Cradled in Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ - Ucluelet First Nation (UFN) traditional territory on Vancouver Island, Olsen Bay, or C’iiłukᵂis meaning “soft beach”, is the site of a 24.8-acre high-density residential development proposed by Australian businessman Josh Hunt, CEO of ERIF Sustainable Solutions.

Traditionally described as the “shallow soft bottomed bay reaching close to the road”, the site at 221 Minato Road in Ucluelet was partially cleared about five years ago by its former owners for a seasonal RV and campground. 

The lives of college students are about to get easier as both North Island College in the Comox Valley and Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo announce new student housing projects. 

The NIC Comox Valley Student Housing Commons is located in Courtenay, B.C., on the traditional territory of K’omoks First Nation. Beginning fall 2025, for the first time ever on this campus, students can apply to rent student housing. The newly completed housing includes four-unit styles to suit single students or students with families. 

Nuu-chah-nulth people are fortunate when it comes to opportunities to advance their education in colleges and universities, but without extra support, many struggle to make their living allowance last from one month to the next.

Anna Atleo from Ahousaht will become the first Nuu-chah-nulth player, man or woman, to be inducted into the All Native Basketball Tournament Hall of Fame. 

The annual tournament begins this Saturday, Feb. 8 in Prince Rupert, B.C., running until Feb. 15.

“I lived and breathed this tournament for many years of my life. It’s an honour to be recognized in this way,” said Atleo.

After an impressive top-two finish at the 2024 All Native Basketball Tournament (ANBT), the Hesquiaht Descendants women’s squad are going for gold this year.

Captained by Mariah Charleson, the team of 10 Hesquiaht players are also the only Vancouver Island team that will make the journey to Prince Rupert, B.C. for the 65th annual ANBT on Feb. 8 to Feb. 15.

“There is no reason why we shouldn’t make another appearance in the finals,” said Charleson, who is also Hesquiaht’s elected chief. 

On Sept. 30, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the streets are flooded with a sea of orange. Across Canada, people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds wear orange shirts which feature the phrase “Every Child Matters”. The orange shirts are more than clothing; they are a symbol of remembrance, resilience, and a commitment to reconciliation. 

Deferrals continue to promise temporary protection of old growth in the Fairy Creek watershed, but aggressive opposition remains to the prospect of any future logging in the area with a recent report of tree spiking.

On Jan. 29 B.C.’s Ministry of Forests announced another extension to defer logging around Fairy Creek, a highly contested valley of old growth north of Port Renfrew. Considered to be one of Vancouver Island’s few remaining watersheds untouched by industrial logging, this latest measure will protect almost 1,200 hectares of forest until Sept. 30, 2026. 

Recent investments in the Barkley Sound village of Ethlateese are putting the remote community on track to cut down its reliance on diesel fuel by 90 per cent, according to the province.

Canada’s Indian residential school system existed. The horror stories have been in the news across the nation for decades. Former students, now elders, have publicly shared their painful, intensely personal and often graphic stories. 

Yet, there remains a segment of the Canadian population questioning whether Indian residential schools and their legacies are as bad as they are being portrayed. It is called Indian residential school denialism, and a Vancouver Island politician working to shine a light on the issue.

As many as 450 young athletes are ready to hit the mat in Port Alberni this weekend for the 40th year that the city has hosted its invitational wrestling tournament.

Over 40 school teams from across Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland are expected at Alberni District Secondary on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 for the annual event hosted by the high school and the Alberni Wrestling Club. Boys’ and girls’ divisions are grouped into weight classes, ranging from 38 to 130 kilograms, with junior Grade 8 and 9s competing separately than the older Grades 10-12 wrestlers.