A new Royal Canadia Mint silver coin features the artwork of a Vancouver Island-based artist.

The coins, a part of the This is Canada collection, depict various species that can be found across the country. This year’s theme is Wondrous Waters and one of the collectable coins features a pod of orcas.

Created by artist Glen Green, the orcas are travelling in the water near a rocky island. Mint adds in the background that large forests and mountains line the shore.

As a Campbell River resident, Green says he jumped at the opportunity to make an orca picture as it is an icon of the area.

“I live on Vancouver Island and occasionally get to see pods of killer whales on my travels,” said Green. “The background of this design, with the rocky islands and the heavily forested mountains cascading down to the rugged shoreline is typical of the West Coast.

“To many who witness these whales patrolling the coast, especially with a calf in tow, it is one of the most spectacular experiences one can have in their lifetime.”

The coins are the first in a four-part series from Mint, made on 99.99 per cent silver coins.

For more information, you can click here.

Green is well known for his paintings of NHL athletes and has done other coin designs for Mint including for the 2010 Olympics.

"For an artist, this is what you call a great gig," said Green. "Once you do one coin and they like it, it seems like you're on their list. The challenge of these coins is really fun."

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Food producers on the Sunshine Coast will have a new place to grow their business and increase food security for residents. 

It’s a mobile kitchen in Roberts Creek fully stocked with commercial-grade equipment called the Food Hub Maker Lab. 

The project aims to promote the local food scene, nurture new food production businesses and create self-employment opportunities. 

“This kitchen will be the heartbeat of many collaborative projects," said Casandra Fletcher Executive Director of the One Straw Society.

MLA for Powell River Nicholas Simons says that this marks a move towards a more sustainable food system on the Sunshine Coast. 

The project gets underway this March. 

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Nanaimo RCMP says a 22-year-old man is in hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after he was stabbed near Port Place Mall.  

According to police, the incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, and they say the victim was found at the back door of the casino where he received first aid care from employees of the casino. 

RCMP say they were able to obtain some security footage of the incident, but the low quality makes identifying any particulars difficult. 

Reserve constable Gary O’Briens says businesses can expect increased police patrols while the investigation is being conducted. 

“At this time, the investigation is in the very early stages,” he says. “Over the next several days, police will be canvassing the downtown core for CCTV footage and looking for potential witnesses.”  

If anyone has any information, they are asked to contact Nanaimo RCMP’s non-emergency line at 250-754-2345. 

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The new Community Health Centre in Port Hardy has seen thousands of patients since opening in fall, and is now setting an example for the rest of BC.

Doctor Alex Nataros and his colleagues worked with the community to get the centre built last year, in response to chronic doctor shortages, patients travelling out of town for care, and hospital closures. He says its focus on group visits and community services is a model which could work well in other communities.

"This is a new and innovative model of health care delivery," he says. "It's cost-effective and mostly builds communities. I think it's a story that needs to be told; we need to be doing group medical visits in Campbell River, Comox, and beyond."

Nataros says the centre has a series of group sessions planned in the coming weeks about diabetes, mental health, arthritis, and obesity. He says the sessions allow a group of patients to access a doctor’s expertise at once, and help each other in a shared setting.

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New legislation aims to better prepare communities for emergencies and disasters in BC.

The Emergency and Disaster Management Act will focus on disaster risk reduction and enhancing emergency preparedness. The province says it will replace the Emergency Program Act.

Acting minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness George Heyman says a revised act is needed as summers get hotter in BC.

“Winters are getting more unpredictable, and flooding is becoming more severe,” he said. “The new Emergency and Disaster Management Act places a greater emphasis on mitigating the impacts of emergencies before they happen.”

Along with implementing climate-informed risk assessments, the act will also have municipalities and districts cooperate with Indigenous governing bodies, in the hopes of using Indigenous knowledge for future management practices.

The province adds they are working on a task force for emergencies, with plans to provide action-oriented recommendations before the wildfire season next year.

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Worrying about exact change, having a bus pass, or day pass to ride BC Transit across the island will soon be a thing of the past with the announcement of UMO. 

The Regional District of Nanaimo, along with partners from BC Transit announced today riders in the RDN will enjoy the new pass on 59 of their buses with more to follow from Duncan to Campbell River in the future. 

According to BC Transit, the new UMO card will give riders the option to carry one card or have an app on their smartphone, instead of carrying cash or a monthly pass, but director of revenue development Ryan Dennis says eventually using cash will be obsolete. 

“We are making it easier for people to pay their fare and ride transit,” Dennis says. “People are getting more options with how they choose to pay for their ride either through the UMO card, app or cash. 

[caption id="attachment_44669" align="alignnone" width="1920"] UMO will be installed province-wide in 2024.
Photo credit: Justin Baumgardner, VistaRadio[/caption]

“There will be a transition period where people will be able to use the current fare products, but in time we are looking to transition everyone to UMO.” 

According to Dennis, Victoria was the first market to have UMO installed and so far, they have worked out most of the glitches which have allowed BC Transit to adjust before launching up the island. 

“We’ve learned a few things from how we educate our riders and provide them with the information they need,” he says. “We’re looking to take those lessons learned to the other markets across the island.” 

According to Dennis riders in the Cowichan Valley and the RDN will have access to UMO today, with the Comox Valley, Campbell River, and Port Alberni in the next few weeks and the rest of the province in the new year.  

BC Transit says there will be no difference in fares if riders use the UMO service at this time, but riders will have the option to purchase a 30-day pass, a day pass or pay per use.  

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 Nanaimo RCMP are reminding everyone about the dangers of leaving valuables unattended in their vehicles after a series of break-ins in the 3200-block of Stephenson Point Road. 

Police say three incidents occurred on Monday night and specific vehicles, in which owners left them unlocked, were targeted because they were easy to get into. However, RCMP believe there could be more victims  

“While only three incidents were reported, from experience, we believe there are others but for whatever reason they were not reported,” an RCMP media release says. “Thieves are out rain or shine, checking door handles on vehicles. 

“If they find one unlocked, they will enter it and take anything they find.” 

According to ICBC, there were a total of 834 vehicle break-ins on Vancouver Island last year, which is an increase of 150 per cent from last year.  

RCMP is still looking for the assailants who broke into the three vehicles and say if you have any information to call the detachment’s non-emergency line. 

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Tour De Rock riders were greeted with some much-needed sunshine as they made their way into Courtenay yesterday.

While in town the tour stopped at a few schools where they were greeted by students wearing blue ribbons in honor of a police officer that was lost last week.

Rider Wes Richens says the response from the communities they've visited has been overwhelmingly positive. "It's been super amazing, like people pulling over, clapping, cheering us on the highway, on the roads. The community has been amazing. The potlucks that we've done, they've been amazing, like everyone just welcomes us. It's hard to describe. It's so overpowering."

Today riders start the morning with breakfast at Thrifty Foods in Courtenay before heading to Valley View Elementary and then hit the road for Qualicum Breach and Parksville.

As of today, the tour has raised $594,602. Donations can still be made on the Tour De Rock website.

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Sunshine Coast RCMP have confirmed the death of a 35-year-old man who discovered on the beach at the south end of Inlet Avenue in Sechelt.  

Police say they received a call on Sept.22 around 10:45 a.m. after a man, who is known to police, was found on the beach, where he was believed to be dead. RCMP and Emergency Health Services attended the call and confirmed shortly after. 

Police say the death is not believed to be suspicious and the BC Coroner’s Service is looking into the file. 

Police believe the deceased lived on the Sunshine Coast for two years and have contacted his next of kin.  

RCMP say they will not be releasing any more information.  

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A Vancouver Island University researcher is using a community-based, community-engaged approach to help people ‘come together in new ways to imagine and create change.’ 

According to VIU, Dr. Sharon Karsten started Story Walks back in 2019 when she was the director of Comox Art Gallery and wanted to take a different approach by offering services at the gallery.  

Karsten says some of the population affected no longer feel a sense of connection to their communities, or a sense of closeness to those within them and this can lead to loneliness and isolation as well as addiction.  

“We have been told many times by those facing this crisis first-hand that the opposite of addiction is connection,” she says. “A key contributing factor to the crisis – one that is often overlooked – is the rise of hyper-capitalism and hyper-individualism.” 

 The project includes the ability for participants to wear a headset and listen to curated stories to put a human face on the issues. She says the group meets afterwards to talk about the stories they’ve heard to “reflect on the many dimensions underlying this public health crisis.” 

Karsten received a Micheal Smith Health Research BC Scholar award, and she says this puts her, and her team, in a position to continue this work for an additional five years.  

Karsten says her team will look to develop a learning system in which people with lived experience of the crisis play a strong role in defining the health authority’s response to the crisis.  

“I look forward to exploring new pathways forward,” she says. “We believe the development of peer leadership has powerful ramifications in the quest to make health systems more relevant to those who have been traditionally underserved.” 

VIU in Nanaimo will be hosting Karsten’s team this fall for Story Walks on November 23 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. 

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The provincial government is expecting over 120-thousand vehicles to cross over the Malahat this long weekend and with that high volume comes a lot of congestion. 

According to the province peak times going northbound will be from 3 pm to 6 pm on Friday and southbound on the holiday Monday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. These estimates are based on historical data from past summer long weekends.

To combat the volume any construction at the Tunnel Hill site that impacts traffic flow will stop from 12 pm today to 7 am on September 5. 

It's also suggested that drivers avoid the Malahat on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

They encourage drivers to leave earlier in the morning or later in the day to avoid peak travel times. 

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The Coastal Fire Centre says they have dispatched fire crews to battle a blaze north of Wakefield Creek, near Sechelt that was discovered shortly after 9 a.m. this morning.  

According to BC Wildfire’s website the fire is currently labelled as out of control and is believed to have been caused by lightning.  

They say no evacuation alerts, or orders, are needed at this time but are advising every to observe local fire bans in their region.  

The Coastal Fire Centre has recorded 93 fires so far this year. 

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Downtown Nanaimo has been spruced up thanks to two local artists’ hard work capturing the city’s diverse nature surrounding literacy and music. 

A mural conceived four years ago and was funded by a $7,000 grant through the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative was unveiled Friday. 

Lauren Semple says establishing the final design was difficult, but the finished product reflects everything the library offers. 

“The process went on for about a year,” she says. “We went through four different designs before we decided on the bookshelf style. 

“We had to incorporate the idea of 13 books, but with limited space we narrowed it down to [a] genres idea to bring it all together.” 

Librarians were tasked with choosing the genres for the mural which included romance, sci-fi, history, food and cooking along with many others.  

Lys Glassford says once the genres were selected it was up to them to interpret how to reflect the image to the city. 

“We reached out to the stakeholders to find out what they wanted to see,” Glassford says. “Then we took that info to the administration and got their input before Semple and I brainstormed ideas for the mural.” 

The mural took 120 hours from start to finish.  

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Would a major investment in the Duke Point terminal pay big dividends for the people of Vancouver Island?

That's the question the Nanaimo Port Authority is hoping to answer as they look for someone to conduct a study around the issue.

They say that Duke Point has an impactful role to play in improving supply chain efficiency and resiliency to the south coast gateway in BC.

The Port Authority is hoping to explore the level of impact that a major investment in the terminal would have on the supply chain and if it could be a cost competitive and sustainable channel in the marketplace.

Anyone qualified to conduct the study can bid on the BC Bid website until October 10th.

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[caption id="attachment_72297" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Photo Captured by Martin Davis in the Sechelt Inlet[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_72298" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Photo Captured by Martin Davis in the Sechelt Inlet[/caption]

Orcas are not just powerful swimmers; they’re also incredibly skillful hunters.

[caption id="attachment_72300" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Photo Captured by Martin Davis in the Sechelt Inlet[/caption]

Their diverse diet ranges from fish to seals and even other whale species. A breathtaking spectacle to witness is their hunting technique known as “wave washing,” where they create waves to knock seals off ice floes, showing off their strategic prowess.

[caption id="attachment_72301" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Photo Captured by Martin Davis in the Sechelt Inlet[/caption]

Yet, despite their awe-inspiring nature, orcas also exhibit tender behavior. Researchers have observed instances of orcas adopting orphaned members from other pods, showcasing their compassion and emotional depth. Truly a symbol of the wonders of the ocean.

[caption id="attachment_72299" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Photo Captured by Martin Davis in the Sechelt Inlet[/caption]

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Sechelt council has unanimously approved recommendations by the Sunshine Coast Community Forests, allowing four organizations to receive $30,000 from the Legacy Fund.  

Sunshine Coast Community Forest is one of approximately 60 forests in BC and conducts one per cent of the logging on the coast and is managed by community groups that benefit that specific area.  

The organization has so far donated four million dollars to the District of Sechelt since they were created in 2014 and has provided 52 grants since they opened. 

Board chair Kathleen Suddes presented to Sechelt council the recommendations where she outlined strict criteria organizations must follow before they can be considered for grant funding.  

“Organizations must indicate how receiving the funds will benefit the whole coast and have a business plan in place before consideration is made,” Suddes says. 

Executive Director Sarah Zieleman says the selection process is broken down into two steps which are quite easy but out of the five received only four were approved.  

“The first part just requires a letter of intent from the applicant,” Zieleman says. “Once those have been reviewed, we ask for an application from a subset of them, four of which were recommended to council.” 

According to Zieleman recommendations by the committee usually get endorsed by council and rarely ever get turned down because of how close-knit the selection process is and how they work in conjunction with the town. 

“A member of council sits as a representative on the committee, so it is very rare an application gets turned down,” she says. “It has happened, because they are closely aligned with the town’s bylaws and the expectation for how the fund will be used.” 

Organizations receiving $30,000 each for the Legacy Fund are the BC Conservation Foundation, Sunshine Coast Salmonid Enhancement Society, Pender Harbour Community School, and Tetrahedron Outdoor Club. 

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This weekend will see the return of the Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival for its 20th Anniversary in Maffeo Sutton Park. 

Teams will take to the water in the morning with the first heat starting at 9am.

Many of the racers are participating in the “Make Every Second Count” campaign which allows teams to shave off one second of their race time for every $1000 dollars they raise. 

Some of the proceeds from the festival go to the BC Cancer Foundation and the Nanaimo Hospital Foundation. 

But it’s more than just racing, there’s also going to be kid's activities, live entertainment, and a beer garden. 

There will also be a special carnation ceremony on Sunday for breast cancer survivors that will feature guest speakers, music, and a minute of silence. 

A full list of entertainment, race times, and event details can be found on the Fairway Gorge Paddling Club website.  

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ICBC recently posted a list of the worst intersections for crashes on the Island, and you might drive through the worst offenders every day. 

Nanaimo took the crown with the worst intersection on the Island and a whopping 4 out of the top 10 worst intersections on the Island. The intersections in question are: 

• Aldus Road, Hammond Bay Road, and Island Highway North 
• Bowen Road, Island Highway, and the E & N Trail 
• Island Highway North, Metral Drive, Mostar Road, and Rutherford Road 
• Enterprise Street and Island Highway North 

In Courtenay, the worst intersection was Island Highway North and Ryan Road with the third most accidents on the island. 

Duncan had two intersections on the list both crossing the Trans-Canada, one at Trunk Road and the other at Beverly Street. 

The data shows that the total number of fatal crashes increased by 500 from 2021 to 2022 but is still below pre-pandemic levels. 

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