S. Non-Profit Housing Society

  17-06-2026 15:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Monday June 22, 2026 at 6:00 pm
  6000 Oliver Road
  Oliver Woods Community Centre
  Hemlock Room
  Please join us!
  
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• Kalamoir Park wildfire in West Kelowna remains held, evacuation alert still in place

  17-06-2026 14:55 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Kalamoir Park wildfire in West Kelowna remains being held on Wednesday morning, June 17.
  While the fire is expected to stay within its perimeter, 742 properties, totalling an approximate 1,700 residents, remain on evacuation alert, meaning they have to be ready to go at any time if the fire spreads.Everyone who was placed on an evacuation order on Tuesday was able to go home just before 7 p.m. as the order was downgraded to an alert.
  On Tuesday, West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund confirme
  
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• Crews to mop up hot spots at held West Kelowna wildfire, evacuation alert still in place

  17-06-2026 14:55 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE 6:10 a.m.
  West Kelowna Fire Rescue (WKFR) will be assessing the Kalamoir Park wildfire on Wednesday morning, fire chief Jason Brolund tells Black Press Media.
  Brolund said he expects “numerous” hotspots within the fire’s perimeter, which will show smoke throughout the day.
  “Because these are within the existing perimeter, we are not concerned about growth of the fire or risk to homes,” said Brolund.
  “Although not expected, I encourage the public to repo
  
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• Feedback sought about establishment of independent Catholic school in Nanaimo

  17-06-2026 14:40 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Interest is being gauged about the desire for an independent Catholic school in Nanaimo.
  Organizers could not be reached for comment, but a social media post from St. Peter’s Catholic Church seeks feedback from parents in the area, via a survey, with information being used to inform next steps.
  Island Catholic Schools, the body governing Catholic schools on the Island, is not involved in the process, but in an e-mail, Paul Rossetti, superintendent, told the News Bulletin there are currentl
  
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• Saanich paddlers tackle Race to Alaska for 3rd time 10 years after meeting there

  17-06-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Already down three competitors, during its “proving ground” seagoing trip to Victoria, the Race to Alaska (R2AK) fleet takes off Wednesday at noon.When it does, Saanich paddlers Janice Mason and Ian Graeme are once again on the starting line of one of North America’s most unusual and demanding adventure races.The R2AK is a unique, engine-free, unsupported adventure race along the spectacular coast of B.C. and southeast Alaska. Competitors travel by sail, oar, paddle, pedal or a
  
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