Report captures Columbia River Treaty community discussions
The voices of B.C. Columbia Basin communities are captured in a new report that details a series of Columbia River Treaty meetings held in fall 2019. The 2019 Columbia River Treaty Community Meetings Summary Report reflects in-person engagement between the Province and communities, as Canada-U.S. talks about the treaty’s...
Former BC minister and MLA Ed Conroy passes away at 73
Former BC Minister and Kootenay MLA Ed Conroy passed away Friday at the age of 73 of natural causes. "It is with a heavy heart we learned of the passing of our dear friend Ed Conroy, " said New Democrat BC Government Caucus Chair Jagrup Brar. "Ed gave so much to the province of British Columbia, and did so with kindness at...
Devoted cops pedal on - 2020 Cops for Kids Ride proceeds under a different format
Like many other organizations, Cops for Kids is facing the reality that large group fundraising events aren’t allowed under social distancing restrictions; but this group of dedicated cops aren’t willing to throw in the towel because the need for funds still exists. The charitable organization will not have their...
Column: From the Hill -- Wealth gap a drag on the economy
Imagine a country where the top one percent of the population owned one quarter of all the wealth and the bottom 40 per cent together owned only one per cent. Sounds outrageous? That country is Canada. The source of those figures is the latest report of the Parliamentary Budget Officer. The disparity between the super-wealthy...
Flood risk now low in the Boundary Country
The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary said in a media release Friday, the risk of flooding has abated and will continue in a downward trend over the coming weeks. The RDKB Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) advises residents they can remove sandbags around homes or businesses. The EOC will not collect sandbags, and instead...
New Report finds problems with BC's assisted living
While COVID-19 has focused attention on problems in long-term care, a new study raises concerns about assisted living and concludes it’s time for BC’s Seniors Advocate to review the sector. On Wednesday, June 17, 2020, the BC Health Coalition released The Place of Assisted Living in BC’s Seniors Care System: Assessing the...
Active Peace Valley landslide renews questions about slope stability and BC government secrecy
By Sarah Cox, for The Narwhal For the second time in 20 months, residents of Old Fort are dealing with a large landslide that has cut off road access to the community, prompting calls for more transparency from the provincial government which continues to investigate a 2018 landslide in the same location. As an active new...
Editorial: Time to go back to reusable bags, please – with precautions
On June 22, 2020, over 100 health experts from around the world issued a statement about the relative safety of reusables compared with single-use plastics, cups, and so on, with regard to transmitting COVID-19. Their statement can be found here; in it, they state, “Based on the best available science and guidance from public...
Trail RCMP forced to destroy habituated bear
On June 20 at 4:45 a.m. the Trail and Greater District RCMP Detachment received another complaint about a black bear who had become a continued problem in the area of Nelson Avenue in Trail BC. The black bear, which was identifiable by a large and distinct bald spot on its side, was the one who had been recently entering ...
Kaslo SAR praises regional cooperation after fatal motorcycle crash
Kaslo Search and Rescue managers, Robyn and Glen Skobalski, were in charge of a search for a missing woman following a single vehicle accident with a motorcycle that went off the road on June 21 and into the Kaslo River. One of the motorcycle occupants was able to get himself out of the river and get help. His female partner...