Recent COVID-19 reports in Prince Rupert reflected by surge in weekly stats review. 38 cases of Coronavirus now listed in the city from period of January 17-23

The two high profile outbreaks of COVID 19 have painted the BC CDC map a dark shade of red in Prince Rupert for the first time since the data has been made public, with the report of data collected from January 17 to 23 now noting 38 cases of COVID-recorded in the community during that period.

The Prince Rupert surge comes from the ongoing outbreaks at the Acropolis Manor Long Term Care facility which hosts the largest volume of case reports. as well as from the classrooms of School District 52 in the city.

Still, despite the dramatic increase for Prince Rupert, the community still is not atop the findings across the Northwest for the week of data review, with Terrace once again the hot zone for COVID in the Northwest with 59 cases noted from January 17-23

The BC Centre for Disease shares data on a weekly basis culled from Local Health Authority reports and while the results for Prince Rupert and Terrace are concerning, during the data collection period, other areas of the Northwest show some moderation from past results.

Across the remainder of the Northwest, the cases reported from  January 17-23 were as follows.

Terrace -- 59 
Kitimat -- 18 
Smithers -- 16
Bella Coola Valley -- 12   
Nechako -- 12
Burns Lake -- 11 
Nisga'a Region -- 9
Upper Skeena  -- 3
Snow Country-Stikine-Telegraph Creek --3
Haida Gwaii -- 1

The Central Coast once again this week had no cases of COVID reported in the period.

The most recent monthly update (as of December 31st, 2020) from the BC CDC can be reviewed here.  

Other charts and information from the BC CDC can be explored here.

You can review the latest information from the Public Health office Doctor Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix here.  

BC holds the line with 485 new cases of COVID on the day, with only 4 passings from the day's review.

The  Wednesday report provided much the same story as has been reported for weeks, with the lates case reports noting of an increase from yesterday's count, a welcome reduction in deaths and much the same in active cases for the last 24 hours.

Today's overview came by way of a statement from Doctor Bonnie Henry and Health Minster Adrian Dix. 

“Today, we are reporting 485 new cases, for a total of 65,719 cases in British Columbia. 

There are 4,299 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. There are 303 individuals currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 74 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation. 

Currently, 6,520 people are under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases and a further 58,778 people who tested positive have recovered. 

There have been four new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 1,172 deaths in British Columbia. We offer our condolences to everyone who has lost their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic."

Across the province, the regional health authorities have reported the following case reports for the last 24 hours:

115 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 210 new cases in the Fraser Health region, 45 in the Island Health region, 83 in the Interior Health region, 32 in the Northern Health region which brings the total for Northern BC to 3,283 since the start of the pandemic one year ago. 

There have been no new cases of COVID reported in British Columbia from people who reside outside of Canada.

As BC reviews its vaccination roll out program, the vaccination totals to date, have seen 124,365 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in B.C., 4,160 of which are second doses. 

With some COVID fatigue settling in across the province, Dr. Henry and Minister Dix offered up some guidance for the days ahead as we look to reduce the current levels being reported.

“One year ago today, the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in our province. Since that day, the impact has been severe; people have become seriously ill and died, our lives have been disrupted and health-care workers everywhere have faced challenges at a scale never experienced before. 

In response, people throughout the province have stepped up to put normal routines and activities aside, doing all they can to protect our communities, Elders and loved ones. Thank you. 

When we are tired, it is easy to let things slip and let our guard down. Yet this only gives the virus a chance to spread a bit more. In these days – when COVID-19 vaccinations are starting, but for most of us are still weeks or months away – the actions we take may seem small, but will have a big impact to stop the virus in its tracks. 

As we have seen over the past year, one case can turn into thousands. But just as important, the effort we put into keeping ourselves and each other safe can also push our COVID-19 curve back down again.”

Premier John Horgan touched on some of those themes and many other COVID related issues as part a Wednesday morning  press conference. Among some of the topics he spoke to included questions on the possiblitiy quarantines for those coming to BC, restrictions on travel both from within and out of the province. 

The Premier also addressed the current levels of vaccine delivery and how it remains in the hands of the federal government which BC continues to support.

You can review that presentation below:

You can can review more of today's COVID statement here. 

BC CDC data for  British Columbia as of January 27 2021

BC CDC data for Northern Health region as of January 27 2021

The BC Centre for Disease control has some valuable Coronavirus notes related to COVID-19 you can explore that information here.

You can learn more about the outbreak from both the Province and the Federal government from the links below:

Federal Government site

British Columbia Government site

The World Health Organization website also offers up the latest advisories on the global situation.

More from  Northern Health can be reviewed here 

You can review our archive of past statements and local information here.   

Local governments and organizations have also provided for increased awareness of COVID-19 issues, those past advisories  can be reviewed here.

For notes from across Canada and British Columbia we have been archiving the latest items through our political portal Darcy McGee

Ottawa Observations

Victoria Viewpoints

 

State of Local Emergency in the Nass is lifted, though community vigilance remains as guiding advice

A fourteen day State of Local Emergency in the Nass Valley has been lifted, with midnight Tuesday the official end of a range of restrictions for community members that after a sharp increase of the reports of positive cases of COVID through the region.

After a review today from the Nisga'a Emergency Preparedness Committee, it was determined that an extension of the measures in place since January 12th was not required, however caution and vigilance remain the focus for the Nisga'a Nation. 

That the message delivered to Nisga'a Nation members by Eva Clayton, the President of the Nation.

"We need to stay the course and remain our bubbles, we will get through this pandemic if we remain vigilant.

While the State of Local Emergency is lifted, some of the measures will remain in place with a range of check points and community surveillance operations to continue in each of the four villages, Nisga'a Guardians and Enforcement officers have the authority to issue fines for anyone found contravening public health orders.

Since March the Nisga'a Valley Health Authority notes the there have been 144 positive cases of COVId from testing out of a total of 1,219 tests.

You can learn more about the decision to lift the order and review some of the measures from this information statement.

For more notes related to events in the Nass Valley see our archive page here.

City Council has few notes to share on Air Service status

Mayor Brain responded to a question on air service in Prince
Rupert at Monday's council session

The topic of the recently suspended Air Canada Service to and from Prince Rupert made for a short conversation piece at the end of Monday's Prince Rupert Council City session, that as Councillor Gurvinder Randhawa followed up on some inquiries he has received from the public on a status update on efforts to bring some form of service back to the city.

The question was directed to Mayor Lee Brain, who advised that he didn't have much to add to the conversation at this point, noting that work continues by the Airport Manager to speak to Federal and airline officials about the cancellation of service, with nothing to report from those efforts yet.

Mr. Brain also noted that the Chamber of Commerce has been engaged in a survey project related to airport use, which would go towards the combined efforts in the community.

"The only thing we've had is from what the notice from last week, or the week before and  I know that we're working  with the Chamber right now and they're conducting a survey and we've been in contact with our Airport Manager who is working with the airlines and talking with the Federal Government about the airlines. So, once there is an update, we'll definitely notify the community." -- Mayor Lee Brain

As we noted earlier this week, the survey findings have now been released with the focus on the importance of the airport to the region and the impact that the suspension of service is having and will continue to have as it moves on through the next few months.

The Councillors Q and A opportunity can be reviewed from the city's video archive at the forty nine minute mark.

For more notes on Monday's Council session see our Council Timeline Feature here, a wider overview of Council themes is available from our Council Discussion archive.

For items of interest on air transportation in the Northwest see our archive page here.

Prince Rupert's Fukasaku set to be part of National celebration of sustainable seafood

This coming Monday turns the page on the calendar and as February begins its twenty eight day run, Seafood will be the focus as the Ocean Wise program takes their Chowder Chowdown to the national stage.

The organization has been preparing for the inaugural edition of the national festival which will run from February 1st to 28th, with Chowder available for dine in or take out and in some cases even delivery across the land.

And for Prince Rupert that means that there is only one place to look on the map, thanks to the contribution from Fukasaku in the Atlin Terminal.

Through the month, Dai Fukasaku and his staff will join 25 other partners across the country in celebration of the Ocean Wise  program, with part of the proceeds to be directed towards support the sustainable seafood program hosted by the organization.

The Ocean Wise program consists of nine scientists and account managers across Canada who analyse the most current data on thousands of seafood options and work with restaurants, seafood suppliers and grocery stores to communicate recommendations and monthly updates on the changing science. 

Ocean Wise’s recommendations are not only based on assessment of the species itself, but also the fishery’s impact on the surrounding environment, other species, and how well it is managed.

You can learn more about the national program and the National Chowder Showdown here.

The chance to grab a bowl of chowder will also provide opportunity to check out the new location at the Atlin Terminal, with updates on how the project is coming along available from the Fukasaku of Prince Rupert Facebook page.

For more notes on the North Coast fishery see our archive page here.

Further themes on the Prince Rupert Commercial sector can be found here.

"It's time for us to take action; it's time for us to Clean up the town": Mayor Lee Brain

Commercial property owners in Prince Rupert will soon be receiving some mail from the City of Prince Rupert, with Council on Monday night  moving forward with the final stage of approval forward for its new Downtown Core Revitalization Tax Exemption Bylaw.

Council Members gave fourth and final approval to the new bylaw, which will incentivize development in the town and a moment for Councillor Wad Niesh which signalled a big moment for the community.

The passage of the bylaw came after some extensive revision work over the last month as the city's contract planners iPlan lent a hand in crafting the document, the genesis of which came from a recommendation from iPlan's Rob Buchan last summer.

The new bylaws will provide an incentive for developers to help to rebuild the city's tired looking. downtown landscape, while also adapting to a range of new proposals to come in the city's soon to be approved Official Community Plan.

Council members were quite proud of their achievement from their work on the document with Councillor Mirau praising the work of staff and iPlan on the project, while Councillor Niesh looked forward to the prospect of new growth downtown.

"I am looking forward to hopefully lots of people, lots of developers and local owner taking advantage of this opportunity over the next three years to revitalize their downtown"

Mayor Lee Brain also spoke to the adoption of the new bylaws, noting how once passed the city would be  forwarding some 102 letters ready to be sent business owners in the area.

The information flow will include two letters to the property owners, the first to outline the scope of the new program, the second one to reinforce the measures that will be in place towards enforcement on  the number of unsightly properties found in the downtown core.

"It's time for us to take action, it's time for us to clean up the town, and I think that the strategy that we are employing here, the two prong approach, I believe is going to get some traction" -- Mayor Lee Brain  

The calls for a downtown clean up has been an ongoing theme for City Council for much of the last two terms.  

Back in 2018 Councillor Barry Cunningham had called for a stronger hand in enforcing the then existing options in place, his presentation reinforcing how the call for action had been a long standing one around the council table.

You can review some of the progress on the Tax Exemption Bylaw below:

January 13 -- After lengthy back and forth discussion, Council members came to a compromise on amendments for Downtown Tax Incentive Bylaw
November 25 -- City Council moves forward towards introduction of Downtown Revitalization/Tax Exemption program
August 27 -- City's hired civic planner updates progress on Official Community Plan; offers up recommendations towards enticing developers

The full documentation for the Bylaw is available from the City's Agenda from Monday night.

The discussion on the topic can be reviewed from the City's Video archive starting at the 4 minute mark.

For more notes related to Monday's Council Session see our Council Timeline Feature here.

A wider overview of past Council themes is available here.

Council approves proposed application towards grant funding for Hays Creek work

The City of Prince Rupert is applying for grant funding for
work along the Hays Creek area near the Civic Centre

With the prospect of over 1.5 million dollars in funding available for some COVID related remediation work, Prince Rupert City Council moved forward Monday evening on a quest  towards accessing some of the available cash.

The City's Corporate Administrator Ms. Rosa Miller provided for some limited background towards the grant opportunity which would put focus  towards restoration of the Hays Creek area. 

"Hays Creek is the primary collector stream for the drainage of the north slope of Mount Hays, in the 1950's and 1960s the stream was collected into an artificial channel lined with stone walls as it passes through the Civic Centre and McClymont Park."

As Ms. Miller explained it the grant funding  of just over 1.5 million would come from ISIP COVID related program funding, which will cover 100 percent for approved projects. 

In her review, she added that there would be no initial cost contribution would be required by the City. 

Councillor Adey, who was the only member of council to speak to the topic, expressed his support for the project,  had one question related to the work ahead, seeking some information as to the scope of the initiative. 

"I'm in favour of doing this, I think that it's a beautiful area, a beautiful walking area for people in town. My question is around the work itself and I'm assuming that it would involve a number of heavy vehicles in there, or construction materials. Would restoring the natural environment I'm thinking of the natural environment,  I"m thinking of the grassy area near the bridge, would that all be restored as part of the plan that this grant would supply?"

In her reply, Ms. Miller observed she would have to seek out that information from the Director of Operations and get back to the Councillor as to what the project would provide for.

As Councillor Adey observed the eastern side of the channel has become a popular walking area for the community, one which has seen a number of proposals for further development, though those plans had stalled and for the most part suspended in recent years.

May 2020 -- The 'Cloud Berry Trail' to be the next big project for the Kaien Island Trail Enhancement society 

May 2017 -- City of Prince Rupert to seek out grant opportunity for trail development along McClymont Park

May 2017 -- Council to hear proposal for cycling path to connect Civic Centre to Cow Bay/Rushbrook trail

There was no indication from Monday's session if the funding might also assist in revisting some of those trail building plans from the past.

Also of note from Monday, no one on Council asked if this was the only project that the City had considered towards the application for this round of funding; or if the city has a list of other projects that perhaps should have been given preference for such grant opportunities.

Council voted to move forward with the grant proposal plans.

The presentation and discussion can be reviewed from the City's Video Archive from the start of the Monday meeting.

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

A wider overview of past Council Discussion topics can be explored here.