Local News Update

After an outcry from concerned citizens wondering where daytime warming shelters are for the unhoused, the City of Nanaimo has announced a year-round daytime drop-in hub set to open next month. Operated by Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day...

The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) is asking the community for input on parks management plans for the new Maris Nature Park . 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. Located next to Sarah and Brian McLoughlin Nature Park and the Eagles Greenway in Merville,...

After an outcry from concerned citizens wondering where daytime warming shelters are for the unhoused, the City of Nanaimo has announced a year-round daytime drop-in hub set to open next month. Operated by Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day...

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, a strategy to align votes with the most popular party on one side of the spectrum: in this case, the left. Political Science professor Stewart Prest from UBC explained instances where str...

This Easter Sunday, Queer Centre Comox Valley is inviting people of all ages to gather with chosen family for a Queer Potluck at Foundry in Courtenay.  meika johnson, vice president on the board of directors, said that the Queer Centre was born six months ago from a desire to create community that is resilient and intergenerational; a space to build relationships, where people can lean on and supp...

After an outcry from concerned citizens wondering where daytime warming shelters are for the unhoused, the City of Nanaimo has announced a year-round daytime drop-in hub set to open next month. Operated by Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day...

After an outcry from concerned citizens wondering where daytime warming shelters are for the unhoused, the City of Nanaimo has announced a year-round daytime drop-in hub set to open next month. Operated by Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day...

After an outcry from concerned citizens wondering where daytime warming shelters are for the unhoused, the City of Nanaimo has announced a year-round daytime drop-in hub set to open next month. Operated by Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day...

After an outcry from concerned citizens wondering where daytime warming shelters are for the unhoused, the City of Nanaimo has announced a year-round daytime drop-in hub set to open next month. Operated by Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day...

National poetry month has sprung to a start in the Comox Valley, with the Downtown Courtenay Business Improvement Association and Artful : The Poets joining together once again. Last year their Poetry Walk won the 2024 “Best in the West” award from Business Improvement Areas of B.C. , for inventiveness, community engagement, relationship building between business and arts, and repeatability. The e...

The 2025 Bop City Records Community Music Fund has been granted to two winners, local punk rock band Mean Bikini and local musician and guitar teacher Sebastian Robles. The funds for Mean Bikini will help cover costs of mastering their new album that was released on April 3rd, This Ain’t Gonna End Well , which the band previously was paying for out of pocket.  For Sebastian Robles the funds will g...

After an outcry from concerned citizens wondering where daytime warming shelters are for the unhoused, the City of Nanaimo has announced a year-round daytime drop-in hub set to open next month. Operated by Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day...

The 45th federal general election is in full swing across Canada, leading up to election day on Monday April 28th. This week CHLY and CVOX reached out to candidates from the Courtenay–Alberni riding for their thoughts going into the election. Incumbent NDP MP Gord Johns said the first week of campaigning is already off to a good start for his team. “Well first, we had a really successful first wee...

The writ dropped on Sunday, March 23rd, launching Canada into its next federal election period , ending the anticipation for local party candidates in North Island—Powell River. This is the first election following the redistribution of federal electoral districts that took place in 2022, and one notable difference for the North Island—Powell River Riding is the addition of East Courtenay, shiftin...

After an outcry from concerned citizens wondering where daytime warming shelters are for the unhoused, the City of Nanaimo has announced a year-round daytime drop-in hub set to open next month. Operated by Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day...

After an outcry from concerned citizens wondering where daytime warming shelters are for the unhoused, the City of Nanaimo has announced a year-round daytime drop-in hub set to open next month. Operated by Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day...

After an outcry from concerned citizens wondering where daytime warming shelters are for the unhoused, the City of Nanaimo has announced a year-round daytime drop-in hub set to open next month. Operated by Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day...

“It was sort of a surreal moment when I was walking out, because I've been a Whitecaps fan since I was really young. So, being able to be in the shoes of the players I once looked up to was just, it was a surreal moment. And then just playing in the game–  yeah, it was a really cool experience. I'm lost for words really,” said Liam Mackenzie. Local Comox Valley athlete Liam Mackenzie made his Whit...

“With music, your curiosity is never over because there's always something else to check out. So it's a way of traveling the world in a way, through different cultures, through their music,” said Kip Luce. Kip and Karen, spouses and co-owners of Bop City Records in Courtenay, are launching a brand new community music fund to support the local music scene. Bop City Records sells new and used CDs, r...

After an outcry from concerned citizens wondering where daytime warming shelters are for the unhoused, the City of Nanaimo has announced a year-round daytime drop-in hub set to open next month. Operated by Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day...

“ It was interesting reading the outcome live on video. I was trying so hard to be stoic and non-emotional as I read it and I could hear my council, just the excitement behind me and it was really hard to not cheer right away. Yeah, just [a] really interesting moment in history, and in my life. To be making that announcement was pretty amazing,” said Chief Nicole Rempel. On March 8th 2025, K’ómoks...

After an outcry from concerned citizens wondering where daytime warming shelters are for the unhoused, the City of Nanaimo has announced a year-round daytime drop-in hub set to open next month. Operated by Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day...

After an outcry from concerned citizens wondering where daytime warming shelters are for the unhoused, the City of Nanaimo has announced a year-round daytime drop-in hub set to open next month. Operated by Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day...

“ We have triggers around us that remind us about these cycles that we're going through. It isn't always my clock or my calendar or my cell phone buzzing to tell me,” said Nick Chowdhury, IMAWG. As March begins off the coast of Vancouver Island, subtle cues like the changing colour of the ocean, the gathering of seagulls, eagles, sea lions, and orcas, and even the scent on the air, tell us two thi...

After an outcry from concerned citizens wondering where daytime warming shelters are for the unhoused, the City of Nanaimo has announced a year-round daytime drop-in hub set to open next month. Operated by Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day...