Prince Rupert Special Events looks ahead to days of festivals to come

With a string of  COVID reduced particpiation events for Prince Rupert now in the rear view mirror, the City's Special Event's Society is looking ahead to future days and a return for some familiar community sharing opportunities for residents of the region.  

The Society made use of their Social media stream on Monday to provide a glimpse to their plans for the year ahead, with planning now back on track for events where those on the North Coast will once again be able to gather together for.

Leading off the Parade and set for later this year is the 26th Annual Winterfest, that event on the calendar for December 3 and 4, marking for our first chance to enjoy the company of a large crowd at a public event.

Next years roster of events includes the 31st Annual Children's Fest in March, the 43rd edition of Prince Rupert's Summer Festival of Seafest in June, as well as the 155th celebration of Canada Day on July 1st, 2022.

You can keep up with the planning for those events from the Prince Rupert Special Events website and Facebook page.

As well, the Society is always ready to welcome more volunteers, the local group one which puts on these major events in the community fuelled by the efforts of local residents.

More notes on Community Event themes can be explored from our archive page here.

Report from Wilderness Committee charts frustrations of Northern BC with decision makers in the south

A report from the Wilderness Committee of British Columbia published in June is providing a snap shot of opinion and optimism form Northern British Columbia, as well as a heads up for southern based government decision makers as to some of the ongoing irritants in the relationship from south to north.

The report titled Voices and Vision of Northern British Columbia was compiled by Megan Gordon of the Vancouver based organization with interviews with a range of leaders from across Northern BC taking place from April to May of this year.

The North Coast and Nechako Region was one of three regions of the North examined by the Committee, the Executive Summary for the report providing the guidelines towards the themes to be explore which cover a fair amount of territory from Reconciliation to Climate Change, aspirations for continued growth of the economy and frustrations with senior levels of government and the way that they approach the issues of the north.

When it came to the challenge and barriers to change that Northern leaders have found or are frustrated over, the list included many familiar themes from the years of the past, included among them Economic volatility, Cost of living, Climate Change, Cumulative impacts, Aging infrastructure, Social issues and lack of services.

Towards a path forward, the document makes note of the important role that the provincial government plays in supporting Northern communities, as well as to explore what it is that the north wants from Victoria.

The list of some of the areas where improvement is needed includes meeting community needs, providing for better grant and direct funding and a re-dedication towards the goals of resource revenue sharing with Northern communities.

 

Many of those themes are familiar from the days of the Northwest BC Resource Benefits Alliance, which has been championing the need for a new relationship with Victoria for a number of years now. 

Though their profile of late, has been somewhat reduced from just a few years ago, when the organization had outlined a range of concerns for the Provincial government to consider. 

The conclusion to the Fifty page report notes how successive provincial governments have funded hospitals, schools and public transit with resource revenues from the north, the time is now at hand to repay those debts and ensure that the North has the foundation for long term prosperity.

The focus of the report is to gain the attention of politicians in the south and policy makers in government and towards that goal, the Wilderness Committee has taken to an information campaign, recently sharing some of themes of the study through the editorial pages of the Victoria Times Columnist, a placement that should gain some readers for their  larger work from those working at the Legislature and for the government's various departments.

You can review the full document here.

More notes on provincial issues can be explored from our Legislature archive page.

Metlakatla Stewardship Society highlights current comment period on VOPAK project for members

The area of note to be developed should the VOPAK
Bulk Fuels Terminal proposal gain approval
(image from PRPA)

The Metlakatla Stewardship Society has provided for a notification for Metlakatla members that the thirty day public comment period is now underway for the VOPAK Canada Bulk Fuels Terminal project which is proposed for Ridley Island.

In a notice for members posted to the Metlakatla social media stream the MSS provides a brief overview of the project as well as an contact person for Metlakatla residents should they have any questions for the Melakatla Stewardship Society's Environmental Assessment Department.

Those wishing to seek out more information from the MSS can contact Erin Mutrie or Deanne Watts with their Environmental Assessment Office, their email addresses can be found from the poster below:

(click to enlarge)

We made note of the VOPAK public comment period back on July 15th, you can review the BC EAO process now underway from this link to the Provincial website. 

As of today, the site notes that no comments have been provided towards the project to this point.

You can review more notes on the proposed terminal development from our VOPAK Terminal archive page.

City of Prince Rupert's search for next City Manager/CAO now officially underway

With a job posting now available for review on the City of Prince Rupert website, the quest to find a replacement for the retiring Dr. Robert Long is now underway. 

Toward their search the city is providing for a fairly extensive overview as to what they are looking for from prospective applicants; as well as the vast range of duties associated with the city's top staff position.

The work ahead for the City towards securing a new City Manager/CAO was first mentioned last week, when Mayor Lee Brain posted the advisory of Dr. Long's planned retirement, which is effective as of the end of the year.

The Help Wanted posting starts out as a travelogue, selling the merits of a life on the North Coast and then shifts towards the key requirements for employment with the City, along with the focus that the city has put on the position.

Potential candidates will have a minimum five years of experience as a City Manager/CAO or equivalent management position working directly with elected officials, diverse stakeholders, and the public. In addition to hands-on experience candidates should have a commensurate training and education background.

The successful applicant will be joining a seasoned management team and an energetic Council who have jointly accomplished a lot in the last 5-10 years. A number of significant infrastructure issues have been tackled, a new OCP and strategic plan are in place and financially the City has weathered the “Great Recession.” 

Do not worry, there are many challenges ahead that will test your skills including an ambitious revitalization initiative, achieving financial sustainability, continuing to enhance citizen engagement, building relationships with neighbouring First Nations and other stakeholders.

The position also feature five significant ambitions for the position that the City has identified:

1. Understand the political context of Council, and is comfortable helping Council navigate the inevitable political issues while maintaining the professional detachment required of a City Manager/CAO. 

2. Be committed to corporate excellence leading all City staff by example and with a sense of the positive professional legacy they wish to create. 

3. Maintain and enhance the important relationships with community and business stakeholders as well as with local First Nations. Additionally, they will understand and can support our working relationships with Federal and Provincial partners. 

 4. Have the strategic focus necessary to ensure the successful implementation of the City’s OCP and Strategic Plan while possessing the pragmatism to support staff and Council to respond to emergent conditions. 

5. Be a curious, committed learner, open to constructive criticism, and able to encourage others to follow their example. 

click to enlarge

In addition to a posting on the City of Prince Rupert careers page, the position has also been posted to the province wide municipal careers listings with the Civic Info BC website.

The city is also making use of an executive search group to assist in their work to find the right candidate for the position, with management consultants The Shoop Group based out of Victoria  handling any inquires that those with an interest in the job may have.

The City of Prince Rupert is one of a number of British Columbia organizations that the management consultants are providing services for at the moment, or have provided services for in the past.

Of note from the small world files, The Shoop Group principle Michael Shoop is an alumnus of the Antioch University Leadership in Change program from the Midwest US based University, as well he is a  former adjunct professor with the University from 2008-14.

As we noted last week, Dr. Long completed his Phd through the Antioch Leadership and Change program in the fall of 2020, making use of his experiences and the dynamic between Mayor and CAO as the focus for his dissertation.

The deadline for submissions for the City Manager/CAO position is August 20th.

You can review some of the past Job opportunities with the City from our archive page here.

A wider overview of past Council Discussion themes can be reviewed here.

As BC returns to a sense of more normal times, COVID counts inch up; though bulk of new cases now listed for those without vaccinations

Today's daily review of COVID-19 related data provided a snap shot of a virus that is still circulating, with the weekend case count reaching 267 cases,  94 from Friday, 79 from Saturday and 94 from Sunday.

The increased numbers have come as the province moves into the the latest phase of the COVID recovery program and as more and more British Columbians take advantage of the relaxed measures and more opportunity to return to a more normal time and the additional access to family and friends that has come with the end of the State of Emergency related to COVID.

The vast majority of the new cases are found in the Interior Health region with 144 cases reported over the last three days, while the Northern Health region only listed five new cases over the weekend for a total active case count of 14.

The COVID Data Dashboard for July 26th for
both British Columbia and Northern Health
(click to enlarge)

The most recent release on July 21st of local health data for the period of July 11 to 17 from the BC CDC,  continued to show the success that has been found in the Northwest, thanks mainly to the aggressive community vaccination sessions that took place over the Spring and into the summer.

Much of the Northwest continues to deliver strong results when it comes
to COVID-19 in the Northern health region
(click to enlarge)

However, of significant note from the latest data is, that for the most part the majority of those cases of the virus are now being diagnosed for British Columbians who are partially vaccinated, have not as of yet been vaccinated for COVID-19, or by those who have chosen not to be vaccinated.

96% of COVID-19 cases are among those not fully vaccinated, BC health officials say
COVID-19 cases in BC are up - but 78 percent of new cases are among unvaccinated people

The data itself as good an advertisement as could be found to spur on British Columbians to seek out an appointment to get the double jab to add some protection for them and their families. Some advice recently delivered door to door across the region by way of a home mailer campaign. 

(click to enlarge)

Towards British Columbia's vaccination efforts, Health Minister Adrian Dix shared some statistics today to chart the progress to date.

Find out the ongoing Vaccination program in your area of Northern health here.

More on today's information release can be reviewed from the Monday COVID review.

We track the daily statements from our archive page available here, updates to the totals are made each evening that results are released by the province.

Flotilla forming to pay tribute to Troy Pearson on Prince Rupert Harbour this coming weekend

The waters of Prince Rupert Harbour will be the venue for a 
tribute to Troy Pearson this coming Saturday.
The Tugboat operator and crew mate Charley Cregg lost their lives
in a marine incident in February. Third crewmate Zac Dolan was
rescued following a search as part of the incident response.

A memorial tribute to Prince Rupert Tug boat operator Troy Pearson is in the final stages of being organized, with a growing number of members of the Prince Rupert marine community set to take to the water on Saturday afternoon.  

The memorial which is being organized by Mr. Pearson's spouse Judy Carlick-Pearson and family members will see those in the community pay their final goodbyes in a 4 PM ceremony on the water in the Prince Rupert Harbour.

Ms. Carlick-Pearson has been sharing word of the plans for this weekend through her Facebook page, with the list of participants for the event growing by the day.

Mr. Pearson lost his life in a marine incident on February 11th, the sinking of the tug Ingenika in extreme weather conditions took place in an area of the Gardner Canal south of Kitimat. It also claimed the life of crew mate Charley Cragg, a third member of the Ingenika crew Zac Dolan was rescued as part of a search following the incident.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada launched its investigation in the incident in April, it originally noted that the investigation would take up to 220 days, which would mean a final report could be expected as of mid October.

In her social media message, Ms. Carlick Pearson outlines that one element of this weekend's activity on the waters of Prince Rupert harbour will be to show Transport Canada, WorksafeBC and the RCMP that many are still in support of raising the tug to gain further insight into the incident.

You can learn more about this weekend's plans from Ms. Carlick Pearson's Facebook page.

More notes on the February incident can be reviewed from our archive page here.

Council to gain some insight into state of Airport Ferry related financials tonight with May Variance report

Airport Ferry revenues
make for part of the May
Variance report to be
reviewed tonight at Council

City Council members may gain a bit more background on the challenges facing the Prince Rupert airport coming out of COVID times, as the City's Financial Officer delivers her variance Report for the month of May at this evening's session.

As part of her report to Council this evening, CFO Corinne Bomben will outline the impact of the extended suspension of air service to the community, with the projections for airport ferry revenues among part of her notes for Council. 

In her report, included as part of the Agenda package for tonight, Ms. Bomben also outlines how if the normal flight patterns return by September any financial shortfall should be limited to the 100,000 dollar mark, with the shortfall to be funded by money received by the City through the COVID Smart Restart reserve.

The City had budgeted revenues of $550,000 from the airport for 2021, however owing to the suspension of air service, the actual revenue stream to May was listed at $47,500. That number taken from prior to the resumption of Air travel to the city in late June.

During the same period to may, the City had listed spending on the Airport Ferry of $760,847 from  a budget of $1,436,153.

The report also notes of the status of Capital purchases related to the Ferry Dock and the site of the proposed relocation of the dock to the Prince Rupert waterfront at Rupert Landing near the Kwinitsa Station museum.

Air Canada suspended service to the Prince Rupert Airport in January, the Digby Island Airport received its first flight since the start of the year in late June, Air Canada plans to expand on its current schedule to offer a weekly schedule of near daily flights in August.

Just over an hour or so to the east, the Terrace Airport, which remained open during the COVID period of the last seven months released its latest passenger totals, with the airport seeing a jump in levels of 3,000 passengers from May to June, with 24,000 passenger making us of the Terrace facility in the month of June.

Tonight's Council session will provide an opportunity for the council members to explore further financial themes on the Prince Rupert airport with the CFO. 

It could also give some on council an opportunity to suggest that officials from the Airport, or the Airport Authority be invited to make a presentation to Council at a future council session, providing for a more detailed overview of the challenges and ambitions for the Prince Rupert Airport as it comes out of the COVID period.

Such an opportunity to speak to themes of Airport operations in a public venue would provide a more complete overview of the current status of the Airport and what initiatives the civic officials may have in mind in generating more use of the airport.  As well as to what the status may be of trying to bring alternative air carriers to the community to provide for more frequency of flights in and out of Prince Rupert.

You can explore more themes on aviation in the Northwest from our archive page here.

More notes on tonight's Council session can be found from our Preview feature here, while a wider overview of past Council discussion topics is available for review here.