Northern Savings makes appointment to CFO's role

Image from HMEU
Annual Report

Northern Savings the Prince Rupert based financial services organization has announced their new Chief Financial Officer, with President and CEO Stefan Delloch welcoming Todd Hurst to the post, the newcomer  set to take up his post in June.

In an April announcement, Northern Savings noted of the extensive background that the new CFO brings to the position.

Todd has a solid financial background including over 11 years of experience in the Canadian credit union system. Northern Savings will benefit from Todd’s diverse educational background which includes: a Bachelor of Environmental Science with a focus on sustainability from the University of Manitoba, a Certificate in Management and Administration (CIM) from the University of Manitoba, as well as a CPA designation.

Todd will be leaving his dual roles – as both the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Risk Officer, at Healthcare and Municipal Employees’ Credit Union to join the Northern Savings team in June

“Todd has fulfilled various financial roles in the credit union system; notably, Senior Accountant at Entegra Credit Union, Controller at Cambrian Credit Union, and Chief Financial Officer at Healthcare and Municipal Employees’ Credit Union. Todd also brings extensive experience in relation to our new banking system, and we look forward to leveraging his expertise to help modernize our operation while continuing to maximize our local community impact. Todd and his family are looking forward to relocating to the north coast and joining the Prince Rupert community.” -- Northern Savings President & CEO, Stefan Delloch.

Delloch further noted that until Mr. Hurst arrives in June, that Bill Nicholls will continue to fill the Interim CFO role.

The full statement is available from the Northern Savings Credit Union website.

In addition to the Prince Rupert head office, Northern Savings has branches in Terrace and on Haida Gwaii.

More notes from the Northwest Commercial Sector can be explored here.

2023 Cruise season less than 24 hours from launch

All's quiet for now ... but in less than 24 hours that will all change
as the First Cruise ship of the 2023 season arrives at the
Prince Rupert Cruise Terminal

By this time tomorrow morning, the streets of Prince Rupert should see a significant increase in foot traffic, that as a potential 2,124 guests come ashore with the debut arrival for 2023 for the Carnival Cruise Line's Miracle.

The vessel is set to tie up at the Prince Rupert Cruise Terminal at 8AM, with disembarkation to follow shortly after.

Image from Carnival Cruise Lines

The arrival of the Miracle will signal the start of a 53 visit schedule for 2023 to Prince Rupert, with the Carnival line vessel making for ten of those port visits.

Over the weekend some of the last minute preparations were taking place to get the Waterfront area ship shape for the visitors, with volunteers taking part in some clean up events, among them the Prince Rupert Rotary Club which was at work on Saturday.

Also of note from the weekend, a test run for the newest tourism asset for the region, that of the Olde Time Trolley corporation, which as we noted yesterday, was providing for a free preview for locals of what their 90 minute tour program will look like.

One the promenade between Atlin and Cruise Terminals, the progress has stalled somewhat on the placement of the Container Marketplace with three of the colourful containers in place at the moment.

Tourism Prince Rupert provided an update on their plans for the Container market through their Social Media stream.

As part of their info relay they note that their own Tourism Prince Rupert Container  will open at that time.

Tourism Prince Rupert is making use of the container model, while renovations continue to their more familiar space in the Atlin Terminal.

Global Ports Holdings is operating the Prince Rupert Cruise Terminal,  having signed on last year to take over the facility from the Port.

You can see how they are promoting the port call and the region here.

With the Carnival Miracle serving as the icebreaker for 2023, cruise stakeholders won't have much time to take stock as to how Day one went, up next is the Holland America vessel Knoningsdam and her potential of 2,650 guests which arrives on Thursday.

You can explore the full schedule here.

More notes on the Cruise season ahead can be explore from our archive page.

BC Hydro seeks change to Residential rate program for customers

BC Hydro has made an application to the BC Utilities Commission towards a change in how customers will be assessed hydro rates, proposing a new stepped rate concept for consideration.

The main thrust of their presentation in front of the BCUC is to charge less for electricity during off peak hours and more in the busiest  times of the day. 

The impact on customers if approved would be that they would receive a credit of 5 cent per kilowatt hour fore electric that is used from 11PM to 7AM

Thee would be an additional 5 cents per kilo watt hour for electricity that is used in the Peak Period of 4PM to 9PM

There would be no credits or additional charges apple for the periods of 7AM to 4PM and 9 PM to 11 PM

The proposed shift could see residential hydro users make changes to how they do things around the home, deferring the dishwasher or washing machine use to the later periods, or stay up late perhaps to save on such tasks.

As well, with EV automobiles becoming more common  around the province, charging the car at home would be another area where waiting would provide benefits.

BC Hydro has a comprehensive document included as part of their application with the BCUC which outlines their previous work and consultation towards their proposed plan.

Part of that consultation included feedback from over 35,000 customers and stakeholders through a pubic engagement process.

The two options include one that would see a 2.7% increase for all customers or Option 2 which makes use of their stepped pricing concept.

BC Hydro makes note of how the program works in other provinces as part of its overview.

BCUC starts up their process of review on May 4th, any changes approved  towards the Current rate structure won't go into effect until 2024.

More notes on Hydro themes in the northwest can be reviewed from our archive page.

Skidegate community in mourning after death of two in fishing boat incident off Haida Gwaii

Two members of the community of Skidegate have died in a marine incident off the west coast of Haida Gwaii over the weekend. 

The two men were reported overdue when they failed to return to the community, the call for assistance relayed to Victoria's Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre which dispatched Canadian Coast Guard resources to assist many from he Community that had already taken to the water in search of the pair.

Reports from the RCMP indicate that the two fishermen were discovered by the search party towards 1PM on Sunday, their bodies recovered by the Coast Guard.

The BC Coroners Service has taken over the file and will conduct an investigation into the incident.

Among the Coast Guard assets in use on the weekend were a Cormorant SAR helicopter,  CC-130H Hercules SAR aircraft from CFB Comox; along with the CCG Offshore patrol vessel Tanu and SAR Lifeboat Cape Mudge.

The Skidegate Health Centre organized a Sacred Fire in the memory of the two fisherman which took place on Monday.

North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice was among those to send condolences to the families of those who passed from the marine incident.

More notes on the work of Emergency Responders across the Northwest and Haida Gwaii can be explored here.

PSAC strike ends, Prince Rupert federal workers back on the job

Picket lines in Prince Rupert are no more, that following a tentative
contract agreement reached late Sunday night between the Federal Government
and the Public Service Alliance 

Federal workers across the city were back at work yesterday after a tentative contract agreement was reached between Treasury Board and PSAC the Public Sector Alliance that was negotiation on their behalf.

The return to work brought an end to the picket lines in Prince Rupert, the two most prominent ones being the Downtown line at the DFO building and another out at the Seal Cove Coast Guard Base.

The workers had taken to their picket lines on Wednesday of last week, joined on their picket line by a number of other unions in the Prince Rupert area.

The contract has seen a wage increase for the workers, as well as some progress on their remote work concerns.

Background on the contract agreement and ratification process can be reviewed below:

Treasury Board statement

PSAC Information release  

While PSAC workers have returned to work, members of the union representing Canada Revenue Agency are still out on strike as negotiations continue for that sector.

We have collected some of the national reviews of the labour settlement through our political blog D'Arcy McGee which you can review here.

More notes on Prince Rupert Labour themes is available here. 

RCMP Coastal Unit lends a hand and a tow for local boaters adrift

RCMP Coastal unit members responded to a call
near Gribell Island south of Hartley Bay

Member of the Prince Rupert RCMP Coastal Unit responded to a marine call for assistance over the weekend, taking to the waters from Hartley Bay to assist in stranded boater call relayed by satellite communication near Bishop Bay.

The Prince Rupert Detachment outlined some details of their efforts towards assistance for Prince Rupert resident Jeff Easingwood and his family.

On Sunday April 30th the Prince Rupert Coastal members stationed in Hartley Bay received a call for help via a personal satellite communicator; a subscription based tool that is used to communicate remotely via satellites, it is also capable of sending SOS signals and reporting your exact location to rescuers. 

The members learned that a Prince Rupert resident, 39-year-old Jeff Easingwood, along with his wife and three young children had become stranded in Bishop Bay, a small bay just east of Gribbell Island and Wright Sound. Easingwood and his family lost use of the main motors on their vessel and were using their small kicker motor to propel themselves when that too became inoperable. 

Cst. Van Wyngaardt and Cst. Saunders jumped into action and tracked down the adrift boat where they began to tow them toward Kitimat as it was the nearest location to have the vessel serviced. 

Media relations officer Constable Brody Hemrich outline some notes on the marine asset that the RCMP has on the North Coast.

"People often don't know about the Prince Rupert Coastal unit exists, we travel to the communities we serve by boat and sea plane and respond to all sorts of calls, this one was a little more unique as the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) requested we assist.

We are lucky enough on the coastal unit to have some very experienced operators such as Cst. Van Wyngaardt who is a former Canadian Coast Guard member and his skills are invaluable to our unit." 

Mr. Easingwood had his own message of thanks for the work of the coastal unit on Sunday. 

 "I wanted to thank Cst. Van Wyngaardt and Cst. Saunders for their help when my family and I need it the most. Their professionalism and skill was incredible and they helped get us to safety. They also helped make a stressful situation turn into one where we knew we were in good hands." 

The RCMP's Prince Rupert Coastal team  has some helpful advice for mariners of the region and encourages those who are heading out for any kind of trip where cell service can be limited to consider safety plans, including but not limited to devices capable of transmitting your location such as an Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) or a remote satellite communicator that is also capable of sending text based messages. Letting others know your plan, including routes and times you expect to arrive, is also advisable.

To contact the Prince Rupert RCMP please call 250-624-2136 in case of an emergency please dial 9-1-1. 

The RCMP information release includes photos of transit, which you can review here.

The photos and a longer piece on the situation from Mr. Easingwood can also be reviewed through his Clearly Coastal Photography Facebook page.

More notes on the work of Emergency Responders across the Northwest can be explored here.

Chamber of Commerce introduces new executive, makes plans for Spring events

The Prince Rupert and District Chamber of Commerce offices are
in the Capital Mall Building in downtown Prince Rupert 

The Prince Rupert and District Chamber of Commerce has had their annual changing of the guard, with a new Board installed last month, with the official swearing in ceremony of April was conducted by Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond

Moving up a notch to serve as President for this coming term is Matthew Kloepper.

Joining Mr. Kloepper on the Board are Vice-President Kristi Farrell, Treasurer Eric Campbell and  Past President, Daphne Thomson

Serving as Directors this year are: Andy Enns, Hannah Philippson-Madill, Shivali and Amy Lashek

Some thumbnail snapshots of the Board can be reviewed here.

The organziation has two of their Business after Business events coming up, the first this Thursday on May 4th at the Lester Centre. The June gathering takes place on June 22nd at OV Hotel and Lounge.

More on the Thursday session at the Lester Centre from 4:30-8:00 PM is available below:

Of note for the membership for the next few months, the Chamber has suspended  their Luncheon sessions until September, with the organization seeking out a new location for their monthly noon hour get togethers .

To keep up with their events through the Spring and Summer follow their Social Media stream.

More notes on the Northwest Commercial sector can be explored through our archive page.