Local News Updates

Updates on what’s happening in Nanaimo and on the Salish Sea.

Local News in Nanamo and on the Salish Sea
Vanier Secondary garage sale funding the future of Explore Program
Heather Watson
Vanier Secondary garage sale funding the future of Explore Program
Heather Watson

Local high school G.P. Vanier’s Explore Program is hosting their famed fundraiser, gearing up for Spring trips into the great outdoors.

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Heather Watson
Skin safe and sun smart: Skin Cancer Awareness Month reaches Courtenay
Heather Watson
Skin safe and sun smart: Skin Cancer Awareness Month reaches Courtenay
Heather Watson

The City of Courtenay is joining other municipalities across B.C. and Canada in naming May 2025 as Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month.

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Heather Watson
“These people become my family.” Risebridge shelter faces possible closure as shelter funding expires
Lauryn Mackenzie
“These people become my family.” Risebridge shelter faces possible closure as shelter funding expires
Lauryn Mackenzie

Today, 24 people are facing the possibility of being on the street after BC Housing funding for a temporary shelter ends.

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Lauryn Mackenzie
Success: “Infusion” sees hundreds of Americans gather in Nanaimo
Lauryn Mackenzie
Success: “Infusion” sees hundreds of Americans gather in Nanaimo
Lauryn Mackenzie

After one man’s idea to have Americans come and visit Nanaimo, hundreds of them came this weekend.

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Lauryn Mackenzie
Second urgent and primary care centre to open in Nanaimo
Lauryn Mackenzie
Second urgent and primary care centre to open in Nanaimo
Lauryn Mackenzie

Residents in Nanaimo will have more access to primary care as a second urgent and primary care centre is set to open in the community.

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Lauryn Mackenzie
Nanaimo-Ladysmith candidates speak to voters days before the election
Lauryn Mackenzie
Nanaimo-Ladysmith candidates speak to voters days before the election
Lauryn Mackenzie

With less than a week until election day, Nanaimo-Ladysmith candidates took to the stage to answer questions from engaged voters.

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Lauryn Mackenzie
Comox Valley Regional District seeks input on new nature park
Heather Watson
Comox Valley Regional District seeks input on new nature park
Heather Watson

Three plots of land have been donated to the community through the Canadian Ecological Gifts Program, and the CVRD is turning to the public for feedback on how to manage it.

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Heather Watson
Community members rally at Loudon Park, hoping to save the trees
Lauryn Mackenzie
Community members rally at Loudon Park, hoping to save the trees
Lauryn Mackenzie

Following a City of Nanaimo council vote to spend over $10.8 million to redevelop Loudon Park, community members gathered at the park hoping the City would stop the project.

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Lauryn Mackenzie
Exploring the pros and cons of strategic voting
Heather Watson
Exploring the pros and cons of strategic voting
Heather Watson

The election is in its final stretch on Vancouver Island, and with the right side of the Canadian political spectrum mostly consolidated within one party, many progressive voters are calling for strategic voting.

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Heather Watson
Queer Potluck creates space for chosen family this Easter
Heather Watson
Queer Potluck creates space for chosen family this Easter
Heather Watson

This Easter Sunday, Queer Centre Comox Valley is inviting people of all ages to gather with chosen family for a Queer Potluck at The Foundry in Courtenay. 

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Heather Watson
Spending time with the volunteers who flock to count brant geese
Lauryn Mackenzie
Spending time with the volunteers who flock to count brant geese
Lauryn Mackenzie

On the shoreline of Vancouver Island, there are things you are certain to hear: crashing waves, birds chirping, and running water from nearby streams. But every week on Monday mornings, there is one sound in particular that a group of volunteers would be looking for.

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Lauryn Mackenzie
Counting geese: Oceanside’s favourite feathered visitors
Lauryn Mackenzie
Counting geese: Oceanside’s favourite feathered visitors
Lauryn Mackenzie

Every spring, the Oceanside area gets visited by travelling birds stopping off on the coast of Vancouver Island to rest their wings. 

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Lauryn Mackenzie

Midcoast Morning

Broadcast and Podcast every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8:30 in the morning. Learn more and subscribe here.

Featured
New exhibit at Nanaimo Art Gallery explores audiences' taste in more ways than one
New exhibit at Nanaimo Art Gallery explores audiences' taste in more ways than one

New exhibition After Wrappers From the art collective Big Rock Candy Mountain launches tonight at the Nanaimo Art Gallery.

Featuring the work of Hannah Jickling, Reed H. Reed, a variety of guest artists, and elementary school students, it’s going to be running through July 12th.

Midcoast Morning spoke with Art Gallery curator Jesse Birch.

The Office of the Auditor General of BC has finished a look into the province’s legal aid system.

Acting Auditor General Sheila Dodds spoke with Midcoast Morning about the findings.

24 people in Nanaimo could face eviction to the street as shelter funding expires
24 people in Nanaimo could face eviction to the street as shelter funding expires

24 People could be forced to the streets this week as funding for a shelter in Nanaimo is set to expire.

The nonprofit Risebridge has been operating a shelter on Prideaux Street since the fall, funded by BC Housing on a temporary winter shelter contract.

On February 12th Risebridge reached out to BC housing to inquire about the possibility of extending the shelter contract.

On February 27th they were informed that BC Housing was reviewing extension requests across the province, and would follow up with updates.

After Risebridge followed up on March 28th, they eventually received a reply from BC Housing’s Director of Homelessness on April 17th, which stated that

“This year, BC Housing does not have a funding program to invite all Non-Profit operators to apply for extensions to provide broad operating extensions for all the temporary winter shelters across the province.”

Another shelter in Nanaimo, run by the Nanaimo Family Life Association, received an extension to May 31, 2025. 

Midcoast Morning paid a visit to the shelter, and reached out to BC Housing.

Local candidate interviews: Lisa Marie Barron(NDP) + lack of media access to conservative candidates
Local candidate interviews: Lisa Marie Barron(NDP) + lack of media access to conservative candidates

In the lead up to this year’s federal election, Midcoast Morning is bringing you interviews with our local candidates in the Nanaimo-Ladysmith Riding.

On this program Lisa Marie Barron.

Plus, after being unable to arrange a conversation with Conservative candidate Tamara Kronis, Midcoast Morning spoke with University of Guelph political science professor Julie Simmons about a lack of media availability among Conservative candidates during this election period.

Contact

News Staff

Managing Editor & Executive Producer
Jesse Woodward / jesse.woodward@chly.ca

Nanaimo Area Reporter (Local Journalism Initiative)
Lauryn Mackenzie / lauryn.mackenzie@chly.ca

Comox Valley Area Reporter (Local Journalism Initiative)
Heather Watson / heather.watson@chly.ca

Host-Producer (Mid Coast Morning)
Joe Pugh / joe.pugh@chly.ca

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news@chly.ca

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