Saturday, June 30, 2018

Ticketing woes puts Northern Expedition behind schedule on Canada Day weekend

Reservations issues in Prince Rupert meant manual ticketing and
a one hour delay in departure for the Northern Expedition today.


The staff at the Prince Rupert BC Ferries Terminal had to go old school on Saturday, as technical issues with the Ferry Service's reservation system meant that passengers had to be ticketed manually for today's sailing of the Northern Expedition.

The ticketing issues resulted in about a one hour delay for the Ferry, with the vessel now running one hour behind schedule on its run to Bella Bella and Port Hardy.

You can review the full service Notice from BC Ferries here

BC Ferries Service Notice for Saturday June 30th
(click to enlarge)

At mid afternoon Saturday, the Northern Expedition was steaming south
towards Bella Bella



And while an inconvenience for travellers on the North Coast, the one hour delay is but a hiccup compared to some of the issues being found on the heavily used Vancouver to Vancouver Island runs this weekend.

Reservation issues have been a bit of a nightmare for BC Ferries on its southern routes all weekend, with a range of advisories issued for one of the busiest travel periods of the summer.

Much of the difficulties in the Lower mainland are due to the suspension of service for the Coastal Inspiration which requires repairs.

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

Friday, June 29, 2018

RCMP to remain watchful on the roads over long weekend and through July

With the mad dash across BC now underway, those travelling the roads of the province should make note that while you are looking to make it to your holiday destination as fast as possible, members of the RCMP across the Northwest and beyond will be watching to make sure you do so in a safe manner.

While attention will remain focused as always on the highway enforcement requirements, Mounties will also be keeping a look out for Impaired Drivers, with the month of July dedicated to the Summer Counter Attack Driving Campaign, which includes not just impairment by alcohol, but from illegal drugs or prescription medication.

As part of a media release to alert the public to their plans, Constable Mike Halskov of the BC RCMP Traffic Services noted the impact that driving impaired can have for the community.

"Too often our officers are put in the position of having to notify a family that they have lost a loved one due to an impaired driving collision. We want people to enjoy the summer but we also want people to make good decisions and choose to drive sober every time they get behind the wheel, for everyone’s safety. If you do plan to drink, have a designated driver or plan alternate ways home."

As part of the July enforcement campaign, motorists can expect to find an increased presence of law enforcement members on the highway this month and through the summer.

More noted on the start of the campaign can be found here.

For more items of interest related to Northwest Emergency personnel see our archive page here.

Eagle Spirit Energy hails proposed pipeline to Grassy Point as "cleanest energy project on the Planet"

Eagle Spirit Energy has an ambitious plan to deliver oil from
the Oil sands of Fort McMurray to tidewater at Grassy Point located
to the North of Lax Kw'alaams


The consortium of groups led by Thirty Five First Nations that is looking to build a bitumen pipeline from Fort McMurray to just north of Lax Kw'alaams has ramped up the profile building for their proposed development, offering up the bold declaration as to how the Eagle Spirit Energy pipeline project will be the Cleanest Energy Project on the planet.

The positioning claim came in a media release from earlier this week from Eagle Spirit Chairman and CEO Calvin Helin, who outlined the oversight process in place for the proposed pipeline development.

 "The Chiefs Council provided strict guidelines to develop the greenest possible corridor with the highest level of protection to traditional territories. 

Firstly, ESE will utilize green hydro energy for all power requirements in the corridor. 

Secondly, ESE has developed the most robust spill prevention model in the world—one that, exceeds the current minimal standards of the federal Oceans Protection Plan. 

Lastly, we will seek best-in-class technologies such as that of RII to produce Canadian oil with the lowest GHG footprint on the planet."

The apparent process that the Eagle Spirit project would make use of has been developed by a company called R.I.I. North America, which Eagle Spirit has partnered with on the pipeline plan.

According to Mr. Helin's update:

The RII process is a super-efficient (low energy and low cost) enhanced oil recovery process that can extract heavy oil or bitumen eliminating 90% of the carbon emissions compared to conventional upstream extraction methods. In field tests RII's STRIP process has produced partially upgraded oil with a 5-10° API.

There was however no additional information provided as part of the media release to explain how the proposed project will meet such a lofty benchmark, nor comparisons with other projects around the world which could be used as a comparison.



Further notes on the range of technology that RII has developed can be reviewed here.

Eagle Spirit has also not to this point, hosted any form of public information session in Prince Rupert to share their plans with the regional community and outline how the company envisions the pipeline and terminal development coming together on the North Coast.

As part of their same announcement this week, Eagle Spirit also outlined how it has secured an off take commitment from a major national oil company (not named in the media release) to receive partially upgraded bitumen from the Eagle Spirit pipeline and shipping terminal projects.

This has the advantage that only one pipeline is required but delivers a larger volume (60% more pipeline capacity) of a readily shippable and highly marketable product for which Brent Crude pricing can be received.

You can review more on the Eagle Spirit announcement here.

The prospect of shipments out of Grassy Point however, is not something that has been approved or even considered much to this point and how the Eagle Spirit plans will fit in with the Federal Governments environmental plans remains to be seen.

The Lax Kw'alaams however have set in motion some legal procedures related to resource development, with the Band filing its court claim back in March against the Federal government's oil tanker ban.

There has so far, been no update provided on the progress of that legal quest.

Last week, Prime Minister Trudeau was in Prince Rupert announcing the signing of an agreement on Oceans Protection between the Federal Government and fourteen Coastal First Nations including the government of Lax Kw'alaams.



In his comments of last Thursday, Mr. Trudeau made note of the progress of Bill C48 and the Liberal's plans for an oil tanker moratorium and how the Great Bear Rain forest is no place for tankers.

"I have said for an awfully long time that the Great Bear Rain forest is no place for crude oil tankers, this is something that I've understood deeply, this something that I certainly saw and felt deeply in 2014 when I was here visiting Hartley Bay, visiting Rupert, visiting Kitimat ... 

The understanding of how important it is to make sure that we are protecting this area, the Great Bear Rainforest and the Great Bear Sea for future generations.

Which means,  yes, making sure there are development opportunities, making sure there is economic growth and good jobs. But making sure that they never come at the cost of protecting this extraordinary ecosystem for future generations. 

Getting that balance right is something that is an ongoing conversation and is something that we need to continue to do. We are committed as a government to the crude oil  tanker moratorium on the North Coast, something that I have heard very clear encouragements from.  

But I also know there are people who are concerned and rightly so, about the future of their economies, of their communities, of the opportunities that their citizens will have. 

And as I've said, whether folks agree with us or disagree with us,  I will continue to work with them to understand their concerns and their fears and work with them to allay those fears ... to build on a better future"

With those words in mind, how the Eagle Spirit proposal may fit into the Government's Oceans Protection Plan will make for some interesting study and commentary from all quarters as the months move forward.

You can review more background on the Eagle Spirit Plans from our archive page here.


To return to the most recent blog posting of the day, click here.

Annunciation also looks to fill the teaching ranks over summer holidays

School's Out at Annunciation for the summer, however the
work to recruit teachers for the 2018-19 school year continues
through the nest two months

Like the public school system, Annunciation the city's Independent Catholic school which offers Kindergarten  to Grade eight instruction is now on its summer sabbatical, the sports day, year end field trips and celebration and final mass of the school year all wrapped up over the last few weeks.

And like the public schools, Annunciation is also putting out the Help Wanted sign for the summer vacation period, as the school looks to fill a number of positions for the start of school in September.

As of the end of June, Annunciation is seeking to fill three teaching positions and and Education Assistant position for the school on 5th Avenue West.

You can find out more information relate to the education opportunities from the Annunciation website or by contacting Principal Laura Lowther at 250-624-5873

Teachers can apply through the CIS website out of the Prince George diocese here.

The support staff application form can be reviewed here.

For more items of note about education on the North Coast see our archive page here.

A wider overview about education in the Northwest can be explored here.

To return to the most recent blog posting of the day, click here.

City seeks public feedback on proposed Vehicle for Hire (Taxi) Bylaw changes

Skeena Cabs line up in front of Safeway, ready to take on customers.
The city's taxi industry by-laws are up for a subtle change next month, with
the prospect of an extension of the permits to two year terms

How the City of Prince Rupert uses its bylaw on Vehicle For Hire procedures is up for a change, as City Council prepares to review a plan to amend the current bylaw that will extend Chauffeur's Permits from the current one year period, to a two year term between permit renewals.

A move that for the most part will have the largest impact on the city's taxi providers, the largest of which is Skeena Taxi.

Council first introduced the proposed changes on June 11th, with the Final reading of the Bylaw amendment set for the July 23rd Council meeting.

During the discussion of June 11th, the city's corporate administrator Rory Mandryk noted that the proposed change would bring Prince Rupert in line with most of the communities in the province which have adopted the two year term.

He also advised that both the RCMP and Skeena Taxi had approved of the proposed change.

The main focus of the proposed change is to provide for cost savings for the recipients of the permits and to free up Administration staff time at the local detachment.

As part of the lead up to that July Council session, the city has issued a call for anyone that may be affected by the Bylaw to submit their concerns or comments to the City by Friday July 20th at 4:30 PM.

Though if they are looking for some extensive feedback on that call for comments, they aren't exactly shouting it out from the top of City Hall.

So far the only indication that the public has a role to play in the overview of the Bylaw change has come from a pair of public notices provided to the back pages of the weekly newspaper over the last two weeks, something required as part of the municipal notification process.

The City of Prince Rupert
App, shares a range of
topics for residents
However, despite a growing range of communication options available to the City, the notice of opportunity to comment or raise concerns on the topic of the city's taxi system has not made it to any of the civic information projects.

Something which may have some impact as to how much of a contribution from the public that the city will receive on the topic.

To this point, the notice to the public is not listed on the City Website, Facebook pages, twitter feed or the new application for phones and other mobile devices recently created to share information.

Considering the range of communication forums that have been created by the City over the last few years, one might think that the Council would want to make as much use as possible of all of them.

Taking advantage  of those options in order to share word of their plans and community engagement opportunities, as well as towards their goals of transparency and accountability.

The bylaw change is an amendment to the original bylaw which you can review here.

The Report to Council can be reviewed below:


The Report to Council outlining proposed changes
to the Vehicle for Hire bylaw

(click to enlarge)


The proposed changes can be examined as part of the Agenda package from the June 11th Concil session, starting on Page 155.

For more items of note related to Prince Rupert City Council see our Council Discussion Archive page here.


To return to the most recent blog posting of the day, click here.


There will be plenty of fun in Prince Rupert as Canada celebrates Birthday 151



Canada's celebration of Confederation makes for a Sunday showcase at the city's Pacific Mariners Park with Prince Rupert Special Events Society putting together a list of family fun for the day.

The Picnic in the Park event which gets underway at Noon features a number of activities for young and old alike. 

The raising of the flag and singing of O Canada by Jilda Farais set to get Sunday's festivities underway.

A short list of speakers will bring greetings in the early part of the noon hour to celebrate the day, with the first of the helpings of Canada's Birthday Cake to be handed out at 12:30.

Entertainment on the Mariners Stage will include:

Prince Rupert Community Band, Frances Riley, Big Northern Light Dancers – Wii Gisigwilgwelk, Joe Marvici, Men Who Listen.

There will also be a  number of games and activities to take in through the afternoon, including the Costume Walkabout and Trivia games, the daytime events wrap up at 4PM.

An important part of the Canada Day celebration will be the Awarding of this Civic Recognition Awards, which takes place at 1:30.

The call for nominations and submissions for this years recognition ceremony was issued earlier this year, come background on the Civic Recognition process can be reviewed here.




The 151st Birthday Bash will come to an end in the late evening hours with the traditional Fireworks Display over Prince Rupert Harbour, weather dependent.

You can review the full listing of events for Sunday from the Special Events Website here.

Late updates and more background about the celebration can also be found from the Special Events Facebook page.

Putting on the Big Birthday Show comes from the efforts of the dedicated group of volunteers at the Special Events Society, should you have some time to lend a hand, you can contact them at 250-624-9118 or drop them a line by email at prspecialevents.ca


To return to the most recent blog posting of the day, click here.

62 years of combined memories take SD52's Kevin and Laila Leach to the south



As we outlined earlier in the week, the end of the school year brings farewells for the summer and in some instances a farewell to Prince Rupert, as students head off to their post secondary studies and some of the staff from SD52 explore new opportunities.

The departure list this year will find two names with some long history to the North Coast included in those packing up and moving to new adventures.

Kevin and Laila Leach will be taking over 62 years of service to the community with them as they head off to Princeton in the South Okanagan this summer.

The moving vans roll in with Mr. Leach having recently celebrated his 30th year with the District, while Laila, born and raised in Prince Rupert has just wrapped up her 32nd year with SD52.

Kevin Leach came to the North Coast following the 1988 Calgary Olympics, having graduated from University there.

His early days included positions at Booth Memorial and from there he held a range of positions with the District.

First as a teacher at Booth and CHSS, and since 2005, in administration as Vice-Principal  at a number of schools from the original Kaien Island/Friendship House Alternate School, on through Prince Rupert Secondary, Port Edward Community School and Charles Hays Secondary.

In addition to his duties as an educator, he also coached track and field in his early days, spent some time spiking balls in volleyball and assisting in a range of extra curricular activities, often  he was found driving the field trip bus for sports and school clubs.

He has also had a strong involvement with First Nations in the region,  from his work with the Friendship House was given a name, Huk Sigootgm Xsgyiik, by Sm’ooygyit Gitxoon (Alex Campbell), and was adopted as a member of the Gispaxlo’ats Tribe, Ts’msyen Nation, adopted into his house, as well as the house of Sm’ooygyit Nes’a’waap (Russell Mather, Sr)

From those associations he has been involved with a number of projects in the community, some of which are on display around the community.

Working with students and staff, as well as community members, they created the set of panels for the entrance way of the school, the project designed by close friend and mentor, Russell Mather, Jr. (Huk Xal Dzabm Xsgyiik)

Several other projects followed: the Ts’msyen Panels and Canoe at the Friendship House, the Ts’msyen House Front at PRSS, totem pole pillar in the Earl Mah Aquatic Centre and most recently, with the North Coast Immigrant & Multicultural Services Society (NCIMSS)

As he prepares to take his leave from the community, Leach and many others have been working towards raising a memorial Totem Pole in Mariners Park to honour Aboriginal mariners since time immemorial and showcase the Aboriginal Peoples and the history of our region.

Laila Leach returned to the North Coast following her university days in Alberta, with her teaching career starting in Hinton Alberta, before the call back to the North Coast took her to Lac Clan and Lax Kw'alaams School

From there, stops at Conrad, Pineridge and Prince Rupert Secondary were added to her resume, the last seven years found her at Charles Hays as the Pre-Employment Program, Learning Services Teacher.

Much of her work has also seen a focus on advocacy for students with special needs and efforts towards inclusion and providing all students with the opportunity to access educational opportunities by recognizing and embracing their differences.

She took part in a range of extra curricular work from coordinating Breakfast Club and Recycling programs to work as a teacher sponsor for badminton, volleyball and the Grad Fashion Show.

Commencement ceremonies also a key part of her school year, as she organized the behind the scenes work of thank you cards, flowers and assistance for bursary recipients.

The couple raised two children during their time on North Coast, Karsten and Kai, sharing the importance of giving back to the community, leading by example.

Both of the Leach's also were involved with a number of community activities, whether it was with Prince Rupert Minor Basketball, the Jazz Productions Association Board of Directors, RCMP Auxiliary or any number of the many fine arts that they supported in the community.

As they bring their time on the North Coast to an end, they make plans for the south.

Kevin Leach is to take up duties as Principal at Princeton Secondary; while Laila Leach is exploring options at that community's alternate school.

With over sixty years in service with School District 52, the couple have clearly had a strong impact on many of the students and parents over the decade.

Their dedication to both education and community means that their departure will make for a large hole in the staffing roster for the School District to fill, not to mention the footprints that they leave behind in the community as a whole.

For more items of interest related to School District 52 see our archive page here.


To return to the most recent blog posting of the day, click here.





Thanks to traffic infraction monies, Prince Rupert reaps significant share of Provincial community funding


As they check on the balance of accounts on transfer payments from the Province of British Columbia, the members of Prince Rupert City Council may want to consider sending the Traffic enforcement unit at the Prince Rupert RCMP detachment a thank you basket.

That for the work of the RCMP members and the focus on road safety that has delivered a significant cash inflow from the Province, putting Prince Rupert near the top of the list for Northwest communities in Community funding transfers for the year, trailing only Smithers in the region when it comes to the total amount of funding received.

The funding, which was announced yesterday, is divided into two categories, a Community Grant program which all communities qualify for and a Traffic Fine Revenue sharing Grant for for communities over 5,000 residents.

As part of yesterday's information release, Selina Robinson, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing outlined how the grants are put to use by communities across the Province.

“Local governments use these grants to help provide the services, programs and infrastructure that promote safety and benefit communities throughout the Province,” ... “These types of services are a big part of what makes living in British Columbia so great, and our government is pleased to provide these resources to continue building an even better B.C.”


Prince Rupert's bad drivers are providing for some
financial assistance to the City of Prince Rupert through traffic fines


For his part, Mike Farnworth, the Minster of Public Safety and Solicitor General for the province provided a glimpse at the province's approach to revenue sharing of the traffic fine monies:

“We are pleased to share traffic-fine revenues with local governments to support their policing costs and community safety initiatives to help keep B.C. a safe place to live,” ... “Our government is committed to continued support of local initiatives that benefit people throughout the province.”


**************************************************************************

From this years release of funding, Prince Rupert will receive $601,439  from  the BC Government.

Community Grant  -- $390,229
Traffic Fine Revenue Grant -- $211,210

Prince Rupert recorded the largest Traffic fine revenue of all communities along the Highway 16 corridor west of Prince George.





For the rest of the Northwest, the region is led by Smithers, which will receive a funding transfer of $605,768

Community Grant --  $534,628
Traffic Fine Revenue -- $71,140

The remainder communities fall in as follows:

Terrace will receive a total funding payout by the Province of $572,367, their numbers looked as follows:

Community Grant -- $396,371
Traffic Fine Revenue Grant --  $175,996

Kitimat will receive a total funding payout by the Province of $533,982

Community Grant -- $417,074
Traffic Fine Revenue Grant --  $116,908

Houston will receive a total funding payout by the Province of $498,587

Community Grant -- $498,587
Traffic Fine Revenue Grant --  No listing (under 5,000 residents)

New Hazelton will receive a total funding payout by the Province of $436,777

Community Grant -- $436,777
Traffic Fine Revenue Grant --  No listing (under 5,000 residents)

Hazelton will receive a total funding payout by the Province of $434,265

Community Grant -- $434,265
Traffic Fine Revenue Grant --  No listing (under 5,000 residents)

Telkwa will receive a total funding payout by the province of $429,244

Community Grant -- $429,244
Traffic Fine Revenue -- No listing (under 5,000 residents)

Masset will receive a total funding payout by the province of $411,420

Community Grant -- $411,420
Traffic Fine Revenue -- No listing (under 5,000 residents)


Queen Charlotte will receive a total funding payout by the Province of $394,887

Community Grant -- $394,887
Traffic Fine Revenue Grant --  No listing (under 5,000 residents)

Port Edward will receive a total funding payout by the Province of $293,570

Community Grant -- $293,570
Traffic Fine Revenue Grant --  No listing (under 5,000 residents)

Stewart will receive a total funding payout by the Province of $248,981

Community Grant -- $248,981
Traffic Fine Revenue Grant --  No listing (under 5,000 residents)

**************************************************************************

The Three Regional Districts of the Northwest also benefitted from the program, their totals were as follows:

North Coast Regional District will receive a total funding payout by the Province of $200,000

Community Grant -- $200,000
Traffic Fine Revenue Grant --  No listing 

Kitimat-Stikine Regional District will receive a total funding payout by the Province of $190,000

Community Grant -- $190,000
Traffic Fine Revenue Grant --  No listing 

Bulkley-Nechako Regional District will receive a total funding payout by the province of $185,000 

Community Grant -- $185,000
Traffic Fine Revenue Grant -- No listing

**************************************************************************

You can review the information release from yesterday here.

The list of grant funding for communities in the province from yesterday's announcement here.

For more items of note from the Provincial Government see our Legislature archive page here.


To return to the most recent blog posting of the day, click here.

Thursday, June 28, 2018

City of Prince Rupert outlines Aquatic Centre shut down timeline



Canada Day is shut down day for the Earl Mah Aquatic Centre, with July 1st marking the start of what could be a three month - plus closure for the recreation facility at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre.

The City of Prince Rupert outlined some of the background to the Closure notice, noting that in addition to the usual annual shut down for the pool, this years work will include repairs to the hot tub area, work which will require a longer closure period than most years.

In their notification of June 26th, the city called attention to the consultations that took place with user groups which led to the decision for a summer closure, with the anticipated re-opening to take place sometime in October.



Calling the repairs "legacy improvements", the City put some focus on the improvements to both amenities of the building and its energy efficiency. As well, once the current work is complete,  the Recreation Department will be looking to implementing a maintenance schedule that reduces the length required for future annual shutdowns.

With the work ahead through the summer, the hours of operation for the Fitness Centre at the Earl Mah facility will also be impacted, those changes can be viewed below:




You can get updates on the status of the work at the Earl Mah Aquatic centre as well as other items of note from the Recreation centre through the City's Recreation Facebook page, as well as by downloading the new City of Prince Rupert app.

Some background on the Hot Tub replacement program can be found below:

June 13 -- Rupert Wood and Steel selected for Earl Mah Aquatic Centre project
May 8 -- Earl Mah Aquatic Centre's Hot Tub replacement project starts with a request for bids
January 29 -- City to consider quest to seek NDIT funding for Aquatic Centre project

More items of interest from the City of Prince Rupert can be found from our Council Discussion archive.

To return to the most recent blog posting of the day, click here.

Councillors Cunningham, Randhawa hail work on Mariners Park, Atlin Promenade

A refurbished play area and a new sign are the latest additions to the
City of Prince Rupert's Pacific Mariner's Memorial Park

The final moments of Monday's City Council Session were turned over to council members, with the recent reopening of the Mariner's Park play area and dedication of a new sign for the park high on the list of things to salute for Councillors Barry Cunningham and Gurvinder Randhawa.

Councillor Randhawa passed on his congratulations on the opening of both the Atlin Promenade and the return to use of the Mariner's Park Children's area and noted the community partnerships that were formed to bring those two openings together.

The Atlin Promenade linking the Atlin and Northland Terminals was
officially opened to the public earlier this month

For his part, Councillor Cunningham also took note of the opening of Mariner's Park and the atmosphere that the opening created in the park, he also paid tribute to those that contributed towards the park revival.

Making sure to include the work of city workers in helping to install the new park, adding that he wanted to make sure that they were recognized as well.

"It was just nice to see the park so full of people and you gotta thank the people that actually contributed to it ... and one group of people that weren't mentioned is the city workers, who put a lot of time and effort in there.  And even though they didn't put a lot of money in there they put a lot of effort into it and they were around there and it's nice to see that they are recognized too"

The city celebrated the re-opening of the playground area after is recent warranty work on Saturday afternoon with a public event, at the same time they also debuted the new sign (see top of the page) which now greets visitors to the downtown park.

You can review some of the events and photos from Saturday's celebration from the City of Prince Rupert Facebook page.

With Mariner's Park now back in operation for the youth of the city, Council can turn its attention towards moving the McKay Street park project forward.

That facility, which was built by community members earlier this spring, has been closed to the area youngsters since April.  The site in need for some further foundation work and an inspection from the city's municipal insurance advisors, a pair hurdles which have kept the youngsters from their summer fun.

Earlier this month, the city anticipated that the park will be opened to the public sometime in early July.

Note: The City of Prince Rupert has not made the video re-broadcast of Monday's Council session available as of yet, should they update their video record archive, we will add the Council presentation from Monday to this story.

Update:  The June 25th council Video was uploaded to the City's YouTube portal on July 6, 2018





For more items of note from Monday's City Council session see our Council Timeline feature here.

A wider look at Council discussion topics can be found from our Council archive page.

To return to the most recent blog posting of the day, click here.

From the Front of the stage; to the Front Office: Michael Gurney to take over at Lester Centre of the Arts

After twelve years at the helm, Crystal Lorette will step aside 
at the Lester Centre this August, with Michael Gurney 
set to move into the GM position 


The Board of Directors for the Lester Centre of the Arts have found their man, and for the most part he had been  hanging around the place a fair bit anyways.

Micheal Gurney was named the new General Manager for Prince Rupert's showcase of the Arts, set to take up his duties officially later this summer when he is installed to the position at the Lester Centre of Arts Board meeting of August 15th.

In the media release announcing Mr. Gurney's appointment, Ms. Kristy Tillman, the President of the Prince Rupert Performing Arts Society paid tribute to the work of outgoing GM Crystal Lorette, while looking ahead with enthusiasm for the future ahead with Mr. Gurney at the helm.

“We are invigorated at the prospect of Michael’s influence on the Lester Centre, given its already- strong reputation for excellence in the arts,”  ... Michael will be building on the strong foundation established by Crystal, whose commitment and vision have transformed the Lester Centre during her tenure,”

Michael Gurney speaking at a Rotary function,
the communications consultant has been named
the New General Manager of Prince Rupert's
Lester Centre of the Arts
The new General Manager is a familiar face around the community first through his long time association with the Port of Prince Rupert from 2011 to 2017 and through his many shared ventures with those at the Lester Centre, whether as an MC, actor/performer or director of local productions.

Among some of his recent work was a collaboration with Prince Rupert's legendary man of the arts, the lat Peter Witherly with whom he brought the production of Les Miserables to life in 2014.

Currently working as an independent communications consultant, one of his strengths for the position at the Lester Centre will be to enhance the Arts community profile not only on the North Coast, by across the Northwest and beyond.

Mr. Gurney has also been involved with a number of other local initiatives including his work with the BC Historical Federation, the North Pacific Cannery Historical Site, Intertidal Music Festival and the local Toastmasters group to name a few.

The position at the Lester Centre became available earlier this year, after long time General Manager Crystal Lorette announced her plans to step down from the post she has held for twelve years.

For more items of note related to the Arts on the North Coast see our twin archive pages below:

Community Events on the North Coast

North Coast Arts and Entertainment


To return to the most recent blog posting of the day, click here.

Council to submit Commercial fishery resolution to UBCM for September gathering


A pair of fishing vessels head out from Prince Rupert on Wednesday


After four consecutive sessions away from the Council Chamber (though she did participate on three occasions by phone) Councillor Joy Thorkelson was back in her seat at City Hall on Monday evening, bringing the frequent theme of the North Coast fishery up for consideration, as she sought to move forward a resolution for Council to submit for consideration by the UBCM.

The propoasl would see Council modify it's original letter for the Fisheries Minister of March of this year into a discussion topic for the gathering of Municipal leaders and officials which will take place this September in Whistler.

Councillor Cunningham opened the discussion on the topic and provided his thoughts in support of the request, noting that all the community was asking for was equal treatment with the east coast and calling attention to the job losses in the community from last year.

Adding that the region is in a crisis when it comes to the fishery on the North Coast and how the fishermen are the ones with the best knowledge of the issues of the fishery.

"All we're asking for is parity with the East Coast ... you know the east coast has more of a thriving fishery, even though its at times it's in disarray,  but it's definitely more beneficial to the communities and the individuals on the east coast. Where as in our fishery on the west coast, corporations are slowly gobbling it up and a prime example is the 500 to 600 cannery workers that were put out of work a season ago, because the fish was being process somewhere else. 

If we have adjacency laws in place those fish will be handled here and create more jobs for everyone ... Right now we're in a crisis with our fishing here and I think fisherman more than anyone else know how to look after a fishery"

He noted that there has been no response as of yet from the Federal government related to the crisis on the North Coast and how the resolution may bring some action for the community.

"So far we haven't found one word from our Federal government compensating any of the fishermen at any level whether they be commercial, sport guided fishermen or anyone getting compensation for the fact that they're just shutting it down. They're taking a livelihood out of people's pockets and the government is just saying well so be it, this resolution here will bring some power back to the people on the coast and especially the fishermen and I commend Joy for brining it forward" 

Councillor Thorkelson also expanded on the theme, asking for some friendly amendments towards fleet adjacency options.

She called for a start of discussion at the UBCM level and noted the recent moves by the provincial government to address the concerns with the fishery at the provincial level and how if the resolution was passed at the UBCM this fall, that it would provide an additional voice towards moving the Federal government to take action.

"What I am really hoping is that we can start a discussion at the UBCM level, the provincial government with their new fisheries committee is looking at economic impact on rural communities and trying to increase the benefits of the fishery for rural communities. It would be good if we were able to get this resolution passed at the UBCM, it would add further impetus for the economic features of this new committee"

She observed that time is of importance as the Federal government will be in election mode by next year and that this fall is the time to make their voices heard in Ottawa and strike while the iron is hot.

"Right now is the time to strike regarding the economic, we have a Federal Government that has opened up the Fisheries Act, and is changing regulations on the east coast, so it wouldn't take too much more to change regulations for our coast too. So it's the one time where we can get the provincial government could possibly, successfully lobby the federal government to change things for Pacific coast fisheries and we need to strike while the iron is hot. 

So, this is why it's important resolution to go to the UBCM convention now, because the Liberals will be in election mode next year, we need to get this in this year and to ensure that this passes and UBCM again is another way that we can put our foot in the middle of the provincial government's back to put their foot in the middle of the Federal government's back to try to make things better for coastal communities" 

Ms. Thorkelson's work as president of Unifor-UFAWU has kept the issue of adjacency and other concerns on the North Coast fishery high on the political agenda, not only for City Council but for the provincial and Federal governments.

As we noted earlier this month, Ms. Thorkelson was recently appointed to a new Provincial Advisory Council related to pressures on Wild Salmon on the west coast.

Her advocacy for the fishing industry and those that work in it has long been part of her focus through her time of service on Prince Rupert City Council.

Note: The City of Prince Rupert has not made the video re-broadcast of Monday's Council session available as of yet, should they update their video record archive, we will add the Council presentation from Monday to this story.

Update:  The June 25th council Video was uploaded to the City's YouTube portal on July 6, 2018





For more items of note from Monday's Council Session see our Council Timeline feature here.

A wider overview of Council discussion themes can be found here.

For more background on fishery issues on the North Coast see our Fishing Industry archive page here.

To return to the most recent blog posting of the day, click here.

Thoughts on amenities, road safety among Council commentary on Park Avenue housing permit process

The supportive housing project for Park Avenue provided for much of
the theme of Monday night's Prince Rupert City Council Session

Yet one more step was accomplished towards finally bringing a supportive housing complex for the homeless towards the construction phase, as Prince Rupert City Council approved the permit process on Monday night, but not without a range of questions to ask of City Planner Zeno Krekic.

We outlined many of the elements from his report on Monday, included in the document (available on page eight from the City Council Agenda for Monday) were some diagrams of what the structure will look like, it's placement on the site and some of the notes of interest raised by the Ministry of Transportation.

Following his presentation, Council members offered up some thoughts related to the development and compiled a bit of a wish list when it comes to aesthetics and safety concerns related to the project.

For his part Mayor Brain outlined how the City had been involved in the project by looking for available properties for development  on a long term, low lease basis, determining that the Park Avenue lot was the only lot currently owned by the city that was suitable and ready for civic services.

He noted that for other potential sites, there would be the need for adding on civic services and expanded zoning approvals and such, a process that would add time towards any potential development.

"We went in a van with BC Housing to a variety of different city owned lots that could potentially house this many units, but it was determined that this lot here was the only real one that was available that had existing servicing available to the site,  that includes water and sewage and electrical and things like that which require a massive amount of millions of dollars of construction to do if you're going to do it on a lot that doesn't have it, which a lot of the city owned lots are not serviceable at the moment."

Mr. Brain also observed as to how the housing development is to be operated by the Transition House Society, which is on an adjoining lot, it is felt that there are no concerns over security and other issues related to the site. The Mayor also outlined some of the details to the operation of the building and what life support options will be provided through BC Housing and the Transition House Society.

Some of the questions and observations addressed comments raised earlier in the evening by a participant in the Committee of the Whole session, who had expressed some concerns over the chosen location for the facility, noting its proximity to Transition House and some of the nearby commercial ventures in the area

Towards the building itself Councillor Thorkelson inquired as to the nature of the construction and how the project will be assembled on the site and what it will look like.

The City planner noted for Council that project will be made up of modular units and that the completed structure will most resemble a modest apartment building. Offering up the apartments on Park Avenue near Five Corners as perhaps the best example.



Councillor Randhawa inquired about on site management of the building, with Mr. Brain answering the question noting that Transition House staff will be providing 24 hour management for the building once it is in operation.

"The North Coast Transition Society will be managing these units, which allows them the opportunity to manage them through their existing office and there's a lot of various security measures that are already in place with the Transition House. So, the staff at the Transition House now don't foresee any complications between having these units next to them, so it seemed to be a win for all parties there." 

Mr. Krekic made note of the limited parking options for the site, noting how the main focus of the building was for homeless or near homeless, he advised that if BC Housing was to expand the mandate for the building, then the onus would be on them to add to parking for the site.

Councillor Cunningham had concerns related to the potential for traffic dangers for the site, observing as to the speed on the highway at that part of the city, noting that there should be some discussion about a cross walk or some other option to ensure for safe transit across a very busy roadway.

"You have a long stretch of highway there, from Five Corners ... down ... people don't slow down on that road and I can see people wanting to cross from this project over to the other side going up to BC housing, or something like that ... has there been any discussion about a crosswalk or anything between Five corners and farther down ... I think it's something that should be considered because you/re going to get people crossing there and we already have enough problems with people getting hit in crosswalks, never mind the middle of nowhere, so I think it's something that we should discuss so the city doesn't end up with a bill for crosswalk or a lighted cross walk"

Mr. Cunningham also inquired as to the status of fencing for the property, with the Mayor joining in to inquire about buffers for the building and whether some of the trees may be left in place to provide for a natural buffer.

Councillor Niesh offered up his support for the project and its location, noting the ongoing need to address the homeless issue in the community.

The Mayor also offered up that he had viewed a similar style of housing last year at the UBCM gathering and it was of high quality, he added that the structure proposed for Prince Rupert was part of the province's rapid response to housing issues and that the city has a choice to either approve a project like this on not, and if not, they will have people living on the streets.

Councillors Cunningham and Thorkelson also raised issues of aesthetics and safety for the site, calling for such amenities as a garden, benches, a fountain and such to add some green and public space to the project.

Ms. Thorkelson also noted some of the comments from those living on the streets and their concerns of having somewhere outside to gather and not to just be confined into a single room. She also echoed Councillor Cunningham's concerns over the safety related to Park Avenue and  how the city needs to put their minds towards that.

"The two biggest concerns were having somewhere outside, because many people have been living outside for so long that they are used to sitting outside on park benches and they are looking not just to be confined into a single room. Some kind of landscaping with park benches or something like that, a fountain, something nice ... the other thing is crossing to the other the side of the street and I think that;s going to be a huge concern"

On the theme of Park Avenue and safety, Mayor Brain indicated that some discussion has taken place related to that issue.

With the project on a tight timeline if there is any hope to have it in place for the fall deadline previously announced moving it forward would seem to be an important thing.

Mr Krekic observed for Council that the wouldn't be inclined to recommend any slow down of the development of the project to address those concerns at the moment, noting that it is heading into a critical period of time towards getting a start on construction.

"I don't think that we should stop the progress on this one, issuing the development permit because we are now starting to get into the critical part of the construction season."

Mr. Krekic's observation was a valid one, the timeline for a supportive housing building for the homeless has been one of shifting deadlines for a while now, the original notes from back in November when it was first announced, was for a Spring opening.

Now that we're into summer any further kind of delay could very well put the Fall target into peril.

The project can now move forward towards application for a building permit as part of the city's process of approvals.

Note: The City of Prince Rupert has not made the video re-broadcast of Monday's Council session available as of yet, should they update their video record archive, we will add the Council presentation from Monday to this story.

Update:  The June 25th council Video was uploaded to the City's YouTube portal on July 6, 2018



For more notes related to Monday's City Council session see our Council Timeline feature here.

A wider overview of City Council discussion topics is available on our archive page.

Further background on housing issues across the Northwest can be found from Housing archive here.


To return to the most recent blog posting of the day, click here.

City Council Timeline: Monday, June 25, 2018


The path ahead towards the construction of a supportive housing project on Park Avenue and a resolution on the fishery for this years UBCM dominated much of the fifty minutes from Monday's Prince Rupert City Council Session.

The Park Avenue project discussion for the most part involved the approval of the development permit for the site, but also provided a forum for council members to make inquires of the City Planner on elements of the design, as well as to make comments on some of the amenities they would like to see added to the building and property, along with some notes on safety issues related to Park Avenue.

On the fishery, Council members discussed a motion on support for the commercial fishing industry on the North Coast and the wording of a resolution that they wish to have considered at this years UBCM meetings in September.

A bylaw note and a property variance also made for part of the night's work.

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 an item of concern for consideration of the Council members.

Some background on the items of note on the evening and the various Agenda elements for the June 25th 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 Monday, June 25, 2018

Mayor Lee Brain -- Present 
Councillor Barry Cunningham-- Present 
Councillor Blair Mirau --  Absent
Councillor Wade Niesh -- Present
Councillor Gurvinder Randhawa--  Present 
Councillor Joy Thorkelson -- Present 

Councillor Nelson Kinney passed away on March 24th

Video Archive for June 25, 2018


Note: The City of Prince Rupert has not made the video of Monday evening's council session available for re-broadcast, no explanation has been provided as to the nature of its absence.

Update:  The June 25th council Video was uploaded to the City's YouTube portal on July 6, 2018




(0:00 -- 10:00)  Committee of the Whole Session for June 25, 2018  --  Mayor Brain reviewed the list of minutes and agenda items to be noted by Council members, with Council then approving the Agenda.

Council opened the Committee of the Whole session by calling form comments related to the 2018 Annual Report, no members of the public came forward to offer up any thoughts related to the Report.

One member of the public provided for other comments and observations for council with Sharon Jo Scott taking to the microphone  to express concerns over the location of the proposed supportive housing project to be developed on Park Avenue. Offering up some thoughts on how the location may not be the best location as a mix with other housing, social and commercial options in the area. 

The main thrust of her observations however, were to review some of the past public engagements hosted  in the community such as the Placemaking session and other civic initiatives.  From those gatherings Ms. Scott then asked for support from Council to go forward with a proposal for a community house to be developed in the McKay Street housing area, a gathering spot for the residents of that area to come together to address local issues and empower the people in the neighbourhood to bring about some change for their area.

The Mayor noted that the role of Council in Committee of the Whole is not to act on requests, but Mr. Brain added that what the city could do is to organize a meeting with MLA Rice's office to discuss the request further.

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.


********************************************************************************

(10:00 -- 11:00 )   Regular City Council Session for June 25, 2018  --  Mayor Brain reviewed the list of minutes and agenda items to be noted by Council members, including one late addition, with Council then approving the Agenda

( 11:00 -- 33:30Presentation City Planner Zeno Krekic, related to a Development Permit for 1500 Park Avenue, home for the proposed 36 Unit BC housing Project  -- Mr. Krekic reviewed the background to the proposed development, noting that it had been referred to appropriate authorities at the Ministry of Transportation, as well as the city's Fire Department and Building department, with neither of the latter raising any concerns.

The Ministry of Transportation did however, highlight notes related to potential parking issues and Ministry regulations related to travel along Park Avenue which is part of the Highway 16 system.

The Mayor outlined how the City had been involved in the project by looking for available properties for development on a long term, low lease basis, determining that the only one that was suitable and ready for civic services was the Park Avenue site selected by the City for the project.

Mr. Brain also observed as to how the housing development is to be operated by the Transition Hosue Society, which is on an adjoining lot, it is felt that there are no concerns over security and other issues related to the site.

Councillor Thorkelson inquired as to the nature of the construction and how the project will be assembled on the site and what it will look like, she was advised that they are modular units and that the completed structure will most resemble a modest apartment building. Offering up the apartments on Park Avenue near Five Corners as perhaps the best example.

The Mayor also outlined some of the details to the operation of the building and what life support options will be provided through BC Housing and the Transition House Society.

Councillor Randhawa inquired about on site management of the building, with Mr. Brain answering the question noting that Transition House staff will be providing 24 hour management for the building once it is in operation.

Mr. Krekic made note of the limited parking options for the site, noting how the main focus of the building was for homeless or near homeless, he advised that if BC Housing was to expand the mandate for the building, then the onus would be on them to add to parking for the site.

Councillor Cunningham made note of the potential traffic dangers for the site, observing as to the speed on the highway at that part of the city, noting that there should be some discussion about a cross walk or some other option to ensure for safe transit across a very busy roadway. He also inquired as to the status of fencing for the property.

The Mayor asked about buffers for the building and whether some of the trees may be left in place to provide for a natural buffer.

Councillor Niesh offered up his support for the project and its location, noting the ongoing need to address the homeless issue in the community.

The Mayor also observed that he had viewed a similar style of housing last year at the UBCM gathering and it was of high quality, he added that the structure proposed for Prince Rupert was part of the province's rapid response to housing issues and that the city has a choice to either approve a project like this on not, and if not, they will have people living on the streets.

Councillors Cunningham and Thorkelson also raised issues of aesthetics and safety for the site, calling for such amenities as a garden, benches, a fountain and such to add some green space to the project.

Ms. Thorkelson also noted some of the comments from those living on the streets and their concerns of having somewhere outside to gather and not to just be confined into a single room. She also echoed Councillor Cunningham's concerns over the safety related to Park Avenue and  how the city needs to put their minds towards that.

The Mayor offered the observation that some discussion has been taking place related to that issue.

Mr Krekic noted that the wouldn't be inclined to recommend any slow down of  the development of the project to address those concerns at the moment, noting that it is heading into a critical period of time towards getting a start on construction.

Council then voted to approve the development permit, the next phase for the project will be to apply for a building permit before commencing construction.

33:30 -- 36:00 )  Presentation City Planner Zeno Krekic, related to an Application for Development Variance Permit for a property on 1st Avenue West   -- Mr. Krekic provided some details related to the permit request, which is to add a deck to the front of the property setback in question.

Council members vote to approve the variance application, with the process now to go to public notification.

( 36:00 -- 37:00 ) Report from the City Manager : 2017 Annual Report --  With Council having hosted the public comment period prior to the Regular Council Session and with no comments from the public to consider,  Council then approved the 2017 Annual Report.

The Mayor added his thanks to staff for their work on the Annual Report and called attention to some new features that have been added to it.

( 37:00 -- 45:00 ) Correspondence For Action - Resolution for UBCM on the Commercial Fishery -- The late addition to the Agenda for the night brought up a resolution from Council back in March, with the Mayor reviewing the details of that resolution for Council's consideration as an addition as a resolution for consideration by the UBCM gathering in September.

Councillor Cunningham provided his thoughts in support of the request, noting that all the community was asking for was equal treatment with the east coast and calling attention to the job losses in the community from last year. Adding that the region is in a crisis when it comes to the fishery on the North Coast and how the fishermen are the ones with the best knowledge of the issues of the fishery.

He noted that there has been no response as of yet from the Federal government related to the crisis on the North Coast and how the resolution may bring some action for the community.

Councillor Thorkelson also expanded on the theme, asking for some friendly amendments towards fleet adjacency options. She called for a start of discussion at the UBCM level and noted the recent moves by the provincial government to address the concerns with the fishery at the provincial level and how if the resolution was passed at the UBCM level it would provide an additional voice towards moving the Federal government to take action.

She observed that time is of importance as the Federal government will be in election mode by next year and that this fall is the time to make their voices heard in Ottawa and strike while the iron is hot.

Council voted to approve the motion.

45:00 -- 46:00  ) Recommendation of the Adoption of Election Voting procedure and automated vote counting system bylaw -- Council voted to adopt the bylaw

( 46:00 -- 49:00  Reports, Questions and Inquires from Council

Councillor Niesh reported on his attendance at the Charles Hays Secondary School and Pacific Coast School Graduation Ceremonies as a representative of the city, noting how he spoke to the group and tried to convince them to return to town following their additional studies to help grow the town.

Councillor Randhawa passed on his congratulations on the opening of both the Atlin Promenade and Mariner's Park and noted the community partnerships that were formed to bring those two openings together.

Councillor Thorkelson outlined the current plan for fishing in the region with a two week window on the Nass for the fishing fleet to catch fish in the region, with the seine fleet's arrival anticipated to be July 5th.

Councillor Cunningham also took note of the opening of Mariner's Park and the atmosphere that the opening created in the park, he also paid tribute to those that contributed towards the park revival as well as to hail the work of city workers in helping to install the new park, adding that he wanted to make sure that they were recognized as well.

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 June 25th herewhere 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 June 25, 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 now heads into it summer schedule of reduced meetings, with only one meeting to be held in July, with another in August.

Council members next meet on Monday, July 23, 2018

To return to the most recent blog posting of the day, click here.