Heather Watson

On Monday January 13th, the CVRD Electoral Areas Services Committee made public the acquisition and expansion of five park spaces throughout the Comox Valley. 

The Professional Women’s Hockey League’s Takeover Tour came to BC on Wednesday with a game at Rogers Arena in Vancouver; the game excited anticipation among local hockey players for the Courtenay Whalers Women’s Hockey team.

The City of Courtenay has asked residents to share their priorities for City spending. The City recently launched a virtual tool giving residents a DIY approach to simulate financial planning, and an opportunity to influence budget choices for 2025.

The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) has sent out an open invitation to residents for an information session. The session will cover upcoming unified Alternative Approval Process initiatives. It will take place on Thursday, January 9th from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the CVRD Main Office. Staff will be on hand to answer relevant questions and provide more information. General Manager of Corporate Services Jake Martens spoke to CHLY and CVOX about the info session and the process which is unified to cover multiple upcoming initiatives at once, saving on costs and promoting greater public awareness and participation.

Haida filmmaker Christopher Auchter’s debut feature film The Stand will premiere in Nanaimo on Sunday, January 5th at 4pm, at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre. The Stand is a documentary blending archival footage with Auchter’s own animations to tell the story of the Haida Nation’s stand to defend their land from deforestation in 1985. 

On December 4th, 2024, K’ómoks First Nation appointed Dr. Marion Buller as their Justice of the Peace; a first in First Nations history in Canada. This historic moment is the next step in a long journey for the K’ómoks First Nation toward self-determination, building on previous steps like signing to the Framework Agreement in 2014, and voting to approve their land code in 2016. Chief Louie of Westbank First Nation and the Lands Advisory Board spoke to CHLY about what it means to be a land code First Nation, how that lead to this landmark moment, and what this means for the future of K’ómoks First Nation, as well as other communities across the country.

Librarians are lending out the festive spirit at the Courtenay branch of the Vancouver Island Regional Library this holiday season. Library users are invited to choose from a table of staff picks, each bundled up in festive wrapping paper, and take home an unknown tome to unwrap this winter.  Customer service librarian Jessie Burgess explained this unique take on the ‘blind date with a book’ trend, as well as the importance of libraries.

A local salmon enhancement project is making waves. On Monday, December 16th, the Comox Valley Regional District’s Electoral Area Services Committee met to discuss final actions for the year. 

Shelves were empty in the first week of December at the Cumberland Food Shed due to high demand. The Food Shed is a permanent outdoor pantry on Penrith Avenue, built by Cumberland’s Weird Church in 2020 in partnership with other local organizations to strengthen local food security and give the community access to nourishing food at any time.