Monday, January 31, 2011

Rampage advance in CIHL playoffs

It was two and out for Hazelton as the Prince Rupert Rampage swept their best of three playoff series 2 games to none, the final match taking place this Saturday at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre.

Rupert took game one of the series on December 22 with a 9-5 victory, game two took place this weekend with the Rampage taking the series on the strength of a 7-2 victory over the Wolverines.

Prince Rupert will now move on to the Western Division final with Kitimat.

Reviews of the semi finals can be found below.

CFTK TV 7 News-- Two Heartbreakers, Two Blowouts, as CIHL Division Semi-Finals End in Sweeps
CFTK TV 7 News-- Divisional semi finals to be decided this weekend
Terrace Standard-- Demons eliminate Kings in close one
Kitimat Northern Sentinel-- Demons advance to Western final
Kitimat Northern Sentinel-- Demons triumph in first playoff game

Sunday, January 30, 2011

NDP Leadership candidate set to arrive in the city

The first of the NDP candidates for that party's leadership will make a visit to Prince Rupert on February 1st, Mike Farnworth will be in the city for three hours to meet local party members and outline his policies should he become the party's selection to replace Carole James.

No details of his planned trip to Rupert were outlined as of yet, a strange strategy if he's to meet would be delegates for the leadership vote, though some background on his campaign can be found on his website as well as this background piece in the Northern View.

Update: February 1

The reviews of the Farnworth trip are in, with stories from CFTK TV 7 News which had this video report on his visit, as well as this item on their website.  The Northern View expanded on the Farnworth visit by outlining the stops from a variety of candidates who came to the Northwest this week.

The Terrace Standard provided this review of the Farnworth stop in Terrace.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Doctor shortage woes come to Houston

In what seems to be a cyclical occurrence in the Northwest, the problems of accessing a family doctor have now moved on to Houston.

Like Prince Rupert of a few years ago, that northwest community now finds itself facing a doctor's shortage with the closure of a local doctor's office.

The crisis in health care for Houston was reviewed in a number of items found below.

Houston Today-- Physician shortage presents big concern for district and residents
Houston Today-- Dr. Peter Morry closing his office's doors after 16 years
Houston Today-- Closing shop: hundreds left without a doctor

Ridley Expansion becoming a key aspect of the Northern Gateway

With Ridley Terminals recent announcement of a contract with an American coal company, the hoplans for expansion of the coal terminal are getting another look over.

Northeast coal companies in BC and those in Alberta's northwest have expressed their concerns over the US contract, fearful that it will make access to the Ridely terminal harder to come by, creating bottlenecks in their delivery schedules.

With all of that percolating the quest to expand services at the terminal is starting to gain momentum, some of the background on the proposed plans can be found below.

CFTK TV 7-- Cullen feels Tories Support Ridley Expansion
CFTK TV 7-- Ridley needs to Expand to Accomodate BC Coal Industry
CFTK TV 7 (video)-- Ridley Expansion
The Northern View-- Ridley Terminals chair says expansion plans a huge win for Northern BC
The Northern View-- Ridley Terminals signs multi year agreement, looking to double capacity
Tumbler Ridge News-- Accelerated expansion plan proposed for Ridley Terminals

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Green Advisory Task force seeks input on transportation in the city

The City's Green Advisory Task Force is set to conduct a pair of surveys to examine the thoughts of citizens on bus transportation in the city as well as to gauge their thoughts on the issue of cycling in the city.

The transit survey will come out in February and March, followed by a survey on cycling in March and April. The surveys will be posted on the city's website and make available in hard copy form at the Prince Rupert Library, Hecate Strait Development and Farwest Sports and Cycle.

Some background on the surveys can be found on the Northern View website

Lax Kw'alaams ferry talks in deadlock

There has been no progress in negotiations between the Lax Kw'alaams Band Council and the workers on the ferry that connects the North coast community with Prince Rupert.

Workers walked off the job On January 7th, after little to no progress on their contract negotiations was delivered, leading to an acrimonious situation between the two sides.

Union leader Ken Lippett suggests that the bid by Lax Kw'alaams Band to hire replacement workers for the crew fell on deaf ears around the community, since then negotiations have been less than intense with only sporadic phone calls between Lippett and the Band Council.

The full review of the situation can be found from the Northern View.

CFTK provided this video report on the labour dispute.

Latest results from the Port providing for much optimism

The recent numbers outlined by the Port of Prince Rupert is stoking the fires of optimism again in the region, with much attention focused on the Port as an engine of growth for the future the local media provided a number of pieces on the optimistic talk of the Port Authority.

CFTK-- Prince Rupert Port Authority's future looks bright
CFTK-- Watson Island once silent, now bustling with activity
Portworld-- Record 2010 cargo volumes for Prince Rupert port

Included in the various reviews were two video reports on CFTK which you can view here and here.

Hawkair shifts Vancouver terminal location

Travellers to Vancouver who use Hawk Air may find that by this spring the process of connections to other airlines out of Vancouver International will become a lot easier.  Sometime in the spring the Northern based airline will be relocating its terminal location from the South Terminal at YVR to the main terminal.

The move which will make for easier connections within the airport will also provide travellers with a much easier bit of access to the Vancouver Sytrain line at the airport.

CFTK had this item posted to its website on the move, as did the Northern View.

TV 7 also had this video report on the move.

Avalanche concerns close Highway 16

Prince Rupert found itself cut from all points east on Wednesday as Highway 16 was closed to traffic owing to avalanche concerns between Rainbow Summit and just past the Shames Mountain access road.

The road was closed in morning hours of Wednesday, after heavy rains in the region made the snow pack unstable raising fears of  avalanches in the region,  Ministry of Transportation officials inspected the ares of concern by helicopter and conducted pre-emptive measures to make the travel area safe.

A number of reports throughout the day highlighted the situation.

The Northern View-- Highway between Terrace and Prince Rupert open again
CFTK TV 7-- Northwest weather woes
CFTK TV 7-- Highway 16 reopened, Now Highway 37A Closed
CTTK TV 7-- Highway 16 closed between Prince Rupert and Terrace
CTTK TV 7-- Avalanche Hazard Extreme for Northwest Backcountry
Terrace Standard-- Highway to Rupert closed
Terrace Standard-- Helicopter-borne techs to probe avalanches
Terrace Standard-- Highway 16 to Rupert open again

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Tourism Prince Rupert's mandate explained

Tourism Prince Rupert's head Bruce Wishart takes to the pages of the Northern View to provide a look at the inner workings of his organizations mandate and governing rules.

Outlining some of the recent moves by the board to revamp the constitution and bylaws of the organization to prove for sound governance as it is described.

You can view his take on the recent developments here.

Prince Rupert Cruise Terminal lumped in with the herd of White Elephants

The city's tourism department most likely won't like the publicity, but a recent article from the Campbell River Mirror outlines how our city's cruise terminal is joining the ranks of the province's tourism white elephants.

A collection of docking spaces for cruise ships that seem destined to grow cobwebs as the next few years move forward.

In a column that suggests that misery loves company, Campbell River explores the growing theme of British Columbia ports getting bypassed by the West Coast cruise industry, with a particular gaze cast on the apparent rivalry between Nanaimo and Campbell River's cruise ship options, both apparently not of much interest to the cruise lines at the moment.

It all makes for interesting reading, you can find it here from the Campbell River Mirror's website.

A shout out to Prince Rupert from the pages of the Vancouver Sun

"For more than a century we have known that the Port of Prince Rupert has more laden potential and is closer to the vast markets of the Asia Pacific than other ports on the west coast of North America. The three-year old Fairview Container Port at Prince Rupert is an overwhelming success. Our break-bulk terminals there are near capacity. And Prince George is growing as a multi-modal hub with recent dramatic increases in dimensional lumber, pulp, and coal exports to China.


Fellow British Columbians, the time to make strategic investments in the Northern Pacific Gateway Corridor is now. We must move forward with the next phase of the Container Port at Prince Rupert. We must add break bulk capacity there as well."

Some of the key talking points from Tim McEwan, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Initiatives Prince George Development Corporation, who outlined his vision as to what a Premier needs to consider when it comes to Northern development in British Columbia.

The full review can be found at the Vancouver Sun.

Some household advice for Omineca Avenue residents

The flushing habits of residents in the Omenica Avenue area of the city are causing some problems for the city's sewer and pump infrastructure in the area, giving the city cause to send out a helpful reminder to residents as to what they should not flush down the drain.

The city's missive on proper flushing etiquette can be found on the Northern View website.

Gary Coons holds his choice close to the vest

While he was part of the gang of dissidents that brought an end to Carole James leadership of the NDP, Gary Coons the MLA for the North coast has remained rather quiet as the leadership campaign within the party continues on.

He outlined his thoughts on the current campaign for the Northern View.

Point Henry future of concern to region

The prospect of losing the current Coast Guard Vessel Point Henry and its potential replacement with a smaller motorboat is proving to be a contentious issue in the community.

The local MLA Gary Coons and MP Nathan Cullen have both expressed their concern over the issue,  a petition has been provided at local establishments in the city asking that the government ensure that a proper Coast Guard presence is made available in the community.

The Northern View offers up this review of the situation including the concern recently raised by Skeena Queen Charlotte regional District.

City of Prince Rupert examines fee structure for sewers and water

The prospect of a change in base sewer and water consumption for Prince Rupert residents may see a shift in the cost to residential, commercial and industrial users.

With Prince Rupert council studying a proposed bylaw to change those dynamics, the Northern View offered this breakdown of the proposed change, which will see the residential user taking on a larger burden than in the past.

Divided passions over coal

With coal exports on the rise and the call for expansion of export facilities in the province, including Prince Rupert's Ridley Terminals the battle lines between environmentalists and industrialists seems to be firming up.

The Northern View offered this review of the situation at the moment.

Highway 16 closed between Terrace and Prince Rupert due to avalanche risk

Travel between Terrace and Prince Rupert has come to a halt on Highway 16 after the Ministry of Highways closed the highway Wednesday morning due to a high avalanche risk.

The Highway was closed between Rainbow Pass and just west of Terrace due that risk.

Drive BC has the latest updates available on their website, though no further updates are anticipated until later this afternoon.

The Terrace Standard provided the first of the media reports in the region at 8 am.

Updates:

January 26-- The Northern View provided this update on Wednesday morning, while Opinion 250 in Prince George had more background posted by the afternoon. CTFK TV also had details on the avalanche situation posted to their website.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Council offers rebuke to changes to fish industry export rules

While Councillor Gordon-Payne recommended that city council shouldn't weigh in on issues that it had not fully researched, the majority of council found no cause to delay their expression of concern over recent changes to fishing industry related export changes.

The recent decision to lift conditions on the export of herring roe, could see that product exported overseas without the need of processing in local fish plants, a move which could reduce the number of jobs made available to local fish plant workers, a group that already finds it harder and harder to find the hours to qualify for EI benefits during their down time period.

At the end of council's discussion of the issue on January 24, they voted to send a letter of their concern on the issue to the Director General of Trade Controls and Technical Barriers Bureau.

CFTK had this item posted to its website on the issue, as well as this report on the story from reporter Sahar Nassimdoost.

Let's all head for the Sugar Shack

A celebration of French Canadian culture is set to take place this weekend in Prince Rupert as L’Association des Francophone et Francophiles du Nord-Ouest  of  makes plans for their Sugar Shack celebrations in the city.

The Association which recently relocated its local office to Prince Rupert has many plans for the three day festival running from Friday to Sunday, with a number of activities planned for those that wish to explore the options.

CFTK provided this video report on the festivities planned, as well as this item posted to their website.

The Northern View had this preview of the events to come.

Ridley Users not thrilled with latest announcement

Last week Ridley Terminals announced that it had secured a contract with the American coal company Arch Resources, to use port facilities at Ridley to ship product from the US to Asia.

And while it may be good business for Ridley, for the current roster of port users the arrival of volume from America is providing to be a cause of concern for the coal producers of Alberta and Northeast British Columbia who fear of bottlenecks for their product.

One company Teck Resources worries that the impact of the Arch resources contract may require Teck to rethink it's plans to reopen the Quintette coal mine.

They outlined their thoughts on the latest developments at Ridley through this article in the Tumbler Ridge News.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Revitalization of the downtown area on the mind of City Hall

Last week the City's planning Department hosted its first in a series of meetings to find ways to revitalized the City's downtown area, the sessions designed to seek input and provide for guidelines on how to move the downtown area forward from its current condition.

The first session was reviewed by the Northern View

Commercial halibut fishers counter recreational industry suggestions

The commercial fleet of halibut fishers is seeking to turn back the efforts of the recreational industry, which would see the recreational fishery given a larger share of the halibut quota.

The suggestion that the commercial industry should lose its share to the recreational fishers isn't one that is a welcome suggestion and to that end the commercial industry has started with a letter writing campaign to reinforce to DFO the importance of their livelihoods.

The Northern View provides this examination of the controversy, posted online on Friday.

Past days of the bustling waterfront

The picture was very different along the harbourside when fishing ruled the waterfront, Bruce Wishart offers another contribution to the Northern View looking back at the past history of the waterfront when it came to fisheries operations, as well as a quick synopsis of the state of the industry there today.

You can take a look back from the article here.

Local residents gather to discuss economic development with MP

Nathan Cullen hosted an economic brain-storming session earlier this month, examining what programs city residents would like to see funded to better assist the region in its economic prospects.

The Northern View offered up this recap of the discussion of the day.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

CN edges closer to strike situation

The CAW, which is representing nearly 4,000 workers for Canadian National Railway has served strike notice, putting in motion the prospect of a work stoppage by Tuesday of this week.

The January 25th strike date comes after unsuccessful negotiations between the union and the railway and with a declaration from the union that their membership is not prepared to accept any contract concessions.

CN provides the only rail service to the Port of Prince Rupert and through northern British Columbia, leaving the port and its various north coast terminals facing potential slowdowns of deliveries to the port, though the rail road says still believes a settlement is possible, but has plans in place in case the strike action moves ahead.

Opinion 250 out of Prince George had this report on the situation as of Sunday.

Update: The Vancouver Sun outlines the successful end to negotiations by Monday morning, bringing to an end the threat of a strike at Canadian National. Other updates on the resolution of the labour dispute came in from the Globe and Mail, National Post and Vancouver Province.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Port of Prince Rupert spreads its news

The Port of Prince Rupert puts the marketing department to good use with a declaration that it's the fastest growing port in the world. With a review of its 2010 numbers through the Fairview Container port and Ridley Terminals.

Offering up the prospect of better times ahead, Don Krusel the President and CEO of the Prince Rupert Port Authority said that the port continues to work with its partners to grow container volumes and advance the the phase expansion of the Fairview Container Terminal.

Details that were provided through the Prince George news portal Opinion 250


The glad tidings of the Port's current situation were relayed through the Vancouver Sun.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Haida Gwaii residents suffering from flu outbreak

The QCI Observer provides details of an increase in the numbers of residents of the Islands that are suffering from the flu or flu like symptoms this month.

Northern Health is reporting that the number of visits to local hospitals and clinic is up, particularly in the Masset area, with lab results pointing towards the H1N1 virus as the main culprit.

Local residents are urged to get a flu shot, which is still available at local clinics.

The full story can be found here.

Local Minor Hockey player finding success at next level

A former Rupertite continues to work his way up the chain of hockey.

As the Northern View outlines, the path of Devin Oakes has taken him from the PRMHA to attending school at an elite hockey academy in Kelowna and perhaps on to the next step of a Junior A position with the Kamloops Blazers.

The player was recently placed as a listed player on the Blazers roster and will travel to their training camp next August for another opportunity to make the WHL team roster.

The story of Oakes travels thus far can be found here.

Kitimat merchants found positive impact from Haisla dividend

The recent distribution of money by the Haisla Nation from it's options on the Kitimat LNG plans proved to be beneficial to Kitimat merchants, as spin off spending helped buoy the local economy.

The Kitimat  Northern Sentinal had this report on the economic bounce.

Dog attack in Thornhill

Two dogs will be destroyed after an incident in Thornhill on Tuesday.

Two bull mastifs bit a four year old child as she was playing outside of a Thornhill property on January 18th, leading  the girl to require emergency surgery from her injuries.

The Terrace Standard had this report on the incident, while TV 7 provided this report.

EI claims drop for Prince Rupert area

Statistics Canada provided results of the latest Employment Insurance survey of the north coast and their number crunching provides results of a 30 per cent reduction in the number of residents claiming EI from their November survey.

The number of claimants no longer collecting EI is down to 420 in November of 2010 compared to the 600 of 2009.

The numbers don't necessarily indicate any massive turn around in economic fortunes, as a good number of those claimants may have just exhausted their benefits and moved on to other options such as social assistance.

The Northern View outlined the number crunch review here.

Prince Rupert business owners and managers discuss local economy

Outlining some of the challenges and success stories of the local economic situation, a number of local business operators and managers  took part in a panel discussion hosted by the Chamber of Commerce.

The Northern View provided the review of their thoughts and suggestions made.

Northwest entering peak cold season

Northern Health offers up some helpful suggestions for those that are suffering from the current cold and flue season, suggesting that as we move forward in January we are moving into the peak season for illness.

TV 7 had this report on the situation so far, while the Terrace Standard reports that fewer people in the Northwest received flu shots this year.

Charles Hays II almost set to take to the harbour waters

The Port of Prince Rupert's patrol vessel Charles Hays II is ninety per cent complete and almost ready to assume its duties along the North coast.

Construction estimates have eight more weeks of construction before the completion of the patrol vessel is complete.

TV 7  had this report on the progress, as well as this video update on the vessel's construction.

Kitimat council endorses petition to seek return of Eurocan funds

The District of Kitimat is on board for a petition process to try and recoup subsidy funding that was destined for that community's Eurocan mill, but redirected elsewhere upon that mills closure last year.

TV 7 provided details on the Kitimat plans in this video report. They also offered up some background in this report.

Enbridge forum plans move forward

Public education forums on the proposed Enbridge pipeline project are in the works for both Terrace and Kitimat.

TV 7 provided two reports, one on the Terrace plans as well as this one for the Kitimat session. The call for more risk assessment was examined by the Terrace Standard which provided this report on the ongoing discussions over the Enbridge plans.

Kevin Falcon tours the Northwest

Would be Liberal leader Kevin Falcon takes his leadership campaign to the communities of the Northwest, with stops planned for Terrace, Prince Rupert and Smithers over the next 48 hours.

TV 7 offered up this preview of his tour, while the Terrace Standard provided this report on his travels to the Northwest.

Kitimat explores ferry options

A private operator is exploring the possibility of using Kitimat as Northwest base for scheduled service to such communities as Hartley Bay, Bella Bella and Klemtu.

TV 7 offered up this review of the plans as well as this video report on the proposal.

Avalanche risk high across Northwest

The recent snowfall combined with warming temperatures and rain is making for a high avalanche risk across the backcountry areas of the Northwest.

The Canadian Avalanche Centre has issued a warning of dangerous conditions in the Northwest, TV 7 provided this report on the situation at the moment.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

12,994

The latest population estimates from the Province of British Columbia offer up a hint that the population in Prince Rupert is slowly starting its rebound upwards.

The most recent estimate finds that 12, 994 British Columbians call Rupert home, a one per cent increase from the last population survey from the Province.

Opinion 250 provided this review of the population numbers for Northern BC

Other Northwest communities listed in the Opinion 250 review were Terrace at 11,931 a 2.1 per cent increase and Kitimat 9,178 a decline of .6 per cent.

The full examination of the province's population results from BC Stats can be found here, with the home page for population study found here

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Ridley Terminals adds to its customer base

The North Coast's Coal Terminal at Ridley Island has added yet another customer to its inventory as Arch Coal Inc. of St. Louis signed on for a five year export deal with Ridley to ship its coal products to Asian clients through the Port of Prince Rupert.

The deal will provide Arch Coal with throughput capacity of 2 million metric tons for 2011 and up to 2.5 million metric tons of coal for 2012 through to 2015.

You can find more of the details on the deal here.

The Northern View had this review of the deal as well, following up that item with this background piece on what the deal may mean for Northern BC.

Food bank usage increases in Terrace in January

The Terrace Churches Food Bank is finding that more single residents as well as couples are making more frequent use of their service, with 617 bags of groceries handed out to 425 families in the city last week.

That marks a 12 per cent increase in numbers for singles and couples, while families of three or more registered a small decrease from last year.

The full review on the food bank numbers can be found from the Terrace Standard here

Health Canada moves on Nathan Cullen's toxic toys bill

It's another successful day for legislation for the Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP, as Health Canada moves forward to act on recommendations from Nathan Cullen regarding toxic toys.

In May of 2006 Cullen introduced a Private Members Bill C-307 calling for a ban on toxic chemicals in children's toys and starting in June, Health Canada will ban six chemicals from a range of items designed for children.

The Terrace Standard outlines the details on the legislation.

Terrace works on heavy snowfall clearing

Terrace City workers have been spending a very busy last couple of days removing the large amount of snow that accumulated in the city over the last number of days.

The Terrace Standard provided a review of their efforts

Special Events Society storage woes are over for now

The Northern Savings Credit Union has come to the rescue of the city's Special Events Society, offering them use of the warehouse area under the Credit Union building for use of storage of the many items accumulated over the years by the Society.

The Society had been told they could no longer use the CN structure on the waterfront and had been seeking a new home for the last few months, the Northern View provides the background on the quest and the resolution of the troubles for now.

TV 7 provided further information on the situation as well as offering up this video report on the resolution to the Special Events Society problems

RCMP release calls for service numbers for Jan 10-16

The Prince Rupert detachment of the RCMP responded to 163 calls for service for the week on January 10-16,  with a wide range of requests and the odd crime stumbled upon during the course of a foot patrol.

Among the highlighted crimes of the week a drug deal in a local bar, a suspicious male checking out door handles along Pilsbury and the usual assortment of incidents where alcohol and socializing didn't mix very well.

The weekly crime report was provided by the detachment to the Northern View.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Dan Veniez stirs the pot on Ridley Terminals

He's back, Dan Veniez the one time Industrial baron for Prince Rupert, has taken to offering political commentary over the last few years, seeking forum after forum to offer up his thoughts on the issues of concern to him.

From op ed pieces for the Vancouver Sun, to appearances on the Bill Good radio program on CKNW and now it seems as a contributor to a Vancouver on line project called the Vancouver Observer.

Something that seemingly is helping him pass the time until the next federal election and an anticipated run for office in the Lower Mainland for the Liberals.

Mr. Veniez took to the internet portal this week with a review of his opposition to the planned privatization of Ridley Terminals, his one time employer.

You can read up on his concerns and his interpretation of what's going on with the North coast's industrial sector here, though local observers of Mr. Veniez will find much familiar in the bombastic nature of his commentary it's perhaps a new sound for the readers of the VO.

A check of his history of commentary for the online review finds a rather heavy fascination with the government of Stephen Harper, check the listings here and you start to see the making of his potential platform for whenever the next election comes around.

Nathan Cullen takes a pass on the NDP leadership

Nathan Cullen, the NDP MP for Skeena- Bulkley Valley has decided to stay with federal politics, announcing today through his website, that he will not be seeking the leadership of the provincial NDP.

There had been a swirl of interest in the last few weeks as British Columbians made approaches to Cullen to try and bring together the fractured forces of the NDP, but in the end Cullen it seems decided that federal politics are where his future is to be.

The Terrace Standard had this review of events from his press release

Prince Rupert Rampage clinch first place in CIHL West division

It's proving to be a pretty remarkable season for the Prince Rupert Rampage, the CIHL team which will host the Coy Cup in March clinched first place in the CIHL West Division over the weekend.

The final games of the regular season provided Rupert's teams with four points as they defeated the Houston Luckies 5-3 and 4-3 in a weekend doubleheader, The Northern View provides some background on the weekend action.

The Rampage now move on to the CIHL playoffs, with a road game in Hazelton next weekend.

Avalanche closes major Northern BC highway

Travellers heading inland who many want to travel north of Prince George are going to have to take a very long detour, an avalanche has closed Highway 97 North, the slide of snow took place about 71 kilometres north of the junction of Highway 97 and 39 to Mackenzie.

Opinion 250 had details on the incident and the advisory that it will be at least until Wednesday before the road reopens.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Weather woes continue for Northwest

A Pacific frontal system crossing into Northwestern British Columbia is wreaking a bit of havoc on the transportation plans of travellers in Northern BC.

Drive BC issued travel advisories for most of Highway 16 from Prince Rupert through to Prince George on Sunday as snow, freezing rain and an avalanche posed problems for those wishing to transit the Northwest corridor today.

Opinion 250 had details on the avalanche situation about 56 kilometres west of Terrace, which has reduced travel on Highway 16 to one lane.

The weather system extended into the Prince George region where that city battled heavy snow and poor travel conditions, with delays and cancellations noted at that city's airport, airline transportation in the Terrace are also has proved challenging this weekend as well.

Ketchikan airport access project moves forward

The much discussed, debated, flayed and championed Gravina Access Project gets another look, this time as preparations for an Environmental Impact statement are in motion.

Instructive for those in Prince Rupert, which like Ketchikan have transportation challenges between townsite and airport, KRBD provides a fairly informative background piece on the past, present and possible future of the Ketchikan plans.

Strike mandate provided to negotiators in railway dispute

There could be some labour troubles on the horizon for both CN and CP rail in the weeks to come, as negotiations continue for both railways with strike mandates provided to union bargaining committees.

For the North coast, the CN dispute will be of interest, as any work stoppage could have an impact on operations at the various terminals of the Port of Prince Rupert.

The Prince George website Opinion 250 provided this update on the labour negotiations.

Liberal leadership candidates tour the Northwest

It was a busy week for political observers as a number of leadership candidates for the Liberal party of British Columbia descend on the region.

Among the candidates to take the Northwest tour were Christy Clark, who had her itinerary outlined by this video report by TV 7 , as well as this review on their website, and the Terrace Standard. The Northern View had this update on Ms. Clark's stop in Prince Rupert.

Moira Stilwell also stopped into the region, offering the prospect of increased funding for colleges, TV 7 provided this review of her stop in Terrace, while the Terrace Standard expanded on her funding plans for Northwest community college.

Fire tragedy in Terrace

An early morning fire in Terrace on January 15th has claimed two lives in the community, Terrace Fire officials are continuing their investigation into the fire at the Kalum Gardens townhouse complex on Scott Avenue.

Two units were destroyed in the fire, the alarm was called in shortly after 8 am, strong winds and cold temperatures made battling the fire problematic for the Terrace Fire Department.

The Terrace Standard provided this report on the tragic fire.

It was the second fire the last week in the Terrace/Thornhill area, TV7 had this report on a Thornhill fire that did not result in loss of life earlier in the week.

Winter weather whips across Northwest

Snow accumulations in Prince Rupert, treacherous driving conditions and extremely cold weather inland made up much of the weather picture for the Northwest this past week, TV 7 offered a recap of the weather woes.

The Terrace Standard provided a list of the weather related troubles of the last few days, here ,  here and here, while the Kitimat Northern Sentinel relayed details of concerns over snow removal in that community.

Wrapping up the weather woes report, Opinion 250 had this report on a weather related collision between a truck and a Greyhound bus on Highway 16 near the Hazeltons.

Turn off to Industrial park of concern to city councillor

In the wake of a number of vehicle incidents on the entrance to the Prince Rupert Industrial park, Councillor Kathy Bedard has raised safety concerns over the road that leads towards a log sort area in the region.

Her questions over safety and conditions were expanded on in the Northern View.

The list of litigants grows for the City of Prince Rupert

We can add the Kitkatla First Nation to the court register, the latest group to file a claim against the City of Prince Rupert over the proposed sale of the Watson Island industrial site.

Kitkatla officials are filing their claim, expressing their concerns that the City of Prince Rupert failed to properly consult them or sufficiently accommodated them, the Statement of Claim seeks to ask the courts to stop the City from selling or redeveloping any portion of the lands in question, asserting Aboriginal title and rights to the site.

The move to the courts is just the latest in legal troubles for the city over the site, with the City still working through the legal process with Sun Wave, the former owners of the industrial site.

The Kitkatla claim is examined in the Northern View

Port Edward moves forward in bid to keep community school open

Port Edward has shown School District 52 that it intends to explore all options in a bid to keep a school open in the community, revealing its plan for a new school for the District.

At the January council meeting for the District the first steps were taken towards building a school attached to the community hall in the District, a move that local residents hope will ensure that education options will be offered in their community rather than have their school aged children sent to Prince Rupert.

The Northern View offers up the background on their plans

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Break and enter problems continue on in Prince Rupert

The RCMP has started the new year much the way they finished off the last one, advising city residents to be vigilant around their property and to ensure that their homes and automobiles are locked, that as another string of break and enters are reported around the city.

CFTK had the details on the latest developments.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

And another theory on what is affecting the salmon stocks

The Victoria Times Colonist provides the review of a Postmedia story on the latest of theories on what is affecting the health of the salmon of the Pacific coast, adding the prospect of a mysterious virus as the villain.

Read the full article here.

Quick decision urged on Northern Transmission Line project

Local government officials in the Northwest are urging the provincial government to work quickly to approve the Northern Transmission Line.

CFTK TV had this report and this video report on the story, while the Terrace Standard provided this review.

Mr. Cullen on the provincial leadership

With the calls continuing to come in for Nathan Cullen to join the provincial NDP leadership race, the MP for Skeena-Bulkley Vally offers up his thoughts  to TV 7 on the prospect of his entry into the race, not completely ruling it out.

The Terrace Standard also had some background on the push to bring Mr. Cullen into the race, while the QCI Observer offered up the viewpoint from Haida Gwaii.

A year of change for School District 52

A reorganization of the entire district is how Superintendent Lynn Hauptman describes the year to come for School District 52, she outlines her thoughts on what's ahead in this article in the Northern View.

Guilty plea entered in murder trial

A Prince Rupert man entered a guilty plea Monday to the charge of second degree murder, regarding the  killing of his father.

The case which dates back to August 2009 also included a charge of attempted murder in the stabbing of a second man, a charge which Edward Paul Dundas also entered a guilty plea for.

CFTK TV 7 had this report  as well as a video report on the trial, as did the Northern View.

Coast Guard search ends unsuccessfully

The search for a missing crew member of an Alaskan bound fish processing boat was called off on Wednesday, after Coast Guard officials could find no trace of the man who went overboard on Tuesday in waters south of Prince Rupert.

It was estimated that the man was in the water for at least eighteen hours, which considering the temperature of the waters of the North coast was far beyond the cold water survival guidelines.

The Northern View was among a number of media outlets with details of the search and eventual decision to call it to an end.

CBC- Man overboard in Pacific off B. C.
Vancouver Province -- Crews call off search for missing fisherman off Prince Rupert
Vancouver Sun-- Man missing after falling overboard from fish processing ship south of Prince Rupert
CFTK TV 7-- Search for missing sailor called off

Terrace RCMP seek man for alleged sexual assault

The Terrace RCMP seek help from the public in their search for a  man wanted in connection to an alleged sexual assault in that city last August.

CFTK TV 7 offered up details of their search., while the Terrace Standard had this story on the RCMP request.

And the winners are!

Two Northwest companies with roots in the Prince Rupert area were singled out for achievement this week.

CityWest and Coast Tsimshian Resources were given awards at a Business and Technology Awards night in Prince George, CityWest for Technology provider of the year, while Coast Tsimshian Resources was named  the Aboriginal Business Award winner.

The Terrace Standard was the first to provide the details of the awards night in Prince George.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

CHTK to shift to FM dial, shutting out competing bid for frequency.

CHTK will soon migrate to the FM band, leaving behind its AM radio roots and in the process shutting out some radio competition in the city.

The CRTC approved the Astral Media frequency flip request today, a decision that would seem to effectively bring to an end a competing bid by Barry Wall to launch another radio station in the city.

In a story posted to the Wire Report website, Astral's application includes the continuation of 50 hours of local programming, though local listeners may wonder what Astral considers to be "local".

It would seem that a good portion of the actual local programming of that 50 hours, certainly doesn't appear to be live and perhaps may not even be completely based in Prince Rupert.

The Northern View was the first of the local media outlets to report on the CRTC decision.

Broadcaster magazine had further information on the CRTC's ruling, while TV 7 provided the Astral Media corporate point of view with this story.

The Northern View followed up its original story on the radio station licence decision with this article featuring the thoughts of the unsuccessful applicant.

Northwest Community College announces a new President

To use a sports metaphor, Northwest Community College has picked up the player to be named later,

As former college President Stephanie Forsyth settles in to her new position at Red River College in Winnipeg, a Manitoban is coming west to take her place at NWCC.

On Monday, the college announced that Dr. Denise Henning is set to take up the duties as President of the college, relocating from her current position as President of the University College of the North.

CFTK had full details on the announcement.

Update January 19-- The Kitimat Sentinel two reports on the announcement, offering details from Northwest Community college and  providing this report on the recent hiring, reviewing the background of Dr. Henning's last position in Manitoba.  

Positive numbers from Fairview and Ridley Terminals

Shipments from both the city's container port and coal terminal are up as the Prince Rupert Port Authority released details on throughput in 2010.

The container port while suffering a slowdown in December numbers from last year, overall had a 29.5 per cent increase in shipments through Fairview Terminals, while Ridley Terminals double the tonnage handled in the last year, with a 99.5 per cent increase in numbers from 2009.

The Northern View had some background on the numbers from 2010 here,

Crime stats released by Prince Rupert RCMP

For the most part, crime statistics for the City of Prince Rupert show very little change from those reporters over the last few years.

While there were slight increases and decreases in particular types of crime, for the most part property type of crimes break ins and such were up slightly in the last year, while drug offence investigations were down in the last 365 days.

The traffic department saw a significant decrease in the amount of tickets issued in 2010, while impaired charges were also in decline.

Overall, the RCMP responded to 10,362 calls for assistance, which is almost the same number as 2009 when they logged 10,377 calls for help.

The Northern View had some details on the snapshot of crime from 2010.

City offers support to Job Fair set for March

The City of Prince Rupert is offering its support to organizers of a job fair planned for March 4th at the Prince Rupert Civic Centre.

The event which brings job seekers and employers together has been a popular project in the past, 2009 the last year that the Job Fair took place saw over 600 participants take in the information of 35 exhibitors.

The CFTK TV 7 had some early details on this years event.

City of Prince Rupert awards phase two of Hays Creek Sewer project

The City of Prince Rupert opened the bid envelopes and found that Adventure Paving offered the best financial picture for phase two of the City's Hays Creek Sewer project.

On Monday, the City awarded the contract worth almost 2 million dollars to Adventure Paving, which provided the better of two bids over Broadwater Industries which has been working on phase one along the Hays Creek waterway.

Council outlined that extra costs on the nearly 4 million dollar project have resulted in a budget shortfall of over 349,000 dollars.

CFTK had this report on the contract awarded Monday.

TV 7 looks back at 2010

The region's television station CFTK provided the obligatory year in review, with three video presentations that highlighted the events of 2010 for the Northwest.


January-April
May-August
September-December

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Rupertites may vote in referendum this fall

With some large scale projects required for local infra structure, Mayor Jack Mussallem floats the idea of a municipal referendum in the fall election cycle for local residents.

When voters go to the polls this November, they may be asked to approve funding for the construction of a new combined emergency services building for the city's fire, police and ambulance services.

The full review of the Mayor's thoughts can be found at the Northern View's website.

Rampage hold onto first place after Kitimat win

The CIHL season resumed after the holiday break this weekend, with  the Prince Rupert Rampage travelling on to Kitimat and bringing back a win from the Aluminum City, with a 6-3 final.

The Northern View provided the details of the Saturday night game, while further details on the weekend of action in the CIHL can be found at the league's website.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Ketchikan council examines a number of issues

The Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly votes to move forward with plans of development on Gravina Island, reviews plans for a skateboard park, as well as approving plans for a trade mission to Prince Rupert later this year.

KRBD provided this report on their deliberations of this week.

Southeast Alaska issues and priorities examined at Ketchikan Chamber

Senator Bert Stedman,  the Republican senator for Sitka, spoke to the Ketchikan Chamber of Commerce this week, outlining what he believes are the main issues facing southeast Alaska.

Among his topics in his address were the development of affordable energy and expansion of the Alaska Marine Highway fleet.

KRBD Ketchikan had this report on his speech.

Lax Kw'alaams ferry workers go on strike

The marine connection between Prince Rupert and Lax Kw'alaams will remain tied up at it's Sourdough bay dock on the east side of Prince Rupert, that after the workers on the ferry voted to go on strike over the status of labour negotiations with officials in Lax Kw'alaams.

CFTK had the details on the dispute.

Port Clements residents review the candidates

With a by election on the horizon for January 15th, Port Clements residents listened to four candidates for the a seat on the village council.

The QCI Observer outlines the platforms and issues leading up to election day.

Impaired driving arrests decline in Terrace area

The 2010 Christmas season provided for less charges for impaired driving, as the North West District Traffic Services unit reported a significant drop in the numbers in the Terrace area patrol district.

See details from the Terrace Standard here.

Northwest drug investigation ends with with prison sentence

An investigation that started in March of 2010 came to a conclusion this week as a Terrace resident was sentenced to four years in jail, less time served, for his involvement in what was described as a complex drug investigation.

The Terrace Standard provided some of the background on the investigation and criminal case.

Mike de Jong's Northwest tour

Hopeful Liberal leadership candidate Mike de Jong continued his tour of northwest communities this week, outlining his vision of the future of the province and what he would bring to the BC Liberal leadership campaign.

His trip was reviewed on CFTK, while the Terrace Standard had this report on his tour.

Gary Coons relays his thoughts on the NDP leadership race

Gary Coons, the MLA for the North Coast and one of the members of the dissident thirteen that brought down the NDP leadership of Carole James offers a few thoughts on the leadership campaign that he and his fellow rebels brought forward.

While suggesting he's not inclined to run for the leadership himself, he is watching with interest as to who does throw their hat in the ring, you can catch up with his ruminations on the campaigns here.

Social Housing development almost complete

Ten new B. C. Housing unites, should be ready for occupancy in March. The housing development taking place along a block on Kootenay Avenue will be used primarily by low income seniors and people with disabilities.

The Northern View updates the progress of the project.

Resolving to keep your resolutions

CFTK stops in with local Chiropractor Dr. Leslie Roberts to learn some hints on how best to keep those New year's resolutions valid past the first few weeks of January. The keys to your success can be found here.

CFTK also provided this video report on the annual quest to keep your resolutions.

Real Estate numbers show sales up, value down

The final numbers of 2010 are in for Prince Rupert real estate and while the number of properties sold is edging upwards, the value of those sales tended to trend lower in the last year, the Northern View offered this review of the year in real estate on the North coast.

CFTK turned to local realtor Keith Lambourne to offer up his interpretations of the results of 2010.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Some Bulkley Valley residents on flood alert

Residents of the Ebenezer Flats area near Smithers remain on a flood alert, due to an ice jam on the Bulkley River, CFTK outlined the latest details on the alert.

Terrace car crash sends one to hospital

A motor vehicle accident 30 km east of Terrace sent a 64 year old woman to hospital after her vehicle went out of control and crossed the eastbound lane of Highway 16, colliding with a Kenworth tractor pulling two flat beds.

As a result of the accident, Highway 16 was closed for a few hours, full details of the incident can be found here from the Terrace Standard.

Terrace Police launch criminal investigation into Terrace teen death

RCMP in Terrace are investigating the circumstances of the death of a 15 year old boy at a Thornhill birthday party in the early hours of Monday morning.

The boy suffered trauma to his chest and stomach region and succumbed to his injuries at Mills Memorial Hospital after arriving for treatment at the hospital.

CFTK had this report on the incident, while the Terrace Standard offered this story on the young man's passing, which was updated to reflect that it had become a criminal investigation.

Other reports and updates on the tragic death can be found below.

Terrace Standard-- Friends, family remember teen at tearful memorial
Terrace Standard-- Dead teen's mom to speak at memorial
CFTK-- Hundreds attend public memorial for Brad Levesque
CFTK-- Grandmother of Terrace teen hopes lessons can be learned from his death
CFTK-- Police hope autopsy sheds light on Terrace teen's death
CFTK-- Teen death (video report)

Mixed results for business operators in Prince Rupert in 2010

The Northern View checked in with a number of local business operators to see how they fared in 2010,  it was a stay the economic course for most, with some finding a bit more success and others finding a few more difficulties with the last year.

The full review can be examined here.

Prince Rupert set to host First Nation's business leaders

Prince Rupert will play host to the 2011 National Aboriginal Business Opportunities Conference from April 12 to April 14.

Where participants will take part in three days of workshops, networking and presentations bringing some 250 delegates to the city.

The Northern View outlined some of the details of the April event.

Prince Rupert companies among contenders at Prince George Industry awards show

Industrial and technology companies of Northern British Columbia will be honoured on January 12th at the Prince George Civic Centre.

Prince Rupert nominees are among those from across the Northern portion of the province, nominations were received in 12 categories, with over 60 nominees listed by the time the nomination period closed on December 30th.

The Prince George Citizen provided this preview of the upcoming show.

Looking ahead to 2011, the local leaders opine

With a new year upon us, local leaders of the Northwest offered up their prognostications and evaluations of what is ahead in 2011.

See full story from the Northern View here

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Weather causing travel difficulties across Northwest

Winds hold the Northern Adventure in port and rain combined with compact snow makes for difficult driving further inland towards Terrace, CFTK outlines the travel troubles for Tuesday.

Property assessments on their way

Prince Rupert residents will see much of the same or a slight increase in the valuations of their properties this year as BC Assessment begins to mail out their assessments for this year, see article from Northern View here.

The Terrace Standard provided this review of the Terrace situation, which saw assessments in that area increase compared to last year.

CFTK provided this review of the assessments to be delivered, as well as two video reports on real estate trends of the Northwest, see here and a look at Prince Rupert's real estate market here

Dueling ambitions for the Kitsault area

The Globe and Mail explores the proposal for a molybdenum mine development in the Kitsault area north of Prince Rupert, an area that one businessman has visions of developing as an eco-tourism site, read the article here.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Coal car derailment affects shipments to Prince Rupert

CN"s main line across BC to the Northern Gateway was at a standstill on Monday, after 33 cars of a westbound train derailed just south of McBride.

Canadian Business online had these details on the derailment which is affecting shipments to the Port of Prince Rupert, while the Vancouver Sun offered up this report.

Update January 5-- CN reopens the main line Tuesday morning, the Interior news provided the details.

Salvation Army totals in for Prince Rupert

The Christmas fundraising numbers for the Salvation Army in Prince Rupert once again show the generous nature of Rupertites.

Details on their success can be found from the Northern View  here and here, while CFTK  had this video report.

The art of the Northwest is reviewed

An interesting look at the art of the Northwest can be found from this site, as Nicoletta Maestri's guide to Northwest art is reviewed.

See the review here and the link to Ms. Maestri's work here.

New Year's Baby arrives in Prince Rupert

The stork race in Prince Rupert was a short one, as Stephanie and Colin Watkins welcomed a son to and potential addition to the tax rolls at 12:17 on New Years Day, the Northern View had the details.


CFTK offered the Northwest update of local hospitals as New Year's babies arrived in Smithers and Terrace as well as Prince Rupert on the first day of the year.

Prince Rupert Digest: School District 52

Our archive items about developments at School District 52.

Prince Rupert Digest: Port of Prince Rupert Fairview Terminal

Items from the archive that feature developments at the Fairview Container Terminal.

Prince Rupert Digest: Northern Health

Items from the archives on developments with Northern Health in Prince Rupert.

January 3-- New Year's baby arrives in Prince Rupert

Prince Rupert Digest: City Hall

An archive of items pertaining to City Hall developments.

Prince Rupert digest

Our archive of items about Prince Rupert listed according sector, easily accessible items of interest.


City Hall items
Economic Development
Port of Prince Rupert Fairview Terminal
Port of Prince Rupert Ridley Island
School District 52
Prince Rupert Crime
Northern Health
MLA Gary Coons
MP Nathan Cullen

Welcome!

To those that have stumbled across our portal welcome, we hope to use this space as an archive of items of note to those who live, once lived or are just interested in the  events of Prince Rupert and the North coast of British Columbia.

There will be little in the way of opinion or editorial commentary in this space, instead think of it as a rolling history project, tracking the developments of note for the region, whether from a local perspective, or from further afield, both national and international.

Most posts will be short, with a little preamble to the information to come and a link to the original resource material.

Our hope is that it will prove to be a handy reference point for information on the North Coast, a spot where with a glance you might have an understanding as to what is happening in the region.

As we develop the North Coast Review, we'll offer up links to different aspects of the region, from a variety of reference materials whether it  be media information sources, or civic and regional offices which provide information for both residents and visitors.

Whether you're stopping by for a few seconds or taking a longer look at what's going on along the North Coast, we welcome you aboard.