Podcasts in Nanaimo & on Vancouver Island
From true crime to children’s stories, fiction to local politics – Vancouver Island’s podcast scene is more active than most people realize. This directory brings together shows produced here on the Island, all in one place. Know of a podcast we’ve missed? Contact us and we’ll be happy to review it for inclusion.
A Resilience Project
Mental Health – Personal Stories – Community Support | Parksville-Qualicum Beach Hosted by Cindy Thompson, thoughtful conversations about navigating life’s harder chapters. Guests share their stories of challenge, recovery, and finding a way forward – the kind of conversations that remind you you’re not alone. Part of The PULSE Community. Episode Archive   ThePulseCommunity.ca
F3: Football, Food & Fantasy Football
NFL Football – Food – Fantasy Sports | Comox Valley Each week, hosts Erin Haluschak and Chef Jonathan Frazier break down the latest NFL action – recaps, fantasy football, injury watch, and Super Bowl outlooks – paired with the signature food of that week’s featured team in a downloadable recipe. Part of The PULSE Community. Episode Archive   ThePulseCommunity.ca
Island Crime
True Crime – Investigative Journalism | Vancouver Island Laura Palmer’s investigative series is one of the most recognized independent podcasts to come out of Vancouver Island. Starting with the disappearance of Nanaimo teenager Lisa Marie Young, Island Crime has expanded into a body of work that takes unsolved cases seriously and treats the people involved with care. Website
Meet Me in the Stacks
Books – Authors – Libraries | Nanaimo Vancouver Island Regional Library’s podcast is a genuine celebration of books and the people who love them. Authors, librarians, and community voices make up a roster that will appeal to any reader on the Island – and probably a few off it. Website
Mirror Falls
Fiction – Audio Drama | Nanaimo An original fiction podcast series from Nanaimo-based producer Tod Maffin. Described as “decent people, complicated pasts, and a secret hiding in plain sight,” Mirror Falls reached number one in fiction podcasts in Canada in January 2026. A distinctive local production with national reach. Website
Midcoast Morning
News – Current Affairs – Community | Nanaimo CHLY 101.7 FM’s weekday program is one of the more reliable sources of community journalism on central Vancouver Island. Housing, transportation, local history, municipal planning – Midcoast Morning covers the issues that matter to people who actually live there. Listen Here
Nanaimo Daily
Local News – Daily Briefings | Nanaimo Short, sharp, and to the point. Nanaimo Daily is the quick-listen option for keeping up with what’s happening in the city – useful for commuters, dog walkers, and anyone who wants the local news without the scroll. Spotify
Non-Partisan Hacks
Local Politics – Civic Issues | Parksville-Qualicum Beach Joel Grenz and Sean Wood dig into the civic issues affecting Parksville, Qualicum Beach, and the broader Vancouver Island community – without the spin. Accessible, honest, and genuinely non-partisan. Part of The PULSE Community. Episode Archive   ThePulseCommunity.ca
Radio Archaeology
Classic Radio Drama – History | Parksville-Qualicum Beach Vintage episodes of Dragnet and Gunsmoke presented for contemporary listeners. Timeless storytelling from the golden age of radio, curated for a new generation of listeners. Part of The PULSE Community. Gunsmoke Episodes   Dragnet Episodes   ThePulseCommunity.ca
Skookum Kid’s Stories
Children’s Stories – Family – Adventure | Parksville-Qualicum Beach Family-friendly audio stories with downloadable colouring pages for kids across Vancouver Island and beyond. Peter & Gracie follows Peter and his American Eskimo dog on gentle, imaginative adventures. Captain Dave and the Mellow Submarine takes young listeners undersea with the irrepressible Captain Dave. Part of The PULSE Community. Mellow Submarine Episodes   Peter & Gracie Episodes   ThePulseCommunity.ca
The PULSE Community Podcast
Community – Music – Authors – Arts & Culture | Parksville-Qualicum Beach The flagship show of The PULSE Community. Hosted by Peter McCully and Dave Graham, each episode features in-depth conversations with the people shaping life across Vancouver Island – musicians, authors, healthcare workers, entrepreneurs, and community builders. Episode Archive   ThePulseCommunity.ca
Too Old or Movie Gold
Film – Pop Culture – Nostalgia – Comedy | Comox Valley
Hosted by Olen Vanderleeden of the Comox Valley, Too Old or Movie Gold is where Gen X nostalgia meets fresh perspectives from Millennials and Gen Z. Each week, the hosts dive back into the iconic films of the 80s and 90s to see if they still hold up today, debating whether these classics are cinematic gold or just a relic of the past.
Episode Archive   ThePulseCommunity.ca
The Sweet Layered Podcast
Community – Business – Local Government | Nanaimo The City of Nanaimo’s own podcast is a warm, well-produced look at the people and projects driving one of Vancouver Island’s fastest-growing communities. From culture grants to tourism and economic development, it’s civic storytelling that reminds you local government can actually be interesting. Website
This is Vancouver Island
News – Community – Island Life | CBC Victoria A weekly CBC podcast hosted by reporter Kathryn Marlow, covering local news stories and celebrating life across Vancouver Island. From ferries to housing, public safety to outdoor swimming – new episodes every Thursday. One of the most consistently produced Island-focused shows currently running. Listen Here
Are We Missing a Podcast?
If you produce a podcast in Nanaimo or on Vancouver Island, or know of one that should be included in this directory, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us here. Podcast descriptions are written by VancouverIslandPodcasts.com. Podcast names and trademarks remain the property of their respective owners.
