Sunday, November 30, 2014

Snowfall Warning issued for North Coast Inland Sections

Update: 4:30 PM Snowfall Warning has ended for the North Coast Inland areas




The mixture of cold air and an approaching Pacific Front is combining for what might be a fairly impressive dump of snow over the next little while.

At 11 AM Environment Canada issued a Snowfall warning for Coastal Sections of the North Coast, with total amounts of up to 10 cm expected before the system moves further inland overnight.




The snow event should be a short lived thing beyond Monday, as temperatures are expected to climb through the week reaching a high of 7 above by next Saturday.

The full forecast can be found here.

With that snow, attention on the roads, particularly for those travelling inland will be required.

Some stretches of Highway 16 from Prince Rupert to points east are already listed as having slippery sections, with conditions expected to worsen as the snow arrives.

You can learn the latest conditions from the Drive BC website and twitter feed.

Blog Watching, week ending November 30, 2014



An incident that shut down a good portion of the downtown area this week was the top item of note on our review of the last seven days, as we outlined some notes on the efforts of the RCMP at the Canada  Safeway location on 2nd Avenue West.

Among the other items of note on the week, the City's release of its environmental study into issues related to Lot 444 found an interested audience, as did our review of the percolating controversy over plans to renovate the Alaska Ferry Terminal at Fairview.

Also finding interest this week were the plans to stop for now expansion plans at Ridley Terminals and how the City of Prince Rupert may find a possible solution for local housing concerns through discussions with the proponents of a large scale work camp on Wantage Road.

But by far, the story that had everyone in the city talking, was the mysterious Wednesday afternoon shut down by the RCMP of the area surrounding the Canada Safeway store, an event which lasted into the early hours of Thursday morning, that incident is where we will begin this week's review.

Downtown area blocked off by RCMP owing to ongoing police investigation; reports suggest no resolution expected until early Thursday AM  -- Our review of events from Wednesday afternoon through to Thursday morning in the downtown core (posted November 26, 2014)

That item was followed by:

City provides outline and environmental report regarding Lot 444 plans -- Our look the release of information from the City regarding their plans for the Lot 444 area across from Seal Cove (posted November 26, 2014)

AMHS Terminal project on the radar for Canadian Business Group --  The topic of the planned work on the Alaska Ferry Terminal raised some questions for Canadian industry, as the week moved on the issue became even more of a political issue as we relayed here.  (posted  November 25, 2014)

Report has Ridley Terminals putting expansion plans on hold for five years  -- The current struggles of the coal sector have resulted in a revision of the expansion plans for RTI posted November 23, 2014)

Work Camp proponents may provide partial answer to City's ongoing Housing Concerns --  As part of the lengthy discussion related to the planned Work Camp proposal for Wantage Road, Councillor Ashley observed that the proponent may be able to offer some relief when it comes to the City's Housing concerns.  (posted November 27, 2014)

You can find our Blog watching featured posted every Sunday morning by 9AM, a handy way to catch up to the week that was, at a leisurely weekend pace.

The Permanent link to the feature can be found here or above our Blog Archive section, found on the right hand side of the title page.

For those looking for updates to items as they are posted to the blog, don't forget about our email alert access.

A daily review of the latest items on the blog can be delivered to your email in box, simply by entering your email address into the information bar, items posted to the blog will be delivered to your e-mail account each day.

You can find the link to that feature on the upper, right hand side of the blog.

Our archive of weekly reviews can be found here.

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Environment Canada issues Arctic Outflow Warning for North Coast Inland areas

Weather Alerts issued for North Coast/Central Coast Inland areas

Strong outflow winds overnight are going to make for a very dramatic drop in temperature values for the Inland areas of the North Coast.

Environment Canada issued an Arctic Outflow Warning this afternoon,  advising that the strong winds combined with cold air will provide for wind chill values of near -20 overnight.

Tomorrow's high for the Terrace-Kitimat area is 11 degrees, with snow in the forecast for the remainder of the week.


Arctic Outflow warning issued Saturday Afternoon



Temperatures for Prince Rupert are a little less extreme, with overnight lows of-4 expected

The Warning comes as the Cold Arctic air is soon to meet a Pacific Front that will be arriving on Monday, providing for warmer temperatures but precipitation for the North Coast inland and coast areas.

Sunday's forecast for the North Coast calls for flurries changing to rain or wet snow, with the potential for a snowfall amount of 2 cm.

The rain arrives Monday, with the temperatures rising through the week to 7 above by Friday

You can review more on the Weather ahead from the forecast page from the Environment Canada website.

One final November road run for the Rampage

The long, tiring treks of November are about to come to an end for the Prince Rupert Rampage.

Having spent the majority of this month travelling the length of the CIHL road map, the Rampage have one more road trip to make, as they head off to Kitimat for what is a key match up with the Ice Demons tonight.

The Rampage had their struggles as they pulled into the rinks of Williams Lake, Quesnel and Smithers through the month, coming away from the lengthy time away from the Jim with an 0 and 4 record.

That's a string of losses that normally would spell a bit of doom for a teams playoff ambitions, however, while the Rampage had their struggles so too did their rivals from Kitimat.

As the Rampage head into tonight's game with the Ice Demons, they find themselves currently tied with the Kitimat squad each with three points in the standings, setting the stage for a showdown this evening to gain the advantage for the weeks ahead.

Still, that offers up the opportunity for the Rampage to make a push into December for a playoff placement in the CIHL West, with the Ice Demons the team that they will be battling for that spot against.

With a solid effort tonight in Kitimat, the Rupert side can send a message tonight that they have plans for some post season play when January rolls around.

Game time is 8 PM at the Tamitik Arena.

For more items on the Prince Rupert Rampage see our archive page here.

MLA's Week November 24-27, 2014


The final week of Legislature proceedings for the near future took place this week, with the MLA's wrapping up their Legislature work on Thursday heading into the Holiday break.

With the end of Thursday's morning session, the Legislature rose with no definitive timeline in place as to when they will next sit in the House.

It's expected that Government House Leader will provided further information on that timeline for the resumption of the Legislature sessions at some point early in 2015.

For the final week of work heading into that break, North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice made three contributions to the proceedings of the week of November 24-27 in the  Legislature Chamber.

Ms. Rice spoke on issues related to BC Ferries, the renewal of a peace treaty between the Haida and Heiltsuk Nations and provided a petition from Dodge Cover residents regarding LNG development on Digby Island.

From the six sessions of the Legislature in the House, or Committee work listed for the week of Nov 24-27, MLA Rice appeared three times during the archives of the proceedings of the week.

Speaking in the House on Monday morning, the North Coast MLA rose during Question Period to ask Transportation Minister Todd Stone a question regarding the required payment of an extra thirty dollars on cabin fares on BC Ferries, for those that require the use of a wheel chair.

As she relayed later in the week, her question and concern was reviewed by the Minster with a resolution to the situation apparently delivered.

On Tuesday, Ms. Rice outlined by way of a Member's Statement the renewal of a peace treaty between the Haida and the Heiltsuk Nations, providing some background to the Legislature on the treaty and a short overview of her attendance at the September event to bear witness to it.

Thursday morning, the North Coast MLA presented to the Legislature a petition from the residents of Dodge Cove, who expressed their concern over a proposed LNG terminal to be developed on the southern tip of Digby Island.

Our  items of review on MLA Rice and her discussion points in the Legislature can be found below:

MLA Rice wraps up busy week, by presenting Dodge Cove petition against LNG Terminal proposal to the Legislature

North Coast MLA finds success in bid to remove extra charge on BC Ferries for wheel chair users

MLA raises issues of wheel chair fees on BC Ferries

As for committee work, MLA Rice is a member of the Standing Committee on Children and Youth.

That Committee held a Monday evening meeting, as it was listed as In Camera, no details regarding the topics of discussion or attendance listings were provided  to the Legislature website.

We have more background on the North Coast MLA available from our MLA's Week archive as well as our General Archive on the Legislature.


Friday, November 28, 2014

WMU Broncos game to stream live this afternoon

North Coast hockey fans looking to check in on the progress of Prince Rupert's Frank Slubowski can take in the action of the WMU Broncos through a live stream this afternoon.

The Broncos are in Notre Dame, Indiana for the University of Notre Dame's famed Shillelagh Tournament, with the Broncos set to face off against the Buckeyes of Ohio State.

This year marks the fifth year of the highly anticipated tournament, which features the host Fighting Irish and Union College to round out the four participants over the two days of hockey action from the Notre Dame Campus.

According to the WMU Twitter feed the game will be streamed live through the Notre Dame website. Puck drop for Friday's match up is 2 PM Pacific Time.

The Bronco's have not announced the starting line up for this afternoons first game of the tournament, so it's unknown at this time, if head coach Andy Murray will give the nod to Slubowski for the start in the Ohio State match up.

You can take a look at some of the previews for today's game and the tournament below:

WMU Broncos website-- Hockey Heads to Shillelagh Tournament
Notre Dame website-- It's Shillelagh Tournament Time
Union College website-- Number 17 Union travels to Notre Dame for Shillelagh Tournament
Ohio State website-- Ohio State men's hockey set for post-holiday tournament

For more items on Prince Rupert athletes playing away from the North Coast see our archive page here.

Update:

WMU defeated Ohio State on Friday by a score of 6-2, with Lukas Hafner getting the nod in the nets over Prince Rupert's Frank Slubowski. With the win, WMU advances to the championship game of the Shillelagh Tournament

Game Number two of the tournament features WMU and Union College, with a puck drop at 2:05 PM Saturday.  

Live Streaming should be available from Notre Dame website here.

MLA Rice wraps up busy week, by presenting Dodge Cove petition against LNG terminal proposal to the Legislature



North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice has had a fairly active final week of the Fall session, tackling a number of items as the Legislature prepares to take its Christmas/New Year and beyond break.

As we outlined earlier today, Ms. Rice's efforts in the Legislature regarding what was a unfair charge from BC Ferries for those who require wheel chairs found a successful conclusion. As Transportation Minister Todd Stone confirmed for the MLA  on Thursday, that the practice of charging 30 dollars extra will be stopped.

Tuesday, the North Coast MLA rose in the Legislature to herald the renewal of the peace treaty between the Haida and Heiltsuk First Nations, providing a short history lesson for the Legislature about past events and the ongoing significance of it's renewal.

As part of her statement on the treaty Ms. Rice reviewed her participation this September, as a witness to the renewal of the treaty.

This September I was privileged to bear witness to a modern-day renewal of this peace treaty. I travelled on B.C. Ferries from Prince Rupert to Skidegate with 75 Heiltsuk who had just made the long journey north from Bella Bella. The ferry was filled with Heiltsuk of all ages, from babies to elders. Kids were out of school for this monumental event — although a few teens did tell me that they had to write papers about their experience to get out of class. The boat hummed of drumming and powerful voices. A sea of red regalia filled the passageways of the ship. 
...
Heiltsuk Hereditary Chief Harvey Humchitt invited me to walk off the ferry with the Heiltsuk when we landed in Haida Gwaii. We were greeted by singing and drumming and welcoming Haida on the shores of Skidegate. It was a sight to be seen. The B.C. Ferries crew commented that they'd never participated in anything like this before. An exchange of singing and drumming echoed across the waters as we exited the ramp off the ferry and walked onto Haida territory.

You can review her full commentary from Hansard of Wednesday afternoon, with her comments arriving at just before the 10:25 mark

The Legislature Video Archive hosts her presentation to the Legislature as well, it can be found at the 10:25 mark from the Tuesday Chamber video option

Yesterday, Ms. Rice presented a petition to the Legislature which outlined the opposition of residents of Digby Island regarding any proposed development of an LNG Terminal on the southern tip of the Island.

Shortly after 11:15 in the morning session of yesterday's proceedings, the MLA outlined the objections of those living in the Dodge Cove area.

I rise to table a petition from every member of the community of Dodge Cove living on Digby Island. The people of Dodge Cove feel that the Aurora-Nexen LNG project, which is proposed to be situated half a kilometre from their homes, will alter their lives and community irreparably.

The notice of the petition can be found in the Thursday morning Hansard review.

You can review her delivery of the petition to the Legislature from the Thursday Morning Chamber Video, it starts at the 11:16 mark

As we reviewed earlier this week, it was announced that the Aurora Project would focus on development plans for Digby Island, with the Chinese energy company CNOOC and it's Canadian subsidiary Nexen  selecting the Digby Island option for further site evaluation, choosing that location over its previous development option of Grassy Point.

You can review more details on the Digby Island proposal here.

The delivery of the petition will mark the last bit of business for the North Coast MLA in the Legislative Chamber for the foreseeable future. With the end of the Legislature sitting shortly after the noon hour on Thursday, the province's MLA's adjourned for the Christmas Holidays and perhaps much further into 2015.

No indication was given by Government House Leader Mike de Jong as to when the Legislature may sit next, with the timetable to be determined upon advice of the Government.

For more items related to developments at the Legislature see our archive page here.

Prince Rupert Fire Rescue Puts out the Help Wanted Sign

A rare opportunity for North Coast residents to join the Prince Rupert Fire/Rescue Department has just been announced, with a Help Wanted posting provided to the City's website this week.

The Job opportunity announcement provides a short overview of some of Prince Rupert's attributes for those that may wish to re-locate here, as well as a short synopsis of the nature of the work for those that become fire-fighters in the community.

As well, a fairly comprehensive listing of qualifications, requirements and expectations from applicants for the position is provided, something that should help keep the application pile from becoming too large.

The subject of the Fire Department became a discussion point at the recent Mayoralty Forum, as Mayor Mussallem observed that there were some in the community that would prefer to see the current status of the Fire Department "closed down" and  a volunteer based fire department established in the City.

Though the Mayor didn't expand very much on that particular topic through the election campaign and it never seemed to become any kind of issue by the time Mayor elect Brain had found electoral success on November 15th.

The prospect of the topic being high on the list of this Council, for the immediate future would seem quite unlikely, considering the range of other issues that they face.

As for the Fire Department, the professional force has been serving the city since 1910.

Currently the PRFD has a full time staff of 20 professional firefighters, as well as mix of  7 full time and part time dispatchers to handle emergency calls to the Fire Hall.

The job posting of this week may be the first of a number of potential openings for local residents, as many of the current members are nearing the age of retirement from the Fire/Rescue Service.

Those that are thinking of submitting an application, will want to review the full listings of qualifications for the job.

Some of those key requirements for the Full time Position include:

The need for firefighting experience

Have proven leadership skills and knowledge

Possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills. 
A working knowledge of computer skills. 

Applicants must possess a Class 5 Drivers License with Air Brake Endorsement

With Educational requirements of the completion of Grade 12 or equivalent. 

In addition, applicants should also have the  NFPA 1001 Standard for Firefighter Professional Qualifications 

As well as Level III First Responder. 

Each firefighter recruit will also be required to do the following:

Submit to a Criminal Records Check

Provide a Driver’s Abstract 

Take  a Complete Physical Evaluation

Applications for the position should include a resume and cover letter in sealed envelope, sent to the Fire Department and addressed as follows:

Dave McKenzie, Fire Chief
Fire Hall
200 - 1st Avenue West
Prince Rupert, BC
V8J 1A8

The Deadline for applications is 4 PM on December 12th.

Further Details on the career Opportunity can be found here.

Pacific NorthWest LNG offer up comments regarding Environmental Assessment Certificate for Lelu Island Terminal

With another step along the regulatory process complete, Pacific NorthWest LNG  and parent company Petronas have offered up some comments on the recent news of the granting of an Environmental Assessment Certificate by the Province of British Columbia.

A short note on the Pacific NorthWest LNG Facebook page outlines the observations from the company regarding the provincial approval notice of Tuesday.

Today, Minister Polak and Minister Coleman announced the approval of Pacific NorthWest LNG's BC Environmental Assessment application. 

We would like to thank everyone who provided their important feedback regarding our project. 

Pacific NorthWest LNG continues to consult and engage with local First Nations, stakeholders and residents as we move to successfully complete our federal environmental assessment and secure all necessary permits from all levels of government.

As we outlined on the blog yesterday, the Environmental Assessment Certificate was one of a flurry of LNG related announcements of Tuesday, with the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Project also receiving its Environmental Assessment Certificate at the same time.

That pipeline project will provide the method of transporting Natural Gas from British Columbia's Northeast Gas fields, to the Lelu Island Terminal should the project move into the development stage.

The Final Investment decision regarding the Lelu Island proposal, is anticipated to be announced in
mid December.

At that time the Malaysian Energy giant Petronas, will outline its plans moving forward, regarding the 11 billion dollar LNG project for the North Coast.

Towards that decision, a Malaysian Business publication, The Malaysian Reserve, is reporting that Petronas CEO Shamsul Azhar Abbas will travel to Vancouver this weekend for meetings in Vancouver with British Columbia government officials.

As the Malaysian paper puts it, the nature of the meeting is "to sit down together and discuss firmly so that clarity is given," adding that "We have the balance of one quarter of issues at hand. We reckon we can sit down and strike a solution"

The full article on the path ahead for Petronas can be found here.

You can review more information on the Pacific NorthWest LNG proposal from our archive page.

Alaska Marine Highway Terminal renovations find a bit of International controversy



Earlier this week, we outlined the increasing levels of percolating discontent among some of Canada's Industrial suppliers, who have been quick to outline their objections on a Buy America provision, when it comes to the upcoming renovation project for the Alaska Marine Highway Terminal at Fairview in Prince Rupert.

Since we posted our item of Tuesday, we've been watching with interest as the national media grabbed onto the story of those Buy America provisions of the Alaska Government project and how it is being received across Canada.

Some of those reviews can be found below:

Globe and Mail-- "Buy America" shuts out Canadian Iron and Steel from ferry Terminal overhaul
Vancouver Sun-- Buy America policy means Alaska ferry terminal in Prince Rupert to be built with U.S. products
Vancouver Province-- New Prince Rupert Ferry Terminal must use American iron and steel
CTV News Vancouver-- B. C. to Alaska Ferry hits "Buy America" snag in construction plans
CTV News Vancouver -- Canadian Materials not welcome
Business in Vancouver-- Buy America rules shut B. C. companies out of B . C. project
Business News Network-- Buy American shuts out Canadian Iron and Steel from B. C. Ferry Terminal overhaul (video)
Wall Street Journal-- British Columbia Port Upgrade Subject to U. S. policies
National Post-- Buy America... in Canada: Ferry terminal on B. C. coast must be built using U. S. materials

Yesterday, the issue became a bit of a political item for the B. C. Government, with both Transportation Todd Stone Minister and Premier Christy Clark weighing in on the controversy.

Vancouver Province-- Christy Clark lambasts U. S. over "Buy America' rules at Prince Rupert Ferry Terminal
CFTK-- Cullen, Clark angered over "Buy American" Policy for Construction of Ferry Dock in Prince Rupert
CKNW-- Premier Challenging "Buy American" policy for new ferry terminal in BC
CBC-- Christy Clark Slams Buy America policies at Prince Rupert Ferry Terminal
Huffington Post-- Enforcement of 'Buy America' Provisions in B. C. called ironic
Stockhouse-- U. S. Not Friendly on B. C. Ferry Terminal: Clark
Journal of Commerce-- Clark Says American not behaving as "friends" in Prince Rupert Terminal Project

As we outlined on Tuesday, we're not sure that the City of Prince Rupert will be quite as energized by the issue, as the province and national media has been over the last three days.

In fact, we imagine that the City might be watching the rhetoric with a fair bit of interest and perhaps a small amount of trepidation. Hopeful, perhaps that the growing tempest doesn't end up scuttling the project completely.

The growing controversy, could end up being something which once again may give the Alaskans cause to re-consider Prince Rupert as their southern terminus, which as long time Rupertites know, has been a discussion point that has been mentioned in previous years whenever issues between BC and Alaska flare up.

Perhaps it's a topic that the incoming Mayor may wish to to be in touch with the Premier about, highlighting some of the past history when it comes to anything to do with the Alaska Marine Highway and Prince Rupert.

Hopefully, some form of accommodation will be found on the issue before things get too heated between the province and the State, with no concerns locally when it comes to any potential disruption to one of the key transportation links between Prince Rupert and Ketchikan.

For more items related to Transportation on the North Coast see our archive page here.

North Coast MLA finds success in bid to remove extra charge on BC Ferries for wheel chair users

Earlier this week, we outlined the efforts of North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice in her bid to call attention to an unfair charge on BC Ferries, an extra fee that affected those who require the use of  a wheel chair.

On Monday, the MLA rose in the Legislature to review the current situation in place, where BC Ferries charges an extra thirty dollars for cabin space for those who use wheel chairs.

During that Monday morning session Ms. Rice called on the Transportation Minister to address the issue and eliminate the extra charges.

Wednesday, her office confirmed that the Mr. Stone had contacted Ms. Rice to advise that he was committed to remove the price difference that currently exists for those travelling on BC Ferries.

It would appear to be a follow up to his comments of Monday, stating that the goal of the government is to make British Columbia one of the most accessible jurisdictions in North America.

His confirmation  and commitment towards action for Ms. Rice on this issue, would seem to deliver a simple solution to a situation that never should have existed in the first place.

You can review her correspondence with the Transportation Minister on the issue from this link from the MLA's announcement.

For more items related to the North Coast MLA's work in the Legislature see our archive page here.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Council members make their farewells at final City Council session



The last ten minutes of Monday evening's council session provided for some emotional moments, as members of the outgoing City Council provided for their farewell thoughts as their time on Council came to an end.

With Mayor Mussallem, Councillors Ashley and Garon all leaving council after Monday evening and Councillor Carlick-Pearson shifting to new challenges with the School District Board, the final moments for the evening were filled with remembrances of the work that this Council was engaged with over the last term.

Councillor Ashley led off the comments, reviewing her time on Council over the last two terms and how much she enjoyed working with the current group.

She offered up her thanks and appreciation to those that she served with, while also making mention of the high voter turnout of the last election and how she hopes it is a sign of new engagement on civic issues to come from the community.

Her thoughts were similar to the reviews on the theme expressed through the Monday session from Councillors, Garon, Thorkelson, Cunningham and Carlick Pearson, who all outlined their thoughts on the work accomplished and sense of commitment that they brought to the Council chamber.

City Manager Robert Long made a short presentation on behalf of the City, providing plaques of recognition to the outgoing Council members in recognition of their service to the community.

The Mayor brought the evening and his time in office to a close with his own farewells, highlighting the work and efforts of the City Staff and employees, as well as his time with this Council and those that he served with through previous years.

He offered up some thoughts for the new council to come, reviewing some of the challenges that this council has faced over the years and how Council never backed away from anything that they faced.

He even provided a final thought on the topic of Watson Island, offering up a cautionary note for the incoming Council as to challenges that can arise when situations are forced upon the community through Local Government Legislation. Observing as to "what a hell hole it can be", referencing the Watson Island file and the long running nature of that issue.

He praised the work of those that work for the City, reviewing their contributions to the civic scene, calling the strength of the municipality that of the work of Council and the efforts of those that work for the City.

His final thoughts were directed to those who supported him over the years, some of whom have passed away. The Mayor recounting some of those past conversations and the guidance he had received over the years from members of the community.

You can review the farewell observations from the final session through the City's Video Archive starting at the 2 hour 21 minute mark.




For more items related to events at City Council see our archive page here.

Work Camp proponents may provide partial answer to City's ongoing Housing concerns

One of the interesting side stories to Monday's discussion on the proposed work camp for the Wantage Road area, was the way that topic at times morphed into the discussion related to the City's concerns over social and affordable housing.

The issue of housing in the community first came up during the Public Hearing phase of the evening, with one participant in that process, offering up observations on the proposed lay down area of the Wantage Road proposal and how it once was a trailer park site.

She suggested to Council that the location would make for a potential solution to the City's affordable housing concerns, with the observation that the area once again be zoned to allow for mobile homes or small housing to be placed there.

Later in the evening, Councillor Ashley brought that suggestion back to Council's attention, asking City Manager Robert Long if it that concept is one the City could consider.

Mr. Long advised that the nature of the decline of the infrastructure in that old trailer park area made that prospect an unlikely one at this time, and was one of the reasons that the original trailer park site was closed by the City.

Turning her attention to the discussions with the work camp proponents Horizon North, Councillor Ashley then asked Mr. Long if the City had had any kind of discussion on how that company, which produces modular housing, might be able to assist the city with its social and affordable housing issues.

While the topic would appear to not be much more than an in passing kind of conversation to this point.  Mr. Long advised that it was something the City might be able to address with the proponents should they go forward with their larger project for Wantage Road.

Later in the Council Session, Councillor Cunningham returned to the Housing issue, making a motion to have representatives of both BC Housing and the local social housing operator M'akola Housing appear at Council to review the current situation and answer a number of questions regarding the status of many of the units in their housing stock.

Councillors Ashley and Thorkelson also offered up some observations on the issues related to housing and local options in the community.

Council voted to adopt that motion for the meeting, though no timeline was provide as to when it would take place.

You can review some of the housing discussion from the City's Video Archive from the 2:14:00-2:19:00 mark.




A larger overview on the theme of housing can be examined from the City Council Timeline.

More background related to Housing issues in the community can be found here.

For further background on issues from Prince Rupert City Council proceedings see our Archive page here.

Councillor Cunningham seeks update on Airport renovations timeline

Councillor Barry Cunningham is looking for some answers when it comes the status of the renovation project at Prince Rupert Airport.

At Monday's council session, Mr. Cunningham made note of the seemingly stalled state of progress when it comes to the work currently underway at the Digby Island Airport.

Expressing some frustration at what appear to be delays with that project, he put forward a motion that would see the Chairman of the Airport Authority come to City council to offer up an explanation as to the current situation regarding the ongoing renovation project.

The Airport Renovation project started up in mid summer with extensive work on the runways and surrounding area of the airport.

As for the Terminal work, progress so far seemingly has been limited to the installation of large volumes of plywood blocking views to the runway area.

City Council first moved the project forward in November of 2013, when Council announced the success of its Airport Loan Approval process.

The most recent update that the City received on the project came in September of this year.

Councillor Cunningham's motion for a request to meet with the Airport Authority Chair was approved, however no date was set as to when that session would take place.

You can review Councillor Cunningham's comments from the City's Video Archive, his contribution to the discussion starts at the 2 hour 19 minute mark



For more items related to Transportation in the Northwest see our Archive page here, for more background on Prince Rupert City Council sessions see our Council Discussions feature here.

Bid to increase Salaries of Mayor and Council stalls in final session

As Prince Rupert's Council sat in final session before the newly elected members take their seats in early December, one bit of final business didn't make it much past the suggestion stage on Monday evening.

Highlighting her soon to be status as a departing member of Council, Councillor Gina Garon introduced a motion to have City Staff provide a report to amend the current bylaw, regarding pay for Councillors and the Mayor.

The report for the incoming Council would provide background and offer up for review, the possibility of increasing the salaries for Prince Rupert's Mayor and City Councillors.

As part of her proposal Councillor Garon outlined her proposal that would have seen the stipend for Councillors increase by 8,000 dollars a year, while the Mayor's position salary would be increased by 15,000 dollars per annum.

Currently City Council Salaries are listed at 13,180 dollars per year,  While the Mayor's salary is listed at 42,274 per year.

Council Members can also claim a number of expenses as part of their duties.

The most recent review of Civic Compensation was provided in June, as part of the Spring financial reviews (see item here)

Further to her motion, Councillor Garon outlined some background on her impressions of the job that Councillors have. With a focus on interactions with the public beyond the Council chambers, wrapping up her presentation with some observations as to the amount of time that Council members sacrifice for the community.

Each councillor in attendance spoke to the topic, some such as outgoing Councillor Ashley inclined to allow for the report, though suggesting that the compensation level might be a little high, while others such as Councillors Cunningham, Carlick-Pearson and Thorkelson spoke to the timing of the suggestion as being a concern.

Key to those observations, Councillor Cunningham highlighted  the fact that the City has recently reduced a number of grants and struggled to adjust budget requirements in the last year.

While Councillor Thorkelson suggested that if the new council wanted to address the issue they could, but that with the City currently involved in contract negotiations with CUPE members, the prospect of any salary proposals wasn't something to consider at this time.

Most of those that spoke to the issue seemed in agreement that the Mayor's position should offer a higher compensation package, pointing to the work load and amount of time that must be dedicated to the Mayor's position.

In the end, the motion went down to defeat, meaning that if the subject is to come up again in 2015, it will be up to those members of the incoming council to make the case and hold discussions related to an increased salary plans.

You can review the full discussion from the City's Video Archive it takes up about ten minutes starting from the 2 hour five minute mark.




For more items related to City Council Discussion see our archive page here.

Council pushes ahead with Work Camp plans for Wantage Road, despite rough reception at Public Hearing

Overview of Land under
consideration for work camp
and lay down area off Wantage Rd
A few weeks back, when City Manager Robert Long first reviewed the plan to turn the old Garbage Dump on Wantage Road into a work camp site, the project was described by city staff as something that was thinking that was a little out of the box.

Highlighting the possibility for the City to make use of land currently not developed and in return, take advantage of an opportunity to re-purpose the area in ten to twenty years for other civic uses.

During Monday's Public Hearing into the zoning aspects of that proposal, a meeting held prior to Monday's City Council session, a number of residents reviewed the City's plans.

Offering up comments and observations on the topic, and providing for a perception that suggests that for them, perhaps the idea was one that the City might want to put it back in the box.

However, while Council listened carefully to many of the concerns of the eight residents who took to the microphone on Monday, when the time came to vote on the zoning proposal later in the Council session, Prince Rupert City Council decided to move forward on the proposal anyways.

To get to that decision required the input from the public through that Public Hearing, one which featured a presentation from the City Planner, Zeno Krekic.

As part of his review, he outlined the City's view of the project, making mention that the Public Hearing was but one phase of the proposal, with much of the discussion to come on issues related to the proposal would be addressed during the Development Permit process still ahead.

Mr. Krekic's observations were followed by a presentation from the representatives of Horizon North, the proponents of the work camp project.

They offered up a snapshot of what they have in mind for the Wantage Road project, which would call for Two main housing units, designed to hold 1,250 person each, with the camp site to be used to accommodate the work force for any LNG projects that may arrive on the North Coast.

To give Council a bit of an idea as to what their camps offer, they described the facility as along the lines of a four star hotel, with fitness, recreation and food services, as well as facility management and Security.

Proposed work camp development
for Wantage Road area


Overview shot of one of Horizon North's existing
work camps sites
taken from the company website

To address concerns over camp activities, the proponents advised that the Wantage Road project would be designated as a Dry Camp, with zero tolerance for alcohol.

Council members the asked a number of questions of the camp proponents, seeking more details on the camp project itself, as well as the proposed lay down area to be located at the old Trailer Park site on Wantage road.

As part of the question and answer session, Council members made inquiries regarding such issues as noise, safety, traffic, resident containment and access to Wantage road by the public seeking recreation activities in the area.

Council members also explored what kind of employment opportunities would be made available to local residents as part of any camp site development, as well as to what kind of training local residents could expect to access should the project move forward.

Following the line of questioning from the Councillors and Mayor, the public was invited to participate in the hearing, providing their own observations and questions regarding the proposal.

The eight participants provided for a mix of those living in the Haysvale Community adjacent to the proposed camp site, as well as others in city who had concerns over the larger social issues of the camp proposal.

For many, key concerns involved the issues of noise, traffic and the proximity of a large work camp being located so close to the urban area of the city. As well participants had questions and observations when it came to the environmental impact that the development may bring, as well as access to recreation options beyond the camp site in the Mount Hays area.

Some had concerns over the potential added costs to the City in the way of Police, Fire and other services, while residents of Haysvale in particular expressed their worry over the potential effect on the property values in the immediate area.

One submission to the Public Hearing phase came from the School District. With the District's Cam McIntyre providing a number of items for review for Council related to their research on camp developments in other communities.

As well, Mr. McIntyre provided a review of some of the concerns that the School District had in relation to the camps proximity to some of the schools in the city.

Once the public hearing process came to an end, Council would then revisit the topic as part of their Consideration of Amendments to the Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw provisions.

During that portion of the discussion, all of those Council members in attendance spoke in favour of the proposal, voting to re-zone the land in question.

As part of their review of the process, many highlighting the potential opportunities to the city that developing the site may offer should the proposal move forward. Adding that many of the issues outlined by the public could be addressed as the project moves forward.

For her part, Councillor Joy Thorkelson also addressed what she described as the vilification of camp workers, reminding Council that many of those that work in camps are there to do just that work and that some of the fears outlined in during the course of the public hearing were doing a dis-service to those that work in the camps.

The final comment on the proposal came from Councillor Cunningham who observed that Council was going around in circles on the issue, with the topic of the night mainly one to re-zone the land in question.

Further issues related to the project can be examined during the development permit process which will follow in the weeks and months to come.

For a full account of the Public Hearing and subsequent Zoning discussion as part of the City Council session of Monday see our City Council Timeline here.

You can learn more about what the Horizon North Camp concept offers other communities, from the company website here.

More background on the City's proposal can be found from the Agenda package of Monday's session, the subject of the Wantage Road proposal can be found from pages 22 to 47.

You can also view both the Public Hearing and the Zoning discussion from the City's Video Archive,
the Public Hearing runs from the 9 minute mark to the one hour twenty minute mark.

While the Zoning issue is up for discussion starting at the one hour thirty one minute mark through to the two hour five minute mark.

The video player can be found below.

 


For more items related to developments at Prince Rupert City Council see our Archive page here.

City Council Timeline, Monday, November 24, 2014




Prince Rupert's outgoing Council met for one final time on Monday, with three Councillors and the Mayor making their exit from the Municipal government scene, it was at times an emotional session for some of those in attendance.

As for the work on the evening, the bulk of the two and half hour session was taken up by a Public Hearing and subsequent Zoning discussion related to the prospect of a work camp for the old garbage dump area of Wantage Road, with an additional lay down site for industrial projects to be developed in the area of the old trailer park that once was located along the side of the road.

Before Council would get to that Public Hearing session however there was a short Civic Recognition Presentation, where the Council members gathered to celebrate Community achievements.

The video review of those presentations can be found on the City's Video Archive, however there was no sound provided as part of that presentation, it runs from the  0:00--9:30 mark.

With the Certificates handed out and the handshakes complete, Council then commenced with their work on the night. With the Public Hearing the first item of the night on the Council to do list.

Background information on the Public hearing can be found in the Agenda Package for the evening, you can review the hearing from the City's Video Archive from the timeline below.

( 9:30-1:25:30 ) Public Hearing Regarding Amendments to the Quality of Life Official Community Plan and Re-zoning Amendment Bylaw -- Regarding the Wantage Road  area proposals

As part of the Hearing Process, City Planner Zeno Krekic provided a short overview of his report related to the proposed development of the two areas, one for the work camp and the other for the lay down site.

His presentation provided for a number of drawings and photos of what each proposal might look like  on the Wantage Road sites. He also outlined how the public could access the City's work thus far on the proposals, reminding residents that many of the city's major projects initiatives are available on the website under projects.

He outlined that the process ahead would be required  to go into the Development Permit Stage before any actual re-development of the area was to take place. He reviewed some of the steps that City Staff had conducted prior to the Public Hearing, including consultations with various City departments and emergency services in the area, as well as contact with provincial officials regarding the proposed use for area of land in question.

He advised that the Ministry of Environment had specified that a full environmental investigation would have to be conducted as part of the activities related to the proposal.

He  also reviewed the process of notification that the City provided to the public regarding the Public Hearing aspect of the review, as well as some details on the feedback received from the public to this point.

In closing, Mr. Krekic offered up his recommendation for the proposal in front of Council on the evening.

Following the City Planners review of the proposed developments, representatives of Horizon North, the proponents of the work camp proposal provided a short review and presentation of what they envision the project would look like.

They offered up some background on the nature of their company, which operates in Alberta and BC, providing for services and some 9,000 beds at a number of locations.

From that point, they provided their synopsis of the proposed lodging site that they would develop for the Wantage Road location. With plans to provide for Two - 1,250 person open lodges to accommodate work forces for proposed LNG plants in the community.

Describing their accommodations as along the lines of a four star hotel, with fitness, recreation and food services, as well as facility management and security.

The Camps would be considered "Dry" with zero tolerance for alcohol or illegal drugs.

Following the presentation, Council Members asked a range of questions on the proposal.

Councillor Ashley asked about their intentions regarding water requirements.  Receiving an answer that their plan is to hook up to city services, but that their sanitation requirements would be handled in house.

Councillor Thorkelson asked for an explanation as to how the Camp would be contained so residents of the lodges could not wander off into the town site. They outlined the nature of their landscaping plans and intentions to construct a fence around the camp for security purposes.

Councillor Ashley then inquired as to the hiring preferences of the company when it comes to employment opportunities that may be available.  She was advised that they had a preference to hire locally and then regionally.

Councillor Cunningham asked about training opportunities  that might be available through the proposed development. The proponents outlined their plans to provide training for those that were hired.

Councillor Cunningham then inquired as to the remediation work required for Wantage Road and how they would address traffic volumes.  They explained how they would be improving the road, but perhaps not to highway standards and that as far as traffic flow goes that would require further study.

Councillor Garon asked as to noise concerns, as well as the amount of traffic that could be generated from their proposal and how they would be transported too and from the work sites.  She was advised that a majority of those workers would probably be travelling by bus, with some possibly using private vehicles. The nature of the work would mean that for the most part its a 24 hour operation.

On the topic of noise generation from the camp site, the proponents advised that owing to the nature of the 12 hour a day work load, most would be returning to the camp site mainly to eat and sleep.

Councillor Cunningham returned to the theme of Security at the camp site and the zero tolerance designation and how they would enforce that scenario, in particular if they arrived at the camp after having been drinking in the downtown area.

They reviewed some of the industry standards for camp rules and what is expected from those that live in camp. With the basic premise being that anyone who violated the rules, most likely would lose their jobs.

Access to Mount Hays was discussed, and if the project would impact on those that use Wantage Road to access that site.  The proponents advised that they imagine some of their work on the road would improve that access.

Councillor Ashley calling attention to concerns related to traffic flow at the Civic Centre/Lester Centre area, asked if they would consider shifting the access road to the site to areas behind the Lester Centre, something the proponents advised they would be willing to investigate.

Councillor Carlick-Pearson asked as to what safeguards would be in place for Hays Creek, she was advised the they didn't see any particular issues from the camp which would affect the Creek.

Councillor Thorkelson asked about the Health and Safety issues related to the landfill site and if it may have health impacts on those that would be living at the camp.  The proponents advised that they would be conducting a geo-tech studies on the site to determine if there are any concerns related to the project's location.

She then inquired as to what kind of base they would be placing over the area as part of the site,  she was advised that they planned to put a cap over the area to be developed.

On the topic of the Lay Down area for development, Councillor Ashley asked for a short review of what they had planned for that portion of the area. She was advised that for the most part it would be used for storage of building modules before shifting them to the actual camp site.

Councillor Cunningham followed up on that, asking what use the area would have after the camp was set up and operating.  The proponents offered up that they had no knowledge as to what other uses might be made of that lay down area, once they had finished the construction phase of their camp site.

With the presentation complete, Council then turned things over to the members of the Public Gallery who had indicated that they wished to offer up their thoughts on the proposed development.

A total of eight participants, many of them from the Haysvale neighbourhood, took advantage of the opportunity to provide some commentary and outline a range of comments on the proposal.

The majority of which involved concerns over noise, issues related to camp life and the proximity of the camp to the urban area of the city and the impact on residents in those areas directly adjacent to the site.

In particular the impact that the camp may have on the Haysvale residential area was the subject of many comments, with noise and ambient light of key review, as well as property safety. In addition some of the residents of the immediate area had concerns over property values adjacent to the camp site.

Traffic concerns in the area were also among some of the concerns related to the development, particularly in the area of the Civic Centre/McBride junction with Wantage Road as well as volumes found further up McBride towards the city.

As well, environmental concerns related to the preparation and the operation of the site itself were raised, with a focus on how those changes could affect the immediate area.

Issues related to recreational uses on Wantage Road were also raised, with concerns that access may no longer be feasible if a lay down and work camp site was to be developed in that area.

Many outlined their concerns over the limited nature of notice and information available related to both projects and the short timeline that was in place when it came to an advisory regarding the Public Hearing itself.

One contributor to the public hearing made not of the prospect of the lay down area becoming an eyesore that would be greeting visitors and then turned the discussion towards community housing concerns.

Asking why the City was not using the old trailer park to address its recent concerns related to the housing shortage in the community, suggesting that using the lot in question at that location would be better suited to addressing that issue.

Among those providing a contribution to the public hearing was Cam McIntyre, representing the School District. He provided a review of some of the observations that the School District has made note of,  as part of their research on work camps.

In addition, Mr. McIntyre outlined some of the concerns that the School District has with the prospect of a work camp located close to two of the District's schools in the area.

Some of the final thoughts from the evening's participants related to public safety, with questions regarding whether the City will have to hire extra police officers, or fire department personnel, as well as extra civic workers to address any increased requirements related the camp and its impact on the community.

With the hearing complete, Council then moved on to it's Regular Business for the evening, some background on the items of the night can be found from the Regular Council Agenda for Monday.

The timeline of the Regular public council proceedings can be found in red below, tied in with the City Council video feed archived below.

Further information such as minutes and permanent placement in the video archive can be found below as they are posted to the city Website.

In Attendance November 24, 2014

Mayor Jack Mussallem-- Present  
Councillor Anna Ashley-- Present
Councillor Judy Carlick-Pearson-- Present
Councillor Barry Cunningham-- Present 
Councillor Gina Garon-- Present
Councillor Nelson Kinney-- Absent
Councillor Joy Thorkelson-- Present

Video Archive for November 24, 2014



( 1:25:30 - 1:26:00  ) The Mayor called the meeting to order returning to its regular agenda items.

Reports and Recommendations

( 1:26:00 - 1:26:30  ) Report from the Chief Electoral Office on Results of the 2014 Municipal election  -- Council received a report on the results of the November 15th Municipal election.

Councillor Carlick-Pearson took advantage of the topic to extend her thanks to the Mayor and those on Council and wished her best to the incoming council. As well she expanded on some the past conversations that Council had engage in over the last session.

Councillor Ashley commented on the strong vote turnout in the November election and congratulated the voters for their participation

( 1:27:30 -- 1:29:00  ) Report from the Corporate Administrator --  Change of the Start time for the upcoming Council session from 7 PM to 5 PM -  The City Manager outlined the reasons for the recommended change in the start time

Council moved to adopt the shift in time for the session.

( 1:29:00 -- 1:31:00 ) Report from the Economic Development Officer regarding an Intern application opportunity available to the City  -- The Corporate Administrator Rory Mandryk outlined the nature of the resolution and the opportunity that it offers, as well as what is required of the City to access the Intern program.

Councillor Ashley spoke in favour of the opportunity, calling attention to the work load currently in place for City Staff.  Councillor Garon echoed many of Councillor Ashley's comments on the theme.

Councillor Cunningham also spoke in favour of the opportunity and suggested exploring other potential internship opportunities.

Council voted to adopt the recommendation

Bylaws and Development Permits

( 1:31:00 -- 2:05:00 ) Report from the City Planner regarding the Community Life Official Community Plan Amendment Bylaw and Zoning Bylaw Amendment ( To accommodate ancillary uses for major projects Wantage Road Proposal)

With the Public Hearing completed earlier, Council members then discussed the issue further providing recommendation to move ahead with the two Amendments.

Councillor Ashley touched on many of the concerns raised in the Public Hearing and from conversations with others regarding the proposal. Suggesting that many of those issues could be addressed as the process moves forward.

She asked for some comment from Staff regarding the comments from the Public hearing regarding potential use of the old trailer park site to re-establish a mobile home site in that location.  Mr. Long advised that much of the infrastructure in that area had decayed over the years, which was one of the factors that led to the original closure of that site.

She also then suggested that the City might wish to work with the Horizon North proponents to address some of the City's housing concerns.  Mr. Long advised that it was a topic that has already been started with the company.

Councillor Ashley then suggested that the City follow through on the prospect of developing an access road to the Wantage Road camp site that would run behind the Lester Centre. The City Manager outlined some of the requirements that would be in place to address that potential opportunity.

Mr. Long then provided a review of the City's view of the proposed Wantage Road development and what factors the City has considered as part of the proposal.

Councillor Garon observed that the City is trying to do this project right and expressed confidence that the issues raised tonight would be addressed by the next council when it takes office next month.

Councillor Cunningham offered up support for the proposal and provided his observations that any issues would be worked out during the Permit stage, where the community could remain engaged in the process.

Councillor Thorkelson spoke to the issue of concerns related to traffic and parking requirements for the Wantage Road proposal, Mr. Long advised that the proponents would have to conduct a traffic study before determining any final numbers.

He did observe that the proponents would be providing improvements to Wantage Road which could be of benefit to residents seeking recreation activities related to Mount Hays.

Councillor Thorkelson also asked for clarification on the process related to the Community Plan and Zoning bylaw provisions. She also had some comments regarding the concerns of the public related to the amount of lead time that they were provided on the proposal and hearing process.

In regard to concerns over the information flow regarding the proposal and the public meeting, the Mayor outlined the steps that the City took to inform the public, stating that staff went beyond what was normally required in this case.

As well, he pointed to the limitations in the community with the local newspaper only publishing on a weekly basis.

To wrap up her questioning on the Amendments, Councillor Thorkelson suggested that the City should strive to take advantage of any potential large work force arriving and find ways to receive the most benefit from that situation should it arrive.

Councillor Thorkelson then turned the issue of some of the comments related to the workers that would be living in camp.  Suggesting that some of the commentary she heard was close to vilifying the workers and that Prince Rupert should be presenting itself as a welcoming community for those that come here to work.

Speaking on behalf of the Labour movement, she outlined how the workers are for the most part just coming here to do a job, she suggested that some of the concerns as outlined were perhaps a bit off base when it comes to the social aspects of camp life and the impacts that it could have on the community.

Adding that she welcomes the idea of camp in the city and that it should provide many benefits to the city should it be located within the city limits.

Council Ashley reviewed some of the concerns of the residents of Haysvale and how those are issues that the City should be able to address as part of the proposed project.

Councillor Cunningham reminded council members that most of the concerns would be addressed as part of the Development Permit Process.

And with that, Council voted to adopt the Amendments to re-zone the land, moving it on to the next stage of the process.

( 2:05 -- 2:05:30  ) Report from the City Manager Regarding an Application for a Development Variance Permit for a property on Atlin Avenue

Council voted to adopt the Application.

Additional Items

( 2:05:30 -- 2:14:00 ) Council Garon introduced a motion to have Staff prepare a report that  to amend the current bylaw which would see the stipend for Councillor and the Mayor be increased -- She outlined her thoughts on her belief that Council members and the Mayor require a raise in their annual pay.

Her motion was seeking a study from staff, to review the prospect of a Councillors salary being increased to a level of 18 to 20,000 dollars per year, with another proposal to raise the Mayor's salary by $15,000 per year from the current level of pay.

She outlined the amount of work that Councillors and the Mayor are required to put in as part of their workload, calling attention to some of the sacrifices to family time and the requirements of travel that they face as part of their job.

Councillor Ashley expressed some surprise at that large a jump for the council positions, though she was in favour of the Mayor's salary being increased, suggesting that in effect it had become a full time job.

Councillor Carlick-Pearson outlined her thoughts as to the timing of the salary proposal, suggesting that sometime in the future there might be an opportunity to increase the salary levels, however at this time it is not feasible owing to the city's current financial situation.

Councillor Cunningham expressed many of the same thoughts on the topic, though like many others he observed that the Mayor's salary should be increased.

Councillor Thorkelson suggested that it should be up to the next council to decide if wants to increase salary levels for Council members.

Making note of current negotiations with CUPE and how this wouldn't be the time to introduce the topic of salary increases for Council Members into the discussion.

She too offered up  some observations on ways to provide more compensation for the Mayor advising that she believes the Mayor should be a member of Regional District which would provide for added income.

With the discussion at an end, Council in a close vote chose not to proceed with the motion.

Reports Questions and Inquiries from council

( 2:14:00 -- 2:19:00   ) Councillor Cunningham asked for representatives of BC Housing and the local agent for housing in the community to attend to Council and advise as to the status of housing stocks in the community.  He is looking for both groups to provide a proper account of where the community is in regard to housing opportunities and renovation issues for existing buildings from those agencies.

Councillors Ashley and Thorkelson offered up a few more thoughts on the housing issue and what steps Council should take to address the issue.  Council then voted to extend the invitation for the meeting to take place.

( 2:19 -- 2:21) Councillor Cunningham expressed his concern over the status of renovations to the Prince Rupert Airport, asking for the minutes of the recent Airport Board meeting. Going further he asked that Council invite the Chairman of the Airport Authority to attend an upcoming Council meeting to explain the current situation and progress of the renovation project.

Council voted to extend that invitation to the Airport Authority Chair.

( 2:21:00 -- 2:26:00  ) Councillor Ashley provided some of her thoughts on her time on Council, an opening which provided for all members of Council, those that will be leaving and those that are returning with the incoming council, to offer up their reflections on their time served on Council.

( 2:26:00 -- 2:26:30 ) The City Manager then provided plaques of recognition to the outgoing members of Council, in recognition of their service to the community.

(  2:26:30 -- 2:27:30 The Mayor's Report

The Mayor delivered his final Mayor's report starting a review of his attendance at the Prince Rupert Ministerial Association, a meeting which discussed housing issues in the community.

On behalf of City Council the Mayor laid a wreath at Remembrance Day Ceremonies.

The Prince Rupert Airport Authority advised that traffic through the Airport has increased by 7.85% in the first ten months of this year, compared to totals from last year.

He attended a presentation from representatives of Smit Marine, which took place at the Port Interpretive Centre.

( 2:27:30 -- 2:32:00 ) Mayor Mussallem then offered up his parting thoughts from his ten years on City Council, thanking the staff and city employees and outlining his appreciation for the work of his fellow Council members during some challenging times.

He provided a final thought on the topic of Watson Island, offering up a cautionary note for the incoming Council as to challenges that can arise when situations are forced upon the community through Local Government Legislation. Observing as to "what a hell hole it can be", referencing the Watson Island file and the long running nature of that issue.

He called attention to level of dedication of those on Council as well as those on City staff and the City's employees who are the strength of the community. The Mayor wrapped up his farewell by thanking those that supported him in the past, some of whom have passed away in recent years.

You can access the City Council Review page for November 24 here, where a number of items regarding the council session, including links to media coverage of it can be found.

As always, consult with the official minutes from the City, when posted to the website for further review.

Minutes of the Regular Council Session from November 24, 2014 (not available as of yet)

Council next meets on December 1st.