Urban mayors call for party leaders to promise immediate help in mental health and addictions crisis

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Krog and other urban mayors of B.C. call for new revenue streams to fund local governments

The Mayors of B.C.'s thirteen largest cities, including Nanaimo, are calling on provincial party leaders to promise immediate help to deal with the mental health and addictions crises plaguing their communities. The "Urban Mayors' Caucus Blueprint for BC's Urban Future" makes a dozen requests, ranging from making the safe drug supply program permanent, to using other service providers and not just the police in responding to mental health and substance-use calls. It also recommends new ways of funding municipal government, beyond property taxes, and asks for more investment in affordable housing. Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog says the Urban Mayors' Caucus is the result of cities being unable to cope with problems that fall outside of their responsibilities.

"We're facing increasing financial pressures related to the growing asset base, our aging infrastructure, climate change, housing challenges and the opiod crisis. We're all facing the same problems. We are confident that when you put the urban mayors together, this kind of group, it will certainly and hopefully encourage the political parties to address this issue in a serious way."

The Urban Mayors hope the election will force all parties to put their commitments to urban renewal on the table for voters to see.

Feedback wanted for proposed transit bus route from Nanaimo to Cowichan

BC Transit wants to hear from you about a proposed new bus route between Nanaimo and the Cowichan Valley. A survey on Nanaimo's BC Transit page asks for feedback on start and stop destinations, times and proposed fares. Nanaimo City councillor Tyler Brown says the service could be important for people in the Cowichan Valley who want to shop or attend university in Nanaimo. Brown says the survey results will help the regional districts of Nanaimo and Cowichan Valley create a business plan.

"I think there's a level of commitment here to try to find a way to make this work and the survey and any subsequent reporting, coming back to those boards, we'll outline the recommended service level and have all those costs and things like that. So at that time, it will be up to the local jurisdictions RDN and CVRD, to make that final decision."

The survey ends on October 16.

Haze from US wildfires returns

The hazy skies over southern Vancouver Island are not the result of a low pressure system. Smoke from US wildfires will continue to affect our region over the next 24 hours. However, Environment Canada is rating air quality as a moderate risk to health and it is not expected to get worse. Earlier this month, people were being warned to stay indoors and avoid exercise because the amount of smoke in the air was a danger to health.