Joe Pugh

The repair café movement has returned to Nanaimo. Volunteers came together Saturday May 30 to look at more than 100 household items in need of a fix. The event at St Andrew’s Church in the Old City Quarter featured tables for small appliances, electronics, furniture, jewellery, bike repairs and more. It was the second repair cafe held in Nanaimo this year, with a third planned for June 13th. There are repair cafés worldwide. The global movement aims to save items from landfill, and to help people acquire the skills to fix items on their own. Midcoast Morning paid a visit to the event, and spoke with lead organizer Stenson Lindal, as well as attendees and volunteers among which was Nanaimo-Ladysmith MP Tamara Kronis. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Podcast Photo: Liam, Taylor, and Stenson from the Nanaimo Repair Cafe (Joe Pugh/CHLY 101.7FM)

A plan to shape the future of the Woodgrove Area is now complete and has made its way before Nanaimo City Council. Project Manager Kasia Biegun of the City of Nanaimo’s planning department spoke with CHLY about what’s envisioned for the area through 2046. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Podcast Photo: Woodgrove Area Plan cover (City of Nanaimo).

A recent Nanaimo press conference saw the leader of BC’s Green Party joined by a community advocate Kathryn Barnwell, and Nanaimo City Councillors Paul Manly and Hilary Eastmure in a call for more stringent regulation of the data centre industry provincially and federally. Midcoast Morning speaks with Martin Karsten, a University of Waterloo computer science professor, to walk through some questions around how data centres work, and to get his take on some of the factors at play in Nanaimo’s situation. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Podcast Photo: Data Centre Servers with Terminal (Brett Sayles/Pexels)

Three groups made a pitch this week for a new organization to coordinate bringing affordable housing to Nanaimo. At a governance and priorities committee meeting, Nanaimo City Council received an ask to fund a Nanaimo Housing Collective. One of the group’s behind the pitch is the Nanaimo Prosperity Corporation, which is the city’s economic development agency. There is also involvement from the Housing Nanaimo Working Group which is made up of members of various community organizations. The third partner involved in the pitch was the Anchor Corporation, represented by Bowen Island resident Lieven Callewaert. Together they are asking for $300,000 from city council to create a Nanaimo housing collective. It would have an initial goal of bringing 400 units of affordable housing to the community within 2 years. Midcoast Morning hears from some of those involved with the pitch about their proposed housing collective. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Podcast Photo: Colourful abstract housing (Jakub Zerdzicki/Pexels).

The CEO of Nanaimo Forest Products says that while nothing is decided yet, he expects it to be months before a rezoning application for lands in the southeastern part of Nanaimo makes it back before city council. After three sessions of a public hearing lasting more than ten hours and featuring more than a hundred first time speakers, Nanaimo City Council has sent an application to rezone around 75 hectares of land from rural resource AR1 to industrial I4 Zoning back to staff. Midcoast Morning spoke with Nanaimo Forest Products CEO Paul Sadler, as well as Jain Alcock-White, who has spent years working with a group of community members to advocate for increased protections in the areas around Cable Bay Trail. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Podcast Photo: Paul Sadler, CEO of Nanaimo Forest Products at the first night of public hearing for 950 Phoenix Way rezoning (Jesse Woodward/CHLY 101.7FM)

A public hearing around the potential rezoning of lands near Cable Bay Trail is set to continue into a third session this week. With Nanaimo receiving more than 900 written submissions about the proposal, and more than 100 people speaking to the matter in person or over the phone so far, there has been significant community interest in the matter. Midcoast Morning spoke with Mark Holland, a registered professional planner with a decade of experience teaching planning at VIU, to get more context on various considerations in the public hearing process, including nuances of zoning rules and whether there is precedent for how local governments factor in First Nations concerns. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Podcast Photo: Cable Bay rezoning application map (Koers & Associates)

A public hearing on the potential rezoning of lands near Cable Bay trail packed the Vancouver Island Conference Centre Thursday April 16th, and is set to continue this week. Around 68 people spoke to the matter, with 24 of them calling into the hearing, with council also receiving 907 written submissions. At issue is a rezoning bylaw. It would see close to 75 hectares of land near the southeastern edge of Nanaimo rezoned from Rural Resource [AR1] zoning to Industrial [I4]. AR 1 zoning “provides agriculture and rural uses on larger lots without urban services,” and permitted uses include agriculture, golf courses, and animal shelters. Per the city’s zoning bylaw I4 zoning provides for heavy industrial development that is not compatible with residential uses. Among numerous permitted uses under this type of zoning are Wood and Paper Processing, log sorting and storage, chemical plants, and a use case simply listed as industry. The land is owned by Nanaimo Forest Products, also known in the community as Harmac Pacific. The rezoning application also includes provisions for a site specific use for agriculture, with one section of the lands anticipated to play home to a greenhouse and housing for temporary foreign workers. The parcel of land in question is located directly west of Cable Bay trail. If approved as is, a buffer with an average length of 100 metres is to be left next to the trail. In some places limited industrial use is forecast 50 meters away from the trail according to a site map. Midcoast Morning brings you excerpts from the hearing, which is set to continue Wednesday April 22nd, at 7PM. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Podcast Photo: Speaker at Cable Bay Hearing (Jesse Woodward/CHLY 101.7FM)

From free buses and the return of rail, to a floating night market and an attack on democracy, VIU students spent a semester simulating the future of the city, taking Nanaimo all the way to 2086. In a political studies course under professor Michael MacKenzie students participated in mock elections, with winners seeking to implement their policy ideas in an AI powered simulation.  The students were divided into 3 different worlds and each presented their results in a fair Thursday April 9th at VIU. Midcoast Morning attended and spoke with MacKenzie and various students about Nanaimo’s potential future. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Podcast Photo: Michael Mackenzie and VIU Political Science students (Joe Pugh/CHLY 101.7FM)

Richard Johnson says politics needs the public. In the book Democracy’s Second Act, Johnson writes that citizens no longer see their governments as competent or effective, while governments increasingly doubt the judgment and abilities of their publics. Johnson and co-author Peter MacLeod call for  new institutions to bring ordinary people into the political process in meaningful ways. The Victoria based author will be at the library in Courtenay this Saturday speaking on the subject. Midcoast Morning got in touch to learn more about his vision for the future of democracy. This is an extended podcast edition of the original broadcast. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Podcast Photo: Co-authors Richard Johnson and Peter MacLeod (Sophie Bouquillon).

Now aged 91, a woman who spent decades living at Wildwood Ecoforest is sharing her memories. In 1945, the late Merv Wilkinson began using the land as an ecoforest.0 It’s a type of forestry that strives to protect and or restore an ecosystem, rather than to maximize the commercial value of a forest over a short time frame. Grace Richard was married to Wilkinson for over 30 years and lived on the site. She shared memories of Wildwood with Midcoast Morning. The program also paid a visit to the site, which is now stewarded by the Ecoforestry Institute Society. Midcoast Morning host Joe Pugh spoke with society chair Kathy Code. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Special thanks to Patrick Carpenter. Podcast Photo: Wildwood Ecoforest (Joe Pugh/CHLY 101.7FM)

To mark World Water Day, a UN observance intended to highlight the importance of freshwater, Midcoast Morning spoke with Mike Squire, Manager of Water Resources with the City of Nanaimo, to check in on the state of Nanaimo’s water supply and water infrastructure, the city’s ability to regulate water users, and its expected capacity in the future. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Links: RDN Water to Earth Month events Gabriola Freshwater Footprint  September report Podcast Photo: Drinking Water (Engin Akyurt/Pexels)

The Hub, a drop in centre for people experiencing homelessness, is set to close at the end of the month. Located on Nicol street, it opened in January of last year. During the day, Island crisis care society runs a drop in centre where people can sit inside, use a bathroom, and connect with various service providers. At night the space transitions to a 20 bed shelter run by Nanaimo Family Life Association. Last summer, Nanaimo City Council voted to continue funding The Hub only until the end of March, following concerns presented by residents of the neighbourhood surrounding the facility about a significant increase in street disorder in the blocks surrounding the area. Midcoast Morning visited The Hub and spoke with day and nighttime service operators and service users. CHLY reporter Lauryn Mackenzie spoke with residents of the south end, and the program heard from Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog about the city’s plans for the transition period as The Hub approaches its final days on Nicol Street. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Podcast Photo: Cece, a service user at the Hub (Lauryn Mackenzie/CHLY 101.7FM).

The best men’s college basketball teams in the country will gather in Nanaimo next week, as VIU plays host to the CCAA National Championship. The home team will be tipping off on Wednesday, fresh off a victory in the provincial PACWEST final earlier this month. The tournament is the swansong for longtime coach Matt Kuzminski, and 5th year player Kai Leighton, both of whom spoke with Midcoast Morning. The program also heard from VIU Sports and Information coordinator Matt Carter. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Podcast Photo: VIU Mariner’s Basketball (Provided).

As B.C. gets ready to spring forward one final time, a number of voices are saying the government has ignored the scientific consensus on how to best handle ending time changes. The BC government press release on the adoption of permanent daylight time cited a study from Standford medicine on the impacts of clock changes. The senior author of that study told the CBC that permanent daylight time is “scientifically not a good idea”. That sentiment is echoed by Camosun psychology instructor Michael Pollock, who says a move toward permanent standard time would be the better option from a public health perspective if the province was looking to do away with time changes. He spoke about the issue with Midcoast Morning. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Podcast Photo: Michael Pollock at Camosun College (Camosun).

Snuneymuxw First Nation is calling for investigation and enforcement around two incidents related to the marine environment in the Duke Point area. In a February press release, the nation raised concerns about a January oil spill and environmental impacts related to discharge from a sawmill, which they said dates back 40 years. Midcoast Morning spoke with Snuneymuxw Councillor William Yoachim about the issue. The program also spoke with fish and wildlife ecotoxicologist Mason King to better understand the potential environmental stakes. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Podcast Photo: Aerial view of Duke Point (SFN/Dirk Heydemann)

The president of the Yellow Point Ecological Society would like to see Nanaimo create a green industrial zone, citing examples from other Canadian communities. Guy Dauncey pitched the idea to Nanaimo City Council, suggesting that The District of Highlands on southern Vancouver Island, as well as Red Deer and Fort McMurray in Alberta all have provisions to create industrial areas with ecology factored into the design. Dauncey spoke with Midcoast Morning about the idea, which he suggested was inspired by lands that Nanaimo Forest Products has applied to rezone as industrial. Harmac Pacific/Nanaimo Forest Products CEO Paul Sadler spoke with the program about the idea. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Podcast Photo: Cable Bay Trail, near Duke Point (Wikipedia Commons)

This weekend marks the 25th anniversary of a Nanaimo festival celebrating French language, culture, and food. The Maple Sugar Festival is celebrating its silver anniversary at the Beban Park Social Centre Friday through Sunday. The event is organized by the Association des Francophones de Nanaimo, Midcoast Morning spoke with Executive Director Camille Veron about the festival and the local francophone community. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Disclosure: Host Joe Pugh is a member of L’Association des Francophones de Nanaimo. Podcast Photo: Maple Sugar Festival illustration (Provided).

Back in 1999 when Shalema Gantt first came to Nanaimo, she says she didn’t find many black people, and she didn’t hear much about the contributions of black Canadians in the region’s history. When she was given a resource guide on Black pioneers in British Columbia, she was inspired to share what she had learned with others, and started the Nanaimo African Heritage Society.  Now more than 25 years later Gantt is still president of the society, and is still organizing events  to bring people together to mark Black History Month. Midcoast Morning asked her how the Nanaimo African Heritage Society is marking the occasion in 2026. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Podcast Photo: Marie and Louise Stark (Estes-Stark Collection/Salt Spring Island Archives).

Decades of Contributions to Nanaimo’s history, theatre, and music scenes have been recognized as the city announced a trio of Culture Award winners this week. Brian McFadden of the Vancouver Island Military Museum, Leon Potter of the VIU Theatre Department and Luis Poretta of Quadwrangle Productions are this years’ recipients. each of them spoke with Midcoast Morning about their contributions to the city’s cultural fabric. The Culture awards have been awarded annually by the city since 1998.  Recipients are selected by City Council after a community nomination process and review by a panel of various community stakeholders. The awards will be handed out at a ceremony this April at the Port Theatre. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Podcast Photo: Port Theatre (Jesse Woodward/CHLY 101.7FM). Full program notes can be found at www.chly.ca/midcoastmorning

Nanaimo is looking at new rules to encourage more affordable housing in the community. The city is in the process of pre-zoning certain corridors for social housing. The exact definitions are still a work in progress, with public consultation  planned to take place towards the end of the month, ahead of the plan coming before city council in the spring. Midcoast Morning spoke with the project manager about the prezoning initiative. Plus, a new cooperative housing development in North Cowichan is expected to bring 92 affordable apartments to the community. Thom Armstrong, CEO of the Cooperative Housing Federation of BC spoke about the road to reality for that project, and weighed in on what a municipality can do to encourage affordable builds. Support Midcoast Morning and our Nonprofit Newsroom with a monthly sustaining donation of $5 to $10 a month. Podcast Photo: Pre-zoning Map (City of Nanaimo ARC GIS). Full program notes can be found at www.chly.ca/midcoastmorning