CN Rail pleads guilty in 2017 pesticide incident, assessed 100K fine in Prince Rupert Court

CN Rail was in a Prince Rupert court room on Thursday
facing charges on environmental issues

Canadian National Railways spent the week in court in Prince Rupert and when the case came to a conclusion on Thursday, the railway had pled guilty to using pesticide without a required Pest Management Plan in place, a violation of the Integrated Pest Management Act.

The Court register from Thursday with CN Rail among those
spending some time in the Prince Rupert Court House

As a result of the Judgement , the railway will pay a penalty of 100,000 dollars, the majority of which is to be directed towards the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, which works on fish, wildlife and habitat restoration in the Skeena Region.

The details of the court judgment and penalty phase were relayed by the Conservation Officer Service with an update to their Social Media stream today.

the joint investigation between the Conservation Officer Service and Environment and Climate Change Canada was launched after ECCC officers travelling along Highway 16 noticed a spray truck on the CN Rail tracks discharging a mist from the front and rear spray booms of the vehicle.

A rail way spray truck on the CN rail lines of NW BC
(photo from BC Conservation Officer Service FB)

More notes on CN Rai can be explored here.

Your car insurance claim prospects increase the closer to the downtown core you travel

According to ICBC data the intersection at McBride and
Second Avenue West is one of the most likely places you may
have a crash at in the city

 The latest data on traffic incidents from ICBC shows that for Prince Rupert the greatest danger in your daily transit is found at three intersections in the city's downtown core.

The roadway to traffic anarchy starts at Third Avenue West and McBride (6 crashes), continues to Second Avenue West and McBride (6 crashes) and then at Third Street and Second Avenue West 5 crashes.

ICBC's Prince Rupert car crash data map

Other troublesome areas of note, intersections at Fifth, Sixth and 11th Avenues on McBride Street, as well as at Second Avenue West and Sixth Street and Five Corners 

You can explore the interactive data program here to plot the city's trouble spots from east to west.

The intersection at McBride and Second West is one which is on the radar for the ministry of Transportation and Highways, part of a to-do list of projects introduced in the fall of 2018, much of which has been tackled. 

Though there has not been much heard in the last year  about what they may have planned for the troublesome intersection. At one point in their review, there was some thought of introducing a traffic circle or roundabout to the location to improve the flow through the downtown core.

More notes on travel along the Highway 16 corridor can be reviewed here.

Funding helps, but what YPR needs is more flights, more passengers

Air travellers will be making their way to the Prince Rupert
Shuttle station late next month as Air Canada Service
returns to the North Coast though with a light schedule to begin

We're less than a month away from a return to service for Prince Rupert's Aviation gateway of YPR to points south, with Air Canada set to resume its service to and from Prince Rupert on June 23rd.

The return of the air carrier one step back towards providing revenue to the Prince Rupert Airport Authority which has seen some significant challenges through this year after having suffered its first financial hit last year when air service was suspended.

The resumption of air travel from Digby Island however will be a gradual one with the airline providing for a rather reduced schedule from the past, limited to one flight a day three times a week, with more consistent service not expected until August it would appear.

Adding to the challenges for local residents looking to fly out of their own hometown, Air Canada has been making changes on the fly in recent weeks. 

With a number of rescheduled flights, leaving travellers to make their own changes to their itineraries with such things as hotel bookings and rental cars, something that makes of a frustrating inconvenience, which could deliver a negative a spin off impact on YPR.

The decision making of Air Canada is beyond the control of YPR officials of course, but if the airline is looking to help kick start a return to service here, they are making it a process that could have the exact opposite effect.

While the Prince Rupert flight schedule still at times seems much in the air, the Terrace flight listings continue to show a fairly diverse opportunity for travel, with three airlines and a range of flight options available. 

For North Coast travellers certainty and volume of flights may trump local convenience, a situation that will not assist YPR in its quest to rebuild its footprint in aviation in the province.

Such has been the flow of traffic to the Terrace-Kitimat airport that a parking lot expansion was required, with more additions to the parking protocol now in place to welcome those making the trip from out of town.

For YPR, the year has been one of waiting for the tide to turn on COVID, the airport receiving funding from a range of sources whether it be Federal or Provincial, with the City of Prince Rupert for the most part making use of its COVID restart funding from the Province to put towards the airport situation.

The City also recently extended the terms of repayment for the Airport for the outstanding loan on renovations from a few years ago.

However, if the airport hopes to return to a more solid and fluid form of financial progress, the only way forward is through the use of the airport for flight operations and they could use a bit more help from Air Canada on that.

With the airline providing for a reliable and more frequent service that makes YPR an attractive option for Rupertites compared to the Terrace Airport just over an hours drive east.

Prince Rupert Council could have a role towards spurring on some increased usage, taking the initiative to continue to push for better service, recruiting some regional and federal assets in the area in the MLA and MP to put some gentle persuasion on the airline to step up its efforts in the city.

As well, Council may wish to invite Paul Venditelli their own Manager of Transportation and Economic Development to provide a report for the public on the current status of the airport and what efforts that they have taken to perhaps try to gain some additional flight services out of Digby Island.

While West Jet has long avoided even taking note of the airport it seems, there are other options to try to entice to the North Coast.  

Central Mountain Air has been expanding their flight roster in recent months as has Pacific Coastal Airlines, and while their aircraft aren't quite the same in capacity as Air Canada and West Jet, they at least could be an answer towards more flight movements in and out of the city.

If they and West Jet have been approached in the past, the City should outline for residents what it is exactly that is holding back an expansion of aviation options from YPR.

After more than a year of challenges for the airport residents of the community are probably due a full report from the City on the situation currently facing the airport and what, if anything can be done to help improve the prospects for service to the community.

Otherwise, Rupertites will probably continue to make the journey east and the Terrace airport may have to put an other BC Bid out for tender to expand its parking lot once again.

For more notes on aviation in the Northwest see our archive page here.

With relaxed measures on the horizon, Chances Prince Rupert begins recruitment for workers

The sounds of slot machines and call out of Bingo numbers may be just over a month away for North Coast residents, with British Columbia's Casinos and Gaming Centres making their plans to relaunch an industry that has been silent for more than a year.

The popular Prince Rupert location closed its doors on March 16, 2020, a notice posted to their Facebook page holding placement there until just a few days ago.

With the road ahead charted out for us earlier this week by the Premier and Health officials, the prospect of a reopening is now very much in the planning and the BC Lottery Corporation was quick to outline what their plan will be to get back into business, possibly as early as Canada Day!

British Columbia's Four Step restart plan was outlined
earlier this week by the Premier and Doctor Bonnie Henry

In an information release from Wednesday, the BCLC made note of a number of preparations that they have in mind to provide for a safe restart for the industry across the province.

Among some of the more notable changes ahead:

In Prince Rupert,  a string of Help Wanted ads began rolling along the local Chances social media portal this week, an indication that the Back in Business notice will soon flash on First Avenue West.

Slot machine fans and Bingo players won't be the only ones welcoming the return to Operations for the local Gaming Centre, the City of Prince Rupert no doubt will view the return with some interest.

As part of the agreement on gaming with the province, municipal governments receive a ten percent share of net gaming revenue in their community. 

In 2019, Chances delivered a revenue stream of $525,820 dollars for that year. 

With the year long closure, the City has seen a loss of revenue from the facility from the 2020 operations.

In the Audited Financial Statement released this month, the City's return from Chances for 2020 was listed at just $126,434.

More notes related to the city's commercial sector can be reviewed here.

Speculation on Second Dose COVID clinic for Prince Rupert has everyone talking ... except Northern Health

See update on Second Vaccine Clinic for Prince Rupert area at bottom of page

An early morning twitter shout out on Thursday from CBC Daybreak North's Carolina de Ryk has stoked a fair bit of excitement in the community; with the local public broadcaster announcing that plans are underway to host the much anticipated Second Dose of COVID clinic for the Prince Rupert area in Mid June.

Ms. de Ryk's morning notes however, so far make for the only word on the topic to be relayed for the community and to this point, details related to the prospect of the second shot COVID clinic have still to be officially released. 

The two most likely portals for information the Northern Health Website and the Prince Rupert focused Facebook page seemingly nor now holding back on any sharing of good news.

With the Health Authority holding their info close, there so far is little known by residents of Prince Rupert and area as to what the protocol will be for the clinic and if it will follow the same process as the successful mass immunization program of March at the Prince Rupert Civic Centre.

Since the March mass immunization, Prince Rupert has found stellar success in reversing the spread of COVID in the community, returning to Zero cases of the coronavirus for the most recent reporting period from the BC CDC.

One thing is certain however, recent messaging would suggest that being registered is a good start towards  the second shot and full vaccination before the summer gets underway.

Learn more about the registration program here.

If the March vaccination program is our guide, the majority of residents of the Prince Rupert area who had their first dose at that time, could be fully vaccinated by Canada Day.

Before we get to the mass clinic prospects for a second shot, Northern Health still has to clear up a bit of confusion on the youth immunization plan for the first shot for those 12-17, which a recent Facebook post indicates has been a bit confusing for parents and their children.

We'll keep our ears to the ground and our eyes on the internet as to when official confirmation and instructions will be made available to the community.

Update: Northern Health has started the roll out of invitations to book appointments for the second dose of the COVID Vaccine. 

Those who have registered for the vaccination program should watch the email or text account that they listed for contact, bookings for appointments starting June 14th began this morning.

More on the plans for the Second Vaccination clinic can be reviewed here.

You can review some of the past guidance from Northern Health from our archive pages below:

Northern Health Northwest

Northern Health Prince Rupert

COVID case counts increases, as do deaths, with push now moving forward for second dose vaccinations

The road back from COVID will seemingly have many stops and starts and today provided for a slowing of the recent success in reducing case counts, with a jump back upwards with 378 new cases, along with seven more passings to report.

The information session, streamed live across the province also provided updates on the vaccination program which will begin to accelerate, with second dose planning moving forward significantly from even just a few weeks ago.

“Today, we are reporting 378 new cases, for a total of 143,264 cases in British Columbia. 

There are 3,543 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and a further 137,929 people who tested positive have recovered. 

Of the active cases, 286 individuals are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 88 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation. 

There have been seven new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 1,690 deaths in British Columbia. Our condolences are with the family, friends and caregivers of the people who have died as a result of COVID-19."

Across the province the data results included: 98 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 189 new cases in the Fraser Health region, nine in the Island Health region, 68 in the Interior Health region, 

There were 14 new cases recorded  in the Northern Health region, that brings the total to date of COVID cases in the Northern health region to 7,625 since January 2020. 

No new cases of COVID were reported by people inn British Columbia who reside outside of Canada. 

The pace of the vaccination program continued to show good results with todays update noting that 3,032,811 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in B.C., 155,730 of which are second doses. This means 65.8% of all adults and 62% of those 12 and older have now received their first dose. 

"Currently, all of the approved vaccines in use in B.C. require a second booster dose to maximize protection for the maximum amount of time. Age continues to be the biggest risk factor and we will be continuing with our age-based approach. 

With the large number of Dose 1 immunizations in our province, we are advancing second-dose booster vaccines. We are moving up the booking of second doses for our age-based and clinically extremely vulnerable programs to eight weeks. “If you are not yet registered, we strongly encourage you to do so today, in which case, you will be notified by email or text for your second dose as soon as your age group comes up.

Doctor Henry and Minister Dix also outlined some notes on the revised measures for religious services effective today.

 “As part of BC’s Restart plan, today an updated provincial health officer's order variance for religious services will be posted, allowing for up to 50 people at indoor religious services, with detailed COVID-19 safety plans in place. “

The full statement for Thursday can be reviewed here. 

BC CDC data for British Columbia for Tuesday, May 27

BC CDC data for Northern Health Region for Tuesday, May 27

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

 

BC Legislature Committee seeks public input on Personal Information Protection

A Special Committee struck by the BC Legislature will soon take up duties to examine a review of the Personal Information Protection Act and the collection, use and disclosure of the personal information that you may have provided to private sector organizations.

As part of their review, the Committee will be seeking the input from the public through either a written submission or presentation.

The Committee will be holding a series of public hearings in June and July and is now accepting written, audio or video submissions. 

To register to make a presentation to the Committee, please complete the online registration form by 5:00 pm, June 4, 2021. 

Priority for the public hearings will be given to those who did not have an opportunity to present during the 2020 consultation.

You can access the Committee's consultation portal here.

Written, audio or video submissions will be accepted until 5:00 pm, July 30, 2021. 

The Committee notes that any information provided to the Committee during the 2020 consultation will inform the Committee's consultation, deliberations and recommendations. Those who made a presentation or written submission during the 2020 consultation are invited to provide an updated submission.

You can review the current version of the Personal Information Protection Act here.

More background on the plans for the summer of consultation by the committee can be reviewed here.

For more notes related to the BC Legislature see our archive page here.