Tag Archives: Nora O’Malley

Forests, Indigenous Nations

Clayoquot Sound’s only tree farm licence subdivided into three lots to assert First Nations’ land visions

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Editor’s note: In 1993, Tzeporah Berman and Kairn Mahon Carrington were leaders of the Clayoquot Protests. They now live on Cortes Island.

By Nora O’Malley, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Clayoquot Sound, BC – The logging tenure for a landscape made famous by the “War in the Woods” protests on the west coast of Vancouver Island has been divided up into three new Tree Farm Licences (TFL) to assert First Nations’ unique land-use visions. 

Continue reading Clayoquot Sound’s only tree farm licence subdivided into three lots to assert First Nations’ land visions →
Housing

A tale of two cities: Port Alberni’s new supportive housing is drafted for uptown while Campbell River takes a different approach

By Nora O’Malley, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Port Alberni, BC – In the face of public dissent, Port Alberni Mayor Sharie Minions holds the line on the construction of a controversial 55-studio unit supportive housing complex in the Uptown core.

“I don’t for a second believe that housing people within a neighbourhood where they are currently homeless is going to make it worse. I think it will make it better, and I feel very strongly about that,” said Minions during the Feb. 9 regular council meeting question period. 

Continue reading A tale of two cities: Port Alberni’s new supportive housing is drafted for uptown while Campbell River takes a different approach →
Forests, Indigenous Nations, Tourism

Could shifting gears from forestry to tourism pay the bills?

By Nora O’Malley, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Jordan River, B.C. – At the mouth of Jordan River in Pacheedaht First Nation territory on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, the tide is pushing. Heat from a February sun warms the face as sets of friendly waves roll in under the backdrop of the Olympic Mountains. Parking at the day-use area of this regional park is squeezed on this fine Friday away from the screen. 

A tugboat called Miss Jordan cruises by a bob of surfers, dragging a line of thick rope towards a raft of floating logs, otherwise known as a log boom. Some of the surfers catch a wave towards the cobble shoreline and exit the water.

“They’ll run right over us if we don’t get out of the way,” says a stand-up paddler. 

“But it is a nice day for it,” he concedes.

Continue reading Could shifting gears from forestry to tourism pay the bills? →
Indigenous Nations, Rivers & Oceans

$240,000 kelp restoration project aims to rebuild salmon abundance in Clayoquot Sound

By Nora O’Malley, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Clayoquot Sound, BC – Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation has partnered with Redd Fish Restoration Society (Redd Fish) and West Coast Kelp Ltd. to undertake a large-scale kelp restoration project on the Pacific Coast. 

The total project budget is roughly $240,000 with a large portion of the funds coming from the provincial government, plus a patchwork of grants from the Pacific Salmon Foundation, World Wildlife Fund Canada, Sustainable Ocean Alliance, and Clayoquot Biosphere Trust, according to Redd Fish.  

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Transportation

West Coast bus service connecting Tofino and Ucluelet set to expand in January

By Nora O’Malley, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

West Coast, BC – The public bus service connecting Tofino and Ucluelet is expanding in the new year.

Starting Jan. 4, 2026, West Coast Transit riders will benefit from more frequent midday trips and a late-night service will also be reintroduced, with buses departing Ucluelet at 9:20 p.m. and Tofino at 10:25 p.m. 

Operated by BC Transit and the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD), the West Coast Transit System has stops in Tofino, Ucluelet, Long Beach, the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ community of hitaću, and the Tla-o-qui-aht communities of Esowista and Ty-histanis.

Continue reading West Coast bus service connecting Tofino and Ucluelet set to expand in January →