Vancouver Island

April 7, 1981 - August 11, 2025 In loving memory ~ Ian was taken from us much too soon in a tragic vehicle accident. Ian is survived by his wife Jamie, Father Gord, sister Leah (Mark), and neices Alyssa and Hailey. A Celebration of Life will be held on September 13, 2025 at 1pm at Yates Funeral Home in Parksville. SERVICE DETAILS Celebration of Life Saturday, September 13, 2025 1:00 PM Yates Funeral Home, Parksville

Parksville Qualicum Beach drivers are advised that Mainroad Mid-Island Contracting crews will be out on a pair of projects beginning Sept. 8. In a press release, Mainroad noted crews will performing a culvert replacement on Smithers Road Parksville between Sept. 8 and Sept. 19 ( 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). Drivers can expect a full closure and detour will be available via Alberni Hwy 4A, stated the release. Drivers are reminded to obey signs and traffic control personnel and to watch for roadside workers. Crews will be performing concrete bridge deck repair on Highway 19 between Big Qualicum and Englishman and traffic will be affected in both directions (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) from Sept. 8 to Sept. 18. Drivers can expect lane closures. Mainroad says its 24-hour communications and dispatch office will pass on all observations and concerns to crews when contacted. For more information, visit www.drivebc.ca.

This is a notice of disposal made by the landlords, Guobing (Patrick) Cai and Huaijin (Sherrie) Wang, at the address of 3545 York Street, Port Coquitlam, BC. Addressed to James Skelton regarding the disposal of abandoned property in the rental unit on 1609 Northfield Road, Nanaimo, BC. The abandoned property includes; Roofing tools and safety equipment, BB guns, toolbox with tools, RC vehicles + related items, DVDs, books, blades, clothes, chargers, electronics, video games, subwoofers, belongings, furniture. The items will be disposed of after 30 days of the notice being served or posted, unless the person being notified takes the items, or establishes a right to the items, or makes a dispute resolution application with the Residential Tenancy Branch, or makes an application in Supreme Court to establish their rights to the items.

A U.S. expert on community engagement, placemaking and cultural connections will speak in Nanaimo about local solutions to global issues. Ryan Smolar will present 'Road to Resilience' on Sept. 5 at the Harbourfront Library. "Communities everywhere are preparing for climate, political and economic shocks. The answers aren't coming from the top down – they're emerging locally, through re-connection, interdependence, and new pathways rooted in place," noted promotional materials for the event. Smolar will speak about local food systems, land-based learning initiatives, health, transportation and more. The talk is from 1-2:30 p.m. Sept. 5.

A new partnership will enable Habitat for Humanity's Nanaimo ReStore to broaden its services. Habitat for Humanity Mid-Vancouver Island is teaming with Light House and its building material exchange program as well as the Regional District of Nanaimo to expand its environmentally conscious second-hand store on Mostar Road. The move is expected to streamline store operations, making it "easier for contractors, trades, and suppliers to donate used or excess construction materials," a press release stated, assisting diversion of waste from the Cedar landfill and putting items "back into circulation for homeowners, do-it-yourselfers and community builders." Light House, which has a goal to further "regenerative built environments," hopes the expansion will help build a circular economy for building materials on Vancouver Island. Gil Yaron, Light House managing director of circular innovation, said tonnes of building materials are dumped at Vancouver Island landfills and while the construction industry want to lessen this, there isn't always "space or resources." "The new expanded ReStore makes reuse practical, accessible, and scalable," he said in the press release. "Industry and the public now have access to a centralized location on Vancouver Island to donate and shop for quality construction materials at a fraction of the cost of buying new.” The ReStore will initiate a weekly pickup service to collect excess and leftover materials directly from construction sites across the region, the press release stated, and is aimed at making donation easy and predictable for busy contractors and trades workers. On-demand pickup will also be available. In addition, the building material exchange will offer a free online "business-to-business platform" allowing those in the construction industry to detail or seek re-sourced or excess construction items from across central Vancouver Island. The partnership will be beneficial to ReStore customers, said Trevor Coyle, Habitat Mid-Vancouver Island CEO, in the press release.  “With this expansion, we’re going to be able to support even more families – they will have access to donated construction materials at affordable prices, which will help build their future," he said. "The ongoing operation will also support long-term diversion goals for the construction sector and the creation of a circular economy on Vancouver Island.” 

A BC Ferries crew came to the rescue of a person who went overboard on a vessel set sail for Swartz Bay. The incident occurred shortly after the Spirit of Vancouver Island departed Tsawwassen ferry terminal, Wednesday (Sept. 3), around 1 p.m. Rescue boats were deployed and BC Ferries crew members pulled the individual from the water. Crew from the Queen of New Westminster also aided in the response. BC Ambulance Service crew waiting at the Tsawwassen terminal transported the person to hospital, where they are reported to be in a stable condition. "Bravo zulu to our highly skilled and trained crew for their rapid response and professionalism," said a BC Ferries social media post. "We're proud of you. Thank you for keeping us safe every day." Because of the incident, passengers have been warned to expect some delays on the Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay ferry route.

No one was hurt in a rollover crash on Nanaimo's Hammond Bay Road this afternoon. Emergency services personnel rushed to the intersection of Hammond Bay Road and Friar Tuck Way on Wednesday, Sept. 3, just before 5 p.m., and arrived to find a vehicle upside-down on the roadway. No other vehicles were involved and crews on scene said no one was injured in the crash. Traffic was pinched to one lane as crews cleared the scene. According to recently released ICBC statistics, there were two crashes at the intersection in 2024 and 10 over the five-year period from 2020-24.

Jazzophiles and musicaholics can groove to three weekends worth of funky beats as Nanaimo’s International Jazz Festival kicks off. President of the jazz society, Kim Smythe, said the longer program will be chock-full of musicians local to Vancouver Island and B.C. The festival will host 16 performances, including two-days of free open-air concerts at Maffeo Sutton Park. The headlining act with feature renowned jazz singer Holly Cole at the Port Theatre on Sept. 13.  “We’re really looking forward to having Holly,” Smythe said. “This is the first time that we’ve ventured out to get an international and highly recognized performer in hopes of having that bright shining star in the middle of our program.” While the festival has been traditional jazz in the past, Smythe said, this year’s all-Canadian lineup will also feature “a bit of funk, rap and pop” blended with traditional jazz. Several musicians who might normally perform solo, or with a smaller ensemble, have brought friends into the mix for a bigger show and bigger sound, he said. The Graham Villette Quintet and Nick La Riviere Quartet will play the Lighthouse Bistro on Saturday, Sept. 6, and Thursday, Sept. 11, respectively.  Stealing Dan, a tribute act to the rock band Steely Dan, will play the Queen's Hotel, followed by a festival first – the Drag Jazz Cabaret starring Josh Holloway as 'Celeste’ at the Nanaimo Bar, both on Sept. 12. The Waterfront Walkway Parade will kick off the outdoor performances on Sept. 13 as it marches from the Port Theatre at 11 a.m. to the Maffeo Sutton Park stage. Following musical acts at the park that day include the New Groovement and Keanu Ienco Quartet, with Alpha Centauri and Marc Atkinson among those performing Sept. 14. The NIJFA Jazz Jam hosted by Nico Rhodes will follow Holly Cole’s performance on Sept. 13 at the Vault Café. The Roy Styffe Quintet will close the International Jazz Festival with a performance at Simonholt Restaurant on Sept. 21. In his new position as president, Smythe said organizing the festival was an overall fun challenge and interesting experience. He believes the chosen acts will make a statement about the organization as it moves forward.  He envisions the society not only developing the Vancouver Island jazz scene by ideally bringing in and building touring acts with other jazz societies, but also filling the gap of jazz education and exposure for students and emerging artists. More information about the festival can be found online at www.nanaimojazzfest.ca [http://www.nanaimojazzfest.ca].

Nanaimo's junior B hockey club will try to carry on its course toward a winning season as it opens the 2025-26 campaign this coming weekend. The Nanaimo Buccaneers start the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League season this Saturday, Sept. 6, with a home game against the Comox Valley Glacier Kings. The Bucs went 1-3 in the pre-season, but finished strongly with a 4-3 overtime win against the Port Alberni Bombers on the road. This week the games start to count for the Bucs and new head coach Tyler Gow, who takes over bench boss duties from Bill Bestwick. Gow was part of the Bucs' coaching staff last year and helped with the team's "cultural turnaround," according to a club press release. "Known for his leadership, discipline, and developmental mindset, Gow has earned widespread respect for his work behind the bench," the release added. GAME ON … The Bucs and Glacier Kings play Saturday, Sept. 6, at 7:15 p.m. at the Nanaimo Ice Centre. For ticket information, visit http://nanaimobuccaneers.ca/buy-ticketshttp://nanaimobuccaneers.ca/buy-tickets [http://nanaimobuccaneers.ca/buy-tickets].

Kerri Scott, a Courtenay resident, has had her book ‘Buddha’s Closet, Cleaning as a Path to Enlightenment,’ named as one of the best indie books of 2025. Her book is a finalist for the Lifestyle/Home/How To category in the 2025 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. The awards are the world’s largest book award program for independent publishers and self-published authors.  The awards are judged by leaders in the indie publishing industry, many who have come from long careers in the major publishing houses. This is the 18th year of the awards. The judges draw on their experience and love of storytelling and recognize books that should gather a larger audience. Scott’s book explores The Eight-Fold Path to Wardrobe Wisdom, Slow Style, What Tickles You Pink, Saying Yes to Your Mess, Retail Therapy, Sadhana and Busting Through Limiting Beliefs.  

Graffiti targeting a Victoria police officer has appeared in Rock Bay. The department didn't detail the graffiti's message, but told the public in a Sept. 2 X post that "any concerns regarding officer conduct should be addressed through formal channels." "We take all allegations of misconduct seriously and will investigate appropriately," the post said. The graffiti also included the department's non-emergency phone number. The department said that misuse of the line "can divert critical resources and hinder our ability to serve the community." Victoria Police is asking the public to submit complaints about officer conduct online via vicpd.ca/contact-us/compliments-complaints [https://vicpd.ca/contact-us/compliments-complaints/]. Complaints can also be directed to the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner – an independent oversight agency that provides a way for the public to voice their concerns about the conduct of officers or departments – at opcc.bc.ca [https://opcc.bc.ca/].

The Campbell River RCMP is warning the public of a scam, where several community members have reported receiving a fake text from ICBC claiming they have unpaid tickets. The texts advise that if the fines remain unpaid that service will be discontinued or licenses suspended.  These texts are fraudulent and appear to be coming from an international number not affiliated with ICBC, police say.  "These kinds of scams have become more common, and many people end up being duped, " said Const. Maury Tyre, with the Campbell River RCMP, in a media release on Sept. 3. "If in doubt about communications received from a corporate entity, especially by text or email, don't interact with them or give any personal information. The simplest way to determine if it's a scam is to contact the company yourself, without using the link the scammer has provided in the email or text. Legitimate contact numbers are available on the back of you're credit cards and on official company websites." If you are a victim of crime or have information regarding criminal activity, please contact the Campbell River RCMP at 250-286-6221 or if you wish to remain anonymous, contact Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477. 

Global Rigging & Transport (GRT) recently released a video capturing the carefully engineered demolition of a 1,200-ton crane in Campbell River.  The Surrey-based company, known for moving some of the heaviest and most complex cargo in the world, believes this is the first time a ship-to-shore crane – typically used at ports for loading and unloading containers from ships – has been demolished in Canada. Over its nearly 30-year lifespan, the crane has moved more than two million containers.  The company said the colossal 52-metre crane had reached the end of its expected service life and was transported from Vancouver to Campbell River by barge. It was then demolished using an engineered "controlled-fall technique," with help from the industrial services company AMIX. As part of the engineered demolition process, all oils, hydraulics and lubricants were safely removed to ensure environmental safety.  Before the demolition, the company said it made strategic cuts to weaken key load‑bearing elements of the crane. The precise severing of support lines guided the crane’s controlled fall to within inches of the designated footprint. Kenny Zappitelli, a super­visor with the company, said using the precision-engineered method, the crane dropped just as planned. "The crane was safely toppled without any interruptions, mitigating the risk factor to the surrounding waterfront," he said in a statement.  

Drivers heading through Esquimalt could encounter delays on Thursday and Friday. Underground work on Sept. 4 and 5 will take the traffic light at Esquimalt Road and Lampson Street offline from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. "This may cause some traffic delays and commuters should plan accordingly," according to a release from the Township of Esquimalt. "Traffic control personnel will be on site directing traffic and cyclists. Drivers are asked to approach the intersection with awareness and respect traffic control personnel."

The good news: that text you received about an unpaid ticket isn't real. The bad news: you are the target of a scam aimed at separating you from your hard-earned cash. Police report that more than 30 people have attended the motor vehicle branch in Sidney over the past few days after receiving texts about unpaid traffic tickets. "Sidney/North Saanich RCMP are warning the public about a recent spike in scams involving text messages from individuals posing as ICBC representatives. The text messages received alert the victim that they have an unpaid traffic fine and will give a short deadline to resolve the issue," according to a release from Const. Benje Bartley, media relations officer for Sidney/North Saanich RCMP. The text includes a link to click and “resolve” the matter. Police are urging the public to be cautious of unsolicited calls, texts, or emails claiming to be from ICBC. Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown senders. Report suspected scams to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 and to your local police.