Prince Rupert Crimestoppers debuts Facebook page

Accessing information and news about the Prince Rupert Crimestoppers organization is going to be an easy to discover and enjoyable experience now, with the debut of a new Facebook page dedicated to the work of local group.

Launched this week, it is still a bit of a work in progress, but already features a number of photos and some background information on what the volunteer based group is all about.

One item of note just posted to the page is the just announced partnership between Prince Rupert Crimestoppers and the Police/Fire Museum, which will see the two groups working together on the restoration  of the 1947 Mercury Police car that the Museum is in possession of.  Originally in use during the days of the BC Provincial Police, the police version is the  last of its kind in the Province.

The restoration process on the car will continue through the summer and into the fall, with hopes to have the work completed by that time.

Once it has been restored, the vehicle will be put back into service with the current Prince Rupert Detachment.

You can learn more about that project as well as further information on the local Crimestoppers organization from this link to their page.

Those that wish to join the organization can pick up an application form at the local detachment of the RCMP on Sixth Avenue West.

Hecate Strait organization highlights services to Immigrant community

Monday night's Council session provided for a primer on what kind of services are currently available to newcomers to Canada that have settled in the Prince Rupert region.

Mr. Glenn Groulx, who leads a team on Immigrant Settlement Services at Hecate Strait Business Development, spoke to Council providing some background on the program which started in the community in April.

Through his presentation he outlined some of the programs and services that are offered at the 1st Avenue East offices.

Among the programs of note outlined to council were, Computer and Internet access, an English club

in partnership with the public library, field trips into the community and a number of social activities for newcomers to the city.

He further expanded on the Skills Connect for Immigrants Program, the Resource Library for Immigrants and how the organization connects with the immigrant community in the city.

Following the presentation, Council members were offered the opportunity to seek out further information on the services provided.

Councillor Kinney, started the question period by asking as to the number of immigrants that the Centre has provided service for in the last six months, Mr. Groulx outlined that so far in the year they have provided assistance to some 30 to 40 newcomers to the city.  He

Councillor Thorkelson offered up a few observations and questions on the theme of temporary foreign workers and immigrants to the community, asking what kind of guidance that the service provides to workers in the community regarding terms of employment rights and safety concerns.

Mr. Groulx outlined the scope of the mandate for the Organization and what it can provide to any newcomers to the community.

The full presentation can be found on the City's Video Archive starting at the 6 minute thirty second mark.

More background information on the program run through Hecate Strait can be found from their website.

For other items related to City Council see our Council Discussion Archive page.

Council to seek better access to Information on Dangerous Goods movements through the City

With a growing number of trucks travelling to and from the container port and transiting through the city these days, Council heard concerns on the prospect of dangerous goods travelling through the city.

The topic was raised by way of discussion from Councillor Joy Thorkelson, who introduced the issue at Monday's council session.

As she introduced the theme, she outlined how she was seeking some knowledge on whether there is any legislation in place to require disclosure of dangerous goods on city roads.

She also called attention to some concerns regarding both rail traffic coming into the city and the prospect of dangerous goods travelling through the city to and from the container port.

Highlighting a concern that she was made aware of in relation to a recent transit of trucks that were observed carrying some form of wax substance.

She observed that should there have been an accident emergency officials would not have had much information on the nature of that
cargo.

As part of the discussion, she asked that Council ensure that the Port is providing proper notification of any dangerous goods that may be travelling along city roads.  As part of the discussion, she asked for staff to explore if there was any to have the same kind of notification on truck shipments that is currently in place regarding rail shipments.

The Mayor tasked the City Manager to seek out further information on the issue from the Emergency Services coordinator in the community.

You can review councils discussion on the topic from the Council Video Archive page, the topic starts up at the1 hour thirty minute mark.

We have notes on other developments at City Council available on our archive page.

Council to consider forming a Housing Committee to address housing issues in the community

The topic of social and supportive housing has become a frequent theme of Prince Rupert City Council meetings in recent months, with Councillor Joy Thorkelson spearheading the move to address concerns around the community.

Monday night, she took those concerns to Council once again, with the councillor recounting some of the items of note that she has relayed to Council in past sessions, including the lack of supportive housing for those with addictions and other life challenges.

Towards relieving some of those stresses on supportive housing, Councillor Thorkelson outlined some background on how Vancouver is approaching those issues, working with Vancouver Coastal Health to address the same issues in the lower mainland.

That is a framework that the Councillor believes could work for Prince Rupert, with Northern Health perhaps to be involved in seeking solutions to similar issues in the Prince Rupert area.


She also called attention to the need for improved low cost and social housing for those that are caught in the upward spiral of rental accommodations in the city.

As well, she suggested that City Council seek out a report from staff and give some thought to creating a local Housing Committee, which would be tasked to explore the needs for improved access to housing further and come up some form of guidance for the community as to how to address the issues.

On the theme of land use in the community, the Mayor advised that Council may wish to wait until the City Planner delivers his report on the scope of land allocation in the community, a report that is due to be presented in July.

Councillor Garon echoed the Mayors thoughts on the issue,  while Councillor Ashley suggested that as they wait for that report, that council begin to give some thought as to  who they would like to see involved in those discussions at a committee level and to consider what approach to take to the issue.

Councillor Cunningham brought up the prospect of inviting BC Housing representatives back to Council to explore the situation further, he also inquired as to whether the City could hand over land zoned as P1 and P2 to non profit housing groups.

That suggestion was something that the Mayor said that staff could investigate further and could be a theme that Council could consider in future sessions.

Councillor Thorkelson stayed with her preference for more immediate action, suggesting that the report while helpful for background on housing stock, would not take on the issues of access to the various levels of housing under discussion.

She outlined more thoughts on the need for supportive housing and improved social housing in the community, highlighting her observations on a growing homeless situation in the city.

In the short term, Council will forward a letter of concern on the issue from the Community to Community Forum, directing that it be sent to the appropriate government agencies as well as to Northern Health.

Council also voted to add Social and supportive housing issues to their list of proposed discussion points for the fall session of the UBCM in Whistler.

You can review the full scope of the Housing discussion from the Council Video Archive page, it starts at the 1 hour 33 minute mark and continues on for twelve minutes or so.

For more items on Housing in the community see our archive page.

We have more Council Coverage available from our Council Discussion archive page.

Friday Port Call for Two cruise ships to Prince Rupert

"All ashore, that's going ashore" will be the call Friday morning on the Prince Rupert waterfront, as two cruise vessels make a port call on the city, marking the busiest day of the 2014 cruise season for Prince Rupert.

And while the vessels making the stopover in the city aren't the largest that we have seen over the years, the arrival of the Silver Shadow and the Caledonian Sky  will offer up a suggestion of what an increased presence in the cruise industry could bring the city once again.

The twin hit of cruise ships should see close to 500 visitors exploring the city and region's attractions, the Caledonian Sky accommodates 114 passengers who will be transported to Prince Rupert from the vessels anchorage in Prince Rupert Harbour, the Caledonian Sky pulls into the harbour at 7:30 AM.

The Silver Shadow receives the Northland Cruise Terminal berth, arriving at 8 AM with a potential 382 guests ready to examine what the North Coast has to offer.

Some may already have some idea as to what they wish to take in, Cruise Prince Rupert has developed a web portal that outlines a fair amount of background on the region and some of the activities and attractions that are available from it.

Prince Rupert will see ten cruise ships in total call on the port this year, with seven vessels still to come following tomorrows port call.  Three of those calls arrive in July, with none scheduled for August and  the remainder in September.

The final cruise call of the year takes place on September 19th when the Silver Shadow makes another visit to the city.

For more items of interest on Cruise related developments see our Archive page.

Port Authority tops off International Seafarers Day with a top up of funding for local Centre

The Prince Rupert Seafarers Centre celebrated the 4th Annual Day of the Seafarer on Wednesday, with a short presentation at the Third Avenue location, highlighted by the announcement of a five thousand dollar donation from the Prince Rupert Port Authority, destined to assist in the delivery of services to mariners from around the world.

The Prince Rupert Centre offers up storefront assistance to visiting crew members from the wide range of vessels that call on Port
Facilities in the city.

You can learn more about Wednesday's announcement and some of the impact that the local service has on visiting seafarers from this item from the Port Authority website.

Those in the community that wish to donate of their time, or services can learn more about the local centre by dropping into their Third Avenue storefront location at 245 3rd Avenue West. They can be reached at 250-624-6724.

More on what International Seafarer's Day is all about can be found from the YouTube video below:



As part of the commemoration of International Seafarer's Day supporters of the program world wide were asked to submit a photo featuring the sentence "Seafarer's brought me ..."

Courtesy of the Prince Rupert Port Authority, the Prince Rupert contribution to the theme can be found above, for a look at the world wide project check out the facebook page and twitter feed that was dedicated to International Seafarer's Day.

Councillor Ashley to seek rezoning of industrial land within Prince Rupert, with an eye towards a ban on oil refinery development in the city

While the talk of oil refineries on the North Coast is still very much a far off idea, proponents may soon learn that any idea of placing one on industrial land within the City of Prince Rupert boundaries just won't be on.

On Monday evening, Councillor Anna Ashley advised Council that she plans to serve a motion of notice at the next Council session.

A discussion point that would seek to have all industrial land within the city's boundaries rezoned, so as to not allow for development of an oil refinery within the city boundaries.

The prospect of such activity in the region, would at the moment seem very much the thing of a far off proposal, rather than fact. Indeed, for many observers of the political and economic scene in British Columbia the prospect of such developments ever getting off the ground is doubtful.

However, with her notice of further discussion to come on the topic, Councillor Ashley is apparently not inclined to wait to see how those proposed developments may or may not progress.

Towards her theme on banning oil terminal development within municipal boundaries, the Mayor tasked the Corporate Administrator, City Manager and City Planner to all put together a report for Council.

An Information package Designed to provide Council Members some guidance as to what steps would be required to provide for such an industrial banishment on city land.

The two most often mentioned proposals for an oil refinery in the Prince Rupert area have been Eagle Spirit Holdings and Pacific Future Energy Corporation , both of which have provided mainly for press releases on the theme, but little else as far as a development plan.

You can review what information we have assembled on both proposals from the links below:

Eagle Spirit Energy Holdings
Pacific Future Energy Corporation

Should either of those two proponents ever find some forward momentum on their proposals, it would appear pretty clear that should Councillor Ashley find support among her council partners, that Prince Rupert won't be putting out a welcome mat for developments of that nature.

However, before Council gets around to banning any form of industrial development option, one might wonder if they should not at least investigate a bit just what is being proposed?

The prospect of an outright ban on any kind of industrial development, particularly one at such an early stage of the proposal process seems baffling.

There are two sides to every particular story and without having sought out further information on what either of the two most public proposals are all about, Council runs the risk of making pronouncements without knowing any actual facts about them.

Beyond the added workload that Council has once again suddenly deposited on staff members, a collective that Council admits are already overworked, there's the apparent theme here that the current Council members will somehow know what's best for the larger community.

Something as declarative as an outright ban of the development of any industry, is an issue that perhaps the entire community should have a say on, not just the six elected councillors and their Mayor.

If anything, this might be an issue best settled by a vote by public referendum. And by public vote, we suggest not by using Council's preferred version of consultation of late, that of the Alternate Approval Process.

For the moment, the idea of issuing a ban on any oil refinery proposal (particularly ones which have not  even been earmarked for Prince Rupert) seems to be an attempt to attach Council to a rather a topical item of the news cycle these days.

It's a rather curious move at this point in time, and one that seems to be thing of a spontaneous whim, without making for much thought as to the optics such a decision might deliver for other investors of different proposals beyond those of oil refineries.

Once again, Council seems determined to introduce topics to their Council deliberations seemingly out of far left field,  a path which doesn't appear to give much thought to the larger message that such actions tend to deliver beyond the city's boundaries.

You can review Councillor Ashley's heads up to Council through the City's Video Archive, her discussion points start at the 1 hour 26 minute mark.

For more items of note from City Council see our Archive page.