FEB 9, 2023

Prizes presented by Jodie Kluserits, Ryan Clarke, Sherry Boring, Darcy Desjarlais, Laney Myles, Angelo Galvez and Cole Kozoway of Fort

PEACERIVERREGIONALDISTRICT

NOTICEOFBY-ELECTIONBYVOTING

An election by voting will be held to elect an Electoral Area C Director, with the following persons as candidates for each o ce:

ElectoralAreaC–One(1)tobeelected

NameResidentialAddress

Haab, Suzanne 5795 Baldonnel Road, Baldonnel, BC Sperling, Brad 13265 Lakeshore Drive, Charlie Lake, BC

VOTINGDATESANDLOCATION

GENERALVOTING-Saturday,FEBRUARY25,2023

between8:00amand8:00pm

LocationAddress

Baldonnel Elementary School 5836 Baldonnel Road, Baldonnel, BC

Charlie Lake Elementary School12655 Charlie Lake Frontage Road, Charlie Lake BC (mail ballots may be returned to the Charlie Lake location)

ELECTORREGISTRATION

Voting day only registration is in e ect for the PRRD

There is no need to pre-register to vote as the registration of all electors for this election will take place at the time of voting. In order to register at the time of voting, you will be required complete the application form available at the voting place and to make a declaration that you meet the requirements to be registered as noted below.

IDENTIFICATION:

Toregister,residentelectors must produce 2piecesofidentication (at least one with a signature). Picture identi cation is not necessary. The identi cation must prove both residency and identity.

Toregister,non-residentpropertyelectors must produce 2piecesofidentication (at least one with a signature) to prove identity, proof that they are entitled to register in relation to the property (proof of ownership), and, if there is more than one owner of the property, written consent from the other property owners.

RESIDENT ELECTORS:

To register as a resident elector you must:

•be 18 years of age or older on general voting day (February 25, 2023)

•be a Canadian citizen; be a resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months immediately before the day of registration (at time of voting);

•be a resident of Electoral Area C, on the day of registration (at time of voting); and not be disquali ed under the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in an election and not otherwise disquali ed by law.

NON-RESIDENT PROPERTY ELECTORS:

To register as a non-resident property elector you must:

•be 18 years of age or older on general voting day (February 25, 2023);

•be a Canadian citizen;

• be a resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months immediately before the day of registration (at time of voting); be a registered owner of real property in Electoral Area C for at least 30 days immediately before the day of registration (at time of voting);

•not be entitled to register as a resident elector; and not be disquali ed under the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in an election and not otherwise disquali ed by law.

In addition, for non-resident property electors:

• The only persons who are registered owners of the property, either as joint tenants or tenants in common, are individuals who are not holding the property in trust for a corporation or another trust.

• If more than one person is registered owner of the property, only one of those individuals may, with the written consent of the majority of the owners, register as a non-resident property elector.

IfvotingasaNon-residentPropertyElector,youareencouragedtocontacttheChiefElection Ocerwellinadvanceofvotingdaytoensurethatyouhavealltherequiredinformation priortoattendingthevotingplace.

TYPESOFDOCUMENTSTHATWILLBEACCEPTEDASIDENTIFICATION

You must produce at least two (2) documents that provide evidence of your identity and place of residence, at least one (1) of which must contain your signature. The following classes of documents will be accepted:

a)a Driver’s Licence;

b) an Identi cation Card such as:

i.a photo BC services card;

ii.a non-photo BC services card;

c)an Owner’s Certi cate of Insurance and Vehicle Licence issued by ICBC

d)a BC CareCard or BC Gold CareCard;

e) a Ministry of Social Development and Economic Security Request for Continued Assistance Form SDES8, (now “Monthly Form EA181);

f) a Social Insurance Number card;

g)a Citizenship Card;

h)a real property tax notice;

i)a credit card or debit card; or

j)a utility bill, (such as electricity, natural gas, water, telephone or cable services).

The above listed identi cation documents MUST be accepted by election o cials. An election o cial may also accept other forms of documents that provide evidence satisfactory to the election o cial (e.g., a valid, current passport).

MAILBALLOTVOTING

Court Docket, Jan. 23 to 27

• Trenton Kelsey Amos Fox (born 1997) was sentenced to 78 days jails with one year probation and ordered to submit a DNA sample for assault with a weapon, 28 days jail for breach of probation, and 28 days jail for breach of release order committed in Fort St. John in November 2022. Fox was sentenced to 14 days jail for breach of probation in Fort St. John in Fort St. John in November 2022.

• Brandie Marie Youngberg (born 1985) was fined $2000, given a two-year criminal driving prohibition and ordered to pay a $600 victim surcharge for driving while disqualified under the Criminal Code in Fort St. John in October 2022. Youngberg was fined $1000, given an 18-month criminal driving prohibition and ordered to pay a $300 victim surcharge for driving while disqualified under the Criminal Code in Fort St. John August 2022.

• Jules Aric McCallum (born 1988) was given a suspended sentence of eight months probation and ordered to pay a

$100 victim surcharge for mischief $5000 or under and assaulting a peace officer in Fort St. John in February 2020, and given a suspended sentence of six months probation and ordered to pay a $100 victim surcharge for breach of release order in Fort St. John in July 2020. McCallum was given a three-month conditional sentence, 18 months probation, ordered to submit a DNA sample, and ordered to pay a $100 victim surcharge for assault with a weapon in Fort St. John in November 2020.

• Robert James Hauber (born 1967) was fined $500, subject to forfeiture, given a three-year discretionary firearms prohibition, and ordered to pay a $75 victim surcharge for possessing a firearm without a licence or registration in Chetwynd in January 2021.

• Wesley Lawrence Belcourt (born 1986) was sentenced to 14 days jail, fined $750, and ordered to pay a $112.50 victim surcharge for driving while driver’s licence is suspended in Dawson Creek in January 2022.

Youth caught in downtown B&E

A Fort St. John youth faces charges of break and enter, mischief, theft, and resisting arrest after being caught by police in an overnight burglary early Thursday morning last week. In a news release, RCMP say officers were called to an alarm in the 10100 block of 100 Street at 2:35 a.m., where they found the youth exiting a business and dropping a stolen item while leaving the area.

The youth was caught and arrested after a brief foot chase,

police said, and later released on an undertaking with conditions to not enter the business.

“Fort St John RCMP frontline police officers are actively engaged in efforts to decrease the number of break-ins,” Cst. Chad Neustaeter,” said. “In this case, proactive patrols in the area had police in the right place at the right time leading to the location and arrest of the youth offender.

Officers continue to investigate the matter.

Teacher suspended for racist comments, aggressive behaviour

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

A former teacher who taught in the B.C. Peace region has been suspended for four weeks by the Commissioner for Teacher Regulation for racist comments toward his colleagues and aggressive behaviour toward students.

Commissioner Howard

L. Kushner ruled Jan. 12 that Brent Alexander Daniel “failed to model appropriate behaviour expected of an educator” and “jeopardized the physical and emotional safety of students” during a number of incidents at both public and independent schools in the province in 2021 and 2022.

The troubling behaviour began in the Peace River South school district in April 2021 when Daniel grabbed a Grade 8 student who threw a “soft bouncy ball” at his head during gym class at an unnamed school, according to the decision.

resume.

In November 2022, the decision says Daniel made several racist comments toward his Black teaching colleagues.

In one instance, he stood between two teachers and asked, “What do you call this?” He answered, “an Oreo,” according to the decision. In another incident, Daniel disparaged a colleague who was walking by him while wearing a mask and said, “I’d better put away my valuables.” When his colleague questioned why, Daniel responded, “a black man wearing a mask,” the decision said.

Commissioner Kushner noted several other racist remarks and problematic behaviour from Daniel in his decision, including yelling at students, slamming classroom doors, and using obscenities. He was later put on three months probation by the independent school

MAILBALLOTVOTING

Mail ballot voting is available to ALL eligible voters. Anyone quali ed to vote as either a resident, or as a non-resident property elector, may choose to vote by mail.

REQUESTINGAMAILBALLOTPACKAGE:

Before 4:00 pm on Friday, February 24, 2023, if you wish to vote by mail, you must request a mail ballot package in one of the following ways:

- In person, at PRRD o ces, 1981 Alaska Avenue, Dawson Creek or 9505 – 100th Street, Fort St. John

-By email to jprestley@telus.net or Tyra.Henderson@prrd.bc.ca

-By phone to 250-784-3600 or 250-785-8084 or 1-800-660-7773.

To be counted, your mail ballot must be received by the Chief Election O cer by the close of voting on Saturday, February 25, 2023. Itisresponsibilityofthevotertoensuretheirmail ballotisreceivedbythedeadline. A mail ballot package may be returned by any of the following methods:

By mail - Delivered to Box 810 Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4H8, up to 4:30 pm on February 24, 2023

Drop o in person: During regular o ce hours daily, at 1981 Alaska Avenue Dawson Creek, or 9505 – 100 Street Fort St. John up to 4:30 pm on February 24, 2023, or at the Charlie Lake Elementary School Polling Station, 12655 Charlie Lake Frontage, on February 25, 2023 between 8 am and 8 pm.

To nd out more about how to vote by mail, please call the o ce at 250 784 3200 or view the webpage at https://prrd.bc.ca/getoutandvote/

Janet Prestley Chief

Election

O cer

The decision says Daniel chased after the student and caused him to fall to the ground, giving the student a red mark and elbow pain.

Despite the student feeling “scared and sad,” Daniel had raised his voice at the student and claimed the student “was not hurt and… just milking it,” according to the decision.

Daniel was suspended for 10 days and transferred to a different school after the incident, and was also required to take anger management classes.

Daniel was later employed at an unnamed independent school operated by a First Nation, where Kushner’s decision says he “omitted” his work experience at the South Peace school district on his

Ultimately, Kushner said, “Daniel’s actions jeopardized the physical and emotional safety of students, particularly the students at the Independent School who were very young and who lived in a community which has an long experience of trauma from colonialism.”

“Daniel’s comments to his Black colleagues were inconsistent with the values, beliefs and knowledge of Canada’s democratic and inclusive society and damage the perception of the teaching profession,” Kushner said.

Along with the four week suspension, Daniel was ordered to complete a course called Creating a Positive Learning Environment through the Justice Institute of B.C.

Falcon pledges $1.5-billion addictions plan

Matt Preprost

As the B.C. government formally decriminalized hard drugs like fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and meth this week, the provincial Opposition announced a strikingly different approach to dealing with skyrocketing addictions and overdose deaths last week.

BC Liberal leader Kevin Falcon announced a $1.5-billion overhaul of addictions recovery services if his party was to form government, calling it “an accessible, no-cost” system to remove barriers for people in desperate need of help in the province.

“It is misplaced compassion to have society’s most vulnerable be exploited and abused by predatory drug dealers and human traffickers, while we pretend to care about their welfare,” Falcon said in a statement, his party noting that drug decriminalization has been “the de facto law enforcement policy in B.C. for years.”

There were at least 26 fatal drug overdoses in Northeast B.C. in 2022, the third deadliest year on record, according to the coroners services.

Numbers were much bleaker province-wide, with at least 2,272 deaths from illicit drug toxicity last year, an average of six a day, or 189 per month.

And death rates were highest in the Northern Health

region, where 181 overdose deaths were recorded, or 60 per 100,000 people.

“A true Portugal model for addiction treatment– the gold standard – requires way more than decriminalization and harm reduction on their own,” said Falcon. “A government under my leadership will immediately expand free and accessible treatment and recovery options.”

To do that, Falcon pledged $1.5 billion over three years at news conference in New Westminster, including $995 million in treatment and recovery options. Another $350 million was committed for complex mental-health support, $100 million for homelessness, and $525 million in capital funding.

For all the news we couldn’t fit into print: alaskahighwaynews.ca

SOCCER MEDALS

Northern Strikers bring home gold and bronze from memorial tourney

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Fort Nelson may soon be home to a new McDonald’s restaurant.

Municipal councillors recently approved a development permit for a proposed restaurant on the old Imperial gas station property just off the Alaska Highway at Airport Drive. The site was home to the fuel and service shop until 2008, and has sat vacant since the structures were removed between 2009 and 2011 and the land remediated.

Councillor Danny Soles said it was “delightful” to see the former brownfield be redeveloped.

“It’s actually quite rare,” said Soles during a Jan. 23 council meeting approving the restaurant’s development application. “When Imperial was doing work in the oil patch here, one of their contractors was run from a local perspective and Imperial heard about the brownfields in Fort Nelson quite often, and they finally relented,” Soles said. “Their two properties, as far as I know, are the only ones that have been converted back to a usable state for other purposes. That is just kudos to them at that time but it’s exciting to see.”

Plans submitted to the municipality show a 5,395 square foot restaurant with a dual lane drive-thru. The property was rezoned for the development last fall. According to a council report, the municipality will need to work with traffic engineers and the company to review and improve road safety around the restaurant.

It’s the first major electionplatform announcement for the party, soon to be renamed BC United. And it follows this week’s launch of a three-year drug decriminalization pilot project in the province that allows users to possess small amounts of illegal drugs — 2.5 grams of illicit opioids such as heroin and fentanyl, as well as crack cocaine, ecstasy and methamphetamines — in an effort to stem the tide of toxic overdose poisonings.

Falcon said he supports decriminalization and harm reduction — including drugchecking and overdose-prevention sites — but they should be part of a comprehensive approach. “My concern with this government is they’re en-

Construction is planned to start this spring and to be complete in October, should the company file for a building permit.

tirely focused on going down the harm-reduction path, and frankly, minimizing or dismissing treatment and recovery,” said Falcon. “Breathing and being alive should not be our measure of success.”

Falcon said his plan would roll out within 90 days, and include $150 million a year to expand access to addiction treatment beds by eliminating user fees at not-for-profit facilities, and contracting with licensed private treatment operators to directly fund the cost of residential addiction treatment to eliminate wait lists.

Continued on A6

MATT PREPROST PHOTO

Sparks fly as Grade 9 Bert Bowes student Talton Conway takes part in the CWB Welding Foundation Mind Over Metal camp held at North Peace Secondary School last week. Targeted at youth 12 to 17, the camps give students a hands-on learning experience and introduces them to welding and skilled trades careers.

editor@ahnfsj.ca

MATT PREPROST PHOTO

Provincial Opposition leader Kevin Falcon makes an announcement of addictions recovery services in New Westminster on Thursday, Feb. 2.

Northern Strikers win gold, bronze

The Fort St. John Soccer Club had two teams in action last month in Edmonton to compete in the FC Memorial tournament, the U11 boys and the U15 boys teams.

The U11 boys continued their strong inaugural season with a 3-0 record in their Tier 3 group. That puts the team at 6-0 in competition, with back-to-back gold medals. This tournament was made possible by a generous donation from Doig River First Nation covering the team entry fee into the tournament.

The U15 boys team were forced to regroup after an opening game loss to Laurier Heights. Two wins, including a 3-2 penalty kick victory

against the Camrose Vikings, secured them a third place finish.

The next tournament action for the teams will take place again in Edmonton at the Slush Cup March 3 to 5, where they will be among over 250 soccer teams competing. Joining these boys teams in the tournament will be the U13 co-ed team and U17 girls team.

In league play, the U17 boys and U19 girls will travel to the Scottish Dome in Edmonton last weekend to wrap up their Edmonton Minor Soccer Association league.

Fort St. John Soccer Club

HAPPY NEW YEAR! at’s right I am back y’all. My name is Jessica Wiebe. I am the Prespatou 4H club reporter with the help of Arielle in Reimer covering the dog section of the article.

e North Peace 4H District had their 2022 award ceremony on January 26 of 2023. e district rented out the Charlie lake hall for us to use. Sadly not many members showed up to the event. It was planned for December but the day that it should have been on it was too cold so we had to postpone it.

Our club had our January meeting on the 17th. In this meeting we were discussing what communications projects would be going on this year in our club. e communications projects that the members of our club will be presenting this year are. 1 Jr demonstration 2 Sr educational, display boards and 2 Sr speaking shows. Many of you might wonder what I am talking about when I talk about communications. Well let me tell you. Communication is when us members have to Present a project. It can be on an educational display board, a speak and show, A demonstration which includes two people, and a speech. e educational display board is pretty self explanatory. You pick a subject then display it on the educational board. For a speak and show you can only pick a subject about food or agriculture. For the demonstration you can pick any subject you want. You can also do a speech and pick any topic you want to talk about.

On the 21st of January we had a beef weigh in. Our beef animals did amazing! e steer gained 2.6 lbs per day. My he ier is on the right track as well. She did not gain as much weight but you don’t want a heifer to gain like a steer. Her weight at starting was 719 lbs and now she is 836 lbs.

Our ewe with lamb project is amazing! Well she is supposed to be lambing any day now.

at’s all for me have a great beginning of February

Hi I’m Arielle. I am a Jr member or the dog project. During 4H you can learn a lot of things about your animal. If you have a female dog project like I do, you can learn about how to raise puppies. My poodle Millie had a litter of 7 puppies. When puppies are rst born the puppies cannot see, they also cannot hear. So they rely on their mother 24/7. Naturally my dog knows exactly what do you do even though she’s a rst time mother. She is feeding 7 puppies so her appetite has been going up a lot because all of her going to her milk for the puppies. So I have to increase the nutrients in her food to keep her happy and healthy. anks for reading until next time

—

The Fort St. John U11 and U15 boys soccer teams in action at the FC Memorial tournament in Edmonton.

Fort St. John soccer player signs with Grande Prairie

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Fort St. John’s Brynn Kielo is making the move to Grande Prairie to play varsity soccer.

The North Peace Secondary grad signed with the Northwestern Polytechnic Wolves women’s soccer team for the 2023-24 season, the team said last Wednesday.

“Brynn comes from an established soccer club in Fort St. John and has developed as a player under the tutelage of Coach Dan Turner,” said Northwestern’s head coach Chris Morgan in a news release.

“I remember Brynn as a young girl playing in Fort St. John. She has always showed a hunger to compete in the middle of the park and has a great

aptitude for the game. Brynn has all the attributes required to compete at ACAC and we hope to facilitate her development within the game.”

Kielo, a former Northern Striker, was named NPSS Grizzlies team MVP in 2022 and awarded the Golden Boot award for most points at the high school zones last spring. She’s also a 2017 Alberta provincial champion.

Kielo follows other recent soccer recruits from Fort St. John to Grande Prairie, including midfielder Mariah Kyllo and defender Tea Brown, who were both on the 2022-23 women’s roster.

In its release, Northwestern said Kielo “is excited for the season ahead and is looking forward to learning and playing with different players.”

“She is also looking forward to playing at a more competitive level.”

NPSS Grizzlies basketball teams do well at Phoenix Classic

Jaclyn McNicol

Athletics

NPSS

The North Peace Grizzlies attended the annual Grande Prairie Phoenix Classic on January 13-14.

The Senior Girls’ basketball team started the weekend with a game against Fairview. In a battle in the first half, the girls held on, but Fairview was able to pull away with their aggressive ball play. The second game was against Dawson Creek, where we have played three games against each other this year so far. The girls led while Dawson battled to get the lead. In the 3rd quarter, NPSS was leading, and Dawson

closed the gap. In the last few minutes of the 4th quarter, Dawson took the lead, and with 30 seconds left on the clock Laura Ross was fouled on a layup; where she ended up tying the game 5858, and we went into overtime.

In overtime, the Grizzlies took the lead, winning 68-60. In the game, for 5th and 6th place, the team worked on defensive stops to slow down the strong high-level offense. The Grizzlies kept up in the first half, while in the second half, the High Valley team took the game 57-40. All stars for the weekend go to Shayne Turner on Friday for

stepping up and taking charge with her squad, Laura Ross for demonstrating her skill, knowledge, and perseverance, and Paige McPherson for leading her team in points and grit for the weekend.

The Senior boys’ basketball team had an exciting weekend in GP. In their first game, NPSS played Peace Wapiti Academy and won 66-58 with a solid team effort offensively and defensively. Then, in the semi-finals, the boys were ready to compete, showcasing a solid attempt and

winning 64-56.

Finally, the Grizzlies went up against the host GP Comp team, where they kept the game close in the first quarter and then struggled to get defensive stops and offensive advantages.

Coach Ryan Galay said it was one of their better weekends, and they will be learning from where to go as the boys have been working hard to work towards their goals this year.

All Stars for the weekend go to Chance Ross and Max Banack.

NORTHWESTERN POLYTECHNIC WOLVES

Brynn Kielo

Taylor residents talk crime, establishing neighbourhood watch at forum

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Education and participation were the focus Monday night as Taylor residents met with police, politicians, and prosecution officials to talk property crime trends and prevention in the community.

It was a full house at the community hall, a chance to review recent RCMP statistics, the steps needed to start a rural crime watch, and a rare opportunity to hear directly from the chief prosecutor for Northern B.C. about the criminal justice process.

“Crime is everyone’s business,” said Mayor Brent Taillefer. “Everyone plays a role in the reduction of crime.”

Annually, Taylor makes up less than 1,000 of the 12,000 files that the Fort St. John RCMP handles in a year, according to local detachment commander Insp. Tony Hanson. But the “bedroom community” south of the city hasn’t been immune to a spike in property crimes being seen on both sides of the border in the B.C. and Alberta Peace regions, he said.

According to 2022 statistics, there were 45 property crimes in the district and surrounding area, including 15 break and enters to homes and businesses, seven vehicle thefts, and 11 instances of general mischief to property.

Hanson said on any given policing shift, two of the seven officers on duty out of the local detachment are provincially funded, covering an area north to the Sikanni Chief River and east to the Alberta border.

That means much of the police response to Taylor is supported by municipal officers from Fort St. John, which he said is a benefit to the community.

“That doesn’t mean that the crime here doesn’t matter,” said Hanson. “Talking about proportion of statistics and where our resources go, Taylor is fairly well policed.”

Hanson said the detachment solves most but not all of its investigations, and that the bulk of commercial and residential property crime is committed by a very small number of people, often-

times to support a drug habit or simply because “that’s all they know how to do.”

But because there is no provincial funding for a local crime reduction unit, Hanson said he and the detachment commander in Dawson Creek, leveraging extra support from North District RCMP, had to form their own crew to deal with the issue.

“We can adapt, we can improvise, and we’ve had success. We’ve put two of the prolifics that we thought were committing crimes in jail. Now we just need to keep them there,” he said.

“There’s not one type that of person that does this crime. There’s many different people with many different motivations,” Hanson added.

“Our job is to catch them, we catch most of them, and then we do the best investigation possible in order to give the Crown what they need to successfully prosecute them and, if they’re prolifics, hopefully put them in custody for several years.”

RURAL CRIME WATCH

Funding dedicated police officers for Taylor has been the subject of previous council discussions, estimated to cost up to $1 million a year for full-time coverage.

However, Taillefer says there’s currently no mechanism to get those officers as policing for communities with less than 5,000 people is provided directly by the province, not the

municipality.

Taillefer says the district will be lobbying for needed changes to rural policing through the North Central Local Government Association and the Union of BC Municipalities, adding the Peace River Regional District is also “very interested” in improving the rural policing model.

“Two members at the most to cover this huge area we feel, in Taylor, is not enough,” he said. “So if we need to increase provincial policing and that means they need to collect money through taxation to do so for the rural areas, I believe that people are OK with spending a little more money to see more police.”

“That is the route, rather than trying to hire a police officer for Taylor is to get more rural policing for the whole region,” he said.

Talks were started at Monday’s forum about establishing a rural crime watch or citizens on patrol program as a way to help prevent crime in Taylor in the meantime.

John Vetter, a retired police officer and current director of the South Peace Crime Prevention Association, said his group was established in 1993 to oversee rural crime watch programs, including citizens on patrol and block parents, in the Dawson Creek area.

There are about six or seven communities around the city now participating in rural crime watch, with the Tomslake chapter celebrating its 30th anniversary last year, he said.

“Community programs work. The police have limited resources and they can use the help of the citizens in the community to report crime, to be eyes and ears,” he said.

“It doesn’t really matter the size of the community if there’s an intention from the community to get involved,” Vetter added, noting three key things would be needed to get such an initiative in Taylor off the ground.

“You need volunteers in the community, you need the support of the detachment, and with the support of the detachment would come a designated liaison officer that could work with the program,” he said.

COURTS ARE ‘VERY BUSY’

Also among those in attendance at the forum and part of a panel discussion were MLA Dan Davies as well as Lori Stevens, Regional Crown Counsel, and Tyler Bauman, Deputy Regional Crown Counsel, who oversee prosecutions in Northern B.C.

Stevens and Bauman encouraged residents to ask questions of the Crown if they are ever involved in a prosecution, and to not get so cynical about crime that they don’t bother reporting it. There are four prosecutors in Fort St. John and three judges sitting in the area managing provincial court items here in the city and Dawson Creek.

“Fort St. John has a court list that is longer than most,” Stevens acknowledged, adding that charge approvals out of the local Crown office are quite high, meaning police are bringing good investigations to trials that proceed, and witnesses, particularly victims of crime, are showing up to give evidence in court.

“Prosecutions are happening every day,” she said. “You’ve got a very busy place, very hard working Crown, very hard working police.”

For his part, Davies said his work with provincial police reform committee brought forward 11 recommendations to the legislature last year, including a call for a more equitable policing system that meets specific and regional needs of a community.

“The entire system needs to be reviewed on how the funding of our police forces, especially in rural areas, is done,” Davies said, noting reporting crime is critical so it can be captured in statistics that can then be brought to government.

“My job is to advocate and make sure these things are brought forward,” he said. “Everyone is a citizen here... When the voices are combined, the City of Fort St. John, the District of Taylor, the regional district, and those voices are really out there and pushing government to change, that is where change can be impacted.”

After the meeting, Taillefer said he felt the forum went well, and hoped those who attended share what they heard and learned with other community members. The goal, he said, is to “move forward with Taylor continuing to be a safe place to live.”

“We certainly want Taylor to be the safest place you can live,” he said, “and we need to do that by working together.”

Continued from A3...

Falcon said his party would also build five regional recovery centres where residents could receive more individualized long-term treatment, including Indigenous-specific care for up to a year. He said his government would also implement involuntary care as a lastresort approach for those at greatest risk of harm.

With no detox and a lack of treatment services in Northeast B.C., Peace River North MLA Dan Davies says ensuring accessibility of local services is part of his party’s plan.

Davies says he lost his brother to a drug overdose in 2006, and that he worries for his niece who he says is now entrenched in the lifestyle.

“He was battling addictions for years leading up to that. My niece is now in the exact same boat,” said Davies. “She was in Fort St. John trying to get treatment, they called me and said we can get her in a bed in Prince George in ten days. “When someone needs help, they need it now,” he said. “You’ve got a little narrow window when they are in sobriety and hit rock bottom and call out for help.”

Davies says his party’s plan comes with benchmarks and money to back it up, which he says is lacking from the NDP government.

“Harm reduction is what the government is only focusing on it seems. That’s not how we’re going to get out of this,” said Davies. “We need to make sure we have recovery beds, detox, prevention.

The last thing we want to do is start normalizing illicit drug use.”

To help get people better, Davies said the province needs to have a conversation about providing institutional care for people with complex health needs because of their addictions.

“You can do compassionate care for people who, unfortunately due to years of illicit drug use, have permanent brain damage,” said Davies. “Having them just walking around in downtown Vancouver…it’s here too. It’s in every province of the country, having them walking around fending for themselves.

“What does that say about our society?” he said.

In response to the platform announcement, Bob D’Eith, NDP MLA for Maple Ridge-Mission, said a previous B.C. Liberal government that included Falcon made cuts to mental health and addictions services that contributed significantly to the current crisis in the streets.

And mental health and addictions minister Jennifer Whiteside said this week the province has added 320 treatment beds since the NDP took office in 2017, for a total of 3,260 publicly funded substance-use beds in B.C.

“The truth is that our government invests more in treatment and recovery than on harm reduction, and we are continuing to expand treatment and recovery spaces,” D’Eith said in a statement.

— with files from the Times Colonist

‘ e last thing we want to do is start normalizing illicit drug use’

MATT PREPROST PHOTO

It was a full house at the Taylor community hall on Monday, Jan. 30, 2023, as residents met to discuss property crime trends and prevention in the community with local officials.

Airport tra c beat expectations in 2022

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

It was a great year for passenger numbers at the Fort St. John airport in 2022.

Officials anticipated seeing just under 183,000 passengers come through the terminal last year but instead welcomed a grand total of 204,390.

“We’re very pleased with the results of 2022 and looking forward to having more positive results in 2023, while, with the foresight of Site C completing, proactively looking at alternative traffic drivers for the airport,” said managing director Carolyn Turner.

Commercial traffic last year was at about 73% of a record 278,720 passengers in 2019. Turner attributed the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions and a pent up desire to travel from leisure travellers for lifting the airport above expectations.

“People were itching to get out and travel,” said Turner. “With restrictions being lifted, not just on the masks, but also with travel to the U.S. relaxing, I think it opened up more of a desire for people to use our airport, get to those connecting hubs, and get elsewhere within the world.”

Turner expects the postpandemic recovery to continue this year, anticipating passenger counts to reach 85% of 2019 levels.

Further out, she says the airport needs to consider the completion of the Site C dam and the effect that will have on traffic levels as many workers fly commercial.

“We’re doing what we can to connect in with industries, particularly on the oil and gas side of things as they continue to use our services. When Site C is done, they’re still going to be using the airport,” she said.

“We’re going to be working very closely over the next six months to a year to see how we can best support the oil and gas industry so that we can see the numbers continue to climb at the airport.”

ROUTE DEVELOPMENTS

Turner anticipates Air Canada, which dropped one flight a day to Vancouver in December, to resume that flight after the end of April. The airport is continuing to meet with airlines to discuss route developments and changes to meet the need of business and personal travellers, she said.

“We show the numbers of

where people are going after they leave this airport when they’re connecting into Vancouver. When we we present those numbers, what we try and do is advocate and convince the airlines to pick up routes where we see people going,” said Turner.

“One of the ones that I would love to see is an Edmonton connection again,” she added. “We are missing that but certainly getting the return of that third flight from Air Canada each day to Vancouver, and then any other services that WestJet can provide us into Calgary.”

Charter traffic was down at the airport last year, from about 30,000 passengers in 2021 to around 19,000.

CAROUSEL AND PAYMENT IMPROVEMENTS

While passengers won’t see major capital upgrades like the recent rebuild of runway 03/21 this year, Turner says two projects are planned that should be very pleasing for patrons.

One is replacing the baggage carousel systems at both the departure and arrivals gates. The other is a revamp of the parking lot payment system, which Turner says has been a frustration for patrons.

“Definitely things that we hope to increase customer satisfaction and the travel experience for passengers,” she said.

SETTLING IN

Turner began her role at YXJ in September of last year, bringing with her a career in aviation with the Royal Canadian Air Cadets.

Since then, she earned pilot licenses to fly gliders, fixedwing aircraft and helicopters. She’s also no stranger to the north having worked in the Air Operations section of the Yukon Government’s Wildland Fire Management brigade.

Turner says she’s happy to now be a resident of Fort St. John and the North Peace.

“Bringing experience from other airports and being in the aviation industry for about 25 years is certainly helping me. I do enjoy the north, so Fort St. John has been a good place to settle in,” she said.

That being said, “I’m definitely looking forward to the summer months,” Turner added. “I’m more of an outdoors person in the summer months than the winter months, so I’m looking forward to exploring the the city itself and the vicinity from that perspective.”

Wanted man may be here

Police believe a wanted and missing man in northern B.C. may be in Fort St. John.

The only mammal that is ‘endemic’ to B.C. is part of a peculiar tradition over 100 years old RCMP launched a missing persons investigation to find Leon Benjamin Sinclair in Houston in October, and later in Prince Rupert and Terrace in November. Police say Sinclair is also wanted on warrants outside of the province, and that they believe he is actively evading his arrest.

Last Tuesday, Cst. Chad Neustaeter of the Fort St. John RCMP said it was suggested that Sinclair may have moved to Fort St. John, and that local officers are investigating.

“The Fort St. John RCMP wish to share this information with our community in order to follow up with this potential lead, collaborating toward a positive resolution of this file,” said Neustaeter.

Sinclair, 56, is described as an Indigenous man standing five-feet-nine-inches and

It was an incredibly successful opening last week for Fort St. John filmmaker Ben Haab, seen above checking in guests to a premiere showing of his new documentary, ‘Unacceptable?’. Haab last year criss-crossed the country capturing footage and interviews with truckers, nurses, and others who attended the Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa. Haab has sold out four auditoriums and a fifth was almost full at last check. Several other screenings are planned across the country in the coming months. Pick up next week’s edition of Alaska Highway News for more on the documentary and an interview with Haab.

Apartment vacancies fall, rents rise

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Apartment vacancy rates in Fort St. John dropped to 10.6% last year, according to the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation.

Vacancies of all apartment types in the city fell by more than two percentage points from 12.7% in 2021, while average monthly rents were reported at $962 last year, up from $941, according to the CMHC’s latest rental market report.

A two-bedroom apartment in the city cost families an average of $1,065 a month, up from $1,048, while a one-bedroom unit rented for an average $772, up from $747.

When it comes to townhouses, vacancy rates dropped from 8.6% to 5.4% year over year, with average monthly rents up from $1,026 to $1,114.

A two-bedroom townhouse rented for an average of $1,065 last year and a three-bedroom for $1,236.

The city saw its overall apartment inventory grow from 1,837 to 1,899 units last year, according to the report, while overall townhouse inventory decline from 490 to 444 units last year.

The CMHC report did not provide data on the city’s rental condo market.

The rental survey is conducted annually in October and covers communities with more than 10,000 people.

Nationally, the CMHC says apartment rental supply increased by 55,000 units across the country last year. However, it says demand continued to outpace supply due to high immigration, the increasing costs of home ownership, and students returning to on-campus learning.

The national vacancy rate was at a near-historic low of 1.9%, the lowest it’s been since 2001, according to CMHC.

In B.C., vacancy rates averaged 1.3% in communities with more than 10,000 people last year, with Fort St. John home to the highest vacancy

rate in the province followed by 7.2% in downtown Prince George, and Dawson Creek at 5.8%.

In Dawson Creek, apartment vacancies were down from 9.5% in 2021, and the average rent for a two-bedroom was reported at $1,027, and a one-bedroom at $825, according to the report.

Townhouse vacancies were reported at just 1.2%, with a three-bedroom renting for $1,279 a month, and a twobedroom for $1,173.

“Lower vacancy rates and rising rents were a common theme across Canada in 2022,” said CMHC chief economist Bob Dugan in a statement. “This caused affordability challenges for renters, especially those in the lower income ranges, with very few units in the market available in their price range.”

“The current conditions reinforce the urgent need to accelerate housing supply and address supply gaps to improve housing affordability for Canadians,” Dugan said.

weighing 181 pounds. Police say he has brown eyes and grey hair, with a scar at the corner of his left eye. He is usually wearing jeans, T-shirts, and leather loafers, and may be using the aliases of Evan Sinclair or Evan Leon, according to police.

RCMP say the public is advised not to engage Sinclair but to report any sightings, including a detailed physical description of his clothing, as well as the date and time and location of where he was seen.

Anyone with information is asked to call the detachment at 250-787-8100.

MATT PREPROST PHOTO

There was plenty of action on the speed skating oval in Fort St. John this past weekend as Canada’s best up and coming youth speed skaters took to the ice for the national youth long track championships. More than 120 skaters came to compete in two days of individual and team events to cap off their season. Racers are shown above at the start of a four lap team pursuit race on Saturday, Feb. 4.

COURTESY BEN HAAB

It’saBoy!

RYAN TIMOTHY WOLFE

Parents: Aaron&AnitaWolfe

Weight: 6lbs12oz

Length: 19.75inches

Time: 12:55am

Date: December27,2022

Hometown: Prespatou,BC

Drop off or mail your FREE birth announcement to : The Alaska Highway News, 9916-98 St • Fort St. John • V1J 3T8 or email: compose@ahnfsj.ca

CELEBRATEBABIES

BIRTH Ph:250.261.7563

It’saGirl!

CHLOEY JADE ROSCHER

Parents: Ben&DeniseRoscher

Weight: 3450gm

Length: 52cm

Time: 11:38am

Date: January23,2023 FortStJohn,BC

BABY BOUQUET WALL

www.fsjhospitalfoundation.ca email: fsjhf@northernhealth.ca

All invited to Cattlemen’s dinner and dance

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

North Peace ranchers are eagerly awaiting the return of their annual banquet and dance fundraiser this month.

The Feb. 25 dinner is the first time the North Peace Cattlemen’s Association has been able to host the event since the Covid-19 pandemic, and organizers say planning is going super and tickets selling fast.

“It always was a good time to get out, have some fun, and visit with your neighbours in the winter time,” says association president Renee Ardill. “It’s been going on for years, Covid took all that away from us because we couldn’t go anywhere or see anybody. I think people are ready to get out and do something again.”

Proceeds from the fundraiser go directly back into the association, which hosts information events throughout the year for local cattle producers and is a substantial supporter of North Peace 4-H.

Importantly, the association gives members a voice at the provincial level through the B.C. Cattlemen and the federal level through the Canadian Cattlemen associations.

“The economy is tough right now,” says Ardill. “We got a better price this fall for our calves than we have for quite awhile, which sounds goods, that makes everybody happy. But how much did fuel go up? How much is

ARIES  MAR 21/APR 20

Excessive spending in recent days may have you feeling nervous about your nances, Aries. In addition to bills, you could be waiting to be reimbursed. Be patient.

TAURUS  APR 21/MAY 21

Taurus, you may have been working so hard you haven’t had time to spend with family and friends lately. Clear your calendar and make some time for recreation.

GEMINI  MAY 22/JUN 21

This week you may lock yourself behind closed doors and enjoy some alone time for a change, Gemini. Relax with a good book or binge watch some television.

CANCER  JUN 22/JUL 22

A friendship could be tested when you get into a quarrel over money, Cancer. You each have di erent philosophies on spending. Try to see both sides.

LEO  JUL 23/AUG 23

Philosophy and religious principles are of interest to you lately, Leo. Explore the metaphysical and dive into these subjects with all of your energy.

VIRGO  AUG 24/SEPT 22

Virgo, you could be longing for a vacation, so why not make it happen?

If you’ve socked away some cash, put it towards a trip to recharge and relax.

LIBRA  SEPT 23/OCT 23

Make an e ort to reconnect with someone you have known a long time who has become absent from your life. Resolve to maintain this connection in the years ahead.

SCORPIO  OCT 24/NOV 22

Honest communication can take you through a rough patch you might be having with your romantic partner, Scorpio. Speak openly and honestly to resolve the issue.

SAGITTARIUS  NOV 23/DEC 21

Keep your eyes focused on the future, Sagittarius. It’s easy to dwell on what happened in the past, but that won’t matter much in the grand scheme of things.

CAPRICORN  DEC 22/JAN 20

A miscommunication could nd you spending money you just don’t have right now, Capricorn. This may be an instance when you need to seek a professional to sort it all out.

AQUARIUS  JAN 21/FEB 18

Aquarius, a project that has been on the calendar for some time nally gets completed. It has been a long time coming, but the results are better than you expected.

PISCES  FEB 19/MAR 20

Go through some old photos and reminisce, Pisces. It can be a quiet way to spend a day or two and enjoy the memories.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS

FEBRUARY 5 Darren Criss, Actor (36)

FEBRUARY 6 Charlie Heaton, Actor (29)

FEBRUARY 7 Chris Rock, Comic (58)

FEBRUARY 8 Jaden Hossler, Singer (22)

FEBRUARY 9 Michael B. Jordan, Actor (36)

FEBRUARY 10 Elizabeth Banks, Actress (49)

FEBRUARY 11 Jennifer Aniston, Actress (54)

equipment now?”

Ardill says farm commodities prices have not kept up with the price of production, and though grocery stores, packing plants, and supply chains are making healthy profits from rising prices, farmers and producers aren’t seeing it in turn.

“If people don’t smarten up and realize this, and government has a role to play in this, they’re going to be in seriously trouble because people can’t keep doing it,” Ardill says. “There’s only so many things you can do to cut back and people have cut back to the point where there isn’t much more cutting back to be done.”

Doors open for the dinner and dance at 6 p.m. at the Pomeroy Hotel, and includes music by Debbie Butler and Brian Collins, as well as Country Horizon Sounds. There will be a live and silent auction, as well as a midnight lunch.

“I hope that we have a good turnout, I hope that people will come and enjoy themselves,” said Ardill. “It doesn’t have to be cattlemen, it’s open to anybody. It’s always been a good event, it usually sells out, and it’s just usually a lot of fun.”

Tickets can be purchased at 8 Seconds Western Wear or by calling Braden Sutherland at 250-261-9166.

For more info, check out the Cattlemen’s advertisement in the Feb. 3 edition of the Northern Horizon, and check out their Facebook page.

Community Living searching for new ED

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

The man in charge of community living in Fort St. John will be stepping down from his position with fond memories this spring.

Joseph Lang has tendered his resignation as executive director of the Fort St. John Association for Community Living, and will be leaving the post in April, the organization has announced.

“It’s impossible to put in a nutshell all the positive changes that Joe’s leadership and entrepreneurial gifts have brought to the Association,” said Board Chair Sarah Conkin in a statement. “Building on the foundation established by our long-standing leadership team, staff, families, and community support over the past sixty plus years, Joe has restructured, opened doors, and positioned us for growth.

“This progression is essential for the Association to continue to support individuals with developmental disabilities or complex needs achieve full and meaningful lives in our community,” Conkin said.

Lang joined the organization in September 2020 and helped steer it through the Covid-19 pandemic. In a statement, he said the work has been an honour, but that he and his family have recently “had to make some difficult decisions.”

“This decision was not made lightly,” said Lang. “I have an amazing team at the FSJACL and since 2020 we have

ushered in incredible growth and opportunities for the Agency. We have also partnered with some great local organizations.”

“This community has a heart for the FSJACL and the individuals we support, and I look forward to hearing about the amazing work that you will all do together.”

The organization says it has begun the search for Lang’s successor. It will be appointing an internal leader who will work with Lang in the interim until his departure, as well as support a new executive director and the transition into their position.

John and Elsie Martin and Mike Butler during the 1992 North Peace Cattlemen’s banquet.

SUPPLIED Joe Lang

Forest workers pay price of gov inaction

By Mike Bernier

Forestry helped build Brit-

ish Columbia and the Peace Region into what it is today. For generations it has created revenue for the province and provided people with good jobs to support their families. Forestry has shaped our communities, especially here in rural B.C.

Because of forestry’s long history in the region, the recent news of the local plant closure in Chetwynd has been particularly devastating. That’s almost 200 direct family-supporting jobs in rural B.C., gone. Over in Houston, 300 jobs are disappearing with the temporary closure of the mill there.

By Ruby McBeth

Iasked people at the Seniors’ Club how they had met their partner. I got a variety of responses.

Donna and Howard Keefe met at the A & W. Donna explained that she was with a bunch of girlfriends when they saw this fellow alone in his pickup. They went over to talk to him and that was how they met.

Jim and Shirley Vandewark met at a church young adult group. Wendy Clayson met her husband Don through her cousin, who was trying to find a date for Don for the Revelstoke Christmas party. Wendy

By John Grady

When people discuss dysfunc-

tional families it’s normally the other families and never their own. Most of us think we came from normal families and as a result we also think that our present family is normal. It’s amazing how dysfunction is classified as normal and that gives us comfort.

Because of Adam and Eve everyone of us inherited personal dysfunction so, of course, we all bring in different levels of dysfunction into the marriage and family setting. The good news is we can all blame Adam and Eve.

There is one family in particular that had major dysfunction, and as we examine the family and the consequences, it had a major impact on history and subsequent family trees. We can see not only the

refused to attend the party with someone she didn’t know, but did allow her cousin to give Don her phone number. And as they say the rest is history.

Jon Doll met Eira Lucas at the Seniors Club. Jon tells me, “The New Year’s Dance in 2009 was our first big date, and we haven’t looked back since.” Eira sitting beside him smiled in agreement.

Ivan King met his wife Token at an oil rig. She was a cook’s helper to her aunt and he was in charge of the rig that was being set up across the river from the Old Fort. They had to go in from Chetwynd. Token’s aunt told her to have noth-

dysfunction but how it has impacted human relations then and now, centuries later, which we can certainly identify even today.

For any who read the Bible you will know the story of how Jacob, the younger brother in cahoots with his mother Rebecca, wife of Isaac, deceived Isaac and was able to steal Isaac’s blessing from the eldest son, Esau. Isaac was one of the patriarchs, was well on in age at the time, could not see properly, and his blessing was of a great importance and very significant.

In essence, Jacob passed himself off as Esau so Isaac’s blessing to Jacob, assuming it was Esau, was that he would receive earth’s resources. Nations would serve him, he’d have dominion over his brothers and men would bow down before him, and those that cursed him

ing to do with the drilling crew. Ivan claims it was love at first sight. He admired her for the way she was a practical person. Unfortunately, she did not seem interested in him. When spring came and everyone went back to town, they got to meet on friendlier terms. It turned out that Token lived with her grandmother just down the street from where Ivan lived. They ran into each other and that was the beginning of a long and happy life together. And Lorne and I – we first met when I took a ski lesson from him on the old ski hill on the Wuthrich property.

CARING BRIDGE

The vision of Caring

Signi cant encounters e dysfunctional family

would be cursed and those that blessed him would be blessed.

On the other hand, Isaac’s word for Esau was that he would live by the sword and under dominion of his brother. Needless to say, Esau was livid and plotted to take Jacob’s life, but Jacob went off to Rebecca’s family and stayed there for several years. He started his own family, eventually returning and meeting with Esau, who by this time was well off and had lost the anger and desire to kill Jacob. They went their separate ways.

Jacob’s name was eventually changed to Israel and in his family tree his 12 sons were the heads of the 12 tribes of Israel. Esau’s children were called Edomites and became the nation of Edom, but during the time of the Roman Empire they were called Idumeans.

Bridge is that no one need go through a health journey alone. The founder wanted to help her friend who had a premature baby. Caring Bridge provided a private chat area so that people could be updated about the baby’s condition and coordinate helping. In 25 years, it has helped more than 300,000 people. To learn more, google “Caring Bridge.”

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Love is a lot like a backache. It doesn’t show up on X-rays, but you know it’s there.” — George Burns

When you track Esau’s family tree, you come to a guy named Herod who, during the time of Jesus birth as the Messiah, was in fact King Herod of the Roman Jewish Empire. He was client King of Judah. Jesus was from the family tree of Jacob (Israel). King Herod, hearing from the Magi of the birth of Jesus (the King of the Jews) and in his desire to kill Jesus, gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem where Jesus was born and its vicinity who were two years old and younger.

It’s amazing how unresolved family issues can have a way of rearing its head in different ways, in different times, in different families, and that is why Jesus has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

John Grady lives and writes in Fort St. John.

The forestry sector that employs so many rural British Columbians, and supports so many families and communities, has been warning government over the past few years. They have been clear that shrinking access to fibre was threatening the economic backbone of our province. They were clear that the sector and the government could tackle the challenges head-on if they worked together. But they were ignored.

Instead, what we’ve seen is a government that shrugged its shoulders instead of rolling up its sleeves. Their main focus in forestry has been coming up with transition plans for displaced workers and reducing, rather than increasing, the fibre supply for local mills.

That is a recipe for disaster rather than recovery. What’s most unbelievable for a government that claims to be concerned about the environment is that our forests are a renewable resource, especially when managed well. Growing new trees absorbs carbon and contributes to a reduction in greenhouse gases — but this government has made little effort to keep the industry sustainable for the long term.

We see warning signs every day that the current government doesn’t believe in the value of the resource sector. Making sure industries like forestry, mining, and oil and gas are strong is about keeping our province working, our communities healthy, and our provincial coffers full. You’d think the government would get that, when part of the five-billion-dollar surplus the Premier is planning to spend to try to win the next election comes from higher than expected natural gas revenues.

It’s time for the government to roll up its sleeves and clear the path so our resource sector can thrive and support the women and men building lives in rural B.C. Sadly, I expect them to keep shrugging their shoulders and everyone will pay a heavy price for their inaction.

My constituency office in Dawson Creek is ready to help anyone with any problems with provincial government services. If you’ve hit a roadblock, the office can make inquiries. You can also share your thoughts and ideas by email at mike.bernier.MLA@ leg.bc.ca.

LETTERS Write to us by snail mail, or email your le ers to editor@ahnfsj.ca. Le ers must be accompanied by your full name and a phone number, for verification. Please limit your le ers to 300 words. We reserve the right to edit le ers for length, taste, accuracy, and libel. Protest the policy, not the person. Opinions expressed in le ers to the editor do not necessarily reflect those of Alaska Highway News.

COPYRIGHT & LEGAL NOTICE

Lynn Novack Circulation Manager circulation@ahnfsj.ca

Alaska Highway News retains sole copyright of advertising, news stories, and photography produced by staff Copyright of le ers and other materials submi ed to the Editor and accepted for publication remain with the author, but the Publisher and its licensees may freely reproduce them in print, electronic, or other forms. Reproduction is prohibited without wri en consent of the publisher.

Alaska Highway News is a member of the National Newsmedia Council, an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about our content, please let us know first. If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit mediacouncil.ca or call 1-844-877-1163 for more information.

class mail registration No. 0167

Ruby McBeth lives and writes in Fort St. John.

RUBY MCBETH PHOTO

Jon and Eira met at the Seniors’ Club in 2009 and are very happy together.

Ask Miss Patti: Always connect before you direct

Dear Miss Patti,

My child, who is four, has such a hard time transitioning from one thing to another. Everything seems to be a battle and I’m almost to the point where I’m scared to take him out anywhere because of his big reactions when it’s time to leave or move to another activity.

— Troubles with Transitions

Dear Troubles with Transitions,

This is a big one that so many parents and educators battle with! Many children (and adults) don’t like or handle change very well. Especially if it’s from a desirable activity, like playing, to an undesirable activity, like bedtime.

I do an activity with my adult students in which they are engaged in an art activity. First, I let them engage for a while and then 10 minutes in I tell them all they have to stop and move to another station. They all look at me in shock. “But I’m not done.” “I had an idea I wanted to complete!” I apologize but tell them to move along anyways. They do but I can tell they are not happy about leaving their ideas and hard work behind.

Then I let them engage again and this time I give them a five-minute warning before it’s time to switch. I can see them all rushing to get it done or they give up and just stop whatever they are doing and cross their arms in frustration. Then we discuss how this felt for them. “I had an idea, and I was frustrated that I couldn’t finish what I started.” “It was better when you gave the five-minute warning but then I felt anxious and rushed and it still wasn’t what I wanted. It felt incomplete.” Then I tell them to imagine they are three, four, or five years old. The light bulbs all start to go off.

Now, what if I were to come along beside you, engage you in conversation about what you are doing, listen to your ideas, and then gently tell you that pretty soon we are going to have to clean this up but that I will take a picture of your plan and you will have an opportunity next time to take up where you left off. Or, if this is in a setting like home where they don’t necessarily need to clean it up or take it down, remind them it will be waiting for them in the morning or after nap. But always CONNECT before you DIRECT. (Again, a lovely tool learned from Positive Discipline.)

If I just yell from across the house or the room, or even break into a cleanup song without connecting, it will induce anxiety in so many children. Even my teenage son tells me he doesn’t appreciate it when I yell from across the house to get moving, we’re going to be late. This is usually because I already have my boots on and am too lazy to take them off, walk to his room and kindly tell him to hurry up. But he says when I just yell, it sends him into a panic, and he can’t even think straight or remember what it is he is supposed to be doing. Then he forgets things and it takes him even longer. It’s worth it to take off my boots and just walk to where he is. Connecting before you direct doesn’t stop at age five.

Visual schedules are also a great tool for transitions. Letting them know about their day and what to expect helps the child organize and feel the predictability of the day. When it’s play time before bed, show them that after playtime is bedtime but remember at bedtime, we get to take a bath, read your favourite story or cuddle with your special stuffie or blanket (whatever your bedtime routine is, making it special will also help with this transition).

Now, of course, there will be times in the day that things come up that you can’t predict, but then be ready for the meltdown and allow space for those big feelings. They’re not old enough yet to “roll with it” so you’ll just have to be extra patient and compassionate towards those big feelings in that moment. Compare it to that wonderful vacation you had planned for months and then COVID shut it down. This might be equivalent to the feelings of a four-year-old who has to stop watching their favourite show because we have to pick up older brother unexpectedly from school, who is sick.

Practicing coping with these small transitions gets them ready for bigger transitions like kindergarten, junior high, etc.

These bigger transitions require a lot of planning as well, especially for these children who need time to warm up to new things or changes. For kindergarten, as soon as you know what school they will be going to, start going to that playground to play. If they have family already attending, walk the hallways, meet the receptionist. Give them opportunities so that they have some things or people they will be familiar with.

—Miss Patti

Send your questions to Miss Patti at motherofdragonflies2021@outlook.com

Students put spaghetti bridges to the test

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

The future builders of a new Taylor Bridge may just come from up the road in Prespatou.

Three teams of students from the school won first, second, and third in a spaghetti bridge building contest held Thursday, Feb. 2, locking their place for the upcoming Regional Skills Canada BC event in Dawson Creek next month.

It was a day of good fun for 100 students from across the North Peace district as they met for the friendly competition.

Armed with glue guns and boxes of Catelli noodles, they set about the

Duncan Cran school gymnasium to see who could build the lightest bridge capable of holding a one kilogram weight for 60 seconds.

“It’s really fragile,” Dashton Leclercq, a Grade 4 student from Baldonnel, described of the building process with his three peers Morgan Andres, Nora Ostero, and Rene Lass.

“Not everybody can put something on at once because that will break it really easy,” he said.

The annual contest gets classrooms to bring their best designs to be put under the load test, and is part of the school district’s applied design, skills, and technologies curriculum.

The exercise teaches students

how to use math and other applied skills as they are given three hours to build a bridge to minimum specifications for width, length, and height, and with just 200 grams of noodles.

Regionals are set to take place in Dawson Creek on March 3. A second local competition will be held next week at Robert Ogilvie school, where another 100 students will compete for the chance to go to regionals.

The winners from the contest at Duncan Cran were:

1st Place - Hailey Reimer, Jaycee Wiebe

2nd Place - Cody Klassen

3rd Place - Trevor Penner, Ricky Klassen, Travis Dyck

MATT PREPROST PHOTO

Baldonnel students Dashton Leclercq, Morgan Andres, Nora Ostero, and Rene Lass at School District 60’s spaghetti bridge competition held Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023.

Left: Duncan Cran students Kaleb Ryan, Kaeson Moore, and Remy Campbell. Right: Wonowon students Kyle Kronhardt, Junior Rose, and Liam Akulenko. Below: Upper Halfway students Tylin Field, Calvin Inyallie, Sienna Fox, Jerome Field, and Jensen Sunby.

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Fort St. John’s new nursing program continues to find success meeting the demands and interest of local students wanting to get into healthcare in the community.

A first cohort of 11 students is almost ready to graduate the baccalaureate program this spring, a second cohort is underway and nearing the halfway mark of their studies, and the University of Northern British Columbia is accepting applications for a third to start their training this fall.

“It’s fantastic,” said Dr. Rebecca Schiff, dean for UNBC’s faculty of human and health sciences, during an open house held on Wednesday night, Feb. 1.

“We have one cohort that’s getting ready to graduate, sending a whole bunch of new nurses out into the workforce, many of whom are really interested in working for Northern Health, staying in the region, which is, you know, really important and a valuable outcome.”

“We’re excited about where we’ve come so far just in two cohorts, and a bar of where we’re going next,” said Schiff.

More than two dozen prospective students, teachers, and university officials met at Northern Lights College to showcase the program and take a tour of the hands-on

nursing lab on campus.

The two-year immersive program runs five consecutive semesters, featuring both face-to-face classroom instruction as well as online components. It also gets students out in the community gaining experience at the local hospital when they aren’t running simulations at the campus lab.

There are plenty of incentives to get students into the program, including loan forgiveness, and graduates are put in a unique position with a direct pathway from nursing

into specialties such as the emergency, maternity, or surgical services.

Across Northeast B.C., 188 nursing positions are waiting to be filled by Northern Health — 100 of them in Fort St. John alone.

UNBC president Dr. Geoffrey Payne says the most important thing about the nursing program is giving local students a chance to study in their home community.

“With the nursing program, there is that shortage, so giving folks the ability to get into the workforce that much

quicker is certainly super beneficial,” said Payne.

“What we’re trying to do is continue to try and think outside the box, to really meet the demands that we’re seeing; meet what the students want, and meet with our partners also, such as Northern Health.”

Key to the nursing program’s success will be community support for the students taking the program, and showing care for the work they do, Schiff said.

“That we care about nurses in the north, and that we’re

really proud of them for taking that step and their interest in following a nursing career and, hopefully, to just stay in practice in the north,” said Schiff.

“And, I think, more broadly, our support for everyone who’s working in healthcare,” Schiff added, “and demonstrate how much we value people who work in those professions is a great way to be engaged with the program and our students as well.”

STRATEGIC PLANNING

Payne’s visit to Fort St. John also coincided for a series of strategic planning sessions with faculty, students, and the community. Established in 1990, UNBC now has four campuses across the north, including Fort St. John. Payne says the local nursing program is a prime example that the university continues to be grounded in the community and working to meet its needs.

“The strategic plan really wants to ensure that the university continues to move forward in what the students need, what the community needs, in order to ensure that education is the pathway for northern community sustainability... Fort St. John is huge in that,” he said. “We are already hearing out of this, the feedback from community, about the opportunity for future offerings here, not only for education, but also for research as well, that is also going to have societal impact in communities such as Fort St. John and the region.”

Student entrepreneurs learn business savvy, philanthropy

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

A group of Fort St. John students recently raised close to $1000 in support of two local nonprofits.

They did it as part of their Entrepreneurship 12 class at North Peace Secondary School, where they spent last semester learning how to launch a business and turn a profit for a good cause.

“When I first got into this class I thought it was going to be really difficult, really stressful, but I learned if you just do it, it will get done and the rest will come to you,” said Ethan Blackley, who, along with his business partner Christian Dubuisson, grossed $1600 selling chicken wings and bites for $10 a bucket to their classmates.

The chicken was a sellout hit, and Blackley and Dubuisson turned their sales into $440.80 of net income and a nice donation to the SPCA, which is currently without a facility but still operating animal welfare services in the community.

“We heard their situation and how they have no building currently. We go there sometimes so we might as well pay it back,” said Blackley.

The entrepreneurship class is a unique course for Grade 12 students where they prep a business plan and present it

Shark Tank style to school administrators for seed capital to buy equipment and supplies to get them started.

Some students sell food and drink, some sell clothing and jewellery. One group this year organized a sumo wrestling competition, said business education teacher Matthew Lynn.

Each team of two or three students has to do a survey on their business plan to determine their market and margins, and, if they’re sell-

ing food, learn how to negotiate royalties with the school cafeteria.

“Some generate lots of revenue, some break even, and the whole experience is to go through running an actual business and getting to break even, and hopefully be able to make a profit by the end,” said Lynn.

“Students learn basic operations, how to manage money, and how to work within a team... There’s a lot of really cool things that have come out

of that program.”

Students who make a net income get to choose a registered charity they care about to receive their proceeds, big cheques and all.

“You don’t really get an opportunity to really send a big cheque somewhere in your lifetime,” said Lynn.

“Being able to actually donate something of significance to something that will make a difference, I can’t replicate that feeling in the classroom. You got to go and experience it.”

Preston Cardinal and his partner Mariana Ramos Villarreal combined their First Nation and Mexican cultures to sell unique bannock tacos for $7 each over lunch hours. Though they sold an average of 15 to 18 tacos a day, there were slow days and rush days, Cardinal said.

“It’s not always going to be what you expect, you’re not always going to have success,” he said. “You’re going to have days where you’re not going to sell much.”

In all, he and Ramos Villarreal raised $315.83 for the Women’s Resource Society.

“I grew up around a lot of single women in my life and I know what it’s like for them to not have the resources they need,” said Cardinal.

Makayla Peterson and Lorvina Thungavelu earned $93.84 by selling a menu of fruit smoothies — “something cheap to drink in class” — and also donated their net income to the SPCA.

Peterson says she plans to take what she learned in the entrepreneurship class and apply it to her graduating Capstone project building a website to sell clothing.

“I learned personally that as soon as you get over the fear of actually putting money towards starting something, that it is very easy to start it,” said Peterson.

MATT PREPROST PHOTO

Dr. Geoff Payne, president, and Dr. Rebecca Schiff, dean of the faculty of human and health sciences, inside the nursing lab at the University of Northern British Columbia campus in Fort St. John.

MATT PREPROST PHOTO

From left, North Peace Secondary entrepreneurship students Ethan Blackley, Christian Dubuisson, Preston Cardinal, Makayla Peterson, and Lorvina Thungavelu.

Quirky cast of sculptures put on display

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

A colourful and splendid opening night for the North Peace Potters Guild and their unique new exhibit in Fort St. John last Friday night.

Potters have crafted a quirky assortment of sculptures in the style of renowned B.C. artist Elaine Brewer-White, featuring belly dancers, dragons, dogs and frogs, and even Dad, laying on the couch.

“The sculptures are really interesting and cool, it’s certainly not what we normally make,” says guild president Lori Phillips. “Just really playful, always playful, lots of motion, and

really expressive.”

The guild has long wanted to bring Brewer-White up from Fort Langley for a workshop, and was finally able to do so last April. That’s where the idea for an exhibit came about, and potters have also included many of their traditional wares in the show, including mugs and plates and vases, and decorative wall ornaments too.

“It’s a really interesting and unique exhibit for Fort St. John, and something different,” says Phillips. “We’d love people to come down, take a look and see what they think, and get inspired.”

The exhibit runs at Peace Gallery North until Feb. 25.

Thebene tsof COVID-19vaccination outweightherisks.

arevaccinated.”

Dr.DanièleBehnSmith DeputyProvincialHealthO IndigenousHealth

Dr. Danièle Behn Smith Deputy Provincial Health O cer, Indigenous Health

Vaccinationhelpspreventserious illnessandhospitalization.Designed forchildren’simmunesystems,pediatric vaccinesdeliverasmallerdosethan theadultdose.Theyaretestedandsafe.

Vaccination helps prevent serious illness and hospitalization. Designed for children’s immune systems, pediatric vaccines deliver a smaller dose than the adult dose. They are tested and safe.

That’swhymychildren

MATT PREPROST PHOTO

North Peace Potters Guild president Lori Phillips with one of her works at the guild’s new exhibit.

‘Dad’, pottery by Karla Lambert

SpecialBudgetMeeting

Notice is given that the Board of the Peace River Regional District will consider the rst draft of 2023 Budgets for all of the many functions and services operated by the Peace River Regional District at its Special Budget Meeting on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 starting at 10 am at 1981 Alaska Avenue, Dawson Creek, BC. The public is welcome to attend, or is invited to watch the meeting via livestream on the Regional District’s Facebook page, @O cialPRRD.

The agenda for the meeting will be posted on the webpage on Friday, February 17th – check it out!

If you have any questions, please call the o ce at 250-784-3200. www.prrd.bc.ca diverse. abundant. vast. District O cial Page Facebook Peace River Regional

Student volunteers back on the hospital rounds

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

After a pandemic break, the Fort St. John Hospital Auxiliary’s junior volunteer program is back making the rounds at the Peace Villa care home.

Grade 10 students Mohammed Albiatly, Swas Ghosh, Subhaan Ahmed, and Tanvir Hundal all signed up for the program’s restart this month, gaining work experience credit through high school as they consider future careers in healthcare.

“In my home country, there’s a lot of sick people, people who don’t get help necessarily because they’re way too poor and everything’s way too expensive,” says Ghosh, a national science fair award winner.

“I really want to be someone who can help people who can’t get help. And also I just really love science and sciences in the medical field, so I want to maybe do something with medicine as well.”

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY10

TotalCTMoney

on just about everything in-store and online with a Triangle® credit card.

+Terms and conditions apply.

See in-store for details.

8:00AM – 9:00PM Monday to Saturday • 9:00AM – 6:00PM Sunday

9716 Old Fort Rd, Fort St John, BC

250-787-1142

The auxiliary’s junior program has a decades-long history in Fort St. John, well established from the days of the city’s old hospital and care home, and which used to see up to 48 students involved.

The program is open for youth 14 to 18 years old, and students spend two hours a week socializing with Peace Villa residents, playing games, going for walks, helping during mealtimes, and having conversations.

“They’re usually students who are passionate about patient care. A lot of them are quite interested in going into health care and this is an excellent way to get started,” said auxiliary president Rosemary Landry.

“For some of them, it may be their first job… they wear a uniform, they come in on time, and they have their own responsibilities, and they then carry them out,” she said. “It benefits both our residents and it benefits our students as well because it gives them that confidence to go out and meet these people and just socialize.”

Subhaan Ahmed speed skates with the Fort St. John Elks club and fits the weekly Tuesday volunteer shift into his busy training schedule. He says the work is fulfilling.

“It’s been fun talking to the elderly people,” said Ahmed. “You get to learn a little bit about their life and the past. Also, you get to play games with them, so that’s fun.”

Mohammed Albiatly is using the experience as part of his journey following in his family’s footsteps.

His father is Dr. Hakim Albiatly, a

practicing doctor in the city, and his siblings are also studying medicine; his brother at a medical school in the Caribbean, and his sister at the nursing school at Northern Lights College.

“I want to go out for my own benefit but I also want to follow our tradition, because I know the benefits of being in such a field,” said Albiatly. “I felt like this was the first step in many steps to achieve that career.”

Tanvir Hundal recently moved to Fort St. John from Tumbler Ridge, and said volunteering is a good opportunity to get experience in a medical setting.

“It was a big opportunity because I lived there for 11 years so I didn’t get opportunities like this,” said Hundal. “There’s so many different people in the care home that you can talk to and learn about.”

The four students are paired with a staff mentor, and will finish volunteering in May. They can continue on through the summer if they chose, said Landry, and there may even be a few new young recruits joining them soon.

“We’re just really excited the program’s getting going from the postCOVID period, that we’re able to come back in,” Landry said.

“The residents are certainly thrilled to have the students back, and just having the students in their uniforms, already we’re generating a lot more staff wanting their students to come too, so I’ve already got two new applications.”

Northern Health CEO Cathy Ulrich set to retire this year

PEACERIVERREGIONALDISTRICT 2023PARCELTAXROLLREVIEW

Public Notice is hereby given that the Peace River Regional District will be holding a Parcel Tax Roll Review Panel meeting at 9:30 am on February 23, 2023 at 1981 Alaska Avenue, Dawson Creek, BC to review any proposed changes to the parcel tax rolls, for the following services:

Charlie Lake Sewer Friesen Sewer

Chilton Sewer Harper Imperial Sewer

Fort St. John Airport Subdivision WaterKelly Lake Sewer

Fort St. John Airport Subdivision SewerRolla Sewer

12 Mile Road Electri cation Rolla Dyke

Parcel tax rolls are available for inspection at the Regional District o ces in Dawson Creek and Fort St John during regular o ce hours, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm and located at:

1981 Alaska Avenue, Dawson Creek, BC and 9505 – 100th Street, Fort St. John, BC (closed for lunch 12 noon – 1 pm)

The purpose of the parcel tax roll review is to ensure information is correct for billing of property taxes for 2023.

Property owners may request a correction to the parcel tax roll for their own property and only for the following reasons:

a)there is an error or omission respecting a name or address on the tax roll;

b) there is an error or omission respecting the inclusion of a parcel;

c)there is an error or omission respecting the taxable area of a parcel;

d)an exemption has been improperly allowed or disallowed.

Requests for corrections as noted above must be submitted in writing and must be received by

February 21, 2023 to be considered by the panel. Requests may be submitted to the Chief Financial

O cer via email at prrd.dc@prrd.bc.ca or mail to Box 810, Dawson Creek, BC. V1G 4H8

Telephone inquiries should be directed to Roxanne Shepherd, Chief Financial O cer at (250) 784.3219 or Toll Free at 1.800.670.7773

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

The chief executive officer for Northern Health will be retiring this year. The health authority announced the news Thursday, Feb. 2, saying Cathy Ulrich will stay in her position until a successor is found. The process to find her replacement will begin this month.

“We would like to thank Cathy for her leadership over the years that she has served the Province as President & CEO of Northern Health,” said Colleen Nyce, chair of health authority’s board of directors.

“Northern Health has benefited from Cathy’s commitment to the health and wellbeing of the people and the communities across the North.”

Ulrich joined Northern Health in 2002, and has served in as president and CEO since 2007. Before that, she was vice president of clinical services and chief nursing officer for the health authority for five years.

Commenting on the news, provincial health minister Adrian Dix thanked Ulrich for 20 years of service and her “many years as a nurse in rural and

northern communities.”

“During her decades of dedicated service, she’s made a meaningful difference in the lives of residents of northern British Columbia,” said Dix.

“I can personally attest to Cathy’s hard-working nature and resilience, as I’ve had the pleasure of working with her during my time as Minister of Health, and especially during the past several years of the COVID-19 pandemic and toxic-drug crisis.”

Nyce says the health authority board of directors will begin the search for Ulrich’s replacement at its Feb. 13 board meeting. Ulrich has committed to supporting the transition process when her replacement is hired, Nyce said.

MATT PREPROST PHOTO

From left, Subhaan Ahmed, Mohammed Albiatly, Tanvir Hundal, and Swas Ghosh with the Fort St. John Hospital Auxiliary’s junior volunteer program.

Cathy Ulrich

COMMUNITY NOTICES

We’re here to help!

• PREVENTION • EDUCATION

• SUPPORT Northern Brain Injury Association

1-866-979-HOPE (4673)

We’re here to help!

• PREVENTION

• EDUCATION

• SUPPORT Northern Brain Injury Association

1-866-979-HOPE (4673)

EDUCATION

TAKE YOUR CONFIDENCE & communication a level. Get the career and family life of your dreams! Jon a Toastmasters International group near you. www.toastmasters.org/ nd-a-club BOOKS, COINS,STAMPS

Todd’s Coins: Buying gold, silver & coins 250-864-3521

CABINS/ COTTAGES/

FOR SALEMISC Rolls-Surrette Batteries deep cycle series 5000, 4V X 6, 1yr old. Asking $7800 obo. 250-793-8362

WANTED TO BUY

WANTED SASQUATCH SKULLAlso purchasing SILVER & GOLD coins, bars, jewelry, scrap, nuggets, sterling, 999+ BULLION, maple leafs, bulk silver, pre-1969 coins. Coin collector BUYING ENTIRE COIN COLLECTIONS, old $ & Royal Canadian Mint coins. TODD 250-864-3521.

NOTICES / NOMINATIONS SAY NO to FAKE NEWS! 63% of Canadians can’t tell the di erence between real and fake news.

Coming to Mackenzie for some winter fun, or perhaps just need a quiet place to stay while on business?

NIGHTLY RENTAL:

Cozy log cabin with kitchen, two beds in the lo , wood-burning stove, hot water on demand, walking trail right from cabin, can snowmobile right o the property and lots of room for private parking. Call 250-997-5064 or text 250-997-1354 for details as we would love to have you stay with us.

A look into the past

20 YEARS AGO – February 1, 2003

It was a fond farewell as Larry Evans posed for his last official photograph as fire chief at his retirement dinner. Firefighters, friends, and family turned out to wish a happy retirement to Evans, who stepped down after 31 years with the department.

20 YEARS AGO – February 2, 2003

Peace River North Teachers Association president Margaret Little and vice-president Carol Tahsuda boarded a bus in Fort St. John to join a convoy to Victoria in protest of the provincial cuts to public education. The buses were scheduled to arrive in Victoria ten days later on February 12, where protest letters and a list of demands were to be delivered to then education minister Christy Clark. “They cannot keep cutting public education,” said Little at the time.

30 YEARS AGO – FEBRUARY 4, 1993

The NEAT Recycling Depot officially opened. Sally Emory was there to load the paper into the machine while Andy Larstone was there to run the control panel. Together they demonstrated the operations of this machine alongside NEAT president, Phil Larstone. Nancy Chiullim was there representing Frank Oberle, and city councillor Dave Bodnar cut the ribbon.

40 YEARS AGO – February 2, 1983

Community spirit was growing in Tumbler Ridge, which at the time was B.C.’s newest community. The population was around 500 permanent residents who were predominantly Quintette mine employees. The town commissioner Pat Walsh said the estimated population by the end of the year was to be around 3,000 as the northeast coal project grew. At the time, the town had a school in a trailer, a Super Valu store in a trailer, a post office in a trailer, and a branch of the Royal Bank in a temporary building, as well as a temporary recreation centre. Twelve months earlier, the community had been just a few cleared patches in virgin forest.

40 YEARS AGO – FEBRUARY 1, 1983

Audrey Brummet was voted Fort St. John’s Citizen of the Year. Brummet showed unmatched dedication and devotion towards community projects, in particular the Child Development Centre. Frank Robertson, chairman of the Mukluk Society, which sponsored the award that year, said her selection was unanimous amongst several groups polled. “There was just no discussion. Everybody recognizes her as one fine lady,” Robertson said.

The Taylor Bridge over the Peace River. Hatch Ltd., Charter Project Delivery Inc., and T.Y. Lin International Canada Ltd. recently shared a 2023 engineering award of excellence from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, for their work repairing a gusset plate on the span connecting the Fort St. John and Dawson Creek regions.

Glowing musical seesaws coming to downtown

A unique and interactive art installation is coming to downtown Fort St. John this month.

The city will host Impulse from Feb. 11 to 22 at 100 & 100, which the city describes as a “public art installation made up of illuminated seesaws where the public gets to be musicians and artists.”

“Part playground apparatus, part interactive installation, the multiple seesaws transform the space with the sound and light emitted when people play on them,” says the city in a news release. “To activate the seesaw, one person sits down on each end. The seesaws, fitted with LED lights and speakers, produce a series of beautiful sounds. The intensity of the light varies as the board’s angle changes.

“The closer you get to the work and the more you play on the seesaws, the

more you notice subtleties in the installation and details in the sound and light. Impulse is an urban installation that renews itself for each different audience. Each person becomes, while on the seesaws, the player of a novel instrument.”

Opening night will be held Saturday, Feb. 11, and hosted by the Fort St. John Arts Council will host the opening night, Saturday, Feb. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. There will be music and hot chocolate.

The temporary installation is being funded by a $94,966 grant from the federal government.

“Art has a magical power to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary,” said Eryn Griffith, the city’s arts and culture manager. “We cannot wait to see our community enjoying this temporary public art installation while reimagining the possibilities of our downtown.”

The Impulse art installation