Reclaimed Quw'utsun belongings on display at expanded Shawnigan Lake Museum – The Discourse. Repatriated Quw'utsun belongings are now on display at the expanded Shawnigan Lake Museum, honouring Indigenous history and culture.

Quw'utsun belongings have returned home. The expanded Shawnigan Lake Museum now holds repatriated items from the Royal BC Museum that tell the entire story of the area. Read more about the museum’s expansion and the items in our coverage.

Comox Valley group calls on locals to support fundraising efforts for Gaza Comox Valley Fundraising Community has raised $17,000 for families in Gaza amidst hunger crisis, but more is needed as starvation continues.

Comox Valley Fundraising Community has raised $17,000 for families in Gaza amidst the hunger crisis. They are still sending pleas to fellow community members to donate. thediscourse.ca/comox-valley...
**A previous post did not have the correct headline. It has been edited and reposted.

Snuneymuxw Days 2025 in photos – The Discourse. Third annual Snuneymuxw Days featured canoe races, a longhouse jam and basketball and brought the community together

It was a sunny weekend on the waterfront in front of Snuneymuxw First Nation’s Reserve #1 as hundreds of people from as far as Hope, B.C. gathered to participate in war canoe races, enjoy comfort food such as Indian tacos, and soak up the good vibes.
thediscourse.ca/nanaimo/in-p...

Last week, the Quw'utsun Salmon, a giant puppet built by the Quw'utsun Stseelthun Friendship Project, performed at 39 Days of July in Duncan. Read more about the project in our previous coverage: thediscourse.ca/cowichan-val...

Addressing Nanaimo's patchwork of bike lanes – The Discourse. Nanaimo’s ‘bike lane Barbie’ says the city is working to make cycling more accessible for everyone.

Nanaimo’s ‘bike lane Barbie’ says the city is working to make cycling more accessible for everyone.

thediscourse.ca/nanaimo/how-...

Cowichan food recovery program to continue with local food bank – The Discourse. Duncan’s reFRESH market and its food recovery program is closing.Here’s how local food banks plan to keep the work going.

reFRESH Market in Duncan is closing its doors after years of recovering surplus food. We wanted to know how the community was responding to this potential gap in food recovery and learned that a local food bank plans to keep the momentum going.

Scotch broom increases wildfire risk. What can we do about it? Scotch broom can exacerbate wildfires, but communities are working hard to remove these invaders from local ecosystems.

Scotch broom is one of the most notorious invasive species on Vancouver Island. It is also extremely flammable, leading to growing concern as the climate changes and Earth warms. thediscourse.ca/comox-valley...

Silly Boat Regatta raises serious support – The Discourse. Community takes the plunge in support of Nanaimo Child Development Centre

The 39th annual Silly Boat Regatta pleased the crowds as it raised money for the Nanaimo Child Development Centre. See the photos here: thediscourse.ca/nanaimo/in-p...

Where can people shelter overnight in Duncan and North Cowichan? Here's what you need to know. Current sheltering bylaws — and how they are enforced — leave unhoused people feeling confused, frustrated and unsafe, local advocates say.

An altercation with RCMP and bylaw left an unhoused senior without shelter. Advocates say it’s time for clear rules — and a permanent encampment. Here's how Duncan and North Cowichan are responding:

bailey macabre, Indigenous engagement coordinator for the @nanaimoartgallery.bsky.social, is organizing a monthly Indigenous film series. You can watch a free screening of Rocks at Whiskey Trench by Alanis Obomsawin tonight at 6:30 p.m.

Read the full story: thediscourse.ca/nanaimo/indi...

New Indigenous film series at Nanaimo Art Gallery aims to push reconciliation forward – The Discourse. The monthly film series will feature films telling stories from Indigenous perspectives.

“It was the first time they'd heard the story from an Indigenous perspective, and it just kind of blew their minds.” Read more about a new Indigenous film series at the @nanaimoartgallery.bsky.social.
thediscourse.ca/nanaimo/indi...

Courtenay organization turns to community after losing funding Lake Trail Community Education Society hopes the Courtenay community can help raise $50k to support its programming for all ages.

An organization in Courtenay is hoping to raise $50,000 before the school year begins after a loss of funding could mean a reduction in programs that support youth and community empowerment, connection, resilience and food security. thediscourse.ca/comox-valley...

On Saturday, July 12, our reporter @emrichards.bsky.social attended the opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new viewing platform built by the Cowichan Estuary Restoration and Conservation Association on Blackley’s Trail in the Cowichan Estuary. Check out some of Eric’s photos from the event!

CHLY radio summer camp teaches kids media skills – The Discourse. Kids make radio shows and podcasts at ‘super fun’ summer camp at Nanaimo’s community radio station.

Kids make radio shows and podcasts at ‘super fun’ summer camp at Nanaimo’s community radio station @chly.ca.
thediscourse.ca/nanaimo/chly...

Son de Metal creates ‘a music of working people’ – The Discourse. Traditional Mexican son-rock fusion band will play Mansfield Park in Nanaimo on Wednesday, July 9.

"It comes from my own story of having lived in Mexico and immigrated to the United States, having lived in Oregon for over a decade, and then coming to Canada. So all those chapters of my life form my experience, my feelings — good and bad — and that’s expressed in this music."

Nanaimo city council recording ban faces legal threat – The Discourse. A warning letter has been to the City of Nanaimo over two bylaws that ban recording public meetings or taking photographs or video in any city facility or recreation area.

“In a world with serious problems, where we have serious things to debate, people emphasizing a bylaw that is simply there to protect privacy as somehow an infringement of democratic freedoms is just silly,” Naniamo Mayor Leonard Krog said about a legal threat over a council meeting recording ban.

HMCS Nanaimo bids final farewell to namesake city – The Discourse. HMCS Nanaimo to be transferred to the Atlantic later this year after years of service patrolling the west coast.

The sailors of HMCS Nanaimo paid a final visit to its namesake city before the ship is transferred to the Atlantic and opened the ship to the public as part of Canada Day celebrations.

thediscourse.ca/nanaimo/hmcs...

Reporter’s notebook: How a news story brought ‘a most favourable ending’ for St. Ann’s Garden Club St. Anns Garden Club is looking to the future after a story from The Discourse helped raise awareness about its programming and funding challenges.

Our reporter @emrichards.bsky.social followed up with St. Ann’s Garden Club — first covered last year — and found that the original story by @shalumehta.bsky.social helped turn around the fortunes of the nature-based therapy provider.

Comox Valley bat count volunteers monitoring devastating disease As this year’s Comox Valley bat count kicks off, the flying mammals remain at risk of white-nose syndrome.

The little brown bat is the only federally protected bat species on Vancouver Island. In the Comox Valley, volunteers are on guard against white-nose syndrome, a disease that is killing millions of bats in the U.S. and Canada. Read the latest from Dave Flawse:
thediscourse.ca/comox-valley...

Inside the project restoring Indigenous plants and a vital estuary – The Discourse. Students from Quw'utsun Secondary School and Le'lum'uy'lh Daycare Centre learned how to care for Indigenous plants at the Hulitun Spulhxun/Tumuhw nursery.

The Discourse was on hand last month to document a plant care workshop at the Hulitun Spulhxun/Tumuhw native plant nursery. Check out photos from the event below.

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Want to hear what Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog has to say about a legal warning letter sent by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms over bylaws that ban recording of city council meetings and in city spaces? Subscribe to our Nanaimo This Week newsletter for free! thediscourse.ca/newsletters

U.S. health-care workers moving to Nanaimo – The Discourse. Why a nurse from California, and other U.S. health-care workers, will be calling Nanaimo home this year.

Why a nurse from California, and other U.S. health-care workers, will be calling Nanaimo home this year.

How a 150-year-old society is strengthening food security in the Cowichan Valley – The Discourse. After years of decline, the Cowichan Valley Agricultural Society is uniting farmers to rebuild local food security from the ground up.

The #CowichanValley was once Vancouver Island’s agricultural heart — but rising land prices, water shortages, and an ongoing trade war are threatening local food security. Today, a 150-year-old farm society is working to rebuild the region’s food system from the ground up.

Regional District of Nanaimo 'drop the hammer' on tiny home Despite a housing crisis, Nanoose Bay Regional District of Nanaimo director called bylaw on a tiny home in his neighbourhood.

Happy one year anniversary to this story by @juliechadwick.bsky.social in the @thediscourse.ca.

thediscourse.ca/nanaimo/regi...

#affordablehousing #regionaldistrictofnanaimo #bchousing #bcpoli

This man is reviving traditional Indigenous food preparation to make it commercially available – The Discourse. Jared Qwustenuxun Williams hopes that a new processing facility will help Quw’utsun People benefit economically from their traditional food.

Regulations are holding back traditionally prepared Indigenous foods in B.C., one man is working to change that. Jared Qwustenuxun Williams hopes that a new commercial food processing facility will help Quw’utsun People benefit culturally and economically from their traditional cuisine.

A group of people sit aroud a patio table holding beer laughing, with plates of food on the table.

We ❤️ meeting other community builders. Thank you to all who came out last night to celebrate 8 years of in-depth journalism by and for the #CowichanValley!

We still need 25 more supporters for our spring fundraising goal. If you value local journalism, please support it thediscourse.ca/support-us

Oops! Find the (clickable) link here. See you soon!
www.eventbrite.com/e/local-news...

Hey #Cowichan, #Nanaimo and #ComoxValley readers! We're thrilled to meet up with you tonight for a Local News Appreciation Party at Red Arrow Brewing in Duncan. Click the link for event details, hope to see you soon 🎉https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/1383173953529/?aff=oddtdtcreator

Nanaimo Pride 2025 in photos – The Discourse. “Louder and prouder” Pride parade and festival takes over downtown Nanaimo

Thousands of people wearing rainbow clothes and carrying a variety of Pride flags filled downtown Nanaimo with the sound of celebration and resistance at the annual Pride Parade and Festival on Sunday.

thediscourse.ca/nanaimo/nana...

Good luck to grassroots efforts to bring back journalism to our communities In BC and Canada. In #CowichanValley #Nanaimo and #ComoxValley there has been a noticeable difference of good information reaching the public since @thediscourse.ca was launched here.