Fears of COVID-19 have made two communities on Vancouver Island’s west coast that normally market themselves as tourist destinations ask those from B.C.’s hardest hit regions to not visit.

On Friday Nov. 13 a joint message came from the District of Ucluelet, Tourism Ucluelet and the Ucluelet Chamber of Commerce for residents in the Fraser and Vancouver Coastal Health regions to “avoid all non-essential travel to and from these regions until November 23rd.”

A warning has been issued by Environment Canada, as “storm” force winds of 48 to 63 knots are expected to blow through the west coast of Vancouver Island.

It comes as no surprise to Dianne Ignace, who has been moving all of her belongings off the beach at Usk-tua to the 14-foot tideline for the past several weeks.

“We usually don’t get tides more than 13.1-feet or 13.5-feet at the max during the winter,” she said. “But when there’s a real big storm – and we’re expecting big ones – we try for the 14-foot tideline.”

A male school teacher has been suspended following several complaints from parents about inappropriate comments, verbally abusing students and showing up to class in a drunken state.

On Nov. 5 high school students raised the alarm, alleging that the teacher showed up to class drunk. One student hit the record button on his cellphone, which he kept hidden in a binder. The audio recording captured the voice of the teacher, who was rambling on about mating monkeys.

A third-party review looking into recent allegations against the Port Alberni Shelter Society (PASS) is now underway and is expected to take several weeks for completion.

Meanwhile, a tent settlement that gathered in protest outside of the shelter for the last few weeks was disbanded by Island Health on Nov. 13.

Graham Hughes has led the protest, and has remained at the camp since Oct. 23. He said that the tent residents were given a no-trespassing order the evening before the eviction began.

Thanks to more than $200,000 in federal funding, Ahousaht First Nation will soon be able to enhance its marine safety capabilities.

The Canadian government announced Nov. 6 that it will be providing $214,156 to the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nation so it can add a search and rescue boat, as well as some required equipment, to its existing emergency services. During the announcement it was also revealed Nisga’s Nation would receive funding, more than $300,000, to also purchase a search and rescue boat and equipment.

More consistency is needed in determining who is permitted to accompany a loved one admitted to hospital, says those working closely with Nuu-chah-nulth families seeking emergency health care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The federal government says it is moving forward in transitioning away from open net-pen fish farms in coastal British Columbia.

In an online press conference today, Terry Beech, parliamentary secretary to the minister of fisheries, announced that moving towards more sustainable technology is a priority.

“What that technology is and what best fits for British Columbia over the near future is part of what needs to be examined,” he said.

A small crowd gathered in front of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #65 in Tofino for a commemorative demonstration in the morning on Remembrance Day.

Maintaining social distancing, around 30 people stood in silence to witness the ceremony.

The event, which normally draws nearly 300 community members together, signalled the sign of the times.

There are more than 20 known Nuu-chah-nulth veterans that fought in world wars. Many of them were laid to rest in unmarked graves.

“Since 1909, the Last Post Fund’s mission is to ensure that no veteran is denied a dignified funeral and burial, as well as a military gravestone, due to insufficient funds at time of death,” reads information from Last Post Fund.

Lower Third and Fourth Avenues in Port Alberni bustle with activity both day and night. Now that winter is approaching and the nights are getting longer, chances of pedestrians being struck by vehicles increase dramatically.

Const. Elizabeth O’Conner of the city’s RCMP Indigenous Policing Service notes that there have been fatal vehicle collisions with pedestrians in Port Alberni over the years. A recent fatality occurred about a year ago; it involved a Nuu-chah-nulth woman crossing Third Avenue near the Safe Injection Site on a dark night when she was struck and killed.