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I’ve been digging in to the issue of supportive housing in Nanaimo and this week, during the heatwave, I meet up with two advocates from the Newcastle Community Association to take a tour of their neighbourhood and listen to their concerns about a plan to build a 50-unit, permanent, low-barrier supportive housing building at 250 Terminal Ave.

As we walked down Vancouver Street, we passed seniors walking to the bus stop and talked about the vision of permanent supportive housing that they would like to see in their neighbourhood. 

They were skeptical that the government would take their ideas for a smaller abstinence-based supportive housing building in the neighbourhood seriously, despite recently winning the support of city council who passed a motion to ask the province for exactly that at the location. 

You can read more about our conversations and the concerns of the Newcastle Community Association in my story below. 

The story is just one part of my ongoing reporting on housing, substance use and people experiencing homelessness. There are people in other neighbourhoods with different perspectives and experiences that I have talked with and will be continuing to report on in the coming weeks. 

Thank you for reading,

Mick Sweetman

Nanaimo council ask for ‘dry’ supportive housing dismissed by province

Community association and city council request permanent supportive housing on Terminal Avenue require abstinence. 

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"Very up-to-date information on the nearby wildfire. Also good grammar and spelling - hallelujah!”

— From a supporter of The Discourse Nanaimo.

A message from the Nanaimo Art Gallery

Nanaimo Art Gallery is offering a summer of play!

League Nanaimo is a project and exhibition led by Vancouver and Salt Spring Island based artist Germaine Koh that unites creative process and play. Community members of all ages are invited to gather and exercise creativity by developing new games and sports through iterative, embodied activities.

During the run of the exhibition, activities not only take place in the gallery, but also at Nanaimo parks.

On Saturday, Aug. 16, join Germaine Koh for League Nanaimo at Deverill Square Gyro 2 Park! The theme is BYOBall! Events are free and suitable for all ages and abilities. Drop in anytime from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Wildfire report

🔥 The Wesley Ridge Wildfire is now categorized as “being held,” meaning that it is expected to remain in the current 588-hectare boundary. An evacuation order from the Regional District of Nanaimo remains for 35 properties, with another 268 on alert. 

🔥 The Mount Underwood Wildfire has burned 3,406 hectares, which is larger than the City of Courtenay, and is still burning out of control. There are currently evacuation orders for areas in both the Cowhichan Valley and Alberni-Clayoquot regional districts, and evacuation alerts by the City of Port Alberni, Tseshaht First Nation and the Regional District of Alberni-Clayoquot. 

🔥 An air quality warning for wildfire smoke was issued on Thursday for Inland Vancouver Island, Campbell River, Comox Valley, East Vancouver Island between Fanny Bay to Nanoose Bay and on the Sunshine Coast from Powell River to Saltery Bay. 

🔥 The rain forecast for this weekend is not expected to make a meaningful impact on the Mount Underwood Wildfire but should help limit its growth. “Rain will only just serve to buy us some time to get our crews in there, get the heavy equipment there to construct some guards and work from those points and do our job to contain the fire,” incident commander Stefan Hood told CHEK News.

On the Island

🌊 Deep Water Recovery, a shipbreaking company in Union Bay, has had its land lease cancelled by the province. Community members say this is a good first step, but argue for more robust regulations in Canada. Comox Valley reporter Madeline Dunnet has the story.

🌊 Facing closure without new funding, the Cowichan Valley Primary Care Society is shifting its focus to address urgent health-care gaps in Lake Cowichan. Read the full story.

In other news

👉 BC Ferries is cancelling sailings between Nanaimo and Gabriola Island this week during shows by the Canadian Forces Snowbirds. On Friday, Aug. 15, the 7:05 p.m. sailing departing Descanso Bay and the 7:30 p.m. sailing from Nanaimo have been cancelled. On Saturday, Aug 16, the 4:05 and 4:40 p.m. sailings from both Nanaimo Harbour and Descanso Bay have been cancelled. The Nanaimo News Bulletin has the details. 

👉 Nearly 800 Fortis BC works have voted in favour of approving strike action after working without a contract for over a year. The Nanaimo News Bulletin has the story.

👉 A woman has been convicted after killing Raymond Ferguson, 69, as he was working as a paver on the Trans Canada Highway between Kipp and Minetown roads on Sept. 23, 2021. A second worker was clipped by the car and had her ribs fractured. Christanne Marie Boufford, 53, was convicted of dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing bodily harm. She was found not guilty of four alcohol-related charges including impaired driving causing death and impaired driving causing bodily harm after evidence collected by the RCMP was ruled inadmissible. Nanaimo News Now has the story.

👉 A Nanaimo couple who ran an off-roading YouTube channel died in an off-road crash in the West Kootenay region last week. Matthew Yeomans and Stacey Tourout spent years documenting their off-road adventures including a pan-Americas trip from Vancouver Island to Argentina. Nanaimo News Now has the story.

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