The latest notes from North Coast Regional District reviewed a number of items related to their April 20th meeting in Port Clements, with the Board addressing a number of regional themes.
As we noted last week, one of those items involved the resolution to honour the memory of Nelson Kinney through the renaming of the NCRD boardroom to be known as the Nelson Kinney Committee Room.
Mr. Kinney passed away in late March.
In other business from the April 20th meeting, the Board also announced that its selection for membership on the Board of Directors of the BC Ferry Authority Board had been approved, with Michael Pucci the Regional District's choice for the position. Mr. Pucci from DP World was announced as the NCRD representative at the meeting,
As the Regional District Board was being hosted by Port Clements, Board members received an update on the success of the museum in that community. With Joan Hein from the Port Clements Historical Society recounting that the Museum has seen an increase in visitor to the Museum.
The Museum, which also serves as the community's visitor information centre, attracted 4,000 visitors in 2017, a strong increase from numbers of four years ago when 1,300 visitors stopped by the facility.
The full overview of the Regional District Board meeting is available here.
You can find more items related to the work of the North Coast Regional District from our archive page here.
The Northern Development Initiative Trust distributed funding towards five projects last week, and for the North Coast it was Metlakatla that gained a share of the cash, with the Metlakatla Band Council set to receive $375,000 towards their shellfish industry initiative.
The money is to be used to address large scale production capacity and develop market expansion activities for the shellfish aquaculture industry on the North Coast. That work is in support of the North Pacific Marine Plan.
The funding for the other projects will be delivered to the City of Quesnel, City of Williams Lake, Lilloet Tribal Council and Williams Lake Tribal Council.
Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Provincial scene for Saturday/Sunday April 28 & 29 , 2018
Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Federal scene for Saturday/Sunday, April 28 & 29, 2018
With a one week break on the horizon for MLA's the speaking opportunities in the Legislature were but a few for both the North Coast and Skeena MLA's over the four days of House activities.
MLA Rice spoke once over the four days of Legislature work with a statement on Emergency Response, Preparedness and the work of the Red Cross as an important partner for the province.
While Skeena MLA Ellis Ross raised two issues related to the economic picture for the Northwest and resource communities across the province.
Our look at the work week that just concluded, can be found below:
Ms. Rice's contribution to the Legislature discussion list came Wednesday afternoon when she spoke to the work of the Red Cross making note of last year's Fire Season and the potential for some problems ahead in this flood season.
A topic of interest for all communities along the Highway 16 corridor is the status of discussions between the Province and the Northwest BC Resource Benefits Alliance, a theme that Mr. Ross explored on Tuesday evening in the Legislature
Earlier in the week the Skeena MLA had engaged in some discussion on themes related to First Nations participation in the provincial economy, making note of a number of areas for engagement and asking how the province will approach those ambitions.
The Skeena MLA also made note of the presence of a visitor to the gallery, with Mr. Ross' wife Tracey Ross receiving a warm welcome from the House on Thursday morning.
Transcripts of the work of that committee are available on the Legislature website
MLA's will now take a one week break, returning to their desks in the Legislature on Monday, May 7th.
There is more background on the North Coast and Skeena MLA's available from our MLA's Week Archive as well as our General Archives on the Legislature below:
Residents requiring Emergency housing will soon no longer be directed to Raffles, with plans to include an emergency housing component to the new Supportive Housing development planned for Park Avenue
The days of those requiring emergency housing in Prince Rupert being sent off to Raffles for accommodation may soon be coming to an end, with the new supportive modular housing project slated for Park Avenue seemingly set to take over that function in the community.
But as part of the Mayor's review of the state of the affordable and Seniors housing situation in the community he provided an update on the Park Avenue plans, noting that once completed the facility will be the new destination for those in need of emergency housing.
"What is unique about this project is that it is going to have additional beds built into as a shelter so we're going to shut down Raffles as a shelter, get rid of the emergency shelter and then we're going to have one place for folks to be able to go and keep that to that area" --Mayor Lee Brain on the plan to include emergency shelter in the province's Park Avenue supportive housing project.
The Raffles facility has been a controversial topic for housing advocates in the community, a group that has long been asking for a better option for the homeless in the city.
As we outlined on the blog last week, on Friday the Province outlined its plan for the development of the 36 unit supportive housing project to be located on a lot adjacent to the Transition House Society on Park Avenue.
While that building moves forward through its construction phase and until its completion, the Emergency Winter Shelter that was opened last November on Third Avenue West will remain open through the summer, providing for shelter for those in the community that are homeless and in need.
The North Coast Transition Society is taking on a more prominent role now in the community when it comes to addressing many of the city's emergency and supportive housing needs.
The aquaculture industry in Canada was the subject of a Federal audit with the report delivered this week
A report from the Federal Environment Commissioner that takes the Federal government to task over its management of the farmed salmon industry has provided Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen with some strong talking points, with the MP blasting the Liberal government on a number of themes this week.
“This is a damning report that highlights the failure of the Liberal government to protect our wild salmon stocks ... After so many years of neglect, we are expecting a devastating season in the Northwest. Atlantic farmed salmon operations have exposed our wild salmon to disease and pesticides and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) hasn’t even bothered to monitor the impacts. The Northwest depends on its wild salmon and it is shocking to see such lack of oversight from the federal government.”
British Columbia's aquaculture industry is found mostly in the Central coast and on Vancouver Island
As part of her extensive overview of the farm fish industry, Commissioner Julie Gelfand and the audit team made note of the government's failure to monitor and manage the risks associated with the salmon farming industry.
Among some of the Other elements of concern for the Commissioner were a lack of national standards to prevent escapement and a lack of oversight when it comes to regulating the volume of drugs and pesticides that companies can use.
The document also includes eight recommendations for action by the Department of Fisheries, included among the eight: adherence to commitments made after the Cohen Report, clarifying the roles and responsibilities between DFO and the CFIA, as well as better communication on issues of uncertainty on the effect of aquaculture on wild stocks
In his comments from Wednesday, the Skeena Bulkley Valley MP also stressed how the Liberal government needs to step up its efforts to protect wild salmon, suggesting a shift to land based fish farms as one path to follow:
“The government has a responsibility to protect wild salmon and Canada has an opportunity to become a world leader in making a just transition to safe, land based salmon farming that will protect our wild salmon and allow stocks to flourish,”
The Province has expanded its roster of Conservation Officers and created new positions in eleven communities, but for those in Prince Rupert that had hoped that this community would be have been added to the list of offices, the news was not promising on Thursday.
In a news release from yesterday the province made note of the past and a lack of action when it came to adding to the Conservation Service Staffing, with Minister George Heyman noting that the NDP government was ready to put boots on the ground.
“We recognize the need for additional conservation officers to help protect our natural resources and lessen human-wildlife conflicts. For too long, there has been a lack of frontline conservation officers, and communities have suffered the consequences, ... We are taking action to put more boots on the ground, so all British Columbians can benefit from the important work conservation officers do every day.”
Haida Gwaii, Bella Coola and Atlin are among the communities in this region which will see the new officers in place.
In addition to the new positions created by the province, staff openings in a number of locations have been filled, including one in the Terrace Conservation Service Office.
The Province of British Columbia has added three positions for communities in the Northwest, with an additional position filled in the Terrace office.
The new recruits will begin their training in May, the latest additions brings the Conservation Officer staffing level to 160 officers located across much of the province.
The call for a Prince Rupert based Conservation Officer has been a frequent one in the community and something that North Coast residents might have hoped would be something that MLA Jennifer Rice might have been able to steer towards the city.
On Thursday, Ms. Rice followed much of the theme of the Minster of Environment and Climate Change strategy and shared the news of the new hires with her constituents on Haida Gwaii and in Bella Coola.
With Spring here and wildlife beginning to stir across the province, residents may soon be having more frequent inter actions with wildlife in the area.
Prince Rupert residents will continue to be served through the Terrace office, if you have an issue that needs their attention you should call 1-877-952-2727 (RAAP)
A look at some of the past calls for service from the Conservation Officer service can be reviewed through our archive of items related to Northwest Emergency Service providers.
Mayor Lee Brain hosted his Hays 2.0 Blue print update on Wednesday
Mayor Lee Brain hosted his once delayed Hays 2.0 update on Wednesday evening (the original date of fall 2017 was cancelled a few weeks before its scheduled showtime), taking the audience at the Lester Centre and those at home on a ninety minute review of pretty well every talking point that City Council has examined since they took office on December 2nd of 2014.
Mr. Brain opened up the show with a joke as to how he looked like Steve Jobs and should be announcing a new iPhone ... and while no phones were sold during the hour and half, the focus on the night was clearly on the Mayors Hay's 2.0 blue print first introduced back in 2015 and still the cornerstone foundation for his time in office, one that seemingly will chart the future for the community.
Showcased as more than ever as our path forward, the Hays 2.0 Plan was front and centre through the night an all encompassing theme, a mantra for the community, that will deliver better days for those that wish to follow forward.
The opening moments recounted the choice of council to banish negativity, taking a positive vision to the future with a new team having emerged to reorganize internally the city staff structure and the launch of a repatriation campaign. One that the Mayor noted has been designed to target specifically Rupertites to come and work for the city, people who are motivated, passionate and have pride about the community.
The presentation was long on positioning and vision statements and a little less solid on details, particularly when it came to the Mayor's anticipation of potential revenue streams for the future.
A glimpse of those "what we hope will happens" would come following the lengthy account of the many required infrastructure concerns which rolled across the screen one after another.
The first portion of the night was indeed the tale of woe, though for those that have remained in the community during these challenging years, most of the recitation of what the community needs would be a familiar theme for those that have followed City Council through the last few years.
With many of the talking points and infrastructure needs from Wednesday night found in the successive Budget presentations from the City's Financial Officer over the last four years.
For the Wednesday evening talk, the Mayor put the focus on the range of infrastructure issues, making the observation that the current Council had inherited these when they took office.
The Mayor noted that Council had decided that the first priority was water, highlighting the completion of Phase One of the City's ambitious water project program (a process that actually was started during the previous term led by Mayor Jack Mussallem), with work now underway for the second phase and plans for what will follow.
Included in the second phase of the water infrastructure program is the dam itself at Woodworth Lake, a project which will have a design in place that allows the City to produce energy and generate revenue through hydro sales. Though the Mayor did not outline for the public if BC Hydro has expressed any interested in purchasing any of the city's power once it is up and running.
The Mayor also reviewed many of the background themes to a number of those issues that make for that lengthy list of infrastructure issues, among them: the need for a waste water treatment system, RCMP detachment, expanded landfill site, bridge replacements, roads, sidewalks, an airport Ferry and a new Fire Hall.
As the Mayor explained it, the majority of those items which come to a total of 350 million dollars of infrastructure deficit are mandated requirements most of which have to be completed by 2020 or the city could face fines.
Two major concerns did stand out from the Mayor's lengthy commentary, with much of the focus from the Mayor's viewpoint on the night suggesting that the majority of Prince Rupert's problems are mainly the result of external factors that are reducing our potential for revenue and progress.
The Two Major Revenue challenges that have been delivered to the City's situation are related to the Port Property Tax Act and the Ridley Island Tax Sharing Agreement.
These two themes would be frequently mentioned by the Mayor throughout the presentation, challenges inherited by Council and considered the key impediments towards achieving many of the infrastructure goals that the City may have.
The Port issues are related to the cap on taxation for port facilities that is in place through the provincial government and have been a long time concern of City Council going back to well before the 2014 municipal election. And despite many past attempts to start a dialogue on the issue, the Port Property Tax Cap concerns remain a topic that to this point has not found a welcome ear in Victoria.
The arrangement on tax sharing with Port Edward, known as the Ridley Island Tax Sharing Agreement however would seem to be the major irritant of the two for the Mayor and some of the members of City Council at this particular moment.
With the Mayor describing the current arrangement with Port Edward as the "insult to injury" part of the night's presentation.
The Tax Agreement document (see here) which was first delivered in 1980, has set the terms for distribution of money related to Ridley Island development ever since, what is at the heart of the City's frustrations is the formula for that distribution of money that the city would like to see the province take some action on.
The focus on the Port Edward agreement took some interesting turns on Wednesday night, as the Mayor explained how the City of Prince Rupert has been quite diplomatic towards its neighbour over the years of negotiations, though at times it didn't sound like Prince Rupert plans to be very diplomatic, very much longer.
With the mayor noting that the city's impression as to the current dynamic of the payments to the District, is that basically that of a case of Prince Rupert paying for another town.
To make sure no one was left unclear when it comes to how the City views the Port Edward dispute, two final graphics put up on the Lester Centre Screen highlighted the city's ultimate goal towards the Ridley Island Tax irritant, with a look at what would be the Before and After view as to how the City would like to address Port Edward's share of the Ridley Island money flow.
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X marks the Spot for Port Edward
(click to enlarge)
Towards a path to reach that goal for Prince Rupert, the mayor outlined how the City has submitted a fair proposal to the facilitator who had been dispatched north to discuss the issue between the city and Port Edward, the official having recently submitted a report on the situation to the province.
However, the Mayor noted that should the situation not be resolved to the city's satisfaction with a final resolution, then the City would be calling on Prince Rupert residents to lend some assistance towards supporting whatever happens next.
The Mayor didn't expand on that ominous addendum to the discussion, leaving one to wonder if we should try and corner the market on torches and pitchforks, or tar and feathers, for future retail opportunities.
Those in attendance or viewing at home should try to keep in mind that the Port Edward question was presented Wednesday purely from the Prince Rupert point of view, so we have no real idea as to what the view from the District of Port Edward might be, or how the province may view the City's interpretation of the situation.
The theme however might make for an interesting debate between community representatives and maybe even the MLA, though where we could find a location that would constitute neutral ground for the discussion is anyones guess.
The City's decision to become landlords at Watson Island rather than having sold the industrial land off also made for some significant focus by the Mayor, though he never fully explained how that decision to shift Council's gaze from seller to landlord, ever came to pass at Council.
That surprising change of direction for City Council was a theme that never did make for any public discussions for the council members until after the decision had been made.
The Mayor outlined the decommissioning and tear down work that has taken place on Watson Island conducted by a team of city staff members led by City Manager Robert Long.
From the Wednesday night narrative, the Mayor observed that Watson Island now could be considered the city's ticket out of its difficulties, the city's golden nugget and a place of opportunity.
The Mayor outlined how the City is anticipating that the recent Pembina deal will be but the first of many that will see the Industrial area fully subscribed within five to ten years.
From that success, the Mayor outlined how the city would be collecting lease payments and taxes from tenants making Watson Island their destination of choice.
All that money collected from Watson Island and through the land at Lot 444 at Tuck Inlet is destined to be put into the city's Legacy Fund for use for future infrastructure projects with the mayor referring to that collection of money as the city's Infrastructure Bank.
Some of the Legacy Money will also be provided to the city through a dividend to put to use on operational items, as well the City may also use some of the Legacy money as a business arm to engage in joint ventures with other companies or initaitvies in the area.
The Legacy Corporation details were rather limited however, with no update provided as to how much is currently sitting in the fund, or where the city may be planning to direct those funds.
The other major theme for potential revenue comes through the City's hopes for the Northwest Resource Benefits Alliance and its efforts to gain a better share of the revenues from resources, with the Mayor pointing towards a revenue sharing deal in the Northeast that delivers significant money to communities such as Fort St. John and Dawson Creek.
So far however, other than a 300,000 dollar burst of funding for community engagement for the membership of the Alliance, the province has not as of yet indicated how they plan to approach the request for a larger share of revenues from resource developments in the Northwest.
As for the plans for major projects that may be ahead someday and a few of the items that the mayor described as the "fun stuff", the Hays 2.0 update was true to themes of recycling, with the majority of the presentation items those that have been delivered a number of times before, with perhaps a tweak here or there from their original version.
Among some of the proposals that made for the showcase on Wednesday:
Road network for Lax Kw'alaams, Metlaktla and the Airport Amalgamation of Airport, Metlakatla and Lax Kw'alaams Ferry with shift of dock to Kwinitsa with the Ferry to feed into road network Relocation of Alaska Ferry to Lax Kw'alaams The Port has a plan to build a road to the container port along the harbour The City also has plans to develop their own container bypass road along Wantage Road as well as use that area for Industrial use City could turn Wantage Road into the Highway, freeing up Second Avenue for civic oversight Rupert's Landing and Waterfront plans Main Street Rupert/City Hall Square
Many of those items, previously announced at City Council sessions of the past can be explored through the following archive pages we have kept through the years.
As the presentation headed towards the finish line the Mayor embraced the focus towards a more positive theme, one that proclaimed that we are heading towards better days.
With much in the way of comments about how People are the potential for the community, that with new money coming from AltaGas, Pembina and whatever other industries may set up at Watson Island the community is about to turn a corner.
The Mayor closed the information session by noting that it was a time for optimism, that the City Council has us on the right trail and how it was a time to let go of the past.
Mr. Brain also highlighted the theme that it was Rupert's time to shine, with the City serving as the facilitator to make it all happen.
Towards those ambitions, a chart from the evening outlines the path forward.
The current city council should best be hoping that all of the anticipated revenue streams come in; that the two major irritants of the Port Cap Tax and that the Ridley Island Tax Agreement both are resolved to the city's satisfaction, not to mention the prospect that endless amounts of money through the Northwest Resource Benefits Alliance comes rolling into town.
On Wednesday, there was No Plan B outlined to help residents understand what the city might have to do to resolve the many challenges ahead, should many of the Hays 2.0 bullet points not come to fruition.
That possibility seemingly has no place with the new approach to forward thinking, thus no one on Council has offered up any cautionary thoughts, or provided for any alternative views as they collectively follow the course laid out by the Mayor and the City Manager.
As we head towards the 2018 municipal elections, the Mayor and the five current council members would appear to be all in on the plan, if they aren't, those on Council only have five months to run up that flag of caution and offer up some other themes for consideration.
For the most part, Wednesday night had all the theatre of a campaign launch, with the Hays 2.0 plan and all of its successive components now part of this council's blue print and where they will hang their hats as they face the electorate, providing of course that they decide to seek another term.
What will be interesting to watch over the next few months is if anyone else in the community decides to put up a challenge, or offer a different narrative to this Council's expansive list of reports, studies, vision plans and such that have marked the last four years of Council.
The full presentation from Wednesday evening is available for your review below:
