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Today is Red Dress Day, a national day of awareness of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people. The day started in 2010, inspired by Metis artist Jamie Black’s REDress Project art installation of red dresses hanging in public spaces as a symbol of those lost to this national issue. 

In a press release, local service organization Cedar Woman House said, “this movement gives voice to Indigenous women and calls for an end to the disproportionate violence experienced by them, their daughters, sisters and matriarchs.”

A statement by the City of Nanaimo on social media about Red Dress Day said “this day is a call to not only remember, but to learn, listen and act.” 

I wanted to take a moment to share some of our past coverage on this important issue, which you can read below. 

In other news, the BC Wildfire Service has announced a ban on campfires across the Coastal Fire Centre, including Vancouver Island, following record temperatures and low snowpack. 

A new wildfire was discovered near Nanaimo Lakes early Tuesday morning and is being held, the third wildfire on Vancouver Island this season. 

As the smoky season starts, I have collected a few articles from our archive to help you understand what forestry companies are doing to prevent wildfires — and what advocates say could be done better — the impact of wildfires on local watersheds and Indigenous wildfire prevention practices.

Thank you for reading,

Mick Sweetman

In photos: Hundreds march to honour MMIWG2S+ and bring justice for harms that ‘never, ever should have happened’

No More Stolen Sisters Memorial March in downtown Nanaimo.

In photos: Hundreds march to honour MMIWG2S+ and bring justice for harms that ‘never, ever should have happened’

Nanaimo march brought the community together for missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people.

What are forestry companies doing to prevent wildfires?

Critics say forestry practices must change as wildfire seasons intensify.

Q&A: How do wildfires impact our watersheds?

A conversation with Cowichan-based ecologist Erik Piikkila.

Indigenous practices are the future — and past — of wildfire prevention

Thousand-year-old practices are at the core of wildfire mitigation efforts in the Westbank First Nation Community Forest.

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On the Island

Vancouver Island’s Company of the Blue Dragon medieval fighters set sights on world championships

These weekend warriors suit up for sword fights, camaraderie and something far larger — a shot at Canada’s first gold medal at this summer’s International Medieval Combat Federation world championships in Denmark.

Council corner

Last Thursday, after three weeks of packed public hearings, Nanaimo city council voted to refer the rezoning application for a tract of forested land near the popular Cable Bay trail back to city staff for further discussions with Nanaimo Forest Products. 

These discussions will be on emission-intensive uses, increasing the buffer along Cable Bay trail to a minimum of 100 metres, increasing the width of lighter industrial transition areas and ensuring that wetlands and the ocean would be protected from spills and contamination from the proposed industrial site. 

Coun. Ben Geselbracht, who moved the motion, said it would create a path forward that allows for consultation with Snuneymuxw First Nation, responds to the public interest and “keeps the door open to employment lands while working toward a better balance with environmental, recreational and community values.” 

Here’s what also happened on Monday night:

• In his report to council, Mayor Leonard Krog touted the city’s work for Invasive Plant Removal Month in Nanaimo and thanked the volunteers with Broombusters for their work removing Scotch broom. The city will run a drop zone for residents to dispose of invasive plants on May 30 from 10 a.m., to 2 p.m. in Bowen Park off Wall Street. The mayor also mentioned the upcoming Concerts in the Park series.

  • The mayor said he received a letter from Battered Women’s Support Service asking leaders to speak out about intimate partner violence.

    • “The recent killings of women in B.C., along with cases and other jurisdictions where children have been killed in the context of separation and custody disputes, reflects patterns that we already know are well understood, but still continue,” Krog said.

  • Krog marked the National Day of Mourning for Injured Workers and the 139th anniversary of the Esplanade Mine Explosion, which killed 150 workers in Nanaimo. 

    • “The whole population of the city of Nanaimo at that time was about 2,000 people,” Krog said. “One in 13 of our citizens died that day.”

• RCMP Superintendent Eric Rochette gave an overview of local crime statistics in 2025. Criminal code offenses went up by two percent driven by an increase in Other Criminal Code Offenses, which saw a 21 per cent increase with 519 incidents more compared to 2024. Property crime was stable, while violent crime fell by 61 incidents, or two per cent.

  •  City-wide, all offences fell by 279, or two per cent, and calls for service fell by 1,384 and general occurrences were each down by 1,298 or three per cent for each. Non Criminal Code offences dropped by 754, or 20 per cent, with drops in offences related to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act down by 145 or 31 per cent and provincial statutes were down by 608, or 23 per cent. 

  • Rochette said the increase in other Criminal Code offenses was mainly related to disturbances and more arrests of people who aren’t complying with their bail or release conditions. 

  • In the downtown core, violent crime was down by 33 incidents, or six per cent, while property crime increased by 67 incidents or four per cent. Theft from vehicles was up by 26 or 16 per cent, cause disturbance was up by 140 incidents or 20 per cent. There were 163 more mental health related calls or 37 per cent. There were 104 fewer charges for drug possession, which was down 34 per cent.

  • Rochette said 99 per cent of RCMP work is related to calls for service, which does not leave much capacity for proactive enforcement.
    

  • Rochette said priorities for RCMP include crime reduction, managing  high-risk youth in schools, road safety and expanding the Mental Health Liaison Officer program in partnership with Island Health. 
    

• Council endorsed the Nanaimo RCMP’s annual performance plan and asked them to emphasize work on the toxic drug crisis, mental health teams, prolific offenders and restorative justice.  

• Council voted in favour of hiring a full-time senior engineering development technician to help speed up the building permitting process.  

• Council voted to approve amendments to the city’s financial plan and passed the property tax rates bylaw, which will increase property taxes by $196 for the average residential property. 

• Council voted to seek funding through the Build Community Strong Fund’s Direct Delivery stream for four upcoming capital projects: the Public Works Yard, the Millstone Trunk Sewer, Loudon Park improvements and amenity buildings in the stadium district.

• Council voted to provide a letter of support in support of connecting Protection Island with broadband internet. 

• Council dealt with a number of zoning decisions, including cancelling previous rezoning bylaws for the former Howard Johnson Hotel site, which was demolished last year after being transferred by the province to Snuneymuxw First Nation.

• Bylaws for Amenity Cost Charges, the South Nanaimo Transportation Development Cost Charge Reserve Fund and the Amenity Cost Cost Reserve Fund passed.

• A letter in support of the Nanaimo International Jazz Festival’s application for a BC Community Gaming Grants will also be sent on behalf of council.

In other news

👉 The supportive housing site at 2060 Labieux Rd. will be staying open until September 2027, with the City of Nanaimo and BC Housing reaching an agreement to extend the lease. After the lease ends, the City of Nanaimo will use the site to complete updates to the adjacent Public Works Yard. You can read more on the City of Nanaimo’s website.

👉 A new exhibit at the Nanaimo Museum explores the history of local farming and food security in Nanaimo. The exhibit looks at the history of Five Acres Farm on Park Avenue. You can listen to museum curator Aimee Greenaway speaking with CHLY 101.7FM about the Grow Nanaimo exhibit.

👉 A Vancouver-based brunch restaurant called Yolks is opening in Nanaimo as part of Snuneymuxw First Nation’s retail and service hub, The Village at stililnup, near the Departure Bay Ferry Terminal. The location is the first on Vancouver Island for Yolks and is expected to have seating for 100 guests. CHEK News has the story.

👉 A consultant report looking at building permit delays in Nanaimo was presented to the City of Nanaimo’s governance and priorities committee and a motion will be coming to a future council meeting to address the issue. CHEK News has the story.

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