Rossland and Nelson host NASJA Western Winter Summit
Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism and Tourism Rossland will welcome 24 members from the Western Chapter of the North American Snowsports Journalists Association (NASJA) to the Kootenay Rockies this weekend. In partnership with Tourism British Columbia and Kootenay Rockies Tourism, Whitewater Ski Resort and Red Mountain Resort they...
$2.3-million Phase Two to service airport lands sent out to tender
The City of Castlegar is putting out an early tender for the roughly $2.3-million Phase Two of the airport-lands-servicing project, after an unanimous vote at council’s regular meeting Monday evening. “This is where we connect the pipe (recently installed spanning Kinnaird bridge during Phase One) at either end – on one end to the city’s […]
Wireless innovations driving BC economy
We are fortunate in our lifetimes to have seen technology’s amazing ability to “amplify human potential,” as Microsoft founder Bill Gates said so aptly.In the last century, we saw how the automobile, the airplane, the telephone, and electricity transformed our society. In the 21st century, the wireless revolution is transforming...
Housing continues to play a key role in economy
Housing-related spending accounts for more than 20 per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product, contributing about $330 billion to the Canadian economy in 2010 — up 7.1 per cent from $308 billion in 2009. This and other key findings are in the ninth annual Canadian Housing Observer, released today by Canada Mortgage and...
Top five mortgage trends of 2011
By: Rob McLister, Canadian Mortgage Trends Cheap money fuelled another buoyant year for real estate in 2011. That helped housing values climb a wall of worry (prices rose another 4.6 percent year over year as of November) despite numerous predictions of a correction. Mortgage balances went along for the ride, growing another 7 percent. 2011 was a […]
Midway border crossing on secret closure list
A leaked government document about the future of Canada’s border crossings — including possible closure, reduced hours, sharing of facilities and remote monitoring — lists Midway, Cascade, Nelway and Chopaka crossings. The document, “Small Port Working Group – Initial Results and Paths Forward”, was done collectively between Canada’s Customs and Border Services Agency(CBSA) and […]
Bridesville residents say road conditions are unacceptable
Bridesville residents have had enough and they let the government and Emcon know it. On the evening of Monday, Dec. 12, more than 60 people packed the Bridesville Community Hall to discuss what they feel is a deteriorating road service in their area. Boundary-Similkameen MLA John Slater, two Emcon employees and Stephanie Gillis, […]
Time is short to give input into the 2012 budget and five-year-plan
'Tis the season to wrangle over the municipal budget, so if you have an opinion about how the city should spend taxpayer money, we (and the city) want to hear about it now!The timeframe for your opinion to be heard is very short. On Monday evening, the committee-of-the-whole — absent new councillors Cary Fisher and Jody...
More than 50 scientists protest BC Hydro closures/lay-offs in Castlegar and Nelson
A group of more than 50 scientists is publicly lobbying BC Hydro to reconsider its decision to close the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) office in Nelson, and to lay off staff in Castlegar, Nelson and Prince George. The offices are to be closed by January 2012, and the program consolidated in Burnaby […]
MORTGAGE TRENDS: Short-term rates stay put
Canada’s key interest rate will end 2011 unchanged. The Bank of Canada (BoC) left its policy rate at 1.00 percent this week, as anticipated. In a statement, the Bank said European economic performance will be worse than expected, Canadian and United States growth are “slightly” better than expected, and inflation will “ease.” It […]
