This week members of Nanaimo City Council got an update on the state of services for people experiencing homelessness at a Governance and Priorities Committee Meeting.

A report from city staff indicated access to basic services for people experiencing homelessness has decreased compared to a decade ago.

Midcoast Morning spoke with the city’s manager of social planning to explore why.

South End Community Association chair Sydney Robertson attended Monday’s meeting, she shared some of her takeaways with CHLY.

“Despite increased demand, access to basic needs services in Nanaimo has declined over the past decade,” says a report from staff at the City of Nanaimo.

Leaders in health, housing, and a number of other sectors came together Monday to provide an update on the state of services for people experiencing homelessness in Nanaimo at a Governance and Priorities Committee meeting Monday.

Midcoast Morning brings you highlights from that meeting, including details on new transitional housing units set to open in the coming weeks, and estimates of the number of people experiencing homelessness in Nanaimo.

A VIU and CHLY alumni was back in Nanaimo Thursday for the launch of a graphic novel telling stories from his home nation of Xwemalhkwu(Homalco)

Tchadas Leo is a journalist with CHEK News, and for the last number of years he’s been leading the work on Xwemalhkwu Hero Stories, which tells a trio of stories inspired by elders from the nation. With a launch event for the graphic novel Thursday at VIU, Leo paid a visit to the CHLY studio to speak about the project.

At a meeting Monday, Nanaimo city council voted 6-3 to reconsider a plan to build a boathouse with rentable community space at Loudon Park by Long Lake. The decision to reconsider was prompted by a motion from councillor Tyler Brown.

The gallery at the Vancouver Island Conference centre was near capacity at times during the meeting, with a number of people bringing signs expressing opposition to the boathouse project as it had been planned.

A trio of delegations presented to council in opposition to the project during the meeting.

Midcoast Morning brings you some of the council members perspectives on the issue, and speaks with one of the presenters who spoke to council about their opposition for the project.

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 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.

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.

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 - Paul Manly and Michelle Corfield.

Midcoast Morning paid a visit to local cafe White Rabbit, hoping to hear what’s top of mind for voters in Nanaimo as they get ready to head to the polls Monday April 28th. 

Labour leaders were in Nanaimo this week, looking to put the spotlight on healthcare issues in this federal election.

The presidents of the Canadian Labour Congress and the Hospital Employees Union spoke to media outside of Nanaimo Regional General Hospital Monday, decrying privitization in the Canadian healthcare system and calling on federal leaders to give more attention to healthcare issues.

Midcoast Morning speaks with an expert in Canadian healthcare policy to break down the role of the federal government, what kinds of privatization are occurring in the system, and how the issue has played into the campaign so far.