FortisBC receives approval for adjustment to natural gas rates
In a media release, FortisBC announced it has received approval from the BC Utilities Commission (BCUC) to modify natural gas rates. Beginning October 1, 2016 customers will see changes to their bill. “Natural gas prices have risen since spring 2016. The hotter-than-normal summer, for most of Canada and the US, has resulted...
Kimberley, Steelworkers 1-405 ratify agreement
The City of Kimberley and the United Steelworkers Local I-405 ratified a four-year collective agreement. The tentative settlement was previously agreed to on August 29th and replaces the previous contract that expired on February 29th, 2016. “We are very pleased to have this new contract in place," said Mayor Don McCormick,...
Salmo roads asset management advanced by Selkirk Paving pilot
A comprehensive report titled Asset management Plan for Salmo Road Infrastructure was delivered to the Village of Salmo by Selkirk Paving Limited Tuesday as part of a pilot project to help small communities assess current road conditions and maintain road assets sustainably. “We are incredibly grateful to have been selected...
Car crashes up? Not so fast
It's here somewhere. Licence, car registration fees to drop 35 per cent in 2016. No, that's Quebec. Average passenger vehicle owner would pay an additional $17 a year in premiums. Nope, that's Manitoba. Auto Fund rate stabilization reserve hits $377 million – highest ever, $65 million profit in 2015. No, that's Saskatchewan....
Selkirk College and Columbia Power Create Energy for Growth
Building a sustainable regional economy requires teamwork and when it comes to helping provide an educated and trained workforce to create growth, Selkirk College and Columbia Power are a winning combination. “Columbia Power has created 660 new megawatts of electricity from our projects, generated over 1,200 construction jobs...
UPDATED: Tentative deal reached in postal labour dispute
A tentative deal has been reach between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers averting job action by the union. "We can't give details of the agreements at this time, but we're pleased that our members don't have to resort to taking job action," Mike Palecek, national president of CUPW said in a statement. The...
New Navigation Proposal To Increase Safety and Weather Reliability for Landings at West Kootenay Regional Airport
Mayor Chernoff, City Council and representatives from the Regional Districts of Central Kootenay and Kootenay-Boundary and local business representatives met today to consider a new proposal to improve the regional airport’s landing and departure navigation system. Mayor Chernoff said “We are very excited to hear Jeppesen...
COLUMN: From the Hill -- Site C and Treaty 8
On February 18th of this year a group of First Nations activists came to Ottawa to speak to the government about the Site C dam project on the Peace River. They met with myself and other MPs in the BC NDP caucus to discuss their attempts to delay construction of the dam until the concerns of their people were heard in federal...
EDITORIAL RANT: Rape Culture Sums Up Human Society, So Far
A reader recently commented privately about the recent "Rape and Consequences" article, and expressed dismay that Canada's "rape shield" legislation is not more effective at curbing defence attorneys' strategy of "whacking the victim" in court. Her comment made me think: our society's acceptance of "rape culture" is...
Residents' report finds government’s feasibility study 'clearly inadequate'
After receiving no response from the provincial government, citizens opposed to closing the Balfour ferry terminal have gone public with the release of their own analysis of the government’s feasibility study. The Queens Bay Residents Association said the 12-page document finds the SNC-Lavalin study inadequate, biased and...
