Nanaimo news

• What’s On, Oct. 28

  28-10-2026 19:30 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  MUSICSabbat, with support from Witches Hammer, Ares Kingdom and Empty Chalice, will be playing Japanese black metal on Oct. 29 at the Globe Live Studio at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at www.eventbrite.com.Cat Clyde & Dean Johnson (19+) will be playing Oct. 29 at The Queen’s, with doors at at 6 p.m. and showtime at 6:45 p.m. Tickets are available at www.thequeens.ca.Love Can Build a Bridge will be occurring on Oct. 30 at the Port Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Jóna Kristinsson will be performing as
  
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• Mother testifies at inquest into police shooting death of B.C. teen

  10-11-2026 02:20 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  An inquest to examine the circumstances surrounding the death of Surrey teen Chase de Balinhard, who was fatally shot by police in February 2025, began Nov. 9 in Burnaby.
  The inquest follows a December 2025 report by the Independent Investigations Office (IIO)—B.C.’s police watchdog—that found the two officers who opened fire on the autistic teen were legally justified.Separate from the IIO investigation, the inquest does not look at criminal or civil liability in Chase’s death. During t
  
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• Nanaimo RCMP seek owners after numerous industrial equipment and tools recovered

  10-11-2026 01:09 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Nanaimo RCMP seek help in identifying the owners of a multitude of recovered property believed to have been stolen from logging operations, fire suppression sites, and other industrial work locations.
  The items were recovered at approximately 1 a.m. on Nov. 3, from a vehicle located on Jackson Road in the area of Jack Point and Biggs Park.
  “We believe many of these items are connected to thefts that may never have been reported to police,” said Insp. Donovan Tait, operations officer at Nanai
  
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• Millar Western to indefinitely curtail operations at Quesnel River Pulp mill

  10-11-2026 00:41 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Millar Western Forest Products Ltd. will indefinitely curtail operations at its Quesnel River Pulp mill, citing market conditions and uncertainty surrounding economic fibre supply.
  The Quesnel Cariboo Observer obtained a copy of a letter sent out on Nov. 9, to employees at the Quesnel River Pulp mill. In the letter, executive chair and CEO Karl Meyers said the company had made the “very difficult decision” to curtail Quesnel River Pulp mill for an indefinite period.
  “Based on current contr
  
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• Abbotsford ball spinning record holder featured in 2027 Guinness World Records book

  10-11-2026 00:34 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  There’s once again a little piece of Abbotsford in one of the world’s most popular books.
  A colour picture of Abbotsford’s Sandeep Singh Kaila’s legendary ball spinning exploits appears in the 2027 Guinness World Records book and this marks the third time in the past eight editions he has been featured with a photo.
  Kaila initially began making headlines in The Abbotsford News back in 2018 when he established a new time record of 60.5 seconds for spinning a basketball on a toothbrush. Th
  
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• Accused cross examined in Kelowna sexual assault re-trial

  09-11-2026 23:52 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  WARNING: This article contains details about a criminal sexual assault trial and may be disturbing to some readers. If you or someone you know has been impacted by sexual violence, contact the Central Okanagan Elizabeth Fry Society at (250) 763-4613 or the RCMP.Crown counsel is questioning the reliability of the accused’s memory in a sexual assault trial taking place in Kelowna on Nov. 9.On Monday, Brandon Hildebrand Acosta was cross-examined in the Supreme Court in relation to the incident on
  
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• Kelowna MP Stephen Fuhr speaks on federal budget to ‘end homelessness’

  09-11-2026 23:23 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  The Federal government’s plan to “end homelessness” within 10 years could have impact in Kelowna.
  On Nov. 5, the federal government tabled its 2027 budget, which includes almost $30 billion dedicated to the goal of eliminating homelessness within the next decade, as well as $15 billion to triple the number of annual non-market housing starts to 24,000.
  “Canadians always care for each other. The crisis of homelessness that has deepened since the pandemic strikes at the heart of Canadian v
  
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• Okanagan Nation blasts former Indigenous healer’s appeal in assault case

  09-11-2026 23:20 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  WARNING: This article contains details about a criminal sexual assault trial and may be disturbing to some readers. If you or someone you know has been impacted by sexual violence, contact the 24-hour Sexual Assault Support Crisis line at 1-877-954-6242 or the RCMP.A former Indigenous spiritual healer banned from all Okanagan band territories will be back in court as the Syilx Okanagan Nation Alliance blasts his “self-serving” appeal.
  Donald Wayne Ashley was convicted of simple assault follo
  
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• More accountability needed after truck in ditch on Highway 5: Clearwater RCMP

  09-11-2026 23:11 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  An RCMP sergeant shared some thoughts on highway safety after a semi-truck wound up in a ditch early Tuesday morning north of Vavenby.
  According to Sgt. Grant Simpson of the Clearwater RCMP, the driver reported the incident after it occurred on Highway 5 around 4:55 a.m. on Nov. 3.
  “Evidence at the scene suggests that the driver simply failed to negotiate the corner, likely due to speed or fatigue (despite having a relief driver on board as well) or a combination of both,” Simpson said. “N
  
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• From Munich to Kyiv: delivering ambulances an extraordinary, sobering journey for Duck Paterson

  09-11-2026 21:05 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  From Munich to Kyiv.
  This journey would not have been possible without the generosity of people in Ladysmith and beyond, including some I had never met. Their donations helped make my participation in a Ukraine Focus mission possible, delivering much-needed used ambulances and medical supplies to Ukraine.
  I first heard about the mission from my Salish Sea Stones friend, Peter Shepherd, who made the trip in May. When Ukraine Focus (UF) founder Brock Bierman visited Chemainus to meet Shep, I was i
  
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• B.C. Conservative Party flips another seat as mail-in ballots counted

  09-11-2026 20:15 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  The final count is in for the 2026 B.C. provincial election, and the Conservative Party has flipped another riding, expanding its count to 64 of 93 seats.
  The NDP lead in 27 and the B.C. Green Party in two.
  Burnaby South-Metrotown flipped to the Conservative column during the counting of absentee, mail-in and phone-assisted ballots, with Conservative Andrew Rose now ahead of NDP incumbent Paul Choi by 64 votes.
  Elections BC is still finalizing the results, with the count undergoing quality assur
  
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• Doerkson appoints more staffers, including ex-B.C. Conservative lead Isidorou

  09-11-2026 20:07 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson announced several additional hires on Monday as his transition team takes shape, including the former executive director of the Conservative Party and the former chief of staff to interim leader Trevor Halford.
  Angelo Isidorou, the former executive director of the B.C. Conservative Party, who quit under former leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay, will serve as principal secretary.
  Allie Blades, Halford’s ex-chief of staff, will serve as Doerkson’s deputy chief of staf
  
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• Karen Eileen Mullen

  09-11-2026 19:26 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  In Loving Memory ~
  April 21, 1956 ~ October 30, 2026
  It is with profound shock and unbelievable grief that the family of Karen Eileen Mullen announce her passing in the late evening of Friday, October 30, 2026, in palliative care at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. Karen had suffered a major stroke while at home and after being taken to the hospital by ambulance just after noon, it was discovered that the stroke had caused an inoperable brain bleed.
  Karen was born on April 21, 1956, to John Ke
  
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• Douglas James Rough

  09-11-2026 19:17 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Lovingly Remembered
  1935 ~ 2026
  It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Doug who departed this life peacefully and with love, on October 26, 2026, in his 91st year.
  Dad was born September 2, 1935 in Enderby B.C. He was the youngest of 4 siblings and survived by Sister Dorothy and brother Bill.
  In 1951 Dad met his childhood sweetheart Arlene Storey (1938 – 1994) four years later they married. Son, Gordon arrived shortly after followed by Daughters Laurie (Brian) and Patti (1
  
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• Dorothy May Johnson

  09-11-2026 19:10 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  In Loving Memory ~
  February 6, 1935 ~ October 31, 2026
  Dorothy ‘Dot’ Johnson of Nanaimo, BC passed away peacefully at the age of 91 on October 31, 2026, after enduring 4 years of Global Aphasia.
  Dot was born on February 6, 1935, in Beverly, MA. In 1947, she immigrated to Calgary, Alberta with her parents, Lillian and Stanley Coleshill, along with her sister Nancy. Dot enlisted in the RCAF in Calgary and served as a Radio Operator. It was in the service that she met Neil, and they married in
  
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• ‘Honouring their sacrifices’: Victoria commemorates Indigenous Remembrance Day

  09-11-2026 18:40 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  During the First World War, more than 4,000 Indigenous people served in the Canadian Army.Two decades later, more than 3,000 First Nations people served during the Second World War, alongside Inuit and Métis members.It is estimated that more than 12,000 Indigenous people served during the 20th century, with approximately 500 losing their lives.For generations, Indigenous people have played a vital role in Canada’s military efforts, with involvement dating back to the War of 1812 and the South
  
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• Not suspicious: Missing hunter found deceased near Merritt

  09-11-2026 18:21 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  The death of a hunter who was missing for several days is not considered suspicious.
  Vernon North Okanagan RCMP received a report of a missing person on Monday, Nov. 2, around 7:30 a.m. after family reported not hearing from him since Oct. 31.
  Claus ‘Myles’ Fahrmann, 57, had gone hunting somewhere in the Douglas Lake area and had not returned when expected.
  Five search and rescue teams from across the Southern Interior joined Nicola Valley Search and Rescue in the Douglas Lake Ranch area wit
  
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• Power restored to 99% of customers impacted by weekend storms, BC Hydro says

  09-11-2026 18:01 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  At the peak, BC Hydro crews were working to restore power to nearly 415,000 customers after a series of storms across the province over the weekend.
  BC Hydro now says power has been restored to about 99 per cent of those customers, but it could be multiple days before the hardest-hit rural areas have power restored.
  BC Hydro’s update Monday (Nov. 9) says that additional crews, contractors and specialized equipment remain in the region, with resources continuing to to be redeployed from other p
  
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• Salvation Army’s winter shelter now open

  09-11-2026 18:00 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  The winter shelter at the Salvation Army New Hope Centre is now open, giving unhoused people in Nanaimo a safe and warm place to stay overnight as the weather gets wetter and colder.
  Bern Muller, New Hope Centre executive director, said the 30-bed shelter, which is being partly funded by B.C. Housing, opened Nov. 1 and will be open each night until the end of March.
  “People who need assistance can come at the end of the day and have a meal and a safe and warm place to sleep for the night, and
  
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• The Rankin Family reunion tour kicks off with 5 concerts in B.C. next March

  09-11-2026 17:41 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Five concerts in B.C. kick off a reunion tour for The Rankin Family next spring.Singing siblings Jimmy, Heather and Cookie Rankin, back performing for the first time in 15 years, announced a Together Again tour.
  A 23-date Canadian tour marks the 35th anniversary of “Fare Thee Well Love” becoming a hit song in 1992, two years after its release by the Nova Scotian family band.
  B.C. concerts are March 4 in Invermere at Columbia Valley Centre, March 6 in Vancouver at The Chan Centre, March 7 in
  
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• Bridge Lake women has baby on the side of Highway 5

  09-11-2026 17:37 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  When Marissa Ross planned the birth of her fourth child, she didn’t expect it to take place on the side of the highway in an ambulance.Yet that is just what happened to the Bridge Lake mother of four on Oct. 20 when her water broke. While she and her husband did their best to make it to Kamloops for the birth, Ross welcomed her new baby daughter, Remi, into the world just south of Little Fort on Highway 5.“Everybody was so supportive. I’m glad I did have the paramedic team there to support
  
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• Kelowna Centre riding going to a recount once again

  09-11-2026 17:22 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  A slim margin of 43 votes means the Kelowna Centre riding will once again need to be recounted.
  After the mail-in ballots were counted over the weekend for Election BC’s final count, the result will need to be recounted, much like in 2024.
  In the provincial election two years ago, Conservative candidate Kristina Loewen beat out NDP candidate Loyal Wooldridge by 40 votes to become the Kelowna Centre MLA.Now, two years later, the two raced for the same position. After election night on Oct. 24,
  
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• 100 years of Harewood Branch 10 Legion work include helping establish Westwood Lake

  09-11-2026 13:30 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  While the Harewood Legion has made many contributions to the Nanaimo community in its 100 years of existence, lesser known is its part in the development of Westwood Lake.
  Royal Canadian Legion Branch 10, the oldest in Nanaimo, was chartered by The Canadian Legion of the British Empire on Nov. 16, 1926, and in the last century, has assisted organizations such as Tillicum Lelum Friendship Centre, Nanaimo Child and Development Centre, the Great Nanaimo Toy Drive, Cranberry Volunteer Fire Departmen
  
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• Arla Jean Murch

  09-11-2026 03:42 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  February 19, 1934 ~ October 31, 2026
  Arla Jean was born in Kerrobert, Saskatchewan to Frederick Ernest and Maylo Rose Cunnings. She was predeceased by both parents, her brothers Garth, Barry and Dale; and by her ex-husband Bruce Murch and their three children Rob, Leslie and Tracy.
  During her long productive life she lived throughout Vancouver Island, attending Cowichan High School and ending up in Nanaimo. Her work life included nursing, accounting and establishing and directing the Nanaimo Aca
  
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• Kelowna firefighters shave heads to support cancer-stricken colleague

  09-11-2026 02:14 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  In a show of camaraderie, firefighters from the Kelowna and Vernon fire departments shaved their heads in a fundraising effort for their colleague, Stefon Marshall, who has been diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer earlier this year.
  The event was held at the Kelowna Fire Station on Enterprise Way near Dilworth Drive on Sunday, Nov. 8, where family and friends of the firefighters gathered to watch around 60 members of the fire department say goodbye to their locks in support of Marshall.
  Torren F
  
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• Nanaimo’s Port Theatre enjoys busiest year ever

  08-11-2026 18:00 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  The Port Theatre says it had the busiest year since the venue began operations.At its Tuesday, Nov. 3 annual general meeting, the Port Theatre handed out annual reports covering July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. In the report, they said that they “welcomed more than 124,000 patrons, making this our busiest year since the theatre opened in 1998.”In addition, it said that their Spotlight Series had eight sold-out performances, with around 8,000 tickets purchased. Overall, ticket sales in the fisc
  
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• Nanaimo’s Port Theatre busiest year ever doesn’t include Beyond Van Gogh, Beyond Monet

  08-11-2026 18:00 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  The Port Theatre says it had the busiest year since the venue began operations.At its Tuesday, Nov. 3 annual general meeting, the Port Theatre handed out annual reports covering July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. In the report, they said that they “welcomed more than 124,000 patrons, making this our busiest year since the theatre opened in 1998.”In addition, it said that their Spotlight Series had eight sold-out performances, with around 8,000 tickets purchased. Overall, ticket sales in the fisc
  
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• Beyond Van Gogh, Beyond Monet part of Nanaimo’s Port Theatre’s busiest year ever

  08-11-2026 18:00 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  The Port Theatre says it had the busiest year since the venue began operations.At its Tuesday, Nov. 3 annual general meeting, the Port Theatre handed out annual reports covering July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. In the report, they said that they “welcomed more than 124,000 patrons, making this our busiest year since the theatre opened in 1998.”In addition, it said that their Spotlight Series had eight sold-out performances, with around 8,000 tickets purchased. Overall, ticket sales in the fisc
  
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• Thousands remain without power Sunday morning, as Cowichan one of hardest hit regions

  08-11-2026 17:09 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  UPDATE: 9 a.m. Nov. 8
  As of Sunday morning thousands of people remained without power in the Cowichan Valley. New outages overnight included major blackouts in the Cobble Hill (2,080 customers), Shawnigan Lake (2,359), Malahat (2,304) and Saltair (2,244 customers) areas, as well as more of the Cowichan Lake area (more than 2,000 customers).
  BC Hydro crews said they are working to repair the damage, but more outages could add to the burden before the storm passes completely.
  “We prepared for th
  
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• Salt Spring chef brings taste of Transylvania to any kitchen

  08-11-2026 14:30 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Born to a Romanian mother and Taiwanese father, Haan Palcu-Chang grew up straddling two culinary worlds. After building his name in kitchens across Paris, Copenhagen, Singapore, Toronto, and Vancouver, he stepped away from the restaurant industry and relocated with his family to Salt Spring Island.
  He was a Top Chef Canada Season 11 finalist and the chef behind Favorites Thai BBQ’s Toronto Life Best New Restaurant win.Alongside the accolades and moves, he cooked up an online following of more
  
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