Rules around RVs and tiny homes have been a hot topic of discussion around the board table at the Regional District of Nanaimo lately.

Concerns were raised in May that proposed updates to a zoning bylaw could negatively impact people using RVs as permanent housing on campgrounds in various areas of the regional district.

The bylaw is still under review, and while it is, enforcement on length of stay is on hold except where there’s a health, safety, or environmental concern. 

The issue has also prompted discussion in articles from various media outlets about RVs and tiny homes in the context of the housing crisis.

At an RDN board meeting Tuesday, a motion from Director Leanne Salter called Creating a Future for Tiny Home and RV Living passed unanimously.

It proposed to bring a resolution to the Union of B.C. Municipalities calling on the body to lobby the province on a few issues related to tiny homes and RVs, including the building code. 

Zoe Todd spoke in support of that motion, on Midcoast Morning, she speaks about her advocacy around Tiny Home and RV living, and the personal circumstances that led to it.

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Vancouver Island University is suing student protestors, seeking an injunction to bring an end to the Palestine Solidarity Encampment on its grounds.

In a notice of civil claim, filed with the BC Supreme court this week, the university names six defendants, along with John Doe, Jane Doe, and “all unknown persons operating as the Palestinian Solidarity Encampment.”

In addition to injunctive relief, the university is seeking general and special damages, and costs. 

Last week, Protestors had been ordered to vacate by Monday July 15th. The notice of civil claim comes after they failed to do so.

To better understand the legal stakes, Midcoast Morning spoke with University of Windsor law professor Richard Moon.

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A traditional Snuneymuxw Village site in downtown Nanaimo is being returned to the nation, and an 1854 treaty played a part in getting the deal done.

Between 1850 and 1854, fourteen treaties were concluded on Vancouver Island between First Nations and the Hudson’s Bay Company.

They were negotiated on the company’s side by James Douglas, and are sometimes collectively referred to by some as the Douglas treaties.

The Sarlequun treaty of 1854 covers the area around Nanaimo. Midcoast Morning spoke with history professor John Lutz to put the treaties in context.

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Continuing the conversation on considering socially responsible investing at the city level with Municipal Finance Authority (MFA) CEO Peter Urbanc.

And VIU has delivered a trespass notice to the Palestine Solidarity Encampment on its grounds, requesting that the encampment leave by 8AM, Monday July 15, or face a court action seeking damages from encampment participants.

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Socially responsible investing was the subject of a lively debate around the council table in Nanaimo on Monday.

Councillor Ben Gesselbracht brought forward a motion calling for a staff report with options to update the city’s investment policy to include a percentage of the city’s portfolio in socially responsible and low greenhouse gas emissions.

It narrowly passed following a 5-4 vote.

The issue was debated by the previous council in 2021, who came to a decision to pursue socially responsible and green investments when they were within 5 per cent of maximum available yields.

Nanaimo has around 200 million dollars in various reserve funds.

Midcoast Morning spoke with Gesselbracht, and broke down council’s debate on the subject with Peter Urbanc, CEO of BC’s Municipal Finance Authority (MFA).

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Rail lines on Vancouver Island have sat mostly unused for years. But the impacts of the deal it took to create those rail lines continue.

Back in the 1880s, around 2 million acres of land on southern Vancouver Island were privatized, when they were granted to the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway Company in exchange for building the railway. 

Historian Kelly Black speaks about some of the consequences of the grant on Vancouver Island today.

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A motion that included calls for Nanaimo city council to recognize homelessness as an existential crisis, and to adopt a housing first plus strategy was recently referred to the Nanaimo Systems Planning Organization (SPO). Midcoast Morning follows up with SPO Executive Director John McCormick.

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Dave Witty is calling on Nanaimo to recognize homelessness as an existential crisis.

Witty brought a motion before city council this month that included a call for Nanaimo to adopt “housing first plus” as the foundational element of a homelessness strategy.

He sits on the Mayor’s leaders table, and has been exploring the response to homelessness in Switzerland.

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Nanaimo city council is split between two different plans to upgrade its public works yard.

The issue, which was the subject of two cancelled AAPs returned to the agenda this week at a governance and priorities committee meeting.

Staff presented different options for the future of the project, and councillors were divided between two of them. Midcoast Morning brings you up to speed on the debate, and debriefs with Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog.

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A local neighbourhood association is raising concerns around vacant properties

Karen Kuwica and Nancy Mitchell of the Newcastle Community Association brought the issue to city council in a delegation that shared examples of vacant property bylaws from other communities.

They say they want to see the city implement measures to help proactively address potential issues. 

Also on this episode, Joy Bremner shares details on an event Friday June 21st at Maffeo Sutton Park to mark National Indigenous Peoples Day 

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The dollar’s in the details in Nanaimo’s 2023 annual municipal report.

Adopted at a council meeting this week, the 122 page document breaks down last year’s finances.

Midcaost Morning explores the state of the city’s finances with Wendy Fulla, director of finance for the city of Nanaimo.

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A new report has provided insight into what went wrong with the two alternative approval processes that have been abandoned in Nanaimo since last fall.

It also makes recommendations to the city on what to do if it decides to run a third AAP on the same project. 

The report and the alternative approval process were on the agenda at a governance and priorities committee this week, Midcoast Morning brings you info on what happened, and what comes next.

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In the last week representatives from both the encampment and the school’s administration have started to hold dialogue with each other. 

The school has disclosed its investment information, and representatives from the Palestine Solidarity Encampment have agreed not to disrupt convocation ceremonies.

And around 70 staff at the university have signed an open letter raising concerns about the school’s security response to the encampment.

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World Ocean Day is Saturday June 8th.

First proposed back in 1992 by Canada's International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD), an organization that no longer exists, the event was officially recognized by the United Nations in 2008.

This year the theme is Catalyzing Action for Our Ocean & Climate.

There are going to be an events to mark the occasion Saturday at Maffeo Sutton Park in Nanaimo, from 11 to 3, and on Gabriola Island at Degnen Bay from noon to four.

To mark the occasion, Midcoast Morning spoke with Tim Green of VIU’s Deep Bay Marine Research Centre.

The Nanaimo Pride Parade and Pride Festival are taking place on Sunday June 9th.

CHLY reporter Lauryn Mackenzie spoke with Nanaimo Pride Society President Lauren Semple.

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Exploring cycling in Nanaimo with people at a Go By Bike Week station. Learning about the advocacy behind new minimum passing distance laws coming into effect this week, and checking in on the best way to merge lanes during construction season.

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The sights and sounds of Cable Bay Trail in Nanaimo’s south end could be very different in a few years time.

The 2 kilometre trail down to the ocean is nestled amongst private land, which its owners have plans to develop.

For three years, a group called Save Cable Bay has been campaigning in an effort to turn the area around the trail into a park.

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A number of community initiatives have gotten a boost this week, as Nanaimo City Council approved grants for fourteen projects.

More than forty thousand dollars is going to be spread across a number of  organizations, for things like watershed restoration and community toolshares.

Midcoast Morning checks in on four of the projects, and their journey from idea to approval.

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A new exhibit at the Vancouver Island Military Museum features the Chinese Labour corps from the first world war. Museum Vice President Brian McFadden spoke with Midcoast Morning about the exhibit.

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A group of novelists, poets, and playwrights will be giving readings at an event Wednesday May 22 at the Palestine Solidarity Encampment on the grounds of Vancouver Island University, which has been installed since May 1.

Called the Watermelon Seeds Festival of Literature, the authors include a number of VIU faculty. 

Three of the authors giving readings joined Midcoast Morning to speak about the event.

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The Regional District of Nanaimo has a new plan to manage growth in our area through 2040.

This week the RDN board approved the adoption of Shaping our Future 2024, which contains goals related to climate mitigation and adaptation, economic and food system resiliency, among others.

Jamai Schile, a senior planner with the RDN spoke with Midcoast Morning about the strategy.

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