Northwest air travellers gain access to Calgary

The Terrace-Kitimat Airport Society scored a bit of a Northwest coup on Friday, with word that Hawk Air with Central Mountain Air would begin daily service from Terrace to Calgary, by way of Prince George starting on June 3rd.

The Announcement of increased air connections was made at the end of the Minerals North Conference, when Hawkair General Manager Rod Hayward outlined the details on the much desired
addition to the Terrace airport arrivals and departure board.

The Monday to Friday service will be booked through Central Mountain Air and make use of a 37 seat Dash 8 -100 series aircraft.

The flight plan has the scheduled flight Departing Calgary in the morning, making a stop in Prince George before carrying on to Terrace, total flight time between the two cities is to be under three hours.

The return flight to Calgary starts its journey in the afternoon out of Terrace, stopping in Prince George before arriving in Calgary in the early evening.

Central Mountain Air/Hawk Air decided to add the flight to the regional schedule owing to the success of the current Terrace to Prince George offering, which uses a Beechcraft 1900D to connect the two communities Monday through Friday.

The decision to access Calgary also comes as a result of frequent requests, particularly of those in the growing mining sector, to offer up an alternative to the Vancouver hub option that is the current template of air travel in Northwest British Columbia.

The addition of the new scheduling option, in addition to recent increases to the Terrace Airport schedule should help provide for more growth in the number of passengers making that airport their departure point in the region.


Terrace Standard-- Flight service from Terrace to Calgary
CFTK-- Minerals North Final Day (video)
CFTK-- Minerals North Wraps Up with Announcements

A forest industry revival for Prince Rupert?

Will Prince Rupert one day be host again to an active sawmill?

For CFTK TV that seems to be one of the themes that the Mayor provided for in this weeks council session, with his review of the nature of the possible need for a sawmill in the community.

CFTK reported on Thursday that the City has been approached by (still un-named) companies that may be interested in establishing a sawmill in the region. Giving the Mayor some thought to attracting more jobs to the region, providing for education in the community and retaining some of the young people in the community.

His thoughts on potential sawmill development seem to have been germinated from his recent attendance at the Council of Forest Industries conference in Prince George (see our Forestry archive for items of note on that session), where he learned that the current demand for value added Canadian lumber products is on the rise.

The city hasn't been a major participant in the value added aspect of the forestry, since the closure of North Coast Timber in 2001.

A possible rebirth of the forestry sector in value added items, began last year with the reopening of a sawmill in Terrace, to try and capitalize on the resurgence in demand for Canadian forest products.

You can review the Mayor's thoughts on forestry issues and those stemming from development in the community from our City Council Timeline from the 53 to 56 minute and 60 minute mark to 62 minute mark, viewing it from the City's Video archive on that same timeline.

CFTK featured the Mayor's hopeful outline on the forestry, with this review on their Thursday evening newscast.

Mayor Mussallem provides an update at Council on the Watson Island situation

Perhaps spurred on by discussion around town over this interview with CFTK Television last week, (a rather dire announcement that we reviewed on the blog here) the Mayor took time out of the Monday Council Session to deliver an update on the issue of Watson Island.

As part of his Mayor's report (see City Council Timeline) he provided the review of events thus far. Providing for those attending at council Chambers and those viewing at home,  a bit of background as to the current status of the Watson Island Situation.

Recounting the numerous meetings that he and some council members have already attended on the file so far on the topic. And in particular, taking time to express his and Council's concerns over the nature of the environmental clean up that will be required at the Watson Island site.

He provided a list of those items pertaining to chemicals and other issues related to their presence on the Watson Island  site and the need for a full clean up of the site. A long delayed clean up, that it would seem that the Mayor is quite anxious to have the Province of British Columbia become involved with.

He also reviewed the nature of unpaid taxes on the site and how the unpaid taxes legislation from the Province has impacted on the City's efforts on Watson Island. He provided some background on the steps that the City has taken to try and draw the attention of their plight with not only the provincial  Liberal government of the day, but with the NDP opposition.

He also delivered an account of some conversations with a number of provincial Cabinet Ministers on the topic of the tax legislation and the length of time and cost to the City as it has had to deal with the situation at Watson Island

Among some of the details that he revealed from those conversations was the assistance of the Liberal Cabinet Minister Pat Bell on the file, who according to the Mayor helped to support a meeting for the Mayor and Dan Rodin with Chinese representatives in Vancouver.

From that discussion, the Mayor, Mr. Rodin and Minister Bell  met with the Consul General of China for the People's Republic of China, the Vice Counsel and other representatives of the Chinese consulate in Vancouver.

From those conversations with the Chinese officials, he was advised that while the company was considered a private company by China, that they would make mention of the Mayor's request for a meeting with Sun Wave representatives.

Following that discussion, the City did have opportunity to meet with a representative of Sun Wave, and the Mayor remains hopeful that further discussions with Sun Wave representatives will follow, in order to address some of the issues that the City has over the site.

Though for the moment it would seem that the ongoing legal course will continue, as the Mayor outlined the court schedule ahead for the early part of the summer and the Mayor is hopeful that those sessions may provide some relief to the situation.

You can review the Mayor's points from the City's Video Archive of the Monday night council session (1 hour 2 minutes to 1 hour and nine minute mark)

For further items of note on the Watson Island file you can examine our Watson Island Archive section.

NWCC membership ratifies labour contract with PSEA

The Province of British Columbia announced on Friday that it had four more agreements wrapped up with Post Secondary Institutions in the province, the latest grouping includes an agreement reached with BCGEU Local 712 of Northwest Community College.

The agreement includes provisions for modest wage increases, which are being funded from savings found within existing budgets at Northwest Community College.

The Board of the Post-Secondary Employer's Association signed off on the agreements, which were the product of extensive labour negotiations in the last year.

The agreement fits in under the guidelines of the province's controversial Cooperative Gains Mandate.

The Northwest Community College local of the BCGEU submitted the contract for ratification in February, with its membership voting in favour of the contact by 88 percent.

The contact will expire in June of 2014.

Former Social Services Agency takes province to court

Concerns over the management of employee health and benefits by the province's Health Care Benefit Trust, has brought a number of current and former social service providers to court this past week.

The owner of Fairview Management Services, the former social services provider on the North Coast has  partnered with social service agencies in Victoria and Kelowna, in filing suit in British Columbia Supreme Court lawsuit over allegations of the Government's mismanagement of employee health and welfare benefits.

The latest development from Fairview and the two other Management groups is part of a combined effort from 50 different organizations that have united to fight the province and the trustees of the Healthcare Benefit Trust.

Fairview Management used to provide services to people with developmental disabilities in Prince Rupert until last year, when it suddenly was replaced by a new contract holder.

Some of the past history of that change can be found below

October 18-- Northern View-- Fairview Management no longer operating in Rupert, Thompson Community Services taking over

The Victoria Times Colonist has details on the court filing and some of the background behind the lawsuit.

Update: The Northern View examined the closure of Fairview Management with an extensive article in their July 3rd edition.


July 3-- Fairview coverup? B.C. government agency terminates Prince Rupert caregiver's $2million contract amid allegations of abuse, threats

Prince Rupert Skating Club looking for Board Members

The Prince Rupert Skating club has issued the call, looking for Rupertites wishing to help keep figure skating an active concern in the community to step up for Board membership.

The Club is holding its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, April 16th at 7 PM, in the Raven Room at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre.

Anyone who is interested in joining the Prince Rupert Skate Club as a Board Member is asked to attend, nomination forms for Board positions are available at the skating office.

They currently require six new board members in order to continue with the skating club.

You can learn more about the Prince Rupert Skating Club and access their contact information through their website.

Tentative labour deal reached for British Columbia Safeway employees

There will be no interruption to the grocery shopping routines of Prince Rupert residents, as British Columbia's 6,600 Safeway employees are on the verge of a new labour agreement with the shopping giant in the province.

The proposed deal was hammered out in negotiations with Local 1518 of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) over the last few months, it still has to be ratified by Safeway membership. No terms of the agreement were released at this time.

The UFCW advised their membership of the tentative agreement with updated information on their website (see here).

Safeway operates one of the two major grocery stores in the city, part of their 224 chain across Western Canada.

Earlier this year there was speculation from Eastern Canada that the Western grocery chain might be on the radar of Ontario based Loblaw's. A prospect of changing shopping allegiances that thus far, has not come to pass.

Items of note on the proposed Safeway agreement can be found below.

Vancouver Sun-- Canada Safeway reaches tentative labour deal with 6,600 workers in BC

NWCC receives funding for training opportunities

Northwest Community College was the host for an announcement on Thursday that will see some $465,000 in funding allocated for training opportunities in the Northwest.

Premier Christy Clark was in Terrace to make the announcement and learn more about what NWCC had to offer students and employers through the Northwest and how that could translate into job opportunities throughout the region

"This funding will help provide targeted training and give students in the Northwest access to specialist expertise that will provide them with strong, marketable skills that are in demand in their own part of the province."-- Ralph Sultan, Minister of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology.

The funding flows through the Canada- British Columbia Labour Market Development Agreement and will in part help support the Northwest Regional Workforce Table.

The Northwest regional group was one of the first to be created in the province and brings together  leaders from a wide range of regional disciplines. Those involved in the Regional group have the knowledge and expertise that helps to direct training in the region, steering local education options towards those sectors that have job opportunities.

The Regional Workforce Table has identified 34 key occupations which will be in high demand in the region through to 2020,  representing a wide range of industrial trades for the variety of industrial developments planned for the Northwest.

You can learn more about the Regional Workforce Table and those 34 occupations from this link.

The funding announcement also will support short term training related to the activities of the BC Centre of Training Excellence.

NWCC at the moment is one of the lead partners in the Mining Centre of Training Excellence, providing a central point of contact to support training in the resource sector.

With a number of mining projects in the incubation stage across the Northwest, having access to trained employees will be a key component of that resource development and the development of others in the years to come.

You can learn more about Thursday's announcement from this news release which outlines the scope of the programs available and the pivotal role that NWCC plays in the project.

April 5-- CFTK-- Clark Announces Training Investment in Terrace
April 4-- CFTK TV-- Premier Clark visit to NWCC (video)

Friendship House receives Federal funding for Homeless support programs

“Funds from the Homelessness Partnering Strategy allow us to provide services that are not available in our community at this time,” ... “The great support we receive from the Government of Canada allows us to fill those gaps with our services.” -- Vince E. Sampare, Contract Manager for the Friendship House Association of Prince Rupert. 

Prince Rupert's Friendship House Association has received funding from the Federal Homelessness Partnering Strategy, providing for resources to  provide nutrition workshops, food hampers and make improvements to facilities at their Fraser Street location.

Details of the program and the funding provided for it were outlined in a press release that was issued on Thursday.

The Friendship House received over $70,000 from the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS) to support the construction of a new kitchen, a shower and laundry facilities. The new kitchen will give local Aboriginal people increased access to nutritious food through workshops and a food hamper program.

The funding is part of an ongoing housing and homelessness program that the Federal Government has embarked on since September of 2008, with more than 1.9 billion dollars distributed to communities across Canada in the last five years.

You can learn more about that program and the Prince Rupert angle to it, from this press release

And another office opens up at City Hall.

Yesterday on the blog, we outlined the appearance of a job opportunity at Prince Rupert City Hall, the just posted advertisement for a new Chief Financial Officer for the city.

A job once the realm of Dan Rodin, who had been  tackling the twin duties of CFO and Acting City Manager, since the departure of Gord Howie earlier this year.

At the end of our article we offered up an opportunity for the reader to write the ending of the story to this point:

Even more curious, is the fact that resumes for the CFO's position are directed to Mr. Rodin, the still?/former? CFO, current Acting City Manager and possibly future... (insert your observation here)

Hands up to those that selected soon to be retiring CFO.

In a surprise revelation to the Northern View, Mr. Rodin confirmed that he is stepping aside from the work of City Hall, effective May 15th.

A situation that depending on how fast the City is working on the City Manager file, could leave the city without senior leadership in two positions by the middle of May.

The normal thought in the community perhaps, was one that would have seen Mr. Rodin shift into the City Manager position full time and then hire on a new CFO, all in the name of continuity and all of that.

That topic of civic employment (though not related to any current positions) was one that council touched on in their most recent council session.

Mindful to the challenge of municipal staffing and hoping to find a way to provide current and potentially future staff members, the opportunity to grow in their positions and remain with the City for years to come.

See City Council timeline 2 hour 1 minute to 2 hour 14 minutes.

But with the announcement of his pending departure, the process of internal succession seems to not be one to be followed at this time.

Instead, the city is back to the classifieds, seeking another new member of the team for Third Avenue West.

It is rather unusual for a city to have two high profile positions needing to be filled at the same time and could make for a challenging transition for the new arrivals, whenever they may make landfall on our shores.

Especially when one considers the many financial and civic concerns raised most recently in the budget process.

Mr. Rodin's departure will coincide with the timeline of adoption of this years fiscal plan by Council, one which he offered input towards, but now won't be around to Shepherd through the process.

So far, the bulk of the explanation on what has come to pass has come from Mr. Rodin in the Northern View article, hopefully the Mayor and Council might share some thoughts on the latest development and offer up a timeline of when City Hall may feature a fully staffed collection of senior officials.

You can follow the remainder of the media reviews of today's announcement below, as they become available.