The BC Centre for Disease control has some valuable Coronavirus notes related to COVID-19 you can explore that information here.
You can learn more about the outbreak from both the Province and the Federal government from the links below:
Federal Government site
British Columbia Government site
The World Health Organization website also offers up the latest advisories on the global situation.
More from Northern Health can be reviewed here
You can review our archive of past statements and local information here.
Local governments and organizations have also provided for increased awareness of COVID-19 issues, those past advisories can be reviewed here.
For notes from across Canada and British Columbia we have been archiving the latest items through our political portal Darcy McGee
Ottawa Observations
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| Work is nearing completion of the Fairview-Ridley Connector (photo from PRPA) |
(Video courtesy of Prince Rupert Port Authority)
A few months ago David Geronazzo was walking around the Prince Rupert Civic Centre looking to move the city's return to normal use plans for the Recreation facilities forward, however as summer has moved into fall, Mr. Geronazzo has seemingly moved along as well.
With the Former Director of Recreation and Community Services now shifting roles and taking on the duties as the Director of Educating Training and Employment for the Gitxaala Nation.
His new focus that of assisting members of the Nation to transition towards many of the new employment opportunities that are arriving on the North Coast.
The Gitxaala Nation has embarked a range of training programs and joint ventures which you can learn more about through their Facebook page and website.
Mr. Geronazzo joined the staff of the North Coast Indigenous Nation in October of this year after spending three years in the employ of the City of Prince Rupert; previously he had worked in the Recreation field in Burns Lake.
As for his previous job, the City posted the Director of Recreation and Community Services job opportunity to the City of Prince Rupert website in mid September.
So far, the City has not announced if they have found a successful applicant to fill the post, which would appear to have now been vacant for over two months.
For more notes on the City's employment themes see our archive page here.
Cross posted from the North Coast Review.
Prince Rupert's Teachers and Educational assistants had a wealth of opportunities to gain insights on a number of themes on Friday, as SD52 hosted a range of workshops provided through the Learning Services Department.
With Friday listed as a Non-Instructional day for the students, the teachers and staff found much to take in as part of the ongoing learning that they were offered access to.
From new strategies in math, to evaluating Indigenous resources, sharing strategies on engaging students in reading and offer some guideposts towards resource material the day provided for a great learning experience for many of the SD52 staff members.
Some of the day was relayed through the School District 52 Twitter Feed which provided a glimpse into some of the day's activities for the local educators.
For more notes on Education across the Northwest see our archive page here.
Cross posted from the North Coast Review.
A coalition of municipal governments from across the province, but with a heavy input from Northern British Columbia have welcomed the new mandate for the NDP government of John Horgan, while at the same time urging him to remember the needs of northern and rural communities.
But while there are a range of familiar names included as signatories to the document, missing it seems is any contribution from the North Coast, with neither the Mayor of the City of Prince Rupert or that of the District of Port Edward included in the document.
The project which was put together by the organization Resource Works notes how resource-reliant communities are calling on the Premier to remember how natural resources hold the key to economic recovery during the ongoing issues of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The letter which was signed by Terrace Mayor Carole Leclerc, and Kitimat Mayor Phil Germuth from the Northwest has five key points to make, asking Mr. Horgan and his new cabinet to take the following actions:
Move quickly to enable shovel-ready projects to proceed;The full letter was published in the Vancouver Sun on November 20th, with the Mayors that participated in the Dear John letter, noting how as resource supporting communities they will work with the NDP government to achieve some shared ambitions.
While you bring together your new cabinet to take on major challenges like the pandemic recovery, presenting an effective response to climate change and the important work of First Nations reconciliation, we, as the mayors of resource-supporting communities around the province, want you to be assured that you will have our support in the work that is ahead.
We welcome the opportunity to share with you and your colleagues our thoughts on how the voices of resource communities can be heard around the cabinet table and in your re-elected government’s mandate.
You can review the full text of the letter here.
The letter is part of a public awareness campaign launched by Resources Works, which includes a public petition for residents of all communities in the province to deliver a message to the new government as they prepare to take on their first full term as a majority government.
You can learn more about the petition and sign on if you wish here.
Further notes on what Resource Works is all about can be reviewed here.
Last week, Premier Horgan introduced the team that will shepherd his plans through the Legilsature, you can review who made the cut and what job they have been assigned here.
Of those named to their posts on Thursday, the themes of the Resource Works/Northern Mayors project should be of some note for Stikine MLA Nathan Cullen.
Mr. Cullen was assigned the post of Minister of State for Land and Natural Resource Operations, which will put him in frequent contact with many of those who signed the document earlier this month.
More notes on the Provincial government and its work out of Victoria can be found here.
Cross posted from the North Coast Review.
In light of the continued spread of COVID-19 and Provincial Orders in place, now more than ever we are asking residents and customers to consider their online or call-in options for payments. There are a number of simple ways to avoid coming to City Hall.
The new measures and requests from City Hall come following the expansion of a number of Provincial Orders earlier this month, as the province looks to try and knock down the current rising curve of COVID-19 infection in the province.
A quest that so far is proving daunting, with increases in all areas of the province including areas of the Northern Health Authority region.
The last update from the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control was revealed mid November, noting that as of the end of October indicated that the Prince Rupert area had seen just five confirmed cases of COVID since January.
If they follow with their past practice, the next update from the BC CDC is expected to be released sometime in early to mid December.
The Full statement related to the latest steps for City Hall measures is as follows.
The request for a lot more social distance comes just ahead of what is normally a two-week Civic shutdown, with the City reducing all of their activity and access to staff for the community over the Christmas and New Years Holiday period.
While they haven't outlined what those dates are yet, last year the City closed its doors on December 23rd and re-opened on January 2.
You can find updates from the City through the website and Facebook page.
For more notes on civic themes see our City Council Discussion archive page here.
Cross posted from the North Coast Review.
