Friday, December 31, 2021

Blog Watching! The year that was 2021!

YEAR IN REVIEW 2021

For our Blog watching feature for year's end we once again offer up a trio of headings to provide for a glimpse of some of the news highlights of the year soon to end.

Category number one will be the Overall Top story, as determined by the amount views the article received over the course of the last 365 days.

Category Two will feature those stories of note from Prince Rupert City Hall.

Our third category explores some of the key topics of the year from the Business or Industrial footprint in the community.

All of our results have been determined by the viewer count for the stories through the year.

At the bottom of each section you will also find links to additional blog resources to review themes in more detail, listed by the month.

Our Lists of the year, unfold as follows:

Overall top stories

2021 was a year which was obviously dominated by COVID-19 once again, the never ending coronavirus making for sadness for some, challenges for many, as it continued its course around the world for a second year, now heading for a third.

It once again left popular festivals cancelled, the shared experiences of gatherings banished from time to time and saw hopes of an end rise and fall, with a new variant Omicron to take us into new and uncharted waters.

Still, life did move on, whether with local politics or provincial and Federal, our industry continued to operate though with new measures in place.
 
As it was in 2020, among the hardest hit by the path of the coronavirus were the business and tourism sectors, with many operators having their legs pulled from under them as the range of protective measures rolled out, a range of restrictions took root and customers and visitor numbers declined.

Our look at how the months unfolded can be reviewed below:

Most Read -- All Inclusive

January

Prince Rupert hears of its first death owing to COVID, with passing of Acropolis Manor resident 

February

Two more passings reported from Acropolis Manor, brings to twelve the number of COVID-19 related deaths since Mid January at the long term care facility in Prince Rupert 

March

Prince Rupert to receive staged community-wide COVID-19 vaccination program starting March 15th

April

Prince Rupert District Teachers Union raises concerns over budget uncertainty and potential for layoffs

May

Guidance on second COVID shots leaving Prince Rupert residents somewhat confused 

June

Prince Rupert RCMP release details and background to police pursuit along Highway 16 on Friday

July

Prince Rupert's signature downtown building to change hands

August

City of Prince Rupert sets August 23rd for Public Hearing on proposed Apartment complex for 11th Avenue East

September

PRDTU survey notes of concerns on classroom overcapacity, union hails goals of better transparency from SD52 board

October 

Office of Information and Privacy Commissioner denies City of Prince Rupert's quest to Not Release Body camera footage of August 2019 dog incident 

November

Prince Rupert Chamber of Commerce finds right fit for Executive Director Post from within Board of Directors

December

City's Snow Strategy leaving some residents wanting

See our right hand column feature North Coast Review Backgrounders for links to archives of the year on a range of topics of note for the region.

Also as part of our right hand column options we have a North Coast Review Extra Edition feature which offers more in depth reviews of some of the larger issues of the Northwest this year.

Tracking the year in politics is fairly easy as well from our right hand column listings as well, just check out our archives for both the House of Commons and Legislature for items of note from the North Coast and Northwest in 2021.

Those who have deeper interest in the federal and provincial scene will find our companion blog D'Arcy McGee of interest, where we have archived notes from both Ottawa and Victoria.  

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Municipal government

COVID continued to have an impact on municipal governance in Prince Rupert, the measures towards coronavirus making for a mix of remote appearances and in Chamber sessions, but continuing to make for a diminished access to City Hall and council proceedings as they City Council continued to roll out its COVID response.

The provincial measures also meant for limited opportunity for public engagement on some of the larger files and presentations, while COVID was noted in a number of areas as providing for a financial hit on revenues and expenses in 2021.

What municipal themes caught the interest of the readers through the year looked as follows:

Most Read -- Municipal Government


January

Parking analysis and recommendations for changes part of tonight's Council session

February

Prince Rupert Council to consider Temporary Use Permit for area of land near Miller Bay

March

Petition looks to stop progress on rezoning for 11th Avenue Housing proposal

April

Council hears call for approval of 11th Avenue Housing plans

May

April's Lax Kw'alaams Housing proposal presentation for 11th Avenue East is now available online


June

A can of worms ... and other conversation starters

July

Latest element of Prince Rupert vision planning out for Bids as Gateway project comes into focus

August

City of Prince Rupert sets August 23rd for Public Hearing on proposed Apartment complex for 11th Avenue East

September

Some of City Council's Priority list may not match up with that of Prince Rupert residents

October 

Office of Information and Privacy Commissioner denies City of Prince Rupert's quest to Not Release Body camera footage of August 2019 dog incident 

November

Meet you at Eat Street Square

December

City's Snow Strategy leaving some residents wanting

Our archive of the year on the Municipal scene includes the following elements:

Council Discussion Topics



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Industry/Retail

As it has for a number of years now, Port development once again dominated much of the year's industrial review, with the container terminal expansion plans framing much of the discussion this year.

Among some of the other port related items that grabbed attention on the year, plans for another terminal on Ridley Island for the Dutch shipping giant VOPAK, the start of work on the Wolverine Marnie Fuelling terminal as well as  the ever closer completion of the Fairview-Ridley dedicated access route and the ports own development plans for Ridley Island all made for much followed items of note for the year.

Some of the stories of the year are as follows:

Most Read -- Business/Industry

January

Air Canada set to suspend air service to Prince Rupert: report 

February

Hopes for a little speed dating for Prince Rupert ... as Online worker/resident recruitment program launches

March

November 30 target for Prince Rupert Port Authority for removal of Fairview Bulk Liquid Storage Facility

December

Wolverine Terminals advises that Construction period underway for Fuelling Terminal on city's westside

For more background on the region's industrial and commercial sector see the following:

Industrial Archive



To all our readers, we hope you have a very happy and enjoyable New Year's Eve as we all provide our own farewell to an unforgettable twelve months of 2021. 

We offer our wishes for all the Best in 2022. We're looking forward to seeing what stories will be the ones that resonate through the year when we do this all again on December 31st, 2022!!!


Our archive of weekly Blog Watching for the year now ending can be found here

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