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Running 28 minutes, Midcoast Morning covers local news and current affairs happening in Nanaimo and on the Salish Sea. Midcoast Morning focuses in on one big story per show, interviewing reporters about their stories, as well as those making news and those impacted by it. We also feature the curators and creators in our local arts and culture scene. Midcoast Morning broadcasts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning at 8:30 A.M.. The podcast edition releases at the same time.
Lauryn Mackenzie — Host and Producer.
Jesse Woodward — Executive Producer.
Arbie Fru — Technical Assistance.
And other contributors in our news department.
Have a lead on a story? Feedback regarding an episode? Drop us a line. We read all of our emails, and respond when we can.
Electoral reform is once again an issue in the House of Commons. Back in the summer, NDP MP for Nanaimo-Ladysmith Lisa Marie Barron put forward a motion for the creation of a National Citizens Assembly on Electoral Reform. If created, this assembly would recommend alternatives to our current first past the post system.
Read MoreNanaimo is a hub for arts & culture. This Friday, November 17th, the Nanaimo Art Gallery is hosting Making Waves, a community event to celebrate all things creative. This twice-yearly event highlights creatives from various areas of arts and culture in the city and gives attendees insight into the work they do.
Read MoreIn another move by the provincial government in response to the housing crisis, new legislation has been introduced to create more small-scale multi-unit housing. The result of the new legislation will see changes in zoning allowing for small-scale multi-unit housing to be built where previously only single-family homes were allowed. A blanket up-zoning for much of B.C.
Read MoreHaving just wrapped up, this fall’s GoByBike Week in Nanaimo saw over 480 riders participate in the event. With the event coming to a close, it’s now time to celebrate with a film festival. On November 9th the International Bicycle Film Festival will be screened in Nanaimo with films celebrating the culture of cycling. Hosted by Hub City Cycles Co-op and the City of Nanaimo, the festival will showcase award-winning short films about cycling from around the world.
Read MoreLast week the provincial government launched a new $300 million dollar conservation tool to protect old growth forests. The Conservation Financing Mechanism will see $150 million coming from the province, with the remaining $150 million coming from a funding commitment of the BC Parks Foundation.
Read MoreThe struggle to find affordable housing is something many people are facing both young and old in British Columbia and across Canada.
To help alleviate this stress, the provincial government recently introduced new changes to short-term rentals throughout BC. This move is meant to help bring back more long-term housing opportunities for renters. The government has stated that “B.C. is facing a housing crisis, with a shortage of all forms of attainable housing, including long-term rentals.”
Read MoreLast week the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital saw the addition of the new Care and Connection Kiosk. The kiosks, provided by the Vancouver Island Health Authority, will allow anyone to access free life-saving harm-reduction supplies. It will also provide information on mental health and substance use support, services and treatments. Both North Island Hospital’s Campbell River campus and Victoria’s General Hospital also received the kiosks.
Read MoreThis is part two of our two part series on public transit in Nanaimo. In part one, we looked at what new plans BC Transit and the Regional District of Nanaimo are working on to provide better transit for residents. On top of hearing what new plans are in the works, we discussed the new Umo payment system. Umo is coming this fall to all BC Transit Routes allowing riders to pay with the Umo app or a new reloadable card.
Today, in part two we will be taking a closer look at how students at Vancouver Island Univerity, AKA VIU are commuting to campus. While many students take transit to campus, some students say bus routes don’t work for them, and that parking on campus can be frustrating. We ask, what can be done?
Read MoreToday we’ll be starting a new two-part series on public transit in Nanaimo. In part one, we’ll be looking at what new plans BC Transit and the Regional District of Nanaimo are working on to provide better transit for residents. In part two airing Friday, we’ll take a closer look at how students at Vancouver Island University are commuting to campus.
New changes for the BC Transit customers will be coming this fall for riders in the Regional District of Nanaimo, AKA the RDN, and around the province. Meet Umo, BC Transit’s new payment system that will, as they describe: “allow users to select the best payment method for your lifestyle and travel habits.”
Read MoreThe annual fall GoByBike Week is about to kick off this weekend and will run from October 16th to October 29th.
Nanaimo has been taking part in this event since 1997 when it was first called Bike to Work Week. Residents of Nanaimo are encouraged to register for the event and record all their kilometres ridden during the week to submit them for a chance to win bike-related prizes. These kilometres can be tracked whenever you use your bike, be it on your commute to school or work, while doing errands by bike, trail riding, or just out for a casual ride.
Read MoreThe world's biggest Oktoberfest might have just finished in München Germany but far away from Bavaria in Nanaimo, our own city is celebrating the festival. The Nanaimo-Daybreak Rotary Club will be hosting their own Octoberfest on Saturday, October 21st at the Beban Park Social Centre.
This got me curious about the state of craft beer in our city and the sense of community surrounding it.
Read MoreA project is underway in the Cowichan Valley to restore 70 hectares of land to its natural state as an estuary. The estuary area originally housed three Quw’ustsun villages prior to the arrival of European settlers, who then over the years dyked the estuary, using it for forestry and farming purposes.
Some, however, in the community have been coming out against the project. Two town hall meetings took place over the summertime with organizers speaking out against the project.
Read MoreCampaigning is currently underway for the fall election of the Vancouver Island University Students’ Union, also known as VIUSU. Next week on October 11, 12, and 13th students from all three campuses will receive an email with a unique code that will allow them to vote in the election.
Read MoreOn September 25th Nanaimo City Council voted 5-3 in its third reading to adopt the Zero Carbon Step Code starting in July 2024. This will start six years ahead of the provincial government’s timeline. The Zero Carbon Step Code will make it so new home builds in the city will no longer be able to have natural gas heating. This is in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in British Columbia.
Prior to this vote, the Alberta government-funded Canadian Energy Center, or CEC, targeted the City of Nanaimo with an advocacy campaign to sway mayor and council to vote in opposition to the adoption of the code. The CEC is also known as Alberta’s energy war room and was created by former Alberta premier Jason Kenny. Before the campaign was removed from their Support Canadian Energy website, they claimed to have sent more than 2,400 emails to Nanaimo’s Mayor and Council. It is not clear what amount of this came from residents of Nanaimo.
Read MoreLast Wednesday Nanaimo saw a large protest centred around SOGI first outside of School District 68 and then outside City Hall and then march down to Maffeo Sutton Park. SOGI or Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, exists to guide educators in educating students on how to be inclusive of all people and make safe spaces for students of all sexual orientations and gender identities.
Read MoreThis past Sunday, Earthquakes Canada reported three earthquakes off the coast of Port Hardy. The swarm’s magnitude ranged from 4.3 to 5.9. More than 50 earthquakes have been reported by Earthquakes Canada, off the coast of Northern Vancouver Island since September 14. The biggest reaching a magnitude of 5.9.
Read MoreIn part one, we spoke with The Discourse's Julie Chadwick in studio and Lauren Kaljur over the phone to discuss their background as journalists and their observations over the last decade in local journalism and how they ended up working with The Discourse. Today in part two, we will touch on what it's like to run an independent media company and hear their thoughts on Bill C 18, the Online News act for a little bit of background on Bill C 18, the Online News Act according to the federal government, today most Canadians get their news online, social media being one of the go-to ways people keep up to date on news.
Read MoreHello and welcome to the first episode of the newly revamped Midcoast Morning, CHLY’s news and current affairs program. With the launch of this program, we are going to first set out to understand the state of local journalism today in a two-part series. What’s changed over the last decade? It's an industry that has seen rapid change in how people consume their news. It’s also an industry that has seen declining ad revenues, resulting in shrinking newsrooms both local and national.
I'll be sitting down with the Discourses’s Julie Chadwick in studio and over the phone, to discuss this and hear their perspectives. We will also touch on what it’s like to run an independent media company and hear their thoughts on Bill C-18, the Online News Act.
Read MoreHi, I'm Lauryn Mackenzie, the host of the newly revamped Midcoast Morning, CHLY's current events news show. You remember the old show with Joe and Elijah, but now we are back going to continue keeping you on top of what's happening on the Salish Sea, just now in a new way. Join me every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8:30 a.m. as we go in-depth on topics that are important to you.
But don't worry, I won't be alone. Sometimes I'll be joined by fellow journalists from the Nanaimo area to discuss stories that they are working on and to keep you most up to date.
So tune in September 15th for the first new episode of Midcoast Morning, and if you already have a topic you want us to discuss, email us at news at chly.ca.
Read MoreHost Joe Pugh reports on the ceremonies at Maffeo Sutton Park to mark the first national Day for Truth and Reconciliation. He also speaks with Andrew Gage from West Coast Environmental Law about the implications of a BC Supreme Court Justice’s decision not to extend the injunction that had been in place at Fairy Creek since April. Finally coverage on the city’s public consultation about what to do with the space located at the Terminal and Commercial intersection.ding the city’s new animal responsibility bylaw.
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