Midcoast Morning

It’s a good time for productive outrage, says Nanaimo’s new poet laureate. Neil Surkan is getting ready to start a two year term in the position on December 1, he spoke with CHLY reporter Lauryn Mackenzie. And Jackie Wong’s new temporary public art project Lost Intersections will appear next spring, and bring attention to the sites of the city’s former Chinatowns . She spoke with Midcoast Morning...

It’s the final day for a pop up overdose prevention site operating across the street from Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. Dr. Jess Wilder, a physician who works in addiction medicine at the hospital is a member of the group Doctors for Safer Drug Policy, who are calling for the government of B.C. to create sanctioned, fully staffed overdose prevention sites at B.C. Hospitals. Wilder led the eff...

Journalist and author Brandi Morin is in town to give a talk as part of VIU’s Indigenous speakers series. A survivor of the missing and murdered Indigenous women crisis, her work has appeared in National Geographic, Al Jazeera English , The Guardian, and The New York Times. In January, Morin was arrested while covering an encampment in Edmonton, and was charged with obstructing a police officer, a...

The Bicycle Film Festival is returning to Nanaimo this Saturday. A collection of films related to cycling will play at Malaspina Theatre starting around 6:15. Brendt Barbur decided to start the event back in 2001 after he was hit by a bus in New York City. He joined Midcoast Morning to share more on that story, as well as to talk cycling cinema more generally. ★ Support this podcast ★

A labour dispute that’s been impacting ports in Nanaimo and across the province is headed to binding arbitration Federal labour minister Steven MacKinnon ordered the move Tuesday. Foremen at B.C.’s ports have been locked out since November 4th, that lockout came after the union had delivered a 72 hour strike notice for what it called limited job action, including an overtime ban and a refusal to i...

Published at the end of the 1920s, All Quiet on the Western Front by Eric Maria Remarque tells the story of a young man named Paul who enlists in the German army in the first world war. It’s newest translator spoke with Midcoast Morning about what the book has to say in 2024. Plus, in close to 25 years, the Canadian Letters and Images Project has digitized around 35,000 letters from Canadians at w...

A pair of cemetery related items were on the council agenda this week in Nanaimo. When Kevin Hills wrote a term paper on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as part of a military history course, he learned that war graves in Nanaimo had been laid flat in the 1960s in a move to make maintenance easier. This week, his action led city council to amend its cemetary bylaw to allow that the graves be...

It’s salmon spawning season around Nanaimo. Midcoast Morning reviews the salmon lifecycle, and checks in on issues impacting pacific salmon species. ★ Support this podcast ★

Nanaimo is looking at how to make people more aware of doughnut economics, a framework council adopted back in 2020. An update on the topic was on the agenda at a governance and priorities committee meeting Monday. Doughnut economics is a way of visualizing the economy that takes into account society’s needs and our ecological capacity. It was first presented in 2012 by British economist Kate Rawo...

There’s less than a week to go in the city of Nanaimo’s third attempt at an alternative approval process to be able to borrow up to $90 million for upgrades to the city’s public works yard. People opposed to the borrowing have until 4:30 PM on October 31st to submit a form in opposition. Midcoast Morning speaks with a representative of a group opposed to the use of the AAP, as well as Nanaimo Mayo...

Nanaimo city council is considering increasing funding for restorative justice in the community in next year’s budget. Restorative justice is an approach that seeks to repair the harm caused by crime and violence by addressing the needs of victims or affected parties, holding offenders or responsible parties meaningfully accountable for their actions, and by engaging the community in the justice p...

Why tallying the results on election day should be much faster this go around, and record numbers of advanced ballots cast in B.C.’s provincial election. Plus, getting the thoughts of community members on the campaign. ★ Support this podcast ★

Conversations with Nanaimo-Lantzville Green Party candidate Lia Versavel and Nanaimo-Gabriola Island BC Conservative candidate Dale Parker. ★ Support this podcast ★

Conversations with Nanaimo-Gabriola Island NDP candidate Sheila Malcolmson and Nanaimo-Lantzville NDP candidate George Anderson. ★ Support this podcast ★

Conversations with Nanaimo-Lantzville Conservative candidate Gwen O’Mahony and Nanaimo-Gabriola candidate Shirley Lambrecht. ★ Support this podcast ★

Healthcare was on the agenda for all three candidates in the new Nanaimo Lantzville riding this week. George Anderson, Gwen O’Mahony, and Lia Versavel debated Wednesday at an all candidates forum at Wellington Secondary school. Midcoast Morning shares some of the debate, and explores the region’s healthcare needs with Nanaimo Regional Hospital District Chair Ian Thorpe. ★ Support this podcast ★

Shnu’a’th, ᐊᑳᒥᕽ Akâmihk, The Other Side, is a new exhibition opening this weekend at the Nanaimo Art Gallery. Running from Friday through to January 12th, the exhibition will consider relations with land, family, and ancestors through interventions in the medium of photography. Artists Eliot White-Hill and Michelle Sound speak with Midcoast Morning about their work. ★ Support this podcast ★

With B.C.’s election campaign in full swing, Midcoast Morning checks in with UBC political science lecturer Stewart Prest, and VIU Jarislowsky Chair in Trust and Political Leadership Michael MacKenzie ★ Support this podcast ★

This week Nanaimo city council heard from a group making the case for the city to get rid of minimum parking requirements. At that same meeting, construction downtown on Commercial Street was in the spotlight, with the city making street parking in the downtown area free for the duration. Midcoast Morning speaks with Caelen Middleton of Strong Towns Nanaimo about parking minimums, and James Knight...

There’s a byelection this weekend to decide on a new school board trustee. Two candidates are running to fill the vacancy left by former school district 68 board chair Charlene Mckay, who resigned in May. On Saturday September 14th, from 8 am to 8 PM, voting will be held at the McGirr Elementary Gym, the Laydsmith Secondary Gym, the Cedar Secondary gym, and at the district Administration centre on...

At a ceremony at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre Thursday, Laurie Grubb, Joshua Waltman, Amanda Hall, and Peter Sinclair were presented with the King Charles the third coronation medal. Last May it was announced that 30 thousand such medals would be awarded across Canada to individuals who have made a significant contribution to their country, province, region, or community. Midcoast Mornin...

Generative AI and elections are in the spotlight in a new report from UBC’s Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions. The report identifies that generative AI-created audio, video, and images have appeared in many election campaigns this year, including in Bangladesh, France, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. With B.C.’s own provincial election just arou...

Could the Hullo ferry transform Nanaimo into the public transit hub of Vancouver Island? Urban planner and self described transit nerd Denis Agar thinks so. He worked at trans link for a decade before leaving to become executive director of a non profit transit advocacy group called Movement. The Hullo is run by the Vancouver Island Ferry Company. It’s been sailing for over a year as of mid August...

A Gabriola Pub is facing a court ordered sale, in the midst of foreclosure proceedings. The Skol Pub near the Gabriola Island Ferry Terminal is listed for sale at $319, 000. According to a Notice of Application filed with the BC Supreme Court Monday, and obtained by CHLY, the mortgage holder, Accountable Mortgage Investment Corp, will seek an order approving the sale on Monday September 23rd. The...

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 Nano...