For our Blog watching feature for year's end we offer twin themes this year on focusing on some of the key stories that reader found the most interest in as the calendar pages flipped from month to month,.
While our second theme explores those stories that generated the most interest from readers, highlighting some of items of interest that were generated out of City Council over the last year.
In the first segment of the review, 2017 delivered twelve months where much of the speculation over LNG development evaporated in rather quick succession, with a number of highly touted projects including the BG Gas proposal, Pacific NorthWest LNG and Aurora LNG projects cancelled, while the WCC LNG proponents have embraced a cautious timeline for any future development.
Not surprisingly, as all of those dominoes began to fall, our items related to LNG issues continued to generate large levels of readership, as North Coast residents tried to keep up to speed on the head spinning shift in fortunes for the once highly touted industry.
Along the way to also make news for the year, was a change at the top at the Port of Prince Rupert and the prospect of new industry in the way of Liquid Propane projects also captured the Big Story items for the year now at an end.
The List of twelve unfolds as follows:
January
With two LPG Terminals planned for Prince Rupert, rail safety is on the mind of MP Nathan Cullen
February
Statistics Canada Census results show Prince Rupert population continues to decrease
March
Shell Canada takes Prince Rupert LNG off the project inventory list
April
Petronas reportedly giving consideration for entire shift of Pacific NorthWest project to Ridley site
May
Australian LNG proponent keeps Canadian focus on Kitimat plans
June
Aurora LNG air quality the focus for presentation to Council this evening
July
A shoe drops for Petronas ... and Prince Rupert is not a good fit for Malaysia's LNG terminal plans
August
WCC LNG office staffers return to city next week
September
Departure of the architect - Port of Prince Rupert CEO and President Don Krusel to retire
October
AltaGas hails progress of construction at Ridley Terminal Export site
November
LNG, pipelines and resource development issues make for themes of Financial Post article on Northwest BC
December
With two LPG Terminals planned for Prince Rupert, rail safety is on the mind of MP Nathan Cullen
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The conclusion to our review of the year of blogging put the focus on those discussion topics that came out of Prince Rupert City Council, or reflected some of the themes that readers followed with interest over the course of the last twelve months.
The year offered up a sudden shift in attention to development for Watson Island, with the City changing its original plans to sell the property, to now serve as the landlord for the industrial site, with a first step the announcement that Pembina Pipelines is looking to the site for an LPG Terminal.
Housing issues also became a dominant theme around the Council chamber as the year came to an end, highlighted by a Tent City protest over the need for emergency shelter, which saw a facility quickly put in place on Third Avenue West.
As well, with the arrival of 2018, residents of the city will learn where the city plans to place the 44 modular homes that the province has promised for the community, with MLA Jennifer Rice advising Council in November that those units to be delivered by March.
Prospects for additional seniors housing also received a boost in 2017 with an ambitious plan from Metlakatla announced to develop an Elders/Seniors residence on the old King Edward school site.
What caught the interest of the readers through the year looked as follows:
January
Legacy Corporation Land plans turn gaze towards Watson Island
February
A not so inviting vision for tourists, or would be investors
March
City of Prince Rupert submission among many included in comment process for Aurora LNG
April
Mayor Brain offers short synopsis of Pembina plans for Watson Island
May
Metlakatla's Elders/Seniors project to be main focus for Council tonight
June
City looks to dispose of property through Legacy Corp. by way of thirty year leases
July
Expropriation plans signal significant shift in City's thinking for Watson Island future
August
City in search of new Director of Recreation and Community Services
September
Prince Rupert to send seven person delegation to UBCM next week
October
Councillor Thorkelson seeks solutions for homeless residents as wetter, colder weather approaches
November
As tents go up, Prince Rupert finds itself off the housing radar with Victoria
December
Supportive Housing proposal for 11th Avenue East moves on to consultation phase
Our archive of weekly Blog Watching for the year now ending can be found here.
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