Work continues on a water main break along McBride Street
Construction season in Prince Rupert is making the prospect of taking to the roads somewhat of a challenge these days, whether it be the near off road experience of the various areas being prepared for paving, or the latest work by the City's Public works crews on the city's aging infrastructure.
Work began yesterday on a water main issue on McBride Street at Seventh Avenue East, with what is shaping up to be a significant excavation process required to access the break in the water line.
City Work crews have had to reduce the travel lanes on McBride to address the issue and with that comes the need for motorists to reduce their speed and obey the instructions of the flag personnel that are directing traffic from both ends of the construction site.
The City outlined the nature of the work required with both a notice on the city website and through their social media options and the city's mobile app.
The local home for Crimestoppers on the North coast is setting the stage for some expanded content to their information flow in Prince Rupert .
The local organization offered up a little sneak preview through their Facebook page on Wednesday with a short message to update those that follow their page that some changes are on the way, including a new feature to be known as WANTED in Prince Rupert, as well as a new way to report crime in the community through a mobile app, along with other initiatives that they are quite ready to share details on at the moment.
If the group is looking for suggestions as to how to expand their content, one idea that they might want to pick up on, is how the Terrace Detachment keeps its residents informed on the range of case files that their members take on during the course of a day.
The Terrace detachment has had a long running listing available on their website which provides for updates for the public with a Detachment Service Report (see here) which provides some background on recent calls for service, offering up a glimpse of some of the work that their members face on a daily basis.
Offering a similar listing for Prince Rupert may give North Coast residents a better understanding of the nature of the average day for policing in this community.
No timeline was provided yesterday as to when they hope to roll our their new features.
Lax Kw'alaams Mayor John Helin at last weekend's Cross Country Check up broadcast which came from Prince Rupert
While the theme of Sunday's Cross Country Check up program was that of First Nations resource development, the show also delivered an increased profile for John Helin, the Mayor of Lax Kw'alaams, one hour north of Prince Rupert.
Mr Helin, became the go to guy for many of the elements of host Duncan McCue's two hour review of the topic, and for those who live outside of the First Nations community that is found north of Tuck Inlet, Sunday's conversations with the CBC host may have made for the first real review of what direction he plans to take his community towards in the years to come.
His opening remarks for the program provided a fairly concise overview of how he views the prospect of economic development for his community and what those that are approaching the Band Council should keep in mind as they look towards joint projects with the Band.
"It's important to come into the community and understand who we are, we have one of the biggest communities in BC as far as band members on our list, over 3800 and most of them live in Prince Rupert so it's important to understand who you have to deal with and let us do our job so that we can go to our membership and get that information to them so they can understand what is being proposed. And to keep in mind that environment is always at the top of the list for any proposed development in our traditional community"
When it comes to media appearances, Mr. Helin's exposure on the North Coast has been somewhat limited, so it was with interest to listen in to the Sunday broadcast of the long running the national call in show, as the Mayor reviewed a range of economic, social and governance issues that make for conversation for the Lax Kw'alaams Band membership.
The theme of the oil moratorium claimed some of the spotlight, with the Lax Kw'alaams one of a number of First Nations in Northern British Columbia that have outlined some concern over what they have called a lack of consultation as that moratorium bill worked its way through the House of Commons and now into the Senate.
That lack of consultation led to the Lax Kw'alaams Band to take the issue to court earlier this year, with the court document highlighting the difference between the relatively easy access to North coast ports, compared to the more congested options of the Lower mainland.
Still, while the Sunday program highlighted some of those issues, there was little to be heard related to a proposed oil pipeline proposed by Eagle Spirit Energy, which has previously expressed an interest in developing an export terminal near Lax Kw'alaams.
The Band's court efforts have been criticized by many who want to ensure that the oil tanker moratorium is put in place with few delays, while any plans for an oil pipeline project or LNG development will probably make for some lightning rods as they further evolve.
During his stay on the North Coast the CBC's Duncan McCue found a range of interesting resource related areas to review many of them initiatives from Lax Kw'alaams, putting the focus on them here.
Among some of the areas explored was the work of the Lax Kw'alaams when it comes to the Northwest Forest industry, with the Band having purchased the old Skeena Cellulose timber rights in the region, with the Industrial Park's Tidal Coast Terminals the main shipment point for logs for export.
That has made for a controversial topic for many in the province over the years, but the work in the woods is providing for jobs both for members of the band and residents in Prince Rupert working at the terminal and servicing the ships that arrive.
The fishery also remains an important aspect of the Lax Kw'alaams economy as well, with the fish plant in the community serving as one of the economic drivers for the Band since it reopened back in 2012.
Mayor Helin however, also outlined some of the serious issues facing the fishery and how the Band Council needs to ensure that all options for development and employment are explored.
"In my community I have the biggest gill net salmon fleet on the coast, 70 plus gill netters that can't make a living anymore because of a lack of fish, or regulations imposed on us by the Federal government. So we have to draw a line in the sand somewhere saying enough is enough, don't impose stuff on us and talk about reconciliation and self-determination all these nice words and cutting off something that would be very helpful for us going forward"
LNG also has started to edge back into the conversation as well, with Mr. Helin acknowledging that it is still a controversial topic for his membership, but adding that should a proposal come forward for the community he would take it to the membership, providing that concerns for the environment are part of the discussion.
However, not everyone is on board with some of the plans that the Lax Kw'alaams are putting forward, as was apparent during the CBC program and a topic that the Mayor also addressed.
"You know we have this romanticized view about how we all got along in the past ... it's just not true. I was elected into my position to represent my people the best I can and that's what I'm doing. And I don't want my dirty laundry in the public, we've all got our problems in our communities, whether its hereditary, elected and dragged into court cases is the last place I want to be. So how do we move forward, when we have those battles within our own communities and people purporting to be somebody they are not and it's real, we have NGO's that come into this atmosphere and divide us and they're good at it ... So I don't go into Haida Gwaii and tell them how to do the business in Haida Gwaii and I don't expect somebody to tell me how to do it in my traditional territory, so it's getting the right information out to your people"
An additional issue is the nature of how the community is consulted and kept up to date on the progress of large scale projects. And on that theme the Band officials will have to watchful that they do provide for the level of consultation that their members wish to see, particularly when it comes to the prospect of an increased industrial footprint in their community.
Mr. Helin addressed some of those notes, recounting some of the recent debate over the prospect of LNG development on the North Coast.
"I want to respond to some of the comments that were made. A little bit of history about me and my band, I was elected into my position in the middle of the controversy for the LNG project that was proposed up here, and it wasn't easy for me to be put into that position. You talk about people saying No to it, it was in a meeting like this, where people didn't have the information before the meeting and the controversy wasn't LNG it was the site of the proposed tanker dock. So what I had to do was get experts in fields that had no bias, bring them together and go out to our membership in meetings like this, where we advertised it and had a lot of participation. The meetings took place, we sent out information to all of our members just like a regular election and put that information out to them and then had a referendum after that."
Overall, the two hour national radio program over the weekend did showcase the growth and future ambitions for Lax Kw'alaams and highlighted just how large a player they have become as part of the North Coast's industrial base.
It also served to raise the profile of the Lax Kw'alaams Mayor, who through those Band decisions is becoming one of the architects of a changing economic foundation on the North Coast.
More residents of the North Coast can access the Northern Health connections bus after changes to eligibility for the service were announced on Wednesday
(photo from Northern Health website)
One day after the province of British Columbia rolled out it's one year test drive of the Northern BC Bus, Northern Health has modified some of the restrictions that the Northern Health Connections Bus has, opening up that service to increased passenger potential and another travel option for the Highway 16 corridor.
The additional passengers are eligible to travel on the Connections bus, if they meet the following criteria.
Accessibility needs - People with mobility challenges. All NHC buses are wheelchair/mobility accessible and include lifts and accessible washrooms. 60+ - Anyone 60 years or older will be eligible to ride the NHC bus. A report from the Office of the Seniors Advocate recently pointed out that access to transportation is an increasing barrier to the long term health of seniors. Companion (definition expanded) – to include passengers who have to travel to support immediate family members who are receiving health care treatment or services outside of their home community.
Health Minister Adrian Dix outlined how the expanded access will serve the communities of Northern British Columbia,
“This expansion provides access to services for some of the most vulnerable people in the communities of Northern BC, the elderly and those with mobility issues, “Including an expanded definition of companions helps support families when their loved ones are receiving care in other communities.”
The Northern Connections Bus travels from Prince Rupert to Terrace and Prince George and on to Vancouver.
Fares for travel are not changing, and passengers are no longer required to book a return trip to access the transportation service.
The
Prince Rupert - Terrace 10 dollars Prince Rupert - Prince George 20 dollars Prince Rupert - Vancouver 40 dollars
The Service departs the Prince Rupert Regional Hospital at 8AM on Monday/Wednesday/Thursday/Saturday
Some further notes related to Wednesday's announcement can be found here.
North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice also had some observations related to the Wednesday announcement from Mr. Dix, taking to her Facebook page to share the latest shift in the regions transportation options.
Discussions to bring the Malaysian energy company Petronas back into the development of B.C.'s LNG industry have come to a successful completion, with the former Lelu Island proponent about to become the latest partner in the Shell led 41 billion LNG Canada project in Kitimat.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, LNG Canada announced the completion of the deal, with Petronas set to take on a 25 per cent equity share of the venture, pending regulatory approvals and subject to closing conditions.
A familiar name for Prince Rupert LNG followers hailed the financial stake that Petronas is about to take on.
As Petronas President and Group Chief Executive Officer Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin expressed his company's enthusiasm for the Kitimat project.
Petronas is taking its investment money to Kitimat and a 25% share of the LNG Canada project
“PETRONAS is pleased to be part of the LNG Canada project. As one of the world’s largest LNG producers, PETRONAS looks forward to adding value to this venture through our long-term expertise and experience across the LNG value chain. We are committed to deliver LNG and natural gas, the cleanest fossil fuel in the world, to the growing global energy market,”
With the latest investment in the Northwest, Canada has now become the second largest resource holding that the company has after Malaysia.
Some background on their involvement with the LNG Canada project can be found here.
We first outlined the renewed interest in LNG development from the Malaysian energy company back in April, when word first began to circulate related to their plans to seek out a share of the Kitimat project.
The news of the Petronas plans, is the latest indication that the Kitimat project is inching closer to a Final Investment Decision which would set in motion the first significant LNG terminal development, with Petronas to join a roster of resource companies in the project.
Shell remains the dominant partner at 40 percent, with Mistubishi and PetroChina both holding a 5 per cent share. The Korea Gas Corporation holds a five per cent stake in the project..
In addition to its financial resources, Petronas will also be able offer up their supply of gas from Northeastern British Columbia, which could be the most important aspect of their participation, along with the financial heft that they will deliver.
Shell Canada has yet to provide for its Final Investment Decision to move forward with the development, however, with Thursday's announcement, optimism is increasing in the LNG industry that the first terminal development for the Northwest will soon be moving forward towards a construction timetable.
Some notes on the early morning announcement can be found below:
Mayor Brain provided City Council members with a review of his most recent travels, relaying some of his notes from last weeks trip to Vancouver
Mayor Lee Brain used Monday's City Council session to bring City Council members up to date on some of his recent travels and the Mayor outlined some of the background to two elements of his recent trip to Vancouver.
Mr. Brain spent last week in the Lower Mainland the early part of his trip attending the Art of the Cities conference hosted by the CityStudio, which as he explained explored a number of innovation concepts for communities.
He and Nathan Randall from Ecotrust Canada examined some of the models that were presented and hope to bring some of the ideas they reviewed to Prince Rupert for an innovation lab that Ecotrust is looking to expand upon in the city.
"City Studio is a social innovation lab, similar to what we are trying to bring up here ... essentially they facilitate and match educational institutions, students and the city to realign on the same goal, it's the first kind of model in its case to basically design a classroom around a city. What we've done, now that Mr. Randall is running the innovation lab here in Prince Rupert, he's going to be engaging the college, SD52 and different organizations and essentially trying to design a similar type of model, doesn't mean that it's going to be exactly the same model, but something to do with local economic development, building capacity in the community, getting students engaged and working with us at City Hall to see if we can become more integrated and working with us at City hall to become more integrated and more together on some initiatives." -- Mayor Brain with some background on his recent trip to Vancouver
While the Innovation Lab project is being run by Ecotrust Canada, the mayor also observed that since it's going to be focused on city hall it was one of the reasons he joined with Mr. Randall on the project calling it very cool and something that will enhance the community.
The second event that he took part in was a discussion with a number of civic officials in the Lower Mainland on the issue of Port Tax Cap Act and how it impacts on the communities with port facilities in the Greater Vancouver area.
The Mayor recounted how he had organized the meeting while he was in the area, following up on his initial discussions at UBCM of a year ago, the session of last week attracting some 22 participants ranging from elected officials to staff members, with the group going through the challenges that they face from the tax and the impact that it has on each community.
He observed that from the gathering the common issues will be turned over to the CFO's from each community to explore further, as they look to create some kind of join document that will outline the challenges that the communities can then bring to the province and terminal operators to see if there is a joint solution to be found.
"I can't really speak to what we've come up with yet, but we're going to work collaboratively at a CFO level, so the CFO's of the communities are going to work together to create some kind of joint document that outlines the challenges. Something that we can all together go to the province with and say look there are some challenges here, maybe there are some ways to work, as well as to engage the industries and terminal operators to see if we can find a joint solution that actually works for everybody on the ground" -- Mayor Brain updating Council on his Port Cap Tax discussions with other municipal leaders in Vancouver.
He outlined how the goal for City Council is to seek a fair and equitable transfer of tax to the community, so that Prince Rupert can enjoy the benefits from having these terminals in the community.
He offered up his observation that he believes there is momentum around that initiative, with plans to meet with some of the participants again at the UBCM meetings in Whistler this September.
You can review his full presentation to council from the City's Video archive starting at the twenty five minute mark.
You can also dig a little deeper into some of the background on the Mayor's itinerary of last week from our notes from May 24th, which offers up links to the City Studio concepts, as well as the plans for the North Coast that Ecotrust Canada hope to introduce through their innovation lab in the community.
MLA Jennifer Rice highlighted Prince Rupert's annual Seafest as part of a presentation to the Legislature on Tuesday
North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice served as the city's vacation ambassador at the Legislature on Tuesday, delivering a short overview of the annual SeaFest that Prince Rupert hosts, offering a glimpse of some of the fun that can be found on the North Coast through a range of events scheduled for the second week of the month.
In her short commentary for the Legislature Ms. Rice touched on a number of the popular activities that make for the launch of summer celebration in the community, from Sports and water activities to the range of social events that Prince Rupert has become famous for as part of the annual event.
During every second weekend in June since 1978, the people of Prince Rupert have come together for three days of music, dancing, parades and activities for the entire family. I'm speaking of Seafest, and to celebrate the 40th anniversary of this great event, the Prince Rupert Special Events Society is revisiting their inaugural theme: "The way it was." While I did not live in Prince Rupert for the first Seafest, I'm told by longtime residents that the way it was in Prince Rupert is the way it still is. What I mean by that is that the community spirit that prompted the first Seafest is still alive and well.
People from all walks of life and cultural backgrounds show off their talents, music, food, and because of the diversity in my home community, there is truly something for everyone. Sports enthusiasts can participate in three-on-three basketball, four-on-four hockey, drop-in soccer or rugby. Car enthusiasts are invited to Saturday's show-and-shine or to cheer the kids racing in the soapbox derby. Artists are invited to show off their skills during the fast and furious art attack, where they have 20 minutes, three colours and one easel to create their latest masterpiece. The quick and daring tests our carpentry, boat-building and navigational skills. Thankfully, Marine Search and Rescue are there for those crafts that don't float.
The seniors tea recognizes 75/50 club members for the contribution of those seniors who are 75 years of age and have lived in Prince Rupert for more than 50 years. Music fans can attend numerous performances. Children will have fun activities to participate in, like face painting, bouncy castles and games. Another fan favourite each year is the Seafest parade. Last year 55 community groups and individuals filled Second and Third avenues with bagpipes, marching bands, bhangra dancers, First Nations drummers, music, candy and laughter. Yes, the way it was in Prince Rupert is the way things still are — a diverse and resilient community that comes together when things are tough and when it's time to celebrate, recognizing our past and future revolves around the sea. Congratulations and many thanks to Prince Rupert Special Events for hosting the 40th annual Seafest.
This years Seafest takes place from Friday June 8 to Sunday June 10.
More items of interest related to this years Seafest, which is organized by the Prince Rupert Special Events Society, can be found from the Seafest website and Facebook page.
Councillor Barry Cunningham relayed some concerns of the public on Monday evening, highlighting the ongoing issues of knotweed, asking for some clarification on the city's plans to deal with the invasive species this summer.
As part of his inquiry, the councillor noted that some areas of civic oversight such as Miller Bay and Rushbrook Trail are hosts for the invasive plant.
In reply to the observations, the Mayor offered up some thoughts on the issue, noting from personal experience that on private property it is the responsibility of the home owner to address knotweed.
As for the public land he advised that the best time to treat it is at the end of August and start of September. He advised that the city is looking to make use of staff members in the future, with two city employees now certified to address knotweed issues, with the City now awaiting a licence to use the chemicals that are required for eradication methods.
The Mayor observed for Council that should the city not receive that licensing by the end of the summer, they will turn again to private contractors, though he noted the complications that weather can provide when using private contractors who are based out of town and that the longer term solution of the city handling the issue would be the best course.
"We essentially want to eradicate knotweed all over town, particularly on city property ... Our operations team has a wide and robust plan to tackle that, right now what we are trying to do is get the ability to be able to do it internally, as a staff rather than wait for contractors from Prince George to show up. The other problem too is that you can only get rid of knotweed in sunny weather, so what happens is because we are in a contracting situation you kind of have to wait for timing call them, get them to come here as fast as possible while the sun is out and get them to treat the knotweed .... so having it internally, once we get the chemical licence then we are able to purchase the chemical, then we will be able to be much more responsive to it, so we have short term and long term solutions in place for that" -- Mayor Brain with a short synopsis of the City's plans for treating knotweed in 2018
Councillor Cunningham followed up with a question related to that short term plan to address the city property that has been affected, the Mayor reinforced the outline of the plan that would see the City approach a contractor to address the most prevalent areas where the the problem exists.
The issue of knotweed became a concern for the city of Prince Rupert back in 2016, when they launched their first attack on the rather hard to defeat foe, providing for a spraying program on city lands and noting that the public is responsible for the eradication of the weed on their personal property.
The details of the city approach from 2016 were posted to the City website with this advisory.
In May, the Province of British Columbia also highlighted its concerns over invasive plants in the Northwest, providing funding to the Northwest Invasive Plant council, a Prince George based organization that covers much of Northern British Columbia from the Alberta border to Haida Gwaii.
You can review more of Monday's discussion on the city's plans for this summer from the City's Video Archive starting at the thirty minute mark.
Use of the new float dock at the Cow Bay Marina made for a theme for Monday's City Council session, as the Prince Rupert Outrigger Association provided an overview of their group's activities in the community (click to enlarge)
Prince Rupert City Council received a primer on the recreation activity of out-rigging on Monday evening as a representative of the Prince Rupert Outrigger Association, with Colin Masson serving as the spokesperson for the group, providing for a thumbnail sketch of what the organization is all about and how they serve the community
Mr. Masson explained how the registered Non Profit Society had been in existence in Prince Rupert for a number of years and currently consists of some 25 active members, a number of which were in attendance in the gallery for the presentation.
The spokesman for the organization on the night highlighted how the main purpose of the Society is to provide for the ability for safe and enjoyable marine transportation through the outrigger canoes. With both members of the Society and guests making use of the vessels.
Colin Masson served as the spokesperson for the Prince Rupert Outrigger Association on Monday, providing some background to their group and the use of the float at the Cow Bay Dock
As part of his presentation, Mr. Masson also outlined how the organization is insured and noted how they had enjoyed the use of the dock at the Cow Bay Marina, having paid fees of $325 in 2016 and $550 in 2017, with the Association understanding that while no policy is in place, they would be supporting and willing to work with the City to develop a policy related to the access of the community dock.
Ho observed as to how a number of the Outrigger membership are also participants with the Dragon Boat group in the community and highlighted the different requirements for each type of vessel.
The message that the group wished to bring to the City included:
The Society exists, they are a registered society with a number of active members and they encourage and foster members of the public to come and try out paddling through the summer and other months. They have appreciated and enjoyed access to the dock over the last couple of years and expect to continue to contribute in whatever way is deemed to be appropriate and fair. They are more than willing and would be keen to support the development of policies as the City works on them to determine what kind of access and arrangements are deemed to be fair and reasonable.
The Society also encouraged the city council towards the development of an interim solution that would allow them to access the dock during the summer months while the development of a long term arrangement is worked on by council and staff.
Mayor Brain thanked him for his presentation and added that their use of the dock is a great thing that having access to the water again is the reason that the city had the dock built as a public access dock, which the group has been doing.
The Mayor personally saw no real issue to stop them from carry on with their use of the dock, with the organization having Seafest events and courses planned for the future. Mr.Brain suggested that staff could figure out an interim solution to keep them down there and did not expect that there would be any opposition from members of Council.
"I think that this is a great thing actually, having access to the water again was the reason that the Marina was built, there is a public access dock you've been using it for this time. Interimly, personally I don't see any real issue continuing on. I know you have some Seafest events you wanna get people moving forward there are courses you wanna to run, the dock is designed for public use. You know so I think we could easily have staff figure out an interim solution to keep you guys down there and I can't see any opposition from council having you guys down there. You are in multiple different organizations with the Dragon boats and canoe club, so I mean that's what we want, we want people using the dock" --Mayor Lee Brain expressing his enthusiasm for the Prince Rupert Outrigger Association and its use of the Cow Bay Dock.
The Mayor did observe as to the need for the City to develop a longer term policy related to access for the facility, something which he stated would be a simple thing to figure out.
The Mayor also noted the Organizations' has indicated plans to apply for an in kind donation through the Community enhancement grant process related to access to storage of one boat for next year.
First thanking the group for their time and then noting that his over-riding concern is to avoid the issue of exclusivity and how he wants the dock to be open to the whole public.
" I think it's great, thanks for coming, I really like the idea of it, my only concern is exclusivity, I want that dock used by whoever wants to use it and in your letter here, you say people have to join the club for the insurance. Well what happens if kayakers, or something like that, or canoe people it's a community asset and giving it to just one group is my only concern, I think it should be open to the whole public" -- Councillor Cunningham with a few observations on the need for full access to the Cow Bay Dock float facility.
Mr. Masson reviewed how his organization views the use of the dock and that their group is not exclusive and is open to anybody at any time that wishes to join, adding that their Association is just one group that may want to access the dock.
He further observed that whatever structure or guidelines are developed by the City that they would be open to the general public and that as such the organization would apply like others would, adding that their discussions are all around fair and reasonable access.
Mr. Brain brought the presentation on the night to a close, by advising that the city would look to get something in place on an interim basis, noting that the dock is available for access to other users as well, offering up the city's support for the work that the Outrigger group does in the community.
"So we'll get an interim something here for this summer, get you guys paddling, get you guys out on the water cause that's what's important to us. I know that other people can use that dock to this day and using the kayaks and things so I know its open and there's access I think some of the questions around some of the storage of maybe one of the vessels you guys have, I think these are easy things to figure out." --Mayor Brain's final thoughts on the use of the Cow Bay float
While a helpful guide to what the organization does, Monday's presentation could have left the viewer at home with a few questions as to how the organization works and how the city plans to move forward in providing access to the dock in the future.
Despite the wide ranging overview of the Outrigger Association and their dedication to their sport, there is still little information, or online presence available to offer more background as to the operation of their Society and how residents may access the sport, or contract the group, other than by hanging around the Cow Bay Dock until the vessels take to the harbour.
Though with Seafest plans ahead, a good opportunity to learn more about the group would seem to be on the horizon for those with an interest in exploring the activity further.
For City council there is the need to provide for more background for the public related to the roll out of the new float facility at Cow Bay.
It is an addition which more or less appeared with little in the way of notice or discussion by council and for the most part has not been advertised as available for use by the public.
Considering the recent interest in the use of the float by the Outrigger Association it would seem that their residence on the float has caught many of the City Council members by surprise, or was something that perhaps might have been discussed in a closed session, with the use of the facility taking place with no discussion, or few details provided in public session as to who may use it and what kind of access that other users could reasonably expect to be granted.
As well, with the Outrigger association taking up its residence on the float and using a fair portion of the new addition for storage of their vessels, the question might be asked as to what room is left for any other group that may wish to also make use of the facility and what the terms of their use may be.
All of which could be items to address as Council works out its policy plan for the future and how the public access of the dock can be guaranteed for all that may wish to use it.
You can review the full presentation to council from the City's video archive, the introduction to the Outrigger Association can be found at the start of the Council session.
A review of a pair of items from the Civic Centre and a surprise presentation from the Outrigger Association in town made for the bulk of the time for Monday's City Council session, with the city's elected officials taking care of their business in less than thirty five minutes on the night.
Mr. Colin Masson was the spokesperson for the outrigger association and he used the Committee of the Whole session of Monday to share some background on the work of the group in the community and their use of the newly installed float attached to the Cow Bay Marina Dock.
From the City Recreation Department came details of a pilot project for the City and Prince Rupert Rampage, as David Geronazzo outlined the background to a plan to increase advertising space inside the rink, with the majority of the proceeds to go to the Rampage.
As well, city council also heard of the plan to return the name of Doug Kerr Field to the soon to be reopened ball field at the Prince Rupert Civic Centre complex.
Council members brought the evening to an end by providing for a few comments, observations and suggestions on a range of topics for further action by the City.
Monday was also a Committee of the Whole Session, which did offer the opportunity for the public to ask questions of Council or raise concerns, with one member of the public coming forward with a number of items for consideration of the Council members.
Some background on the items of note on the evening and the various Agenda elements for the May 28th Council session can be reviewed here.
Council also met in a closed session earlier in the day, the notice closing that meeting to the public can be reviewed here.
Further information from our overview and placement in the video archive can be found below, with the permanent record of the minutes added as they are posted to the city website.
In attendance May 28, 2018
Mayor Lee Brain -- Present
Councillor Barry Cunningham-- Present
Councillor Blair Mirau -- Present
Councillor Wade Niesh -- Present
Councillor Gurvinder Randhawa-- Present
Councillor Joy Thorkelson --Absent
Councillor Nelson Kinney passed away on March 24th
Video Archive for May 28, 2018
(0:00 -- 14:30) Committee of the Whole Session for May 28, 2018 -- Mayor Brain reviewed the list of minutes and agenda items to be noted by Council members, with Council then approving the Agenda.
One presentation took place on the evening, a late addition to the agenda not listed prior to the meeting, with Colin Masson from the Prince Rupert Outrigger Association providing some background on the work of the Society in the region.
Mr. Masson explained how the Non Profit Society had been in existence in the community for a number of years and currently consists of some 25 members, a number of whom were in attendance in the gallery for the presentation.
He observed that the main purpose of the Society is to provide for the ability for safe and enjoyable marine transportation through the outrigger canoes. With both members of the Society and guests making use of the vessels
Mr. Masson also outlined how the organization is insured and noted how they had enjoyed the use of the dock at the Cow Bay Marina, having paid fees of $325 in 2016 and $550 in 2017, with the Association understanding that while no policy is in place, they would be supporting and willing to work with the City to develop a policy related to the access of the community dock.
Ho observed as to how a number of the Outrigger membership are also participants with the Dragon Boat group in the community and highlighted the different requirements for each type of vessel.
The message that the group wished to bring to the City included:
The Society exists, they are a registered society with a number of active members and they encourage and foster members of the public to come and try out paddling through the summer and other months.
They have appreciated and enjoyed access to the dock over the last couple of years and expect to continue to contribute in whatever way is deemed to be appropriate and fair.
They are more than willing and would be keen to support the development of policies as the City works on them to determine what kind of access and arrangements are deemed to be fair and reasonable.
The Society also encouraged the city council towards the development of an interim solution that would allow them to access the dock during the summer months while the development of a long term arrangement is worked on by council and staff.
Mayor Brain thanked him for his presentation and added that their use of the dock is a great thing that having access to the water again is the reason that the city had the dock built as a public access dock, which the group has been doing.
The Mayor personally saw no real issue to stop them from carry on with their use of the dock, with the organization having Seafest events and courses planned for the future. Mr.Brain suggested that staff could figure out an interim solution to keep them down there and did not expect that there would be any opposition from members of Council.
He did note that Council wants to have people using the dock, though he observed how the City does need to develop a longer term policy related to access which he said would be a simple thing to figure out.
The Mayor also noted the Organizations' plans to apply for an in kind donation through the Community enhancement grant related to access to storage of one boat for next year.
Councillor Cunningham also had comments related to the presentation, first thanking the group for their time and then noting that his over riding concern is to avoid the issue of exclusivity and how he wants the dock to be open to the whole public.
Mr. Masson reviewed how his organization views the use of the dock and that their group is not exclusive and is open to anybody at any time that wishes to join.
Mr. Brain closed the conversation off by advising that the city would look to get something in place on an interim basis to get the group out paddling for the summer and on the water, which is important to the city. He also noted that the dock is available for access to other users as well, offering up the city's support for the work that the group does in the community.
One member of the public provided for comments and observations for council with Larry Golden, a frequent contributor to the Committee of the Whole Sessions.
Among some of his concerns for Council included the number of people who park in one place in the downtown area and don't get tickets, suggesting for a need for fairness.
He also had comments related to the number of youth in the community with no activities to take part with and suggested that the City should make use of some of the revenues received from the province through the Chances Casino be put towards activities for youth in the summer.
He also offered up his thoughts on the closure of the pool for the summer and how some in the community believe that the timing of it is wrong coming through the summer months.
He also suggested that when the Mayor or Council go out of town on city business that they should provide a report back to Council as part of the public meeting process, noting that in the past Council members would require approval of Council for their travels at public expense.
With no other members of the public coming forward to comment or ask questions, the Mayor brought the public comment portion of the evening to a close and moved on to the Regular Council Agenda.
(14:30 -- 15:30 ) Regular City Council Session for May 28, 2018 -- Mayor Brain reviewed the list of minutes and agenda items to be noted by Council members, including two late additions, with Council then approving the Agenda
( 15:30 - 22:00 ) Presentation from David Geronazzo, Director of Recreation and Community Services -- The City's Director of Recreation outlined the background related to a proposal from the Prince Rupert Rampage to increase the number of advertising spaces inside the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre Arena.
As part of his review of the proposal he noted that the project would be a one year pilot project as a model that will allow the city to examine the results following its initial run, the additional 24 spaces would be made available to the Prince Rupert Rampage to allow them to raise revenues for their team.
The Mayor offered his support to the project, suggesting that anything the City could do to help the Rampage team would be a good thing.
Councillor Mirau asked for a comparison between the Civic advertising revenues versus the Rampage proposal.
Mr. Geronazzo noted that the City will continue to use their existing 28 spots on the board and two banner adds on the walls that won't be touched and will remain available for users.
Councillor Niesh had no issue with trying the proposal out for a year, he did however observe that the city could lose revenue from their advertising spaces and suggested that another approach may be to share the whole thing, that way they would not be competing against themselves. He did note that it is important to support the team, with Smithers having lost their team and some questions about whether Kitimat will remain in the league.
Councillor Randhawa asked about the time limit related to the ads, he was advised that the advertising would be for the 2018-19 season.
Councillor Cunningham also offered up his support for the Rampage and noted the community spirit that they build in the region, he had one concern related to the city's maintenance fee of 85 dollars per sign, and wondered if that was too large a chunk of the Rampage revenues.
The recreation director noted that they would be reviewing the effectiveness of the fee at the end of the pilot project.
Mr. Cunningham also inquired as to the longer range plan for the project and if other user groups would have access towards it. He was advised that would also be reviewed at the end of the pilot project.
The Mayor called the idea very innovative and new, agreeing with some of the comments that had been made and offered up his support for the project.
Council then voted to approve the motion
( 22:00 -- 25:00 ) Report from Rory Mandryk, Corporate Administrator -- Mr. Mandryk provided some background to the city's plans for the re-opening of the Doug Kerr Field at the Civic Centre complex, tracing some of the history as to why the city had closed the field back in 2013, with it becoming a dog park, the city transferring the name to Roosevelt Field. With the field now being returned for use of youth baseball and softball the name will be returned to the reopened field.
The Corporate Administrator also paid tribute to the work of Veronika Stewart, the City's communication director, who brought together a number of corporate sponsors to help reduce the cost of bringing the field back to use. Included on the list of those that provided their assistance were: The Port of Prince Rupert, Pembina Pipelines, Sperling Hansen Associates, Broadwater Industries, L and M Engineering, Rupert Wood and Steel and RONA/Tyee Building supplies.
He also noted that the Kerr family was in full support with the plan and while they will not be available for the planned June celebration, they will be in town in July.
The Mayor offered his full support for the initiative, while Councillor Niesh called the return of the field to use for youth as a turning point for the community, seeing it as a symbol that things are coming back with a number of sports activities starting to grow in the city.
Councillor Randhawa thanked those that sponsored the park for their contributions.
Council then approved the motion.
( 25:30 -- 34:30) Reports, Questions and Inquires from Council
Mayor Brain provided some background on his travels to Vancouver last week, the first his attendance at a conference hosted by CityStudio which explored innovation concepts for communities. He and Nathan Randall from Ecotrust Canada examined some of the models that were presented and hope to bring some of the ideas to Prince Rupert for an innovation lab that Ecotrust is looking to expand upon in the city.
The second event that he took part in was a discussion with a number of civic officials in the Lower Mainland on the issue of Port Tax Cap Act and how it impacts on the communities with port facilities in the Greater Vancouver area.
He observed that from the gathering the issues will be turned over to the CFO's from each community to explore further to create some kind of join document that will outline the challenges that the communities can then bring to the province and terminal operators to see if there is a joint solution to be found.
He observed how the goal is to seek a fair and equitable transfer of tax to the community, noting that he believes there is momentum around that with plans to meet with some of the participants again at the UBCM meetings in Whistler this September.
Councillor Cunningham made note of the issue of knotweed in the community, with a number of residents advising him of some of the trouble areas that have been identified to this point.
The Mayor offered up some thoughts on the issue, noting from personal experience that on private property it is the responsibility of the home owner to address knotweed.
As for the public land he advised that the best time to treat it is at the end of August and start of September. He advised that the city is looking to make use of staff members who have now been certified to address knotweed, but are now awaiting a licence to use the chemicals required for eradication methods.
Should the city not receive that licensing by the end of the summer, they will make use of private contractors, though he noted the complications that weather can provide when using private contractors and that the longer term solution of the city handling the issue would be the best course.
Councillor Cunningham followed up with a question related to the short term plan to address the city property that has been affected, the Mayor reinforced the outline of the plan that would see the City approach a contractor to address the most prevalent areas where the the problem exists.
Turning to a busy weekend just passed for the community, Councillor Cunningham also offered his thanks to the many volunteers that put on a number of community events in the community over the weekend, some of them in some horrible weather.
With no other comments offered up for the final portion of the evening, Council then voted to adjourn the meeting.
You can access the City Council Review for May 28 here, where a number of items regarding the council session, including links to local media coverage, can also be found.
As always, our Council Timeline is only a reflection of our observations from the Council session of the night. Be sure to consult with the official minutes from the City, when posted to their website for further review. Official Minutes of the Regular Council Session from May 28, 2018 (not available yet)
In addition to the city's official minutes, the City's Video archive provides a helpful record of the events from each public council session.
Council members next meet on Monday, June 11, 2018
To return to the most recent blog posting of the day, click here.
Almost ready to roll! The Government of British Columbia has announced the start of a provincially led transportation service along the Highway 16 corridor with the BC North Bus to take to the roads on June 4th. (photo from BC Gov't news feed)
The Province of British Columbia is going into the bus transportation business along the Highway 16 corridor and points north of Prince George. Announcing today that as of June 4th, the BC North Bus will pick up the service that is being abandoned by Greyhound Canada.
The service will be funded by the province for twelve months and buys the government some time to examine and evaluate the demand for the transportation link and to develop a long term transportation solution for the North and Northwest.
Premier John Horgan made the announcement on Tuesday afternoon making note of the province's responsibility towards providing safe and efficient transportation in the North.
“People in the North rely on transportation for their livelihoods, to access the health and education services they need, and to visit family and friends,” ... “In the face of Greyhound’s decision, our job is to make sure northern communities and the people who live there are able to stay connected through safe, reliable and affordable public transportation.”
The service to be operated by Pacific Western Transportation will make use of four highway motor coaches that are equipped with luggage and washroom facilities.
BC Transit's interim President and CEO, Erinn Pinkerton observed as to the work that the transit system has put into finding a solution to the challenges provided by the exit by Greyhound.
“We’re looking forward to delivering a long-haul service for the first time to connect people and communities in northern B.C.,” ... “Our team has been working hard to find ways to make this interim solution meet the needs of customers in the North.”
The service will feature a zoned fare structure, with the cost between Prince Rupert and Smithers set at 35 dollars per person, with travel between Prince Rupert and Prince George to cost 45 dollars.
The BC North Bus will service Prince Rupert from the Highliner Inn at the corner of 7th Avenue and 1st Avenue West, the same location that Greyhound bus used.
The Prince George to Prince Rupert service will run on Thursday's and Saturday's leaving Prince George at 8AM arriving in Prince Rupert at 7:50PM The Bus departs Prince Rupert at 8AM on Friday's and Sunday's, with buses arriving in Prince George at 7:50 PM.
See this link to view the service and rates in the other areas of the BC North system.
The twice a week schedule will still leave some gaps, particularly from the Northwest where the Monday to Thursday period will remain limited to the short haul runs that BC Transit operates from Terrace to Prince George.
As well as options for travel through VIA Rail between Prince Rupert and Prince George.
From the North Coast, the Friendship House is offering a twice week shuttle bus service between Terrace and Prince Rupert, which runs on Tuesday's and Thursday's.
As the twelve month test period continues forward from June 4th, it will be up to the residents of the region to make the case for the prospect for any expansion of service outside of the twice a week runs now scheduled.
North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice shared word of the new service through her Facebook page today.
