Tiny homes on wheels are technically not allowed as permanent housing - but that hasn’t stopped some people in rural B.C. communities from living in them, because they’re affordable and don’t leave a big footprint. Now, local government officials in several island communities say they’ve found a way to make them legal. On this week’s episode, we hear about the solution that representatives from Islands Trust and the Regional District of Nanaimo recently shared with local governments from across B.C. 

Some islanders are upset that a U.S. non-profit that does adventure tourism wants to renew and expand its access to crown land along the B.C. coast. National Outdoor Leadership School says its sea kayakers will use the land to camp while travelling from Washington to Alaska. But social media posts opposing the application have gone viral in island communities. On this episode we hear from the applicants themselves, and a First Nations leader who has concerns.

Public sector workers in the BCGEU (BC General Employees' Union) and PEA (Professional Employees Association) escalated job action this week. About 14,500 of those workers are islanders. On this episode we hear why the strike is happening - and when it might be resolved.

This is the second school year since the provincial restrictions on cell phone use in schools came into effect. But what exactly are the rules? And how are they put into practice? As you’ll hear in this episode, that’s not exactly clear. Island teachers and administrators talk about how they’re interpreting and creating the rules.

The road to Bamfield, and the Huu-ay-aht and Ditidaht First Nations, is closed for the foreseeable future due to damage by the Mount Underwood fire. A similar thing happened to highway 4 east of Port Alberni in the summer of 2023. The issue is slope instability - but what exactly is that? And how do you repair it?

The Wesley Ridge and Mount Underwood fires had the province’s attention this summer - an unusual situation for the island. But the people who study fire and climate aren’t surprised, and say it will only become more common. On this week’s episode we hear about the changing history of wildfire on Vancouver Island, and about one of the mitigation projects underway to try and prepare. Hear about how what’s growing in our forests may change, and ways you can help with mitigation. 

This week, we bring you one of our most popular episodes from last year: a discussion with three islanders about what they love about summer at home. Get staycation tips from residents of Victoria, Parksville, and Campbell River. This episode was originally published July 2, 2024.

For 12 hours this week, islanders and coastal B.C. residents were watching for news of a tsunami. It didn’t arrive, but it did give us a chance to figure out the difference between a “watch,” an “advisory,” and a “warning,” and whether we even get notifications. This week’s episode catches up on what we learned - including that drones can help spread the news to remote areas.

Killer whales and humans have more than a few things in common, even if our habitat is different - and recent research has added even more similarities to the list. In this episode we hear about orcas giving gifts to humans, and using tools to exfoliate.

Every once in a while, frustrated ferry users bring up the idea of a “fixed link” - a bridge or tunnel that would permanently connect Vancouver Island to the rest of B.C. It came up this week as discussions drag on about the new ships that BC Ferries has ordered from a shipyard in China. So on this week’s episode: what would it take to build a bridge or tunnel?