The city is looking to cover costs for the Thursday night public markets by charging vendors a $25 fee.

The market, which started during the pandemic, is run by the municipality and costs around $5,000 per year to operate.

Council discussed the market and its costs at the April 30 Committee of the Whole meeting.

City PR manager Callie Matthews says the market was started for free to help out local vendors and artisans during the pandemic. She points out it's unusual for the municipality to operate the market, usually they are run by a non-profit or chamber of commerce group.

She says other community groups are willing to assist in managing the market.

Council voted in favour of continuing the markets, to charge vendors a $25 fee, and find a new host starting in 2025.

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For the second week in a row, police in Powell River responded to a break-and-enter at the Patricia Theatre in Townsite.

The latest incident happened sometime overnight from April 27 to 28.

Nothing was stolen, but it’s the second time the theatre has been targeted in two weeks.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Powell River RCMP’s non-emergency line at 604-485-6255, or call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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An earthquake off the Island’s west coast was recorded last night, but no damage or tsunami is expected.

According to the US Geological Survey, the quake happened just before 8:30 pm last night, around 200 kilometres southwest of Tofino. The quake happened at a depth of about 10 kilometres.

The Geological Survey predicts at least one small aftershock within the next week.

Three tectonic plates meet under the ocean west of Vancouver Island, causing regular earthquakes of 5 or greater, more than 50 since 1973. It's one of the most active seismic zones in North America.

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Several Vancouver Islanders were formerly entered into the Order of Canada today in a ceremony in Ottawa.

Dr. Granger Avery from Port McNeill was added as a Member, for his work in championing improved medical services in remote and rural communities. He has also served as head of the BC and Canadian medical associations.

Diane Sowden from Powell River was also added as a Member, she helped fight child exploitation in BC and Canada, lobbying for stiffer sentences for child predators and raising the age of consent.

Verena Tunnicliffe from Victoria was added as an Officer, she led the creation of the VENUS sea floor observatory off the Island’s west coast and helped make Canada a world leader in ocean science.

Other notable BC appointees include former premier Gordon Campbell and former NDP cabinet minister Joy MacPhail.

Photos from the event were posted this afternoon on the governor-general's Facebook page.

Visit the governor-general's website for the complete list.

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A North Island doctor says the province’s recent back-tracking on public drug use is still missing the point.

Dr. Alex Nataros says even in his small community of Port Hardy, he sees the tragedies and damaged lives caused by the toxic drug crisis every week. People need support services and addiction treatment, and they still don’t seem to be a government priority, he says.

"We know we have an increasingly toxic drug supply. We know we have significant amounts of diverted 'safe supply,' he said. "These are all active issues that, broadly speaking, our government is not managing very well."

He says it’s good the government is responding to the wishes of the public and moving to stop public disorder, but there's a lot of uncertainty about what happens now.

"It's a little bit of a catch-22 in that we need our population to be safe, first and foremost," he said. "But we need a safe space for people who use drugs to consume, so that they survive."

The issue isn’t going away, and Nataros says the government must commit to better treatment and recovery options to save lives and address the root causes of the drug crisis.

"We need the government to step up. We can't have all or none, decriminalization or criminalization. Safe supply, or unsafe supply," he said. "We need nuance, we need treatment. Ultimately, we need to help people get off these toxic drugs."

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Somewhere on Vancouver Island, Service BC is testing out a prototype high-tech van to see how it would work in an emergency.

The van hit the road back in February. Now, it’s touring Vancouver Island, heading north from a media event in Victoria late last week.

The van is equipped with satellite and cellular phones, making it a mobile hotspot and an essential service during a forest fire or flood.

The van isn’t just for emergencies. It’s also intended to bring services to communities that don’t have Service BC offices, allowing them to renew drivers licences and photo ID, update health information, get a business licence, and more.

Look for it around the Island this summer.

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One of BC’s biggest salmon farmers wants to see if algae makes a good feed ingredient.

Cermaq Canada and its feed supplier Cargill are introducing oils from algae to feed at several BC farms, to see if it can be a replacement for fish oil from wild fisheries.

German Campos with the company says it’s a big step to reduce dependence on marine resources, while still meeting fish health and product quality goals.

Salmon farmers still rely on fish oil from wild fisheries to make sure farmed fish contain heart-healthy Omega-3s. The algae oil is produced in Nebraska, grown in tanks at a large scale. If successful, it could significantly reduce dependence on wild fisheries.

The oil is produced by Veramaris, which says one ton of its algae-derived oil is equivalent to 60 tons of wild-caught fish. The company recently completed a three-year review with Canadian regulators and was granted approval in March.

The company uses a North Pacific strain of algae naturally rich in Omega-3s. It's an important part of the food chain in the wild — algae is eaten by zooplankton, which is in turn eaten by wild fish including sockeye salmon, giving their flesh its signature bright orange-pink colour.

"Implementing these innovative solutions demonstrates how quickly the aquaculture industry in Canada can move to adopt new techniques,” said David Kiemele, Cermaq Canada's managing director, in a news release. “Our company is proud to be one of the first movers in this space in Canada.”

Feeding trials will start in May. Cermaq says they will be using the feed on farms where fish are close to harvest size.

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The province is finally moving to ban illicit drug use in all public places, including hospitals, transit, and parks.

Premier David Eby announced the changes today in a press conference.

"The goal is that police have the authority and that everybody in the community knows it, so they don't have to use it," he said. "A police officer says, 'no, I'm sorry, this isn't the place where drugs are used, you need to go somewhere else,' the person listens and follows that direction. Hopefully and ideally to a site where there are medical professionals, connections to care, and potentially if that person's in that space and ready, connections to addictions treatment."

BC is now working with the federal government to give police back the power to prevent drug use in all public places. Possession of small amounts remains legal, and police will only arrest for possession in exceptional circumstances.

Eby said the province is working with Health Canada to change the terms of its decriminalization pilot program in BC, which is about halfway through its three-year duration. The province is asking the federal government to again make the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act apply to public drug use throughout the province, effectively prohibiting it. People will still be able to use in their private residences or lawful overnight shelters.

The province tried last year to modify provincial legislation to prohibit drug use in some public spaces, but immediately ran into legal challenges. Eby said the Attorney-General told him there was no end in sight to that case, so the province is now working directly with the federal government to use federal laws. He said he has the prime minister's assurances that the federal government will work collaboratively with BC.

The move comes after recent incidents suggested public drug use and related disorder is escalating, including a news story from Campbell River involving teens overdosing in a local restaurant, and a viral video from the Lower Mainland showing people smoking fentanyl at their restaurant table.

As well, staff in several BC hospitals including Campbell River reported patients were smoking fentanyl and other street drugs in their hospital rooms, causing health concerns for nurses and other patients.

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An orca calf trapped in a lagoon for a month after her mother died swam out on her own early this morning.

A statement from the Ehattesaht First Nation says kʷiisaḥiʔis the ‘Brave Little Hunter’ swam out of the Zeballos lagoon around 2:30 am, with the high tide. This morning, she was spotted moving into Esperanza Inlet, which connects with the open ocean.

The statement says the rescue team will now focus on encouraging her to keep going, so her calls will be hopefully heard by her family pod.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the local nations are asking people and boaters to keep clear of the area, to prevent anything from discouraging the orca from reuniting with her family.

The orca had been in the lagoon for a month after she and her mother entered chasing prey. When the tide went out, her mother was beached and died. The only entrance to the lagoon is a narrow passage under a bridge, only open at the highest tides.

Rescuers have been trying to encourage the calf to leave ever since, with almost 50 people involved in the attempts at one point, with everything under consideration from a helicopter lift, to banging metal pipes underwater.

In the end, the orca swam out on her own terms.

The orca is a Biggs killer whale, which eat mainly marine mammals. Rescuers have been feeding her seal meat during her time in the lagoon.

We will update this story as more information becomes available.

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The annual National Day of Mourning for workers killed on the job is coming up this weekend.

The mother of a young man who died at sea in a tugboat incident will be one of this year’s speakers. In February 2021, on the Central Coast, the MV Ingenika lost power during a sub-zero storm. The barge it was pulling passed over the tug, capsizing and sinking it. Two crew died, including Charley Cragg.

This year his mother Genevieve will be speaking in Vancouver at the Day of Mourning ceremony.

Ceremonies are planned around the Island, the first will be on Friday in Courtenay and in Campbell River.

Here's the schedule for events in our communities, visit the official website for a full list and any last-minute changes.

Friday, April 26

• Campbell River: 10:30 am at Fire Hall 1, 675 13th Ave
• Courtenay: 10 am at Simms Park Pavilion, 5th St

Sunday, April 28

• Lake Cowichan: 10 am at Forest Workers Memorial Park, 46-58 South Shore Rd
• Nanaimo: 12:30 pm at Pioneer Waterfront Plaza, 90 Front St
• Powell River: 11 am at the Cranberry Cemetery Workers Memorial

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Amateur and professional scientists on the Island are invited to share knowledge about salmon, and how to better protect them.

UBC's Institute for Oceans and Fisheries is co-hosting three events on Vancouver Island starting in Campbell River next week. They are managed by Dr. Brian Riddell, a world-renowned expert on Pacific salmon.

The Salmon Dialogues aim to collect local knowledge from communities and salmon scientists with the goal of more effectively rebuilding Pacific salmon production on the coast.

There are 14 dialogues being scheduled around BC.

Organizers hope they will help encourage more open communication and collaboration to rebuild Pacific salmon stocks, and identify what actions should be top priority.

For more information, and to sign up, visit the official website.

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The health authority responsible for First Nations in BC has won an award for good governance.

The First Nations Health Authority provides health and wellness services to more than 200 First Nations communities across BC. Its goal is to reduce service gaps and promote culturally safe practices for Indigenous patients in the health care system.

This week, the health authority received the National Indigenous Good Governance Award from Honoring Nations Canada. The award was for community governance and programming.

Health authority CEO Richard Jock says they are grateful for the recognition, and thanked the many people and partners who are working to transform health programming for First Nations people in BC.

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A Vancouver Island man has received the highest recognition in the country for bravery.

Nick Rivers with Arrowsmith Search and Rescue received the Governor General’s Decoration for Bravery on Saturday night. CHEK News reports the award was for his actions in December 2020, when he rescued a man from a river north of Parksville.

Rivers was lowered into the water in a rope rescue, which required a lot of training, technical skill, and bravery to pluck the man from the freezing, powerful currents.

Rivers was able to rescue the man before he tumbled over a waterfall. He says it was the most intense rescue he’s ever done, and thanked his team and his training for making it possible.

In 1972, Queen Elizabeth II established a series of medals recognizing courageous acts. In the last 50 years, the Governor General has awarded Decorations for Bravery to more than 4200 recipients: Canadians and others, civilians and uniformed personnel, living and deceased—in recognition of acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances that range from potential drownings and vehicle accidents to animal attacks and burning buildings.

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Talks between air traffic control workers and NAV Canada have broken down, and workers are now concerned they will be replaced by contractors if they strike.

The workers’ union and NAV Canada, a private not-for-profit corporation which operates air traffic control at airports across Canada, reached an impasse last week. The workers are represented by Unifor Local 1016, which says the company notified them it has a service contractor lined up in case of a strike.

Unifor national president Lana Payne says a recent victory on the East Coast should encourage NAV Canada to avoid a strike, and called on the federal government to move on Bill C-58 which has been working its way through parliament for months.

“We have been fighting tooth-and-nail for the federal government to pass anti-scab legislation now,” she said in a statement. “Let Unifor’s actions at CN Autoport be a warning to other companies that our union won’t tolerate scab labour. We will defend our members’ right to strike and to free and fair collective bargaining.

"My message to NAVCan: Unifor is ready. All of us.”

The union was on strike for more than a month at the Nova Scotia port, picketing to prevent replacement workers from entering the site. The strike ended earlier this month after the union's demands were met.

Workers in Air Traffic Control Training, Operational Support, Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), Flight Data Analytics and Aeronautical Information Management at NAV Canada locations from coast-to-coast are represented by Unifor. Workers recently voted 95% in favour of striking over wages, staffing, and scheduling issues.

They will be in strike position May 4.

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A century of audio and video recordings of coastal Indigenous language and culture will be preserved digitally, thanks to a donation to the Royal BC Museum.

The Vancouver-based Wesik Family Foundation has donated a quarter-million-dollars to the museum to digitize more than 28,000 photos, audio and video recordings collected between 1890 and 1990. Only 20% of the collection has been converted to digital format, the donation will help the museum finish the job.

“This generous donation from the Wesik Family Foundation will support the digitization and preservation of language and cultural traditions of more than 200 Indigenous communities and nations located throughout British Columbia.” says Tracey Drake, CEO, the Royal BC Museum, in a news release. “Digitizing the audio-visual collection ensures long-term care and sharing of significant cultural knowledge and voices.”

The collection includes documentary photographs and films taken by early anthropologists and scientists, along with sound recordings of Indigenous languages, stories, and songs.

The museum says the donation will also help transfer cultural knowledge back to Indigenous communities.

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The BC Ball Hockey Association has been suspended, after an alleged sex offender was identified on its board of directors.

“The presence of an alleged convicted criminal and alleged sex offender within BCBHA’s directorship is unacceptable and incompatible with the safety and values CBHA strives to ensure within the sports community,” says a letter sent to the BC association last week by the president of the national Canadian Ball Hockey Association (CBHA).

That’s not the only issue identified in the letter, which cites the BC group’s non-compliance with the BC Societies Act, financial irregularities, and a host of ethical failures.

“The alleged lack of clarity in financial transactions, the alleged absence of receipts for fees paid by leagues, and their exclusion from BCBHA votes and AGMs signify a potential failure in financial transparency and equitable treatment within the BCBHA,” reads the letter, signed by national association president Tim McKenzie.

The letter points out that many officials, parents and stakeholders raised concerns with the BC association, only to be ignored.

“The failure to respond to these emails and letters indicates a significant disregard for community engagement and a lack of accountability,” says the letter.

The Canadian Ball Hockey Association has now taken over management of BC adult and minor ball hockey associations and leagues, to make sure spring and summer seasons aren’t impacted.

The national association is now investigating the allegations, with the aim of rebuilding and reforming the BC organization.

The Vancouver Island league says they are encouraged by the suspension and happy their concerns have been heard. They will provide clarity and support to Island athletes as the investigation continues.

The Island league’s spring season opens tonight, with an exhibition game in Nanaimo.

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Fully self-driving cars are now banned in BC, but there weren’t any for sale yet, anyway.

Changes to the Motor Vehicle Act took effect this month, banning all vehicles with self-driving capabilities at level three or above. That would affect cars that can drive themselves without human input, and there are currently only a few for sale world-wide.

In the US, the only two vehicles available with the feature are models of the Mercedes S-class, and they are only allowed on the roads in California and Nevada.

The self-driving features in newer Tesla EVs are considered level two, which offer assistance while changing lanes and automatic braking, but still require a human driver at the wheel. Vehicles with those features are still allowed in BC.

The rating system was designed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and has five levels, with level one featuring minimal driver assist and level five featuring a full autopilot.

The province could relax the rules in the future once technology improves.

"Highly automated self-driving vehicles remain a new and emerging transportation technology," says the Ministry of Transportation. "Further testing and policy development are necessary before Level 3 or higher automated vehicles are considered safe and can begin to be allowed for public use on B.C. roads."

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Another earthquake was recorded late last night in deep waters west of Port Alice, but again, no tsunami is expected.

According to the US Geological Survey, the 4.9 magnitude earthquake happened shortly after 11 pm last night in roughly the same place as the 4.8 magnitude quake earlier in the afternoon. Both were at a depth of around 11 kilometres.

Seismologists at the University of Victoria recorded more than 100 aftershocks.

Because the quakes were so deep, they were not felt and pose no danger but are another reminder the Island is in an active earthquake zone.

In the meantime, it’s currently Tsunami Preparedness Week in BC, visit the provincial website for earthquake and tsunami safety tips.

Tsunami Safety — In Brief

In the event of a tsunami, people at risk will receive an alert to their cellphone, TV and radio stations through B.C.’s emergency alert system. In addition to these alerts, other tools may be used to warn people, including coastal siren systems, local government emergency alerts and social media, including @EmergencyInfoBC on X.

Take action to prepare for a tsunami:

• Become familiar with local evacuation routes and high ground locations.
• Once at high ground, stay there. Wait for the “all clear” from local officials to confirm the threat is over. Tsunami waves can last several hours.
• Find out how your community shares emergency information and subscribe to local alerts. Alerting methods include radio, television, telephone, text messages, door-to-door contact, social media and outdoor sirens.
• Always follow instructions from local officials during an emergency.

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If you want to be better prepared for a tsunami in your community, take a hike this week.

As part of Tsunami Preparedness Week, communities from Port Hardy to Victoria are hosting ‘high ground hikes’ to help people get familiar with where they should go in the event of a tidal wave.

One event is happening today in Tahsis. Tofino and Ucluelet have already had theirs.

Salt Spring Island will be holding their event on Friday.

Each event is community-specific, and will let people learn about their local emergency plan and evacuation route.

If there isn't an event in your community, there are still a host of useful tips from the provincial emergency program about how to make sure you and your family are ready.

In the event of a tsunami, people at risk will receive an alert to their cellphone, TV and radio stations through B.C.’s emergency alert system. In addition to these alerts, other tools may be used to warn people, including coastal siren systems, local government emergency alerts and social media, including @EmergencyInfoBC on X.

Take action to prepare for a tsunami:

• Become familiar with local evacuation routes and high ground locations.
• Once at high ground, stay there. Wait for the “all clear” from local officials to confirm the threat is over. Tsunami waves can last several hours.
• Find out how your community shares emergency information and subscribe to local alerts. Alerting methods include radio, television, telephone, text messages, door-to-door contact, social media and outdoor sirens.
• Always follow instructions from local officials during an emergency.

The province has posted a list of hikes this week, visit their website for more details about an event near you. 

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A new cancer centre in Nanaimo means Central and North Island patients won’t have to travel as far for consultations and treatments.

Nanaimo Regional General Hospital (NRGH) will start construction next year on a new BC Cancer Centre.

"We are excited to bring a new BC Cancer centre to Nanaimo,” says Tracy Irwin, chief operating officer for BC Cancer. “The new cancer centre will complement the existing services provided by BC Cancer - Victoria and reduce the burden of travel for people living in central and north Vancouver Island communities. We look forward to working in partnership with Island Health to expand cancer care in this rapidly growing region."

The three-storey centre will have 12 exam rooms, four consultation rooms and space for medical physicists and radiation therapists, medical imaging and radiation treatment for cancer patients.

The business plan was approved this week by the province. The procurement process is underway, with construction expected to start in 2025 and completed in 2028.

The project was originally announced in 2023, with an estimated completion in 2027. Since then, upgrades to NRGH have also been approved, such as a new single-storey addition to the ambulatory care building and expanded pharmacy.

Health Minister Adrian Dix says Nanaimo's population is growing rapidly and aging, and stronger health services in the region will help people get the health care they need closer to home.

Currently the only on-Island cancer centre is in Victoria. There are other centres in Abbotsford, Surrey, Vancouver, Kelowna, and Prince George.

— With files from Mike Patterson

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