News Impacting Central and North Vancouver Island
NORTH ISLAND
The town council of Port McNeill has been consulted over the possible closure of Cheslakees Elementary School, which would take effect on July 1, 2025.
The Kyle Scow Memorial Skatepark in Port Hardy has opened its first phase.
The new seaweed bioreactor at NIC’s Centre for Applied Research, Technology and Innovation (CARTI) offers a stable environment for kelp culture production and significantly extends the time available to users for sample collection and culture.
CAMPBELL RIVER
John Baker
John Baker, a native of Campbell River, will be the deputy chief in charge of public safety for the Campbell River Fire Department.
There has been an application to remove provincial restrictions at 1235 Shoppers Row, where the Centennial Building is located, by the City of Campbell River.
A new three-year collective bargaining agreement was ratified by Campbell River and CUPE Local 401, raising pay by 4 per cent in 2024 and 2025 and 3.25 per cent in 2026.
Service Pro Plumbing has officially outgrown their current office space, and on the hunt for a new place to call home. Reach out to admin@serviceproplumbers.ca.
COMOX VALLEY
Under contract with the Village of Cumberland, Lake Park Society (LPS) proudly marks ten years of running Cumberland Lake Park and Campground.
Modern PURAIR – Comox Valley donated a Jade 2.0 Air Purification System to the 50th Anniversary Chamber Awards Online Charity Auction benefiting the Comox Valley Food Bank.
The Comox Valley Classic Cruisers are excited to announce that Gary Marcus Trucking LTD. will be the Platinum Sponsor for next year’s 2025 Cruisin’ The Valley Car Show & Cruise.
The Comox Valley Regional District and BC Transit now offer a connection with RDN Transit at Deep Bay.
Better Business Bureau welcomes Robbins Roofing & Contracting as its newest Accredited Business.
TOFINO – UCLUELET
The 2024 Canadian Tourism Award recipients were announced by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC), and Accent Inns Inc., a Victoria-based company, was recognized as the Tourism Employer of the Year. Mandy Farmer, the third-generation CEO, oversees a formidable staff in British Columbia that encompasses Accent Inns, Hotel Zed, and ROAR restaurant. The team’s success, which is further exemplified by the company’s Leading with Love philosophy and its commitment to creating happier workplaces in the hospitality industry, was also recently recognized when Accent Inns Inc. was awarded Canada’s most esteemed corporate culture last month.
Phase 1 of the Peninsula Road Safety and Revitalization Project, a project designed to improve community character, safety, and mobility along one of the town’s most crucial corridors, has been completed, according to the District of Ucluelet.
The Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Centre in Tofino will receive a $300,000 grant from Ucluelet Co-op and Federated Co-operatives Limited.
PORT ALBERNI
Tom Verbrugge has been elected as new city councillor in the City of Port Alberni’s recent by-Election.
North Island College will be hosting winter 2025 student orientations at the Port Alberni Campus and at the Tebo Vocational Centre on January 8.
Pacific Rim School District #70’s Superintendent Tim Davie has accepted a position with the Cowichan Valley School District, effective January 10. Assistant Superintendent Peter Klaver will assume the role of Superintendent and James Messenger will transition into the role of Assistant Superintendent.
Pacific Rim School District #70 has issued a request for proposal for service providers to provide a Critical Infrastructure Vegetation Upgrade at Bamfield Community School.
The Alberni Valley Museum presents the Film Fest Port Alberni Winter 2025 Film Series scheduled for January to April in support of the museum. Event partners are Landmark Cinemas, City of Port Alberni and the BC Arts Council.
Tseshaht Fisheries and Oceanwise have been working together on kelp reforestation efforts in the Broken Group Islands as part of ongoing restoration efforts on the vitality of the region. Kelp seed stock is being planted in strategic locations targeted by divers and underwater drones.
The Uchucklesaht Tribe Government (UTG) is receiving approximately $2.8 million from the Province of BC’s Community Energy Diesel Reduction Program to develop a battery energy-storage system essential for the construction of a 750-kilowatt solar-power system and a 250-kilowatt run-of river hydro-power system. Together, the systems will remove more than 9 per cent of future demand for diesel in UTG village.
The Community Arts Council of the Alberni Valley has issued a call for artists for the upcoming Iconic Alberni Exhibit.
With assistance from Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District Government, the Alberni Valley Food Security Society has distributed beef & pork to a number of food service organizations including Alberni Valley Salvation Army. The meat was sourced from the Meat Processing Fundamentals program offered by North Island College earlier this year and now continues to serve Port Alberni in its next role.
Coulson Aviation announced a strategic collaboration with AW & Partners. Through this alliance, AW & Partners now offers the rental of Coulson’s state-of-the-art water bombers and helitankers.
Alberni Toyota presented a $2,500 cheque to Alberni Valley Hospice Society. Funds were raised during the Alberni Toyota Movember Fundraiser.
Sweet Enough Sugar-Free Confectionery has officially opened in Port Alberni, relocating from Saskatchewan.
The Fenton Group has been awarded The Royal LePage National Chairman’s Club award, given to the Top 1 per cent of Real Estate Advisors in Canada.
PARKSVILLE – QUALICUM BEACH
Tanja Crowie
Tanja Crowie has joined the team at Davis Avis Randall as the new Associate Lawyer.
Oceanside Hearing Clinic is now open in Parkville at 103-543 Stanford Ave, E.
Women in business who are interested in expanding their networks and community can attend the monthly meeting of the Oceanside Women’s Business Network, which takes place on the third Tuesday of each month.
Parksville Lawn Bowling Club is hosting activities to combat winter blues from October to March 2025 at 149 Stanford Avenue East.
The pop-up recycling depot activities at 1080 Industrial Way in Parksville will continue through June 30, 2025, thanks to an extension of the collaboration between the Parksville Community Centre Society and Recycle BC.
For a second time, BGC Central Vancouver Island has submitted an application for daycare at the Jensen Centre in Parksville at a rate of $10 per day.
NANAIMO
Adrian Legin
Adrian Legin, President and CEO of Coastal Community Credit Union, has announced his retirement in June 2025, capping an incredible 16-year stint that has seen him guide the organization through transformation.
Vanessa Craig, chair of the Regional District of Nanaimo, has been welcomed to the board of directors of the Island Coastal Economic Trust.
The Canadian Government has announced that it is investing $1.3 billion to bolster security at the border and strengthen the immigration system. This includes $667.5M for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, $355.4M for the Canada Border Services Agency, $180M over 6 years for the Communications Security Establishment, $77.7M for Health Canada, and $20M over five years for Public Safety Canada.
Shawn Day, Project Manager, Geothermal, is celebrating 2 years with Barkley Project Group Ltd.
An affiliate of Serruya Private Equity Inc., which has invested in automotive, real estate, and fast-food enterprises, has acquired the majority of The Body Shop‘s business.
A revised plan by Primex Investments Ltd. for a planned residential development on Chapel Street in downtown Nanaimo has been approved.
The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) plans to directly award a contract to Kemira Water Solutions Canada Inc. for the supply of ferrous chloride. This will be used to effectively manage hydrogen sulphide in wastewater, aiding in odour control and reducing corrosion.
The application period for Canada Summer Jobs 2025 ends on December 19.
A 2025–29 financial plan bylaw that might result in an 8 per cent increase in property taxes was approved by the City of Nanaimo on its first, second, and third readings.
The Nanaimo-Ladysmith school district plans to discontinue École Quarterway’s late French immersion program.
The development application for a three-story, twenty-one-unit apartment complex on the intersection of Meredith and Tulsa roads, submitted by Brian and Johanna McCullough, has been approved by the Nanaimo City Council.
Atlas Engineered Products announced that the Company has acquired 42 acres of land at 281 Purdy Road, Colborne Ontario, which has been secured to provide a new Greenfield location to support truss and panelization automation. The total purchase price for the land was $2.8M, including all fees and the transaction closed on December 12, 2024. This land package sits just South of the 401 Highway and enables AEP to serve the Ontario, Western Quebec and cross border U.S. markets. Automated faciltiies are operating in the U.S. and Euorpean markets, with proven capability of increasing capacity by 100-200%, depending on numbers of shifts, and at a >50% reduction in operating costs.
LADYSMITH – CHEMAINUS
The Town of Ladysmith announced that Rob Hutchins, former mayor, will be awarded the inaugural Freedom of the Town honour. The Freedom of the Town is Ladysmith’s highest and most prestigious civic honour. Rob Hutchins served as mayor from 1993 to 2014, the longest tenure in the town’s history.
Ladysmith’s In the Beantime is relocating to its new location at 431 First Ave.
CFV Nutrition will celebrate its grand opening at 9774 Willow Street, Chemainus, on January 4, 2025.
COWICHAN – DUNCAN
Michelle Staples, the Mayor of Duncan, has been appointed as the new chair of the Island Coastal Economic Trust.
Josh Spong has recently joined the team as a certified massage therapist at Genoa Integrative Health & Wellness Centre.
The Caprice Theatre, now known as Duncan Cinemas, will open in time for Christmas.
The SPCA in Duncan, which just hosted a groundbreaking ceremony, will get $1 million to rebuild their 27-year-old facility at 7550 Bell McKinnon Road.
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