Plan to borrow for new water reservoir in Nanoose generating controversy
A plan to build a new water reservoir in Nanoose Bay has generated opposition among residents.
The Regional District of Nanaimo is currently running an alternative approval process(AAP), asking for permission to borrow up to around 1.2 million dollars, which would be close to half of the project’s budget.
The plan is to combine the restoration of an existing reservoir in the Lakes district of Nanoose with the construction of a new one.
The borrowing can’t go through if 538 or more electors within the Nanoose Bay Peninsula Water Service Area express their opposition through the AAP process.
Resident Paula Chase says she’s already collected forms from more than 800 people opposed to the project. She spoke with Midcoast Morning about her concerns.
Read More
BC Civil Liberties Association raises concerns over encampment injunction
The Palestine Solidarity Encampment has been cleared off of the grounds of VIU, following a Sunday deadline set out in an injunction from the BC Supreme Court.
The terms of the injunction granted differed from those originally sought by the university, which would have included a campus wide curfew, and police enforcement terms.
Instead the injunction grants the university the right to remove, store, or destroy materials on the grassy portion of the quad near VIU’s cafeteria for a term of 150 days. It also forbids the erecting of structures on the grassy quad area without the university’s consent, and gathering on the area between 11pm and 7 am, with the exception of students in residence.
The BC Civil Liberties Association was an intervenor in the case, and said in a statement that it has become increasingly concerned with injunctions being used to restrict protest rights.
Read More
Urgent Care for Nanaimo
From the doctor shortage, to the lack of proper heart and stroke care, Nanaimo is suffering from an overburdened and underfunded healthcare system. Why is healthcare, the very thing Canada is known for, so hard to find on Vancouver Island? And what can be done to fix this situation?
Today we’ll speak with Donna Hais, chair of the Fair Care Alliance, about the disparity of healthcare between the Victoria area and regions North of the Malahat. We’ll learn about what the problems are, how they are interconnected, and in what ways we as citizens can push for our government to address these issues.
Then, after the break we’ll speak with MLA Sheila Malcolmson about what’s being done by the City of Nanaimo and B.C. government to rectify the imbalance, and alleviate the issues facing Nanaimo. We’ll discuss ways of attracting new doctors to the province, new projects the city is funding to address immediate healthcare needs, and get a better understanding of how taxes fund healthcare in Nanaimo.
Find out more about the Fair Care Alliance here: https://weneedhealthcare.ca/
Guests:
Donna Hais - Chair of the Fair Care Alliance
Sheila Malcolmson - Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction in Nanaimo
Read More
Wildfire risk and the future of the Mars
On the same weekend an icon of fire fighting history was making its final flight, crews were working to get a blaze under control just south of Nanaimo.
Midcoast Morning explores wildfire risk on the mid island, and explores the legacy and future of the Hawaii Mars waterbomber.
Read More
Country Club Mobility Upgrades
Today on the show we’ll speak with Jamie Rose, Manager of Transportation for the City of Nanaimo, about the upcoming upgrades to the Country Club Transit Exchange. We’ll also get an update on the overall vision of Nanaimo’s transit roadmap, from the soon to break ground Downtown Exchange, to the future of Woodgrove and Southgate.
As part of the research for this story, Jack went to the Country Club exchange to speak with bus riders about the survey, and bring their questions directly to Jamie Rose.
As part of the upcoming upgrades to Country Club, the City of Nanaimo is reaching out to transit users with a survey on what they want to see. From food trucks to E-bike charging stations, we’ll look in depth at the options available for these upgrades.
Guests:
Read More
Nanaimo's Japanese Canadians
On August 6th, 1945, the atomic bomb called Little Boy was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Three days later, another atomic bomb, Fat Man, was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. This was the first time, and to this day the last time nuclear weapons have been used in war.
Today we’ll speak with Tami Hirasawa, the president of the Central Vancouver Island Japanese Canadian Culture Society, AKA Seven Potatoes, about the history of displacement and dispossession which occurred throughout the II World War.
Also on the show, Theresa Hood, a member of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom’s Nanaimo chapter. Theresa will speak to the symbolism and importance of the annual Lanterns for Peace Ceremony, which occurs every August 6th, in Sway-a-Lana Lagoon.
Guests:
Tami Hirasawa - President of the Central Vancouver Island Japanese Canadian Culture Society, AKA Seven Potatoes
Theresa Hood - A member of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom’s Nanaimo chapter
Read More
Sneak Peek at The Nanaimo Blues Festival
The 19th Annual Nanaimo Blues Festival takes over Maffeo Sutton park this August 8th to 10th.
Today on the show we get a behind the scenes look at how the Blues Festival got started, and hear about the history of the Nanaimo Blues scene.
Listen to Jacquie Moisan, President of the Nanaimo Blues Society discuss the ins and outs of putting together the annual blues festival. Then hear from two blues musicians who will be performing this year; Ariel Posen, new age blues/rocker from Winnipeg; and David Gogo, local legend and Juno Award winning Canadian blues musician.
Read More
Exploring Nanaimo Fringe Festival
Nanaimo’s 14th annual Fringe Festival is back this year, and for the first time, Fringe Festival will have a satellite venue on Gabriola Island, as well as expanded stages in The Black Rabbit Attic for adult performances.
Listen in as we discuss what makes the Fringe Festival possible with Artistic Director Tamara McCarthy. How do you run a festival with a randomized lineup?
After the break, we’ll get to know one of the performers at Fringe Festival, Miss Divinity Rising, and hear how her show, Death’s Cabaret, was inspired by her life experiences in palliative care.
Read More
Cost escalation in construction
As Nanaimo maps out potential big builds over the next few years, it faces rising construction costs.
A South End Community Centre, upgrades to the public works yard and a new RCMP detachment are all under consideration at over the coming years.
At the same time, the cost of construction nationwide has risen more sharply than inflation since 2017 per statistics Canada. One source we’ll hear from today said costs are rising as much as one or two percent a month.
Midcoast Morning explores the phenomenon, and how it impacts the city’s plans.
Read More
RVs and Tiny Homes in the RDN
Rules around RVs and tiny homes have been a hot topic of discussion around the board table at the Regional District of Nanaimo lately.
Concerns were raised in May that proposed updates to a zoning bylaw could negatively impact people using RVs as permanent housing on campgrounds in various areas of the regional district.
The bylaw is still under review, and while it is, enforcement on length of stay is on hold except where there’s a health, safety, or environmental concern.
The issue has also prompted discussion in articles from various media outlets about RVs and tiny homes in the context of the housing crisis.
At an RDN board meeting Tuesday, a motion from Director Leanne Salter called Creating a Future for Tiny Home and RV Living passed unanimously.
It proposed to bring a resolution to the Union of B.C. Municipalities calling on the body to lobby the province on a few issues related to tiny homes and RVs, including the building code.
Zoe Todd spoke in support of that motion, on Midcoast Morning, she speaks about her advocacy around Tiny Home and RV living, and the personal circumstances that led to it.
Read More
A law prof's perspective on VIU's notice of civil claim against student protestors
Vancouver Island University is suing student protestors, seeking an injunction to bring an end to the Palestine Solidarity Encampment on its grounds.
In a notice of civil claim, filed with the BC Supreme court this week, the university names six defendants, along with John Doe, Jane Doe, and “all unknown persons operating as the Palestinian Solidarity Encampment.”
In addition to injunctive relief, the university is seeking general and special damages, and costs.
Last week, Protestors had been ordered to vacate by Monday July 15th. The notice of civil claim comes after they failed to do so.
To better understand the legal stakes, Midcoast Morning spoke with University of Windsor law professor Richard Moon.
Read More
Exploring the 1854 treaty at the heart of this week's news
A traditional Snuneymuxw Village site in downtown Nanaimo is being returned to the nation, and an 1854 treaty played a part in getting the deal done.
Between 1850 and 1854, fourteen treaties were concluded on Vancouver Island between First Nations and the Hudson’s Bay Company.
They were negotiated on the company’s side by James Douglas, and are sometimes collectively referred to by some as the Douglas treaties.
The Sarlequun treaty of 1854 covers the area around Nanaimo. Midcoast Morning spoke with history professor John Lutz to put the treaties in context.
Read More
Socially responsible investing pt2/VIU issues trespass notice to encampment
Continuing the conversation on considering socially responsible investing at the city level with Municipal Finance Authority (MFA) CEO Peter Urbanc.
And VIU has delivered a trespass notice to the Palestine Solidarity Encampment on its grounds, requesting that the encampment leave by 8AM, Monday July 15, or face a court action seeking damages from encampment participants.
Read More
Nanaimo council debates socially responsible investing
Socially responsible investing was the subject of a lively debate around the council table in Nanaimo on Monday.
Councillor Ben Gesselbracht brought forward a motion calling for a staff report with options to update the city’s investment policy to include a percentage of the city’s portfolio in socially responsible and low greenhouse gas emissions.
It narrowly passed following a 5-4 vote.
The issue was debated by the previous council in 2021, who came to a decision to pursue socially responsible and green investments when they were within 5 per cent of maximum available yields.
Nanaimo has around 200 million dollars in various reserve funds.
Midcoast Morning spoke with Gesselbracht, and broke down council’s debate on the subject with Peter Urbanc, CEO of BC’s Municipal Finance Authority (MFA).
Read More
Impacts of the E&N land grant
Rail lines on Vancouver Island have sat mostly unused for years. But the impacts of the deal it took to create those rail lines continue.
Back in the 1880s, around 2 million acres of land on southern Vancouver Island were privatized, when they were granted to the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway Company in exchange for building the railway.
Historian Kelly Black speaks about some of the consequences of the grant on Vancouver Island today.
Read More
Following up on call to action on homelessness
A motion that included calls for Nanaimo city council to recognize homelessness as an existential crisis, and to adopt a housing first plus strategy was recently referred to the Nanaimo Systems Planning Organization(SPO).
Midcoast Morning follows up with SPO Executive Director John McCormick.
Read More
Calling on council to recognize homelessness as an existential crisis
Dave Witty is calling on Nanaimo to recognize homelessness as an existential crisis.
Witty brought a motion before city council this month that included a call for Nanaimo to adopt “housing first plus” as the foundational element of a homelessness strategy.
He sits on the Mayor’s leaders table, and has been exploring the response to homelessness in Switzerland.
Read More
City council considers changing the plan for public works yard update
Nanaimo city council is split between two different plans to upgrade its public works yard.
The issue, which was the subject of two cancelled AAPs returned to the agenda this week at a governance and priorities committee meeting.
Staff presented different options for the future of the project, and councillors were divided between two of them. Midcoast Morning brings you up to speed on the debate, and debriefs with Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog.
Read More
Neighbourhood group raises concerns around vacant properties
A local neighbourhood association is raising concerns around vacant properties
Karen Kuwica and Nancy Mitchell of the Newcastle Community Association brought the issue to city council in a delegation that shared examples of vacant property bylaws from other communities.
They say they want to see the city implement measures to help proactively address potential issues.
Also on this episode, Joy Bremner shares details on an event Friday June 21st at Maffeo Sutton Park to mark National Indigenous Peoples Day
Read More
Nanaimo's finances detailed in annual municipal report
The dollar’s in the details in Nanaimo’s 2023 annual municipal report.
Adopted at a council meeting this week, the 122 page document breaks down last year’s finances.
Midcaost Morning explores the state of the city’s finances with Wendy Fulla, director of finance for the city of Nanaimo.
Read More
