The Malahat Skywalk is looking towards growing its overall experience under new leadership.

Nathan Bird has been brought in as the new General Manager of the attraction as it approaches three years in operation this July. He replaces Ken Bailey, who had been with the attraction since its opening.

Bird was born and raised on the Island and comes to the job with 37 years of experience in tourism. His last seven years were spent leading Eagle Wings Whale Watching in Victoria.

"I was recruited for this job, it's always kind of flattering when a recruiting agency comes after you and engages you to go for a job when you're not even looking for one," he says.

He says he sees endless possibilities for expansion on the landmark's 170-acre campus. He says he's been given 'a blank canvas,' and that's partly what brought him to accept the job offer.

"That's really what drew me in here," he says. "I came up here for my in-person interview and I was like, 'What? It's not just this? We can do so much more.'"

When talking about what he'd like to add, he was quick to speak on improving their food and beverage options, and maybe adding an adventure course of some kind like a zipline.

He says they've got a positive relationship with the Malahat Nation, and hopes to expand the Indigenous presence in the attraction.

"One of the major opportunities that I see in the next five to ten years is working more closely with the nation, and other nations than the Malahat Nation, to develop an Indigenous tourism experience - an authentic experience - that will add value to the Skywalk and to the Nations," he says.

Ultimately, his goal is to make the Skywalk more known to tourists visiting the Island.

"I want us to be more recognized as being a top attraction in the Victoria and Cowichan Valley area. When you come to the Island you go whale watching, you do afternoon tea, and you go to Butchart Gardens [...] Why is it that the Malahat Skywalk isn't one of those things?" he says.

"It actually takes longer to get to Butchart Gardens from the Empress Hotel than it would take you to get to Malahat Skywalk, but for some reason, they have no problem getting people out there."

To address those accessibility challenges, they're upping the number of times that their free shuttle runs from downtown Victoria to their spot.

"We're going to get three of the busses wrapped with our logo and they're going to be shuttling up here every couple of hours over the summertime," he says. "It's a bit of a risk - you've got to spend a bit of money to do it - but we've engaged with a great local partner, and we're trying to tear down the barriers to getting people up here."

To get the Skywalk on the 'tips of the tongues' of locals, they're offering more promos to try and get people in the door and buy yearly passes. Through April 1, they're offering a year's pass for the price of a single admission.

To keep people coming back, they're talking to local partners to bring in some specialty programming. Bird says he was talking earlier in the week with a representative of the Pacific Northwest Raptors about doing some crossover on their site. It's all a part of their hopes for improving the overall customer experience.

"We've got some fantastic team members here," he says. "The team is really keen on making this an unbelievable attraction and just being positive and engaged. They just want to move forward and do something fun."

The post Malahat Skywalk looks to the future under new leadership appeared first on My Coast Now.

British Columbia's lowest earners will be making a little bit more, come June 1st.

That's when the province's general minimum wage jumps by 65 cents an hour, to $17.40.

The 3.9 per cent hike is consistent with the average rate of inflation as tied to BC's Consumer Price Index for 2023.

Alternative minimum wages will receive the same percentage bump, compared to their existing numbers.

Provincial Minister of Labour Harry Bains says this supports their commitment to keep wage raises tied to cost-of-living.

"BC has gone from having one of the lowest minimum wages in the country to the highest of all the provinces," says Bains. "We made a commitment to tie minimum-wage increases to the rate of inflation to prevent B.C.’s lowest-paid workers from falling behind."

After only two increases in the first 15 years of the century, the provincial minimum wage has risen gradually each year from 2015's standard of $10.45 an hour. This year's rise is 3 per cent less than 2023's 6.9 per cent rise of a $1.10 to the current $16.75 an hour.

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Island police are looking for a man who they believe stole over $30,000 in merchandise in a checkout scam.

Nanaimo RCMP say the man has committed multiple thefts and frauds at various Lowe's Home Improvement stores.

They've learned that he steals items along with legitimately purchased items, then returns to the business shortly after to refund the items that he did actually purchase keeping the ones he didn't.

"The pictures provided show a heavy-set Caucasian man, approximately 5 ft. 10 inches with dark receding hair and sporting a beard."

The post Man steals $30,000 of goods in checkout theft and fraud scheme appeared first on My Coast Now.

Nanaimo Search and Rescue (NSAR) are looking for a missing 48 year-old woman.

Nancy Gagne was last seen in the morning of Feb. 1, and they're focusing their search on the area of the Millstone River from Bowen Road to the Nanaimo harbour. NSAR searched until approximately midnight on February 1st and and resumed searching at daybreak on February 2nd.

[caption id="attachment_76153" align="aligncenter" width="253"] A search is underway for the missing Nancy Gagne - photo provided by Nanaimo RCMP[/caption]

Nanaimo RCMP say, "Gagne was last seen wearing multi-colored pajamas. She is a Caucasian woman, 5 ft. 7 inches, 150 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. The picture provided is recent."

Anyone with information that may help the search are asked to call Nanaimo RCMP's non-emergency line at 250-754-2345.

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Construction is underway on Sechelt Hospital's Emergency Department (ED).

The plans are to add a new mental health assessment room and triage space for increased privacy, as well as a room for patients with larger families. Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) says it supports their commitment to creating culturally safe spaces for Indigenous patients and clients. Alongside that, they're adding a new waiting area, improved sightlines, new treatment chairs, and a stretcher.

The health authority hopes these upgrades will improve patient care, safety and privacy.

The Emergency Department will remain fully operational during construction, which is expected to be complete by this spring.

"Plans are in place to ensure the least amount of disruption for patients and staff in the ED," says VCH. "Depending on care requirements and ED volume, patients may receive emergency medical care in the mobile medical unit located onsite."

The Sechelt Hospital has been on its current site since 1962 and renovated several times.

The post Construction on Sechelt Emergency Department Underway appeared first on My Coast Now.

"We stand shoulder to shoulder to denounce in the strongest terms the inflammatory and disrespectful statements and death threats toward the shíshálh Nation and shíshálh people."

That in a joint statement from the Province and the shíshálh Nation. In it they state, "We recognize this is a small minority of people who hold hateful views. Our governments condemn these threats and tactics in the strongest possible terms."

They're saying the statement is needed because of recent public responses on social media and the posting of confrontational signage on a shíshálh long house. All of these incidents are tied to a recently proposed dock management plan which is currently gathering public feedback.

The plan has been in the works since 2015 and has the stated goal of protecting environmental and archaeological values. It's been criticized for placing unrealistic restrictions on boathouses and boats.

Related: New dock restrictions at Pender Harbour frustrate Area Resident Association director

Despite the incidents leading to the statement, the public consultation process on the dock management plan remains open until February 16th. They say they'll simply ignoring any responses including racist remarks.

"Vandalism and racism have no place whatsoever in British Columbia’s political discourse, on Sunshine Coast or anywhere else," reads the statement. "For clarity, submissions with racist remarks will not be reviewed or considered by the government or shíshálh in any subsequent steps regarding the Dock Management Plan."

The post Response issued denouncing ‘hateful views’ towards shíshálh Dock Management Plan appeared first on My Coast Now.

ICBC has released a list of personalized licence plate slogans that were rejected last year.

The insurance corporation says they received 9,500 slogan requests in 2023, and denied 2,600. That's a 73 per cent approval rating.

Slogans are rejected by ICBC if they don't meet guidelines and criteria or if they're deemed objectionable. They say they hope drivers review those criteria before they submit an application.

"ICBC’s dedicated team meticulously reviews every application to ensure each slogan is appropriate to display on a B.C. licence plate," says ICBC's Manager of Insurance Operations Support,  Sandy-Anne Dodig. "A personalized licence plate can be a creative way to express yourself, and we encourage drivers to review the criteria and guidelines on icbc.com prior to applying."

Personalized plates have a $100 application fee and an annual $40 fee to maintain the rights to the slogan. Application fees are returned if your slogan is rejected.

List of rejected plates from ICBC:

1. YSO SLO
2. 2FAS4U
3. OMG MOV
4. FRBALL
5. SO-HIGH
6. UNSAFE
7. DNT HIT
8. IXLR8
9. FAST
10. ROCK1T
11. CRASH1
12. UNVXD
13. NO LAW
14. YS OFSR
15. UNDCVR
16. XRCIST
17. AMEN
18. TARGET
19. TSN
20. PORSCHE

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Driving without valid insurance is on the rise according to a BC RCMP detachment.

In the first 20 days of the year, Coquitlam RCMP issued 24 violation tickets for driving without vehicle insurance.

"This is a dramatic increase compared to January 2023 which saw 11 violation tickets for the entire month," the detachment says in a media release. "With only 18 days into January, this is a 46% increase."

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71 per cent of Vancouver Islanders have put winter tires on their vehicles this year.

That according to a survey from ICBC, who are asking you to adjust your driving for the conditions you encounter.

Their survey found that over one-third (38%) of BCers saw a collision caused by winter conditions last year and that one in five (21%) people had a near miss or close call while they were driving.

ICBC says crashes on the Island from drivers going too fast for the conditions increase by 31 per cent in January compared to October.

"The key to driving in snowy and icy conditions is to drive slow and steady, avoiding any unexpected sudden movements that could cause you to skid or lose control," they write in a media release.

"If you have to drive, accelerate gently, steer and turn slowly and gradually, braking slowly and early. Increase your following distance while travelling behind vehicles and focus on your surroundings so you can be prepared for the unexpected. Anticipate turns, stops and lane changes well in advance. Don't use cruise control on slippery roads."

ICBC says there are a few different ways to make sure your vehicle is prepared for winter driving.

"Ensure your headlights and taillights are in good working order and use them whenever visibility is reduced," they say. "Pack an emergency kit in case you get stuck or stranded. Clear off any snow that's built up on your vehicle before driving including headlights, wheel wells, and external sensors if you have a collision warning system."

They say you should also allow for extra travel time in your planning process, consider alternatives to driving when possible, and beware of black ice when freezing temperatures hit.

The post Less than 3 quarters of Islanders are using winter tires this season: says ICBC appeared first on My Coast Now.

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Ladysmith council is sending the Buller Street Revitalization Project to an Alternative Approval Process (AAP).

The $13.5 million project would construct a new town hall and institutional unit, along with housing units. It would build on town-owned land at 1st Avenue and Buller Street.

The decision to obtain elector approval through an AAP came in their council meeting on Jan. 9. An AAP will require a certain percentage of Ladysmith voters to submit a form opposing the project to prevent it from continuing. It's opposed to a referendum, which the town's staff says would be a more expensive process.

The next step for staff is to prepare a bylaw for the AAP before going through their formal process for notifying the public. No word yet on the full specifics of the project or the timeline of the AAP process, but it is expected in the coming months.

The post Ladysmith Council confirms AAP coming for new City hall funding appeared first on My Coast Now.

A 29-foot boat was stolen on the Sunshine Coast and RCMP are asking for help finding it.

Police say the boat was stolen from Dubois Road in Madeira Park. It was last seen being towed by a dark-coloured pick-up truck Southbound on the highway, Wednesday night.

If you have any information, you're asked to contact Sunshine Coast RCMP at 604-885-2266.

The post RCMP on the lookout for boat stolen from Madeira Park appeared first on My Coast Now.

Nanaimo RCMP are asking for public help in locating 19-year-old Kole May-Cyre. He was reported missing on Jan. 9, after being last seen on Christmas Day of 2023.

May-Cyre had been experiencing homelessness and had been staying at emergency shelters in Nanaimo. They have been told he may have made his way to Duncan, but it's not been confirmed.

[caption id="attachment_38176" align="aligncenter" width="240"] Kole May-Cyre was reported missing to Nanaimo RCMP on Jan. 9, 2024 - Photo provided by Nanaimo RCMP.[/caption]

May-Cyre is described as:

"a Caucasian man, 5 foot, 11 inches, 160 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing dark clothing"

Police say the photo above is recent.

If you have any information on his whereabouts, you're asked to call Nanaimo RCMP on their non-emergency line at 250-754-2345.

The post Nanaimo Missing Person: Kole May-Cyre appeared first on My Coast Now.

With the influx of cold weather, both Nanaimo and Sechelt are opening the doors to their warming shelters and centres.

Nanaimo Acting Mayor, Tyler Brown says they're working with the province and other community members to ensure those on the streets have access to warmth.

Brown says, "Council is grateful for the hard work of all those who made this happen and show care for those in need."

The City says, "City staff and RCMP members will be on the street increasing coverage of wellness checks and providing warming supplies."

The City gives funding to Island Crisis Care Society (2025 Bowen Road), which will be open 24 hours throughout the cold spell for up to 60 people at a time.

Risebridge Society (520 Prideaux Street) is also publicly funded and will be open from 7 pm until 4 pm the next day. It's available overnight to up to 30 individuals identifying as women only, with anyone welcome during the day (7 am-4 pm).

Per the City of Nanaimo, these other services will be open for those in need of warmth:

• The 7-10 Club Society operates a daytime warming centre from 9 am to 7 pm daily for up to 30 individuals at one time.
• The Unitarian Shelter offers 27 co-ed overnight shelter beds.
• Salvation Army has 35 overnight shelter beds for men.
• Samaritan Place has 14 overnight shelter beds for women.
• St Peter’s Winter Shelter has 35 co-ed overnight shelter beds open 8 pm to 7:30 am.

As for Sechelt, they have opened their overnight shelter on Lampray Lane operated by Raincity, and their warming centres are open to the public at the Trail Bay Centre and the Sechelt Public Library. Shishálh Nation is also opening its board room for Nation members to warm up during the day.

St. Bart's Church in Gibsons will be open overnight (5:30 pm-8 am) for shelter and their public warming centres are at the Gibsons Public Library, Sunnycrest Mall, and the Gibsons Public Market.

The post Warming Centres open for Nanaimo & Sunshine Coast appeared first on My Coast Now.

The Tsow Tun Le Lum Healing House has opened the doors to its new Cowichan facility.

The decades-old organization deals with substance use and trauma treatment for Indigenous, Metis, and Inuit people from across BC and Yukon.

Their programs are structured with set intake and outtake times for each stream and focus on the healing of intergenerational wounds that Indigenous people grapple with.

"Our people, because of colonization and all of the impacts and effects of that, suffer from trauma," says Tsow Tun Le Lum Executive Director Nola Jeffery. "People react to trauma in certain ways. I really believe that people use substances to cope with the pain."

The society has done work for years, previously based north of Nanaimo. Their new $19 million facility just south of Duncan was needed after the lease on their previous property and the landowners chose not to renew the lease.

"Did I want to move? Absolutely not," says Jeffery. "I didn't think we would have to move, so no I didn't want to."

But the decision was made for their organization, and so the process began for a new home. Jeffery credits the First Nations Health Authority for their help, and for securing funding for the federal and provincial governments. She also sourced private donors who wanted to help bring their dream to reality.  The board looked through other locations in Port Alberni and Nanaimo, before settling on the Cowichan site.

The new facility is located on Miller Road, in a wooded area just south of Duncan. The society is planning to be there for quite a while, with a 50-year lease on the land and two 25-year extensions possible.

"They [the government] thought that healing houses, which were called treatment centres, were something that maybe we [Indigenous people] needed for 10 or 15 years and then everyone would be okay," she says. "But we know that's not the case. Now we have one that might be here for 100 years."

With the location change, there has been quite a bit of turnover in the staff.

"Huge turnover. People couldn't find places to live down here and people didn't want to drive from Nanaimo, Lantzville, and Parksville," she says. "It's a long travel. I bet over half of my staff are new."

The facility itself is loaded with amenities. Among them, they've got 32 beds for attendees of their programs. They've got several group session rooms, a gymnasium with basketball nets, and a kitchen area. They've also got a breathtaking large room to be used for morning briefings and for ceremonies with family to celebrate program graduates.

[gallery ids="75561,75562,75563,75564,75565,75566"]

As for the challenges faced by Indigenous people, she says the trauma experienced from colonization is intergenerational.

"People not only have their own personal trauma, but we pack historical trauma with us," she says. "So all of my children have my trauma because I hadn't done any healing work when I carried them, so I passed it on."

She spoke on the impact of the 2021 discovery of 215 unmarked graves at a Kamloops residential school on Indigenous peoples across the country.

"We always knew that our children had been murdered, but it took a long time for people to believe that," she says. "I think with the intergenerational survivors, it let go of a huge grief that they didn't know they were carrying."

While she's not sure if that has lead to a prolonged impact on Indigenous people looking for help, she did see a surge in calls to their support phone line.

"When the announcement came," she says. "We were answering that phone around the clock. We weren't just getting calls from people in BC. Somehow our number got out and we were getting calls from across Canada, from intergenerational survivors, residential school survivors, and also non-Indigenous people."

The Tsow Tun Le Lum Healing House is hosting its first group beginning this week with plans for a grand opening ceremony later this year.

The post New Tsow Tun Le Lum Healing House opens on Vancouver Island appeared first on My Coast Now.

Tonight Ladysmith council will make a big decision on the future of their city hall.

The current building has been deemed to no longer fit the needs of the community because of its size. They've begun work on a plan for a new building, which will contain their city hall, an institutional place, and some units of housing.

It's referred to as the Buller Street Revitalization Project because they plan to build on lands located at Buller Street and 1st Ave. The town purchased the land in 2015 with the intention of constructing a new administration building.

In the staff report, they say that the current city hall is dealing with many issues.

"The current city hall no longer fits the needs of the community," reads the report. "The building is too small and requires staff to work out of multiple locations, which results in process inefficiencies. The Town pays for rented space at 132c Roberts Street and also utilizes an off-site storage area due to moisture and rodent issues at the current city hall."

While there has been maintenance work on the current facility, which was built in 1950, the report says that it will require further renovations to allow it to maintain its role as city hall.

They are preparing a final decision on if they should proceed with an Alternative Approval Process (AAP) to borrow $13.5 million to fund the project.

While staff is recommending an AAP, council's other options are to sell the property, hold a referendum on borrowing, or not proceed with the project altogether. They say a referendum would be more expensive than an AAP because of additional staff time, facility costs, ballots, and voting machines.

An AAP would require more than ten per cent of Ladysmith voters to submit a form opposing borrowing to prevent the project from continuing.

The decision is in tonight's council meeting which starts at 6:30 pm.

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Construction work begins Monday on BC Ferries Snug Cove Terminal upgrades.

It's part of a process which the ferry corporation says will ensure continued safe and reliable ferry service for Bowen Islanders. The $3.7 million project will strengthen structural elements, add safer walkways, while restoring and overhauling the current infrastructure.

There are three times when a full closure will be required for construction, with one in a couple of weeks (Jan. 20) and the others in subsequent months (Feb. 3-4, Mar. 9).

Related: BC Ferries announces upgrades to the Bowen Island Terminal

They say they're focusing on working overnights and on weekends to minimize disruptions to daily commuters, school kids, and anyone who relies on their service.

However, there will be a modified schedule running during the course of construction. It was built through conversations with the community in-person and online. In the modification, the regular schedule will run on Mondays, Tuesdays through Fridays and Sundays will have the last two evening sailings cancelled, and Saturdays will cancel the first and last regular sailings for the day.

They will also be offering discounted parking for the duration including complementary parking during the full berth closures. During full closures, they'll be running a water taxi service which carries walk-on passengers across the waterway.

Construction is expected to last until the end of March.

The post BC Ferries Snug Cove Terminal construction work gets underway appeared first on My Coast Now.

With the season's first real snowfall in the forecast, the City of Nanaimo is issuing reminders about dealing with the chilly white powder.

In a post on their website, they start by stating that it is the responsibility of property owners to clear the sidewalks that pass through their land. Sidewalk clearing is covered under a bylaw, which requires removal within 24 hours of accumulation. The City asks you help out where you can.

"When you are out shovelling, please also consider lending a hand to your neighbour," they say. "There are some people in our community who may have difficulty clearing snow and ice and could use a helping hand."

As for road plowing, the City works based on different priorities:

• Priority 1 routes: Emergency routes and all major roads
• Priority 2 routes: Secondary roads
• Priority 3 routes: Residential culs-de-sac and dead ends

"This system sets emergency routes, key transit routes and main arterial roads as a priority to keep our City moving," they say. "This means it could take upwards of 96 hours or more for crews to start clearing residential areas, especially Priority 3 routes."

You can check the City of Nanaimo's Facebook and X pages for the latest clearing activity, road conditions, and other alerts.

The post ‘Keep your sidewalks clear’: Seasonal snow reminders issued for those in Nanaimo appeared first on My Coast Now.

Nanaimo RCMP are asking for help finding a man wanted on several firearm related warrants.

32 year old, Alexander Howell is wanted after he is said to have entered a local pub and was seen with a firearm in late-October. Police were told that at one point, he entered into an altercation with an individual, produced the handgun and pointed it. No shots were fired and Howell left in a vehicle.

He was located and arrested in November, then later released on conditions.

"Since that time he failed to appear in Nanaimo Provincial Court and as a result, the warrants were issued," "The warrants issued are for Use of an Imitation Firearms, Carry a Concealed Weapon and Assault with a weapon."

Police describe him as:

• An Indigenous man
• 5-foot-10, 180 pounds
• With black hair and brown eyes
• Has a neck tattoo of a rose

If you have nay information, you're asked to contact Nanaimo RCMP on their non-emergency line at 250-754-2345.

The post Nanaimo man wanted on a firearm related warrant appeared first on My Coast Now.

Check your tickets. Someone in Powell River is $1 million richer today.

As per the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, Wednesday Jan. 3's Lotto 6-49 prize-winning ticket was sold in the Sunshine Coast community.

While there weren't any winners of the $22 million gold prize, the Powell River winner was listed as the only winner of a smaller $1 million classic prize.

The winning numbers were listed as 1007844-01.

The post $1 million 6-49 ticket sold in Powell River appeared first on My Coast Now.