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I spent Wednesday evening in a packed room with dozens of Vancouver Island University staff and faculty above the university library trying to listen to a fuzzy broadcast of the senate meeting happening across the hall. 

The university is in a financial crisis and has been told by the province that it needs to cut $18 million in spending by next year. In order to meet this goal, the senate was discussing a proposal to cut or suspend programs that are losing money or have low enrolment.

The meeting was tense as faculty, students and local dentists spoke out about the importance of the programs slated for cancellation or suspension while university leadership stressed the importance of getting VIU’s fiscal house in order. 

You can read my full story about the senate meeting and what it means for one of Nanaimo’s largest employers below. 

Thank you for reading,

Mick Sweetman

VIU won’t hit deficit target, acting president says

Tense senate meeting approves program cancellations but delays suspensions.

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Council corner

On the agenda for the next city council meeting on Monday, May 26 are presentations by the Nanaimo Fiddle Society, awards for facility programming, budget increases for the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre, grants and the usual rezoning and building applications.

Some of the more notable items on the agenda include:

• The Loudon Park Development proposal that has been opposed by conservationists and tax-payer organizations that was reconsidered at a previous council meeting. It will feature a number of delegations, including one by the Nanaimo Canoe and Kayak Club. 

• A staff report on options to repaint the letter “O” on the Nanaimo sign in Maffeo Sutton Park that has been the target of vandalism in the past. One option is to use the city’s urban design roster for a rotating series of designs on the letter.  

• Amendments to off-street parking regulations that would remove minimum parking requirements in the downtown.

• A motion by councillor Hilary Eastmure to bring a motion to the Union of BC Municipalities that would call on the province to enshrine housing as a human right in legislation. 

• A motion for city staff to prioritize funds for a new roof and ice surface at the Nanaimo Curling Club.

GoByBike Week kicks off on Tuesday, May 31 with an event at Maffeo Sutton Park in the afternoon featuring music, community booths, bike checkups and giveaways. The city will have “celebration stations” set up around the city during the week and it will culminate in a charity bike ride on June 7 and a bike valet at the Pride Parade on June 8.

On The Island

🌊  The logging and settlement history of the Comox Valley helps us understand why the coastal Douglas fir ecosystem is now endangered. Local historian Kelly Black has the story of how Merville lost its trees.

🌊 Jared Qwustenuxun Williams shares the importance of revitalizing Indigenous agriculture in the Cowichan Estuary.

🌊 Cowichan Valley residents adapt to life without public transit as strike enters fourth month, Eric Richards reports.

In other news

👉 A Vancouver Island University student suspended for pro-Palestinain protests has filed a petition with the BC Supreme Court seeking to overturn the decision. The Times Colonist has the story. 

👉 It's harder to get a meal or shower than it was a decade ago if you're homeless in Nanaimo. A staff report at a recent governance and priorities committee meeting gave council an update on services that help people meet basic needs. The city’s manager of social planning Christy Wood spoke about the issue on CHLY's Midcoast Morning, which you can listen to here.

👉 Parking on the Island Highway near the Nanoose flats will be prohibited by the province as of mid-June. The Nanaimo News Bulletin has the story.

👉 A Nanaimo RCMP officers faces a breach of trust charge in relation to incidents that happened in Nanaimo between July 2 and 3, 2024. The charges were approved by “an experienced Crown counsel who has no connection with the accused,” according to a press release by the BC Prosecution Service. 

👉 Canada Post workers are staying on the job but refusing overtime as the strike deadline passed without a deal on Thursday night. CBC News has the story.

 👉 The sister of a missing Nanaimo woman said she was an experienced sailor. Her boat was found drifting without anyone on it near North Nanaimo until it washed ashore at Neck Point Park. The Nanaimo RCMP says her disappearance remains an active investigation. Chek News has the story.   

👉 Lantzville council gave itself the power to approve future water connections in the town. Mayor Mark Swain recused himself from the discussion on the motion during a council meeting on May 14 after questioning the legality of the motion and proceeding without legal advice. The Nanaimo News Bulletin has the story. 

👉 Vancouver Island University students made the world’s largest Nanaimo bar on the weekend. Measuring 70 feet long and 33 inches wide, the massive dessert contained 2.4 million calories. CHLY 101.7FM has this sweet story.

Have something to say about the news? Email nanaimo@thediscourse.ca. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

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