An archive of the At Issue features from the CBC's flagship News program The National.
December 22: Year in Review
Thursday, December 22, 2016
McKay Street Park plans to move forward in January
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| Plans for the re-development of the Mckay Street Park area may be complete by the end of January |
In a post to their social media stream, Transition Prince Rupert noted that they had held a video conference with the Portland, Oregon based design team last week and that the final designs for the proposed park are close to being completed with the results to be forwarded to Prince Rupert at the end of January.
Once those design plans are in hand, the local group will be offering them up for review and feedback from the community, as well as to set in motion their fundraising ideas to help transfer the paper concept into the development stage.
The McKay Street Park is currently an abandoned and ball field which has received little in the way of maintenance from the City over the last number of years.
Earlier this year in January, Mark Lakeman an urban planner from Portland was brought in by Transition Prince Rupert, holding a three day placemaking session to facilitate a number of meetings to receive some input on how to transform the parkland into a more accessible community space.
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| A number of ideas were offered up at last January's Placemaking session on the McKay St. Park (photo from Mayor Brain's Facebook page) |
The topic of how to approach the rebirth of the park space provided for a number of design ideas for participants to those Placemaking meetings, but the topic itself is one which did not feature much in the discussions around the City Council table during the public sessions of the last year.
That was an approach by Council members which leaves many questions still unclear as to how the City will be dealing with any development plans once they may be finalized.
Still unknown to this point is whether the city will turn the park over to the community organization, or whether it will retain ownership of the land and what costs, if any, will be required by the City to maintain any new design program that is put in place.
Those are themes which should be explored further by Council members in the New Year, allowing for the city's elected officials to provide their contribution to the discussion and the vision that is in mind for the stretch of land on the west side of the city.
That way any potential issues that could be associated with the re-development plans could be outlined by Council through a public session, providing the public with more background on any path forward for the McKay Street plans well before the Transition Prince Rupert group launches into its fund raising plans.
You can find updates on the Transition Prince Rupert plans as well as some history on their place making efforts over the last year from their Facebook page here.
You can also review some of the work of Transition Prince Rupert through their website.
Notes on items of interest from Prince Rupert City Council can be found on our archive page.
Cross posted from the North Coast Review
Natural Gas prices set to rise in new year for residential/commercial users
In an announcement on Wednesday, the British Columbia Utilities Commission gave approval for Pacific Northern Gas to increase in the cost of delivery of Natural Gas to the Northwest. The approval means that residential users will have to re-adjust some of their financial budget planning for the New year, making for yet another in increased rates and fees that we will all face for 2017.
As part of the Wednesday statement, the BCUC explained the details to the range of pricing increases across North British Columbia, with the most expensive shift coming for residents on the Pacific Northern Gas system living from Vanderhoof to Prince Rupert/Kitimat.
In the Northwest the new residential rate as of January 1st will be at $16.85 per GJ (Gigajoule) making for a two dollar, thirty cent increase from previous levels of $14.55 in 2016.
Business rates will also shift upwards, with a rise from $12.68 to $14.93 per GJ.
In its decision of December 20th, the BCUC outlined a number of factors that it had considered in determining the rate of increase for the Northwest.
The increase in delivery rates is required in Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, Tumbler Ridge, and Vanderhoof to Prince Rupert/Kitimat primarily because customer demand has declined, particularly in the industrial customer rate class. As well, small increases in operating expenses are required to run and maintain the PNG systems. When customer demand is forecast to decrease, any increase in delivery and commodity costs are spread over fewer GJs resulting in a per GJ rate increase.
You can review the full statement from the British Columbia Utilities Commission here.
The Approval order and its conditions can be examined here.
Cross posted from the North Coast Review
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Victoria Viewpoints: Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Provincial scene.
Installation begins on modular housing complex in Vancouver
B.C. health authorities flood streets with opioid antidote
How a B.C. congregation brought 30 Syrian refugee families to Canada
Christy Clark hammers out her jobs platform ahead of B.C. election
B.C. town residents worry seniors' community could threaten natural springs
First hybrid ferry delivered for West Coast cargo service
B.C. Government not saying if Home Owner Grant qualifications will change
911 dispatchers overwhelmed by volume of overdose calls
Pipe fixed, but boil water advisory still in effect for Ahousaht, B.C.
Food Banks B.C. 'incredibly concerned' after mail stolen from Canada Post truck
Terrace Mountie gets suspended sentence for assaulting teen
No jail time for Mountie in violent arrest, assault of youth in Terrace
Liberals seek cover as ICBC premiums go up, up and away
Why now for ferry car-deck rule?
Number of British Columbians on EI, Welfare jumps
Hovering over Site C, a Ghost with a Warning
Fish Hatcheries are No Fix and he Tried to Warn Us
B.C. health minister Terry Lake reflects on the fentanyl crisis, legalization, and the limits of government response
Fay Blaney says closer examination of violence against indigenous women needed in inquiry
Ottawa Observations: Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Federal scene for Wednesday, December 21, 2016.
Canada won't be swayed from carbon moves by U.S., Trudeau says
Ban on new Arctic drilling give Canada leg up, U.S. lawmakers say
CRTC rules high-speed Internet a 'basic telecom service'
Quebec announces public inquiry into treatment of First Nations
Ottawa urges provinces to accept offer for more mental-health funding
Ethics watchdog says Philpott's car service claims didn't break spending rules
NATO mission in Latvia unwise diversion from terror fight: Russian envoy
CRTC declares broadband internet access a basic service
More than 2,700 Canadians applied to be senators
Alberta's climate change 'leadership' paved way for pipeline approvals, says Justin Trudeau
CRTC ruling prompts Teksavvy to cut prices, hike some internet speeds
'Heartbreaking' video viewed by Canadian parents of son, grandchildren held by Taliban
CRA spends millions but fails to stop tax workers from snooping on Canadians, documents show
Minority groups are seeing one of their greatest fears come true - they're becoming targets at home
Ethics watchdog clears Jane Philpott of wrongdoing in luxury car controversy
They met their grandsons in a Taliban hostage video
How federal politicians sheltered asbestos industry
How Canadian officials grappled with a Donald Trump candidacy
Ban on offshore licenses in Arctic will cost northern economy, Northwest Territories premier says
Creeping privatization is putting medicare at risk
Both sides right in federal-provincial health fracas
Picking the thin skins of the federal public service
Costly green schemes topped the list in 2016
Beware of desperate politicians seeking 'environmental legacies'
There's no need for Trump to fix Canada-U.S trade because it isn't broken, Chrystia Freeland says
Health Minister didn't break conflict of interest rules using campaigner's car service, watchdog says
Conservatives call on Trudeau Foundation to ban foreign donations after ten-fold increase in three years
Economic confidence rebounding, but Albertans remain skeptical
Quebec announces public inquiry into treatment of First Nations people
MPs keep ripping their pants in the House of Commons - and aren't happy about it
Diplomatic notes show Canadian officials struggled with Donald Trump's 'unpredictability'
Trudeau vows to ensure security agencies obey letter of law amid surveillance fears
Expert's Panel on Environmental Assessment Review still taking online submissions
The travelling forum which was in Prince Rupert on December 8th and 9th is tasked with receiving the feedback of the Canadian public on issues related the current Environmental process that is in place, with a report to be submitted to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change in March of 2017.
The March deadline is an extension from the earlier finish time of January, with the Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna providing that extension on December 7th providing for amended terms of Reference for the final three months of the review period.
The panel travelled to a number of British Columbia communities to gather input on the environmental assessment process, besides the Prince Rupert meetings, sessions were held in Fort St. John, Kamloops, Vancouver and Nanaimo.
More background on their work can be found here.
You can launch your online engagement process here.
Some notes on the Prince Rupert stop were offered up by a couple of Northwest media outlets this month.
Federal environmental review panel hears system must be improved
Panel Conducting Reviews on Environmental Assessment process stops in Prince Rupert
Cross posted from the North Coast Review
Alberta Williams case considered very active after CBC Podcast exposure
In an update to the story posted to the CBC news site yesterday (see here), it was revealed that the investigation into the 1989 murder has found some momentum, with the renewed focus partly found thanks to some of the attention that the eight part podcast series has created.
The Podcast which is a production from the CBC out of Toronto has been tracing the background to the murder, with much of the information culled from the notes of one of the original lead investigators of the time.
It was an email to the CBC from Gary Kerr that launched the podcast production, the eight part series debuted on October 25th and concluded this week.
Hosted by Connie Walker and produced by Marnie Luke, it has taken the listener on a journey into Prince Rupert of 1989 and followed a trail of hints, observations and leads, as well as to suggest the identity of a suspect into the 27 year long murder investigation.
However, with a lack of evidence the case is still an open file and remains part of the ongoing Project E-Pana investigation into missing and murdered women along Highway 16.
You can review our notes from the introduction of the project here.
The Podcast series which is available for download or streaming through your computer can be found here.
Cross posted from the North Coast Review
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