Public input encouraged as Rossland's audit begins
Rossland's auditor, Amed Naqvi of the firm Berg, Naqvi, Lehmann (BNL), described the upcoming audit to council on Monday evening, and he also explained the important role of "concerned citizens" in the process. Each year, municipal records are subject to a third party audit to ensure that the business of the city was procedurally...
Former mayor leads delegation to council in support of Columbia redesign—parallel parking and all
In response to opposition to the Columbia Ave redesign with a wider sidewalk and parallel parking on the north side "feature block" between Queen and Washington, Bill Profili led a delegation to council on Monday evening to support the design. Profili said, "I'm here on behalf of a group of individuals who are very interested...
Christopher James Cusack charged in Grand Forks Hotel fire
Grand Forks resident, Christopher James Cusack, 47, has been charged with two counts of arson endangering life in connection with the fires at the Grand Forks Hotel and the Winnipeg Hotel in the early morning hours of Wednesday, March 7. Within two hours of the fires being reported, Grand Forks RCMP had Cusack in custody and...
Council scraps DCCs and plans for new connection charges
Council will soon debate a series of bylaws to revoke both the Development Cost Charge (DCC) and the regional Sewer Cost Recovery Charge (SCRC), and to replace these with a single Service Capacity Connection Charge (CCC) for water, sewer, and drainage. Council's decision to support CCCs over DCCs and SCRCs was unanimous. They...
Advanced certificate in renewable energy technology launching May 2012
Selkirk College is addressing the increased demand for new renewable energy technical and design skills, with their new Advanced Certificate In Renewable Energy Technology launching in May 2012 at the Castlegar Campus. This intensive six-week program will build on an individual’s existing education and experience, to provide...
Kootenay-Rockies Tourism presents regional "Connected Travel" program, complete with a flashy new app
Chris Dadson, president of Kootenay-Rockies Tourism (KRT), presented council with interesting tourism statistics on Monday evening, and showed off a brand new "Connected Travel" initiative for smartphones that they hope will help fulfill KRT's mandate to enhance the region's visitor economy. While the Canadian Tourism Commission...
Red Mountain academies receive $45K grant
Red Mountain Academies recently received a $45,000 grant from Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust that ensures growth of the program! The grant is specifically to spread the word to families across Canada and around the world about the high-caliber program we have here in Rossland. The Academy provides programs...
COMMENT: Open government isn't about selling access at BC Liberal “power lunches”
IntegrityBC chastised the BC Liberals today for leaving the impression that they're selling access to Margaret MacDiarmid, Minister of Labour Citizens' Services and Open Government, through her presence at a $50 a plate Liberal fundraising lunch tomorrow in Surrey. “There's something incredibly oxymoronic about the minister...
New meat inspection program planned for B.C. by 2014
The Province has completed a comprehensive review of options for provincially operated meat inspection services at Class A and B licensed abattoirs. This ensures that B.C. continues to provide the most effective, safe meat inspection system possible when the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) steps back from this role. ...
US reduces claim against alleged B.C. Softwood timber violations
Madison's Lumber Reporter has learned that the United States' claim against Canada, for alleged subsidies on British Columbia's timber stumpage rates, has been reduced from US$499 to US$303.6 million. In the American rebuttal of Canada's defense, which was filed on Dec. 23, 2011 but only made public this week, the U.S. Trade...
