Prince Rupert Library's Year end lists provide glimpse into where local readers are focused

The end of one year and start of another is the time for list making and for the Prince Rupert Library, the occasion has delivered some interesting themes to explore when it comes what local readers found the most interest in for 2023 and what others may want to explore in 2024.

The Sixth Avenue West House of Reading Posted four lists over the Holidays, Among them Top Fiction, Top Non Fiction,  Top Adult Graphic Novels and Top Juvenile Fiction.

From the Top 10 Non Fiction category, the focus was on health care, self improvement, travel, food and art

In the Top Fiction category the lists of ten offers a range of areas to explore the most requested of the books for the year The Infinite and the Devine.

Adult Graphic Novels continue to build on readers' loyalty and the 2023 collection of works also explored a range of topics, with the most requested novel for the year Ducks: Two years in the Oil Sands

And if the final few days of the Christmas Break have the young ones around the house noting how there's nothing to do, a quick scan of the Juvenile Fiction list may offer up some diversions until school reopens on Monday.

If you wish for more information on the listings above, or other recommendations from the Library drop in and ask for more background or suggestions from the staff at the Circulation desk.

Follow the Prince Rupert Library Social Media Stream for more notes on Library events through the year.

More items on Community can be explored here.

Plans for expansion of services at Prince Rupert Regional Hospital bring BC Bid call

Northern Health is making plans to expand on their Urology services for patients in Prince Rupert, with the Health Authority looking to upgrade the standards of the operating theatre at the Summit Avenue hospital.

Towards those renovations, Northern Health is highlighting how the work would serve to reduce wait times and speed up turnover in between surgical cases.

The Northern Health Call for Consultant Services towards the proposal notes that once the contract is awarded, design work would immediately commence, with proponents to propose a schedule towards a start date, project milestones and deliverables.

Submissions from those with an interest in the work are required by 2PM on January 18th.

You can review the full package of information towards the Operating Room renovation plans from the BC Bid website.

More notes related to Health Care in the Northwest can be explored here.

Gitga'at First Nation to explore potential for power project

 

Hydro generation plans would be directed towards an area
between Upper and Lower Lakes west of Hartley Bay

The Gitga'at First Nation is exploring the potential for an hydro electric project on its territory that could generate up to 95% of the community's electricity requirements.

The proposal which is listed on the BC Government's Crown Land Application  page is part of the process towards an Investigative Licence of Occupation; which if approved would launch the geotechnical investigative work required towards the project between the Lower and Upper Lake are west of Hartley Bay.

The Application process is currently in the comments phase, with that window for contribution to the theme closing on January 19th.

You can review the full information package and access the comment portal towards the application from this link to the BC Government page.

The Application comes as the Provincial government and BC Hydro have ramped up their call for applications from First Nation partners towards hydro and other energy projects. 

More notes on the Gitga'at First Nation can be reviewed here.

Average Prince Rupert property assessments decline by 8% as 2024 BC Assessments roll out

The Graham, Van Arsdol, Atlin area of the city continue
to dominate the high end of assessments from BC Assessment

The annual roll out of BC Assessments on property across the province is underway, with the paper version of this years reviews on the way this week to mailboxes across the northwest.

Those who are interested in how the assessed value of their homes shapes up for 2024 however have probably already checked out the online version, with a note of some declines in assessment values the most likely outcome for most searches, but not all. 

The annual release of the Assessment listings offers a chance for resident of Prince Rupert and area to start to do some comparisons, exploring how their property compares to their neighbours and how their neighbourhood fits into the overall picture of assessments in the city.

A chart from BC Assessment follows the patterns from 2020-2023
(click to enlarge)

For Prince Rupert the 2024 assessment listings are noted as 8 percent less than a year ago, the Average Assessment for the city set at $409,000 down from $483,000 one year ago.

Port Edward has also seen a slight decrease, the District is down by 4 percent, with this year's Average Assessment $283,000 dollars, down from last year's $296,000.

The rest of the northwest also saw varying declines, and continues to find Smithers holding the top spot for the region.

Smithers --- Down 1 percent -- $490,000  (2024) $497,000 (2023)
Terrace ---   Down 3 percent -- $448,000 (2024) $461,000 (2023)
Kitimat --- Down less that 1 percent -- $344,000 (2024) $345.000 (2023)

While trends are down for the Northwest, Haida Gwaii homeowners will see some increases for 2024, including a 22 percent spike for Queen Charlotte/Daajing Giids

The full list of the North and Haida Gwaii can be reviewed here. 

Across North-Central BC the assessment changes cover a range of between 10% to +10%

“Most North Central home owners can generally expect to see assessment changes in the range of about -10% to +10% when they receive their notices in early January, but with some exceptions depending on the community. Compared to previous years, the region's real estate market has mostly softened and that is reflected with the 2024 property assessments."  -- North Central BC Deputy Assessor Teria Penner. 

Among the High end properties for Prince Rupert,  not surprisingly Graham Avenue, Atlin Avenue and Van Arsdol  remain high atop the list, with a number of assessment listings over the 1 million dollar mark.

In total, the area accounts for twelve properties over the million mark: Graham counts eight above the million mark, Van Arsdol 1 and Atlin 3

The top assessment of the area that is found at 2323 Graham 

Assessed at $1,308,000, that property increased in value by 1,000 dollars from its placement at the top of the list in 2023.

West side areas with strong assessment values

Some familiar areas from years past feature some of the higher end property assessments, they  include:

A stretch of Summit Avenue overlooking the golf course and Fourth Avenue West while seeing declines in value of assessment, still stand out for their top end results.

The Edwards Avenue subdivision just off of Eleventh Avenue East has also seen some very slight declines in assessment values. with six assessed properties noted as above the 1 million dollar mark.

The Silversides area of the city also has trended high with 6 properties over the 1 million dollar assessed value mark

Other pockets of top end assessments include areas of Overlook, 4th Avenue East and Heron Road to name a few.

East side areas with strong assessment values

You can review the full scope of the 2024 assessment from a map provided as part of the BC Assessment online program, simply type in the address of a property in the area you have an interest in and then click on each adjacent property to see how things shape up from home to to home, street to street and area to area.

You can also register for an account to gain access to a range of features including the option of storing a number of properties for comparison as you conduct your search of the community listings, learn more about that option here.

The BC Assessment roll out of information also offers some guidance as to how it all may impact on your property taxes later this year.

BC Assessment will also be mailing the latest review to your home in the next few days.

Property owners have until the end of this month to decide if they wish to appeal their assessed level for 2024.

For more notes on the Northwest real estate picture see our archive pages below:

Housing issues of the Northwest

Prince Rupert area notes on Housing 

Prince Rupert Middle School Band Students ready to help with your Christmas Tree disposal requirements

The PRMS  Band Room is the HQ for their Christmas Tree
Collection plans for 2024

While the school break for the holiday has a few more days to go before the return to studies of January 8th, for the Prince Rupert Middle School Band students the call back to work comes a bit earlier, that as they host a Christmas Tree removal program this year.

The Students and volunteer helpers will be looking to take away your worries on your tree this coming weekend, with a collection day set for Saturday January 6th.

To book your Christmas Tree pick up contact them at PRmiddleschoolband@gmail.com

Funds raised from their Saturday collection will be put towards their upcoming plans for a Band Trip to Edmonton.

More notes on Community themes can be reviewed here.

Lax Kw'alaams outline Fish Trap plans for area of Lower Skeena River

Areas of note for Lax Kw'alaams towards their plans
for a fish trap on the Skeena this summer and fall
(From BC Gov't documents)

A project to evaluate the effectiveness of fish traps for monitoring and stock selection of the fishery is the focus  for the Lax Kw'alaams Band.

With the Business Development side of the Band currently in the application process with the Province for a fish trap facility to be put in place along the Lower Skeena River at Granulite Point.

The project which has been proposed by Lax Kw'alaams Business Development will require installation of 51 steel pilings and the attachment of netting to those pilings.

As part of their application process the proposed installation is available for comment from the public until February 1st of this year.

If approved, the construction of the trap would take place from March to July, with the six week operation period to take place ending October 31st.

The full proposal an your opportunity co comment on it if you wish can be reviewed from the Ministry website here. 

The Crown Land File Number is 6409454

More notes related to Lax Kw'alaams themes can be reviewed here.

Our archive of notes on the North Coast fishery can be explored here.

More Emergency Department closures for Northern Health with Masset extension until January 8th, sporadic Kitimat closures this week

The Closure of the Northern Haida Gwaii Hospital at Masset Emergency Department will continue for the next week, as Northern Health continues to find challenges towards staffing key health positions in the region.

The Announcement from Northern Health follows the previous closures for the Masset Hospital through the Christmas and New Year's Period.

We outlined those closures last month, with patients redirected to Daajing Giids for health care during the period.

More Haida Gwaii Health care staffing issues bring closures into January; Rumours bring Northern Health replay on Doctor's plans in Prince Rupert 

Staffing issues make for Emergency Service interruptions for Masset/Old Masset residents over holiday period

Haida Gwaii is not the only location where Northern Health is finding staffing challenges, Kitimat's Hospital saw closures for the Emergency Department over the New year's period and those continue this week.

More on Health Care across the region can be reviewed here.