After three years of work, decades of lobbying and multiple traffic fatalities the Bamfield road has been upgraded, offering a newly surfaced, safer passage to the Barkley Sound community.

On Oct. 5 the B.C. government announced its proposed amendments drug-use regulations, which would put illicit use more in alignment with the limits of tobacco, alcohol and cannabis in public places.

On Jan. 31 of this year, the province decriminalized personal possession of opioids (heroin, morphine, and fentanyl), crack and powder cocaine, methamphetamine (meth), and MDMA (ecstasy) in amounts of 2.5 grams and under.

Ucluelet Secondary students jumped right into the school year to learn about residential schools, preparing interdisciplinary projects for the third annual Legacy of Hope exhibit in recognition of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Day on Sept. 30.

A memorandum of understanding was signed on Wednesday, Oct. 4 between Nanwakolas Council and Vancouver Island University (VIU) to offer a new Indigenous Guardianship program, an intensive Stewardship Technician Training Program, with funding from the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.

A new, 10-week program has been launched at Eighth Avenue Learning Centre in Port Alberni that will give students hands-on learning opportunities that blend Nuu-chah-nulth culture with typical school lessons. The Chaputs Learning project brought together several partners, who each contributed to an exciting learning module that will see students learn about chaputs, or canoe.

Schools across British Columbia have been making changes with the addition of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) education. Although many students and families have welcomed SOGI as a needed change in the school system, others have expressed concerns about what is being taught to their children.

A structure that still reminds former students of painful memories from the Alberni Indian Residential School could be torn down as soon as next year, with a commitment from the federal government to fund its demolition.

Vancouver Island University is featuring the works of Hupacasath artist Rodney Sayers in their VIU Faculty Exhibition. The exhibit features a Nuu-chah-nulth-style ocean-going canoe with a modern twist.

“Many years ago, I began gazing at the Nuu-chah-nulth canoes, studying them as sculptural forms. I became fascinated with how they could be so elegant to move through the water so seemingly effortlessly, yet be so incredibly strong and seaworthy,” Sayers wrote.

The Port Alberni Friendship Center is promoting healthy eating through weekly cooking workshops.

Every Wednesday from 1 – 3 p.m., families are invited to attend the healthy eating workshop—Eating in Balance—where participants will work together to make meals, discuss health and food related topics.

Participants who cook and clean will receive a $10 grocery coupon for Buy-Low Foods or Quality Foods and get to take home leftover food. There is also a childminder on site for those needing child care.