Spring 2021 Northern BC & Business Thompson Okanagan

www.BusinessExaminer.ca

Spring 2020

Northern BC & Thompson/Okanagan

FIRST NATIONS TO BENEFIT FROM COASTAL GASLINK - 7

First Nations LNG Alliance CEO Karen Ogen-Toews

THOMPSON / OKANAGAN MOVERS & SHAKERS – 10

NORTHERN BC MOVERS & SHAKERS – 16

1-800-795-7525

Optimism is growing among businesses in British Columbia as we march towards herd immunity.

While we wait for the government and health care system to open the economy back up, we are pressing ahead right alongside you.

With that in mind we hope this issue of the Business Examiner is able to help your organization move forward.

Inside you’ll find sales leads in the Movers and Shakers section articles on great businesses throughout Northern BC and the Thompson/ Okanagan like our lead story on the gamechanging Coastal Gas Link project.

There’s some great news from the Vernon Chamber of Commerce, and much more.

Best of luck battling through,

John MacDonald, Director, Business Development

Contact Us 25 Cavan Street Nanaimo, BC V9R 2T9 +1 866-758-2684 info@businessexaminer.ca www.BusinessExaminer.ca Office Hours Monday – Friday: 9:00am – 5:00 pm Saturday – Sunday: Closed Editor: Lise MacDonald (lise@businessexaminer.ca) Press Releases & Story Ideas: (media@businessexaminer.ca) Sales: John MacDonald (john@businessexaminer.ca)

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FROM THE COVER: COASTAL GAS LINK

5 NEWS UPDATE

10 THOMPSON / OKANAGAN MOVERS & SHAKERS

13

EXPORT NAVIGATOR: THOMPSON / OKANAGAN

14 VERNON CHAMBER UPDATE

21 OPINION

16 NORTHERN BC MOVERS & SHAKERS

NEWS UPDATE

RECOVERY GRANTS SUPPORT JOBS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES

FOOD HUB COMES TO KAMLOOPS

BRITISH COLUMBIA - People living in rural communities throughout the province will soon benefit from BC government grants that will support new jobs and economic opportunities to help them recover from the impacts of COVID-19.

As part of BC’s $10-billion COVID-19 response, grants totalling $20 million for 38 rural projects have been approved. The response also includes StrongerBC: BC’s Economic Recovery Plan, which protects people’s health and livelihoods while supporting businesses and communities.

Rural Economic Recovery (RER) program grants will support communities recovering from the economic impacts of COVID-19 and build their economies for the future.

Funding for Indigenous government and organization, local government and not-for-profit projects will support immediate job creation through construction. Upgrades to municipal or Indigenous-owned industrial parks, airport expansions, marine access facilities, destination trail networks and improvements to rural-based mountain resorts will also help rural communities grow and diversify their economies.

The RER funding is part of $100 million of restart money administered through the provincially funded Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program (CERIP). CERIP provides fully funded provincial grants to support economic resilience, tourism, heritage and urban and rural economic development projects in communities impacted by COVID-19.

KAMLOOPS – Food and beverage producers will soon have more opportunities to grow their businesses while increasing food security with the development of a new food hub in Kamloops.

The BC government is investing up to $750,000 to purchase food-processing equipment and cover other start-up costs in partnership with the City of Kamloops and the Kamloops Food Policy Council. The hub will help small- and medium-scaled businesses access shared food and beverage processing space and equipment to increase their production and sales.

One of the local businesses looking forward to using the new food hub is Local Pulse, founded

by Kent Fawcett in 2018. Fawcett makes plantprotein-based foods to help more people eat more pulses like peas, beans and lentils. He has developed his own “just add water” products, which include dehydrated instant hummus and a muesli made with pea protein. Fawcett hopes to use the Kamloops food hub’s shared kitchen and support resources to help continue to grow his business and create more products for customers.

BC’s food and beverage processors produce more than $10 billion worth of value-added products each year Three food hubs are already operating in Vancouver, Surrey and Port Alberni, with additional hubs in Quesnel and Salmon Arm opening later in 2021.

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NEWS UPDATE

CITY AND UNBC LEAD THE WAY TO A LOWCARBON FUTURE

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PRINCE GEORGE - There’s nothing like a cold snap to prove the value of reliable energy and energy-efficiency.

And with temperatures dropping to almost -40 degrees Celsius last week, the City of Prince George and the University of Northern British Columbia have two successes in downtown Prince George that demonstrate the value of local ingenuity and local wood products.

The UNBC Wood Innovation Research Lab is built almost entirely of wood and houses state-of-the-art equipment used to test different types of wood building materials.

When it opened in 2018, it was considered to be one of the most energy-efficient buildings of its kind in the world.

How did it perform last week, when temperatures dipped to almost -40 degrees overnight?

“Over the course of the first two weeks in February, when temperatures fluctuated between -1 and -37 degrees Celsius in Prince George, the heating demand in the Wood Innovation Research Lab only fluctuated 3.5 per cent. We barely noticed any change at all,” says UNBC Facilities Director David Claus. “In comparison, when the temperatures got really cold, the heating demand for the main campus buildings doubled.”

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Although it’s more than 900 square metres (nearly 10,000 square feet) and 10 metres tall, the Lab’s heating bill is about the same as a typical 1600 square foot house.

The main reasons for this performance are the 50cmthick walls filled with insulation and the attention given during design and construction to making the building as airtight as possible.

During last week’s cold temperatures, the City’s Downtown Renewable Energy System operated with 100% renewable energy in the form of sawmill residuals from nearby Lakeland Mills. This “wood waste” is burned to heat hot water, which in turn heats nearly a dozen buildings downtown, but specialized equipment at the mill keeps emissions very low.

A 2020 Natural Resources Canada study of nearly 500 community-based and commercial bioenergy systems in Canada shows that the Prince George system is one of the largest and the only one of its size that operates with no help from fossil fuels, even during temperatures approaching -40. The result for Prince George has been that greenhouse gas emissions associated with using natural gas to heat City buildings has dropped 30-40 per cent since the Downtown Renewable Energy System became operational in 2012, making it the City’s single-greatest contributor to reducing emissions. Among the buildings it heats are City Hall, the Library, Two Rivers Gallery, the RCMP Detachment, the Law Courts, and the Wood Innovation and Design Centre. Together, these amount to 660,000 square feet of building space.

The City’s Climate Change Mitigation plan, adopted by Council in 2020, established an initial target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5 per cent by 2025. With buildings (especially the heating of buildings) accounting for about 25 per cent of the community’s annual GHG emissions, the Wood Lab and the downtown renewable energy system demonstrate local opportunities to reduce that number.

Both the DRES and the WIRL are also excellent examples of local innovation and local economic development.

While the energy system sources energy from Lakeland Mills, the Lab was built by a local contractor (IDL Projects) and many of the wood building components were supplied

by Winton Homes.

Spring 2020

OFF THE COVER

FIRST NATIONS TO BENEFIT FROM COASTAL GASLINK FIRST NATIONS LNG ALLIANCE SUPPORT A KEY TO PIPELINE’S CONSTRUCTION BURNS LAKE – Four pillars of priority identified

by First Nations will benefit from the construction of the Coastal GasLink, once the now under construction 670 kilometre natural gas pipeline from Dawson Creek to Kitimat is completed.

Karen Ogen-Toews is Chief Executive Officer of the First Nations LNG Alliance, which has been a key to bringing the entire project to fruition, and she states that pipeline derived legacy payments will be put to good use.

“We want to promote economic development for each of the First Nations, as we have social issues that we don’t have the revenue to deal with,” says Ogen-Toews, who is also a former Chief, now current councilor, for Wet’suwet’en First Nation, 12 miles west of Burns Lake. “We’ve identified four pillars – language and culture, education and training, health and wellness and housing, which we continue to deal with on a regular basis. We lack the economic capacity to deal with them as needed.”

Ogen-Toews has been CEO since the Alliance was incorporated in 2016, as she worked with Kim Baird and the 20 First Nations along the pipeline route to help found the organization as a vehicle to educate people about liquified natural gas, and prepare for sharing in the expected financial success of the project.

“We continued to get pummeled on social media for signing up to support the pipeline,” she recalls.

“We had to have a place where Indigenous people or anyone could come to learn about what LNG was and could get information and make their own decision about it. It was to be a voice for the First Nations that needed support, explain what LNG is, and how it would benefit the community. And how we can move our Nations towards economic WWW.BUSINESSEX AMINER.CA

development through the pipeline.”

Ogen-Toews earned her Master’s degree from the University of Northern British Columbia in 2007, and in 2010, graduated from the Indigenous Governance Certificate Program at the University of Victoria. She is currently enrolled at Simon Fraser University Indigenous Business Leadership program as part of a Masters in Business Administration degree.

She is also a member of the Task Force for Real Jobs, Real Recovery board, as well as the Resource Works Society and BC Premier’s First Nations Advisory Committee.

Approximately 670 kilometres in length, the

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OFF THE COVER

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Coastal GasLink pipeline is over 40 per cent completed, and is creating an expected 2,500 jobs that support local and Indigenous communities across its length.

From Kitimat, LNG Canada will export the liquified natural gas to global markets. Once completed, it will be able to move 2.1 billion cubic feet per day, with a possible future delivery of over twice that volume depending on the number of meter facilities and compressors constructed.

Employment for First Nations people is an important aspect of Coastal GasLink, and Ogen-Toews notes “One of the items we really wanted to push was education and training. Not only for jobs on the pipeline, but to assist our people to get into trades so they can get their hours in and a trade under their belts, so that beyond the pipeline they can have a career.

“We were told that First Nations people would be first to get the jobs on the pipeline. I think there were some concerns that Alberta companies were coming to B.C.,” she states, adding that First Nations

and B.C. citizens should be given a priority when it comes to hiring, as opposed to out-of-province workers.

Another issue that is being watched is procurement of supplies and services.

“You’re always going to have bumps in the road,” she notes. “From my perspective I think they can do better in terms of procurement, because there are First Nations companies that are capable of doing more. There are First Nations joint ventures and companies that should be first out of the gate.

Having more procurement opportunities for each of the Nations is always a plus.”

The 20 First Nations participating in the Alliance will receive legacy payments for approximately 25 years, and the projects expected completion date, within two to three years, will likely be pushed back due to COVID 19 complications, like many projects.

The Alliance is also positioned to participate in other major projects, including the proposed Pacific Trail Pipeline that would stretch 480 kilometres from Summit Lake to Bish Cove near Kitimat.

Spring 2020

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THOMPSON/OKANAGAN MOVERS & SHAKERS Kelowna/West Kelowna Kelowna-based companies Houle Electric Limited, Nicola Wealth Management, Lawson Lundell LLP, QHR Technologies and the Interior Health Authority have been listed amongst Mediacorp Canada’s Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2021, their annual list of companies who provide positive treatment of their employees.

Factors for inclusion are employee workspace, overall work atmosphere, financial and family benefits, vacation and time off, communications, performance management, training and skills development and community involvement.

The City of West Kelowna wil spend $45.1 million on the upcoming Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant, the contract of which was awarded to developer Maple Reinders Constructors Ltd. The city’s upper budget limit was $75 million, with an original preferred budget of around $50 million. The plant is scheduled for completion in 2022.

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A new 68-unit, six-storey building at 555 Fuller Avenue and Bertram Street in downtown Kelowna will provide affordable rental housing for those in need. Eight units will be accessible to those with disabilities. The Government of BC contributed $7.7 million towards the project. Pathways Abilities Society will manage the site, on land owned by the City of Kelowna. The building, which is under construction, is set to be completed in fall 2022.

The historic Bargain Shop building in downtown Kelowna is being torn down to make way for a large office and retail development by the Mission Group, expected to be occupied by winter 2022.

The Okanagan Regional Library Board of Trustees welcomed Louise Wallace Richmond of Salmon Arm, Todd York of Spallumcheen, Doug Findlater of West Kelowna and Subrina Monteith of the Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District as its latest members, as well as new chair, Sherry Philpott-Adhikary.

The City of West Kelowna council has endorsed its community-inspired “Community Vision” to help create a blueprint for the direction the city will take over the next decade plus, putting it a step closer to an Official Community Plan (OCP).

Kamloops Mediacorp Canada has listed the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, located in Kamloops, amongst Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2021, their annual list of companies who provide positive treatment of their employees. Factors for inclusion are employee workspace, overall work atmosphere, financial and family benefits, vacation and time off, communications, performance management, training and skills development and community involvement.

Vernon Vernon will receive $695,000 in funding through the Community Economic Recovery Spring 2020

THOMPSON/OKANAGAN MOVERS & SHAKERS Infrastructure Program (CERIP) for infrastructure upgrades to the Priest Valley Arena and replacement of the chillers and compressors in the refrigeration plant that services the arena.

Barb and Denis Murdoch were recently inducted in the Class of 2021 Volleyball BC Hall of Fame.

Selected for the Builder category, Denis, alongside wife Barb, started the Vernon Volleyball Club in 1975.

Pivot RX Pharmacy at 3309 30th Avenue in Vernon is open. The pharmacy has been designed around patient access and community care support, to help take the load off acute care services. Visit www.pivotrx.ca, call 250-503-1344, or email info@pivotrx.ca for details.

The Vernon Community Radio Society (VCRS) has reached an agreement to have popular broadcaster Frank Martina return to the airwaves in Greater Vernon. Community station 97.9 Valley FM hopes to launch in the fall of 2021, showcasing Mr. Martina’s beloved oldies show on Saturdays.

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Vernon’s Jeet Dukhia has been elected as vice-president of the BC Fruit Growers Association. Members voted four people to the board of directors. Joginder Dhand and Mani Gill were named north region directors, while Ravinder Gill was elected as south region director. The BCFGA represents 350 commercial fruit tree growers in the province.

Linda Hovdebo and Carolyn Fletcher have taken over the lease of the former Arcadian Kitchen at 3008 31 Street in Vernon, with the intention of opening their new The Roxy Cafe as soon as they can. The new cafe takes its namesake from the historic Roxy Bakery and Delicatessen that resided in the same building for years.

Vernon Cannabis has opened its third location at 3107 48th Avenue in Andre’s Plaza. Visit www. vernoncannabisstores.ca or call 250-503-8893 for details.

Ryan K Dentistry has relocated to the Mori Professional Building at 201-3607 31st Street. Visit

& GOING STRONG!

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THOMPSON/OKANAGAN MOVERS & SHAKERS www.ryankdentistry.com or give them a call at 236-599-6102 to make an appointment.

Salmon Arm The Economic Developers Association of Canada has recognized the collaborative efforts between the Neskonlith Indian Band and the province in relation to highway upgrade projects that run through two areas of Neskonlith land with a Marketing Canada Award.

The South Shuswap Chamber of Commerce, Establishment of Economic Development and Business Support Hub in Blind Bay will receive $82,000 in government grants to support the establishment of a year-round hub and visitor centre to address a lack of commercial space and improve broadband access. The Lumby and District Chamber of Commerce collects $9,750 for an inventory of storefronts and opportunities to make local products or expand existing production.

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The City of Salmon Arm has recognized the work of the owners of five restored heritage buildings. Rod and Carol Hostman, Maureen Shaffer, Parmjit and Kulwinder Chahal and Courtyard Properties Inc. were presented Heritage Conservation Awards recognizing building owners who demonstrate excellence in preserving, restoring, rehabilitating or adapting heritage buildings.

Penticton Penticton city council was provided an updated draft for an estimated $2.8M makeover of the eastern portion of Skaha Lake Park, with another $1 million estimated for potentially moving a portion of the parking lot. The proposal includes a new splash park, extension of the promenade to the marina building, renovations to the marina building such as HVAC and roofing upgrades, a replacement of the marina docks, new and expanded boathouse and naturalization of riparian areas. A full restaurant is also being considered.

Penticton’s EastWest Bioscience, a vertically integrated wellness company with a multitude of business units and assets, has released an operational update on Orchard Vale Naturals, their manufacturing arm, and Sangster’s Retail Wellness Store Chain, a revenue division of the company. EastWest has also provided an update on operational restructuring. To read more, visit https://www.accesswire.com/632709/ Operational-Update-from-EastWest-Bioscience.

Joy Road Catering is opening a pop up bakeshop in the former Craft Kitchen at 557 Main Street in Penticton. They are also building a year-round bakeshop, catering kitchen and B&B with four guest suites at 227 Winnipeg Street.

Valley First Credit Union in Penticton welcomes back Helen Goodwin as branch manager of its Main Street location, taking the helm of the branch she worked at for the previous five years.

Oliver Global Grocers will open their new storefront at 2150 Main Street in Penticton at the end of April. The store will offer a global selection of Indian, Italian, El Salvadoran, Portugeuse, Mexican, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese and Thai foods.

Penticton will receive a $1,000,000 grant for construction of a 6.5 km cycling route through the heart of the city connecting the Okanagan and Skaha lakes. Funding comes via a onetime infrastructure funding grant through the Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program (CERIP).

Penticton’s Topflight Elite Training has been presented a BC Export Award for Professional Services. Offering helicopter pilot training, TopFlight is used by the RCAF, as well as chartered flights. The award is presented to a company that has provided expert advice, technical support, or educational programs to international customers.

The Grist Mill and Gardens Historic Site in Keremeos was awarded $150,000 in funding to

Spring 2020

THOMPSON/OKANAGAN MOVERS & SHAKERS improve the site’s grounds through the Heritage Infrastructure stream of the province’s Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program (CERIP).

Summerland District council voted to reduce the scope of renovations on Summerland’s Arts and Cultural Centre, and to pull from the land reserve fund to cover the cost of the project after they grew beyond expectations. The project began with the council putting $250,000 towards the renovations in 2017, matched by BC Gaming to the Summerland Arts Council. The Rick Hansen Foundation provided $20,000 for

washroom accessibility improvements. In June 2020, it was decided to move forward with a smaller renovation, with Meiklejohn Design Studio and Williams Engineering contracted to complete the design and project management for $100,963.

Enderby Enderby’s Starlight Drive-In, located at 5341 BC-97A, will return sometime this summer. The drive-in opened in early May of 2020, halving its 200-plus capacity to 100 before the province announced all drive-ins would be restricted to 50 cars weeks later. For updates, visit www. starlightdrivein.ca.

NEW EXPORT NAVIGATOR ADVISOR NAMED FOR THOMPSON-OKANAGAN THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Successfully exporting overseas was once a possibility only for those who could travel across the globe to meet with potential partners in-person at trade shows. Now, with travel at a halt, and relationships and opportunities moving ahead online, exporting is a possibility for just about anyone with an exportable product or service.

“There has always been a huge potential with exporting, and now with the global economy, it’s a much more even playing field with opportunities worth exploring,” says Amber Piché, the new Export Navigator Advisor for the Thompson-Okanagan region. The Provincial Export Navigator program supports entrepreneurs with free advice from export specialists to help determine readiness and strategies for exporting successfully, from product development and marketing to financials, networking and logistics.

Piché, who grew up in West Kelowna, has a strong understanding of marketing for key Okanagan industries and experience running a business and doing business internationally. Her career began in three core sectors: tourism, hospitality and wine, with roles at Mission Hill Family Estate Winery, the Kelowna Museum Society, The Laurel Packinghouse Wine Museum and The Grand Okanagan Resort.

Piché’s recent role in business development for an international corporate technology firm allowed her to travel the world, while making important contacts along the way. She says she is looking forward to putting her background to work to help business owners explore the possibilities of exporting.

“I’ve always enjoyed helping companies improve their business operations in the areas of marketing and business development, for example. I love seeing others

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realize their dreams and am grateful that I get to be part of the process,” says Piché, who will be supporting Export Navigator clients across the North Okanagan as well as Penticton, Summerland, Salmon Arm and Sicamous.

At a time when many business owners are looking at ways to overcome challenges and stay competitive, exporting could be the possibility entrepreneurs are looking for, offering a more diverse market, fostering innovation, and growing profitability through economies of scale.

Piché says it’s helpful to Amber Piché, Export have an outside specialist to Navigator Advisor ask questions and help think for the Thompson beyond the day-to-day run- Okanagan ning of a business.

“Even inter-community exporting can feel like a big step when you’re first getting started, but it’s a great way to get your feet wet and see what’s possible. These small steps can build confidence in yourself, your business, and present the opportunities that further exports bring.”

Business owners considering exporting their products are encouraged to learn more and fill out an online application form. www.exportnavigator.ca

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VERNON CHAMBER

VERNON CHAMBER CONTINUES TO KEEP COMMUNITY INFORMED

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VERNON - The Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce has taken concrete measures to ensure that its members are not only informed but connected as economic conditions evolve on an almost daily basis.

Specifically, the Chamber is hosting a number of town halls with influential leaders as well as webinars that will provide business owners and non-profits with essential skills that benefit their operations.

On Feb. 19, we were honoured to have Ravi Kahlon, BC Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation; Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture; and Harwinder Sandhu, Vernon-Monashee MLA, meet with our members

virtually. It was a great opportunity to ra i se i ssues i mp or ta nt to o u r m e mbers, particularly as we continue to navigate the pandemDAN PROULX ic. A m on g the topics covered were the Small and Medium-Sized Business Recovery Grant program,

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VERNON CHAMBER the speculation tax, government spending on agriculture and a new cultural centre in Greater Vernon.

Future town hall sessions include: Ma rch 3 – Mel A rnold, Nor t h Ok a n agan-Shuswap MP; and Pat Kelly, Conservative shadow cabinet minister for small business and Western economic diversification March 31 - Sam Samaddar, airport director, Kelowna International Airport April 7 - Greg Kyllo, BC Liberal critic for labour, and Todd Stone, critic for jobs, economic recovery and innovation Beyond the town halls, the Chamber is hosting a series of webinars, with the first webinar Feb. 17 featuring Deb McClelland, with OnBoard Training, on non-profit board governance.

Upcoming webinars include: March 10 – Selling Your Business with business broker Rob Raybould March 17 – Community Gaming Grant Process with the Community Gaming Grants Branch April 14 – Covid-19 and the Law with Ukrainetz Workplace Law Group For more information and to register for the town halls and webinars, go to https://www. vernonchamber.ca/events/ or email info@ vernonchamber.ca As 2021 proceeds, our Chamber will continue to pursue opportunities that benefit our members through education or by introducing them to decision-makers at all levels of government who have a direct impact on their ability to operate.

Dan Proulx is the general manager of the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce.

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NORTHERN BC MOVERS & SHAKERS Prince George Construction of the A&T Project Developments Park House Condominium project in Downtown Prince George could begin next summer, with architectural drawings for the second phase already underway.

The finished development will be a four-storey, 32-to-40-unit apartment/condo building.

Ford of Canada and Prince George Ford are supporting students in the automotive program at the College of New Caledonia. Reps presented CNC with a 2020 Ford F-150 and a 2020 Ford Expedition. Ford of Canada is donating 95 flood-damaged vehicles to educational institutions across the country, which while unsafe to drive, still give students an opportunity to work on vehicles featuring some of the latest technology.

Prince George placed in the top 50 best municipalities to study in Canada in a survey done by www. hellosafe.ca, which focused on attractiveness, quality of student life, overall quality of life and academic excellence, and cost of study.

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Pine Centre Mall will be getting a Save On Foods in

the space vacated by a Lowe’s, which closed in early 2019. The major grocery chain is vacating Parkwood Place shopping centre, and is scheduled to open at its new location sometime in 2022.

Prince Rupert North Pacific Cannery National Historic Site, 22.0 kilometres south of Prince Rupert in Port Edward, received a grant for $275,000 for work to remediate and repair deficiencies. The funding is part of a $16 million grant via the Unique Heritage Infrastructure stream through the Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program. The funding was announced as part of BC’s $10 billion COVID response, which includes the StrongerBC for Everyone recovery plan.

Work has begun on habitat restoration of Prince Rupert’s Seal Cove Salt Marsh to transform the area into a recreational destination. The Prince Rupert Port Authority is investing $4 million to restore the site to its natural state, with improvements to attract visitors. Project construction by the Coast Tsimshian Northern Contractors Alliance is expected to be completed by July, though taking three to five

Spring 2020

NORTHERN BC MOVERS & SHAKERS years before the marsh reestablishes itself and the public can access the site.

A water research program from Geoscience BC will gather Western science and Indigenous Knowledge data to better understanding the quality and quantity of water within the Peace Region. The Pilot Collaborative Water Monitoring Program, Northeast BC will install co-located surface water monitoring stations, groundwater wells, and climate monitoring stations, while baseline water quantity, water quality, and climate data will be collected and assessed for watershed water balances, surface water flows, and groundwater-surface water interactions.

Peace River Regional District board Chair Brad Sperling and Taylor Mayor Rob Fraser have joined a new technical advisory committee in response to concerns about Site C construction materials proposed to be hauled by truck from a quarry on 85th Avenue. Both men have backgrounds in construction and cleanup. The 85th Avenue industrial lands next to Fort St. John are being excavated for glacial till needed to construct the earth-fill dam core and channel lining.

The province is investing in improving internet and cell services in rural and remote communities, part of the StrongerBC Economic Recovery Plan. An agreement to improve connectivity in the vicinity of Fort St. John was recently signed to proceed with Shaw’s Connecting Canadian Communities project to install a new transport infrastructure from Prince George to Dawson Creek.

Terrace Don Roberts will serve an eighth consecutive two-year term as chief councillor of the Kitsumkalum First Nation. Kitsumkalum voters also chose seven councillors out of 20 candidates.

Don Roberts

A design for the new Mills Memorial Hospital has yet to be completed as work toward a deal resulting in construction starting this spring of a $447.5 million replacement for the current facility continues. Northern Health is meeting hospital staff and physicians

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NORTHERN BC MOVERS & SHAKERS with the goal of reaching a sixty percent design completion. An initial design nearly four years old is in need of an update based on new information.

Contractor PCL Construction has already been chosen for the project, but Northern Health will review an updated financial submission for approval by the province.

The City of Terrace will receive $921,352, part of $90 million being parceled out by the province to counter economic woes from the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds will go toward a long-planned, safer means for people walking or cycling along the portion of Lakelse Avenue to the old Skeena Bridge. While the extension is conceived as a recreational addition to the city, the existing portions of the Grand Trunk Pathway are also used by Kitsumkalum residents as a safe pedestrian and cycling route to and from the city.

Quesnel

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The City of Quesnel has received over $500,000 in funding from the provincial government for the construction of 13 campsites and a tenting area on

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the Quesnel River shoreline. The funding comes via the Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program’s (CERIP) destination development stream.

Quesnel’s project is part of $20 million in funding given to shovel-ready projects which will enhance BC tourism. The funds will help create eight serviced and five non-serviced sites, a tenting area, signage, and landscaping. The campground is part of Quesnel’s riverfront plan.

The Tillicum Society and Friendship Centre recently wrote to Quesnel City Council seeking a zoning change to allow the building of a five-storey, 34 unit apartment building in West Quesnel. It would rezone the entire area around 319 North Fraser Drive to a comprehensive development zone. The units will be geared toward lower-income residents.

Quesnel City Council will apply to the Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT) housing incentive program for a proposed 24-unit project near the campus of the College of New Caledonia. The program provides $10,000 per door up to $200,000 to cities.

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Spring 2020

NORTHERN BC MOVERS & SHAKERS ŚW̱,ȻENEṈITEL Indigenous Food Systems Initiative, a First Nations-led program focused on sustaining local traditional foods, has put out a call for spring grant applications for projects involving local Indigenous food and knowledge systems on Lekwungen, W̱SANEĆ, T’suk, and Pacheedaht territories. The grants range from $100 to $10,000 and cover activities such as creating food or medicine gardens, providing nutritional education, removing invasive species, providing traditional food for entire communities, and land restoration.

Williams Lake Mortgage broker Andrea Cass has relocated to #523 Borland Street in Williams Lake. Get in touch with her at 250-392-5005, or andreacass@invis.ca. Also, visit https://www.homeloansbc.ca/ for more information about her services.

Williams Lake city council voted in favour of letting the public know council hopes to acquire the properties of the Poplar Glade School on Eleventh Avenue North and Glendale School on Mackenzie Avenue North. If all approvals are eventually met,

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the city hopes to use the Poplar Glade site for condos or townhouses, while the Glendale area is being eyed for parkland and a potential arts centre.

Joe Alphonse will serve a seventh consecutive two-year term as Chief of Tl’etinqox (Anaham) First Nation. The election also saw 12 councillors elected for two-year terms with the addition of five new ones.

The Anahim Lake Airport runway will receive $300,000 Joe Alphonse in upgrades via the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development’s Rural Economic Recovery stream of the Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program. The airport, three and a half hours west of Williams Lake, must have a maximum of three percent slope along the runway safety area to meet Transport Canada compliance. Currently, the runway isn’t available to its full length and is shorter than the paved surface due to regulatory requirements.

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NORTHERN BC MOVERS & SHAKERS Smithers Local Tahltan woman, Taryn Cutler earned the Women in Mining Canada’s (WMC) 2021 Ind igenous Student Trailblazer Award, given to young Indigenous women in post-secondary studies, college, vocational training, and Taryn Cutler university who are successfully integrating into the minerals and metals industry, establishing a path in mining and inspiring young Indigenous women to join the industry while retaining connections to their culture and traditions.

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Tahltan woman, Nalaine Morin, was awarded the 2021 Skookum Jim Award by the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC).

The award recognizes Indigenous achievement in the Nalaine Morin

mineral industry. Nalaine has more than 15 years in mining and environmental management and is the principal of ArrowBlade Consulting Services in Smithers.

Kitimat The Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada (MCAC) has opened registration for its virtual 2021 Student Chapter Summit taking place from 1:00PM-4:00PM, March 12th.

100 Mile House The Canim Lake Band should finish construction this summer of four 500-sq. foot ‘tiny homes’ and one three-bedroom house begun in August of 2020 after receiving a guarantee that Indigenous Services Canada would cover 70 percent of the building costs. The homes aim to help alleviate the overcrowding in many band homes. Construction is being led by band members with Three Feathers Construction, which is employing contractors from the community. Canim Lake is located 36.4 km Northeast of 100 Mile House.

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Spring 2020

OPINION

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN LABOUR LAWS BECOME ONEROUS With the new United States government announcing its march towards a $15 minimum wage, and Canada on again/off again about doing the same, minimum wage earners are ecstatic. But should they be?

Hiking the minimum wage is an amazingly simplistic way to woo voters – with the promises of increased income. Somehow, the conversation never winds its way around to explain that with wage costs rising, so MARK MACDONALD will the price of goods and services. All such mandated increases are never usually borne by the business owner – the consumer at the end of the line pays. And pays. And pays.

Despite current popular thought suggesting that business owners are rolling in the money (“their” money, really, since it’s the workers that make it all happen) the pandemic has revealed the true state of the economy, especially small business. And that is this: Without deep subsidies and assistance, an alarming number of Canadian companies would have already closed.

By the way, we’re not suggesting that these are handouts, but rather repayment of the thousands of dollars that businesses have already paid in taxes and fees to governments. It’s getting some of the money back they’ve had to inject into the “system”.

So, while wage earners and voters buy into the $15 minimum wage mirage, how many bother to notice that the price of groceries and restaurant foods and gas have incrementally risen? Why are they more expensive? Because affected businesses must make sure their costs are covered to keep their doors open. Who really pays? Consumers.

Minimum wage raises and other pro-labour socialist-minded government legislation, while garnering votes, actually make it more necessary for business owners to adjust to protect their investments.

When the NDP government strongly hints about removing secret ballots for union registration, they are most definitely pleasing their most ardent fiscal supporters – the unions themselves that bankroll their elections, while the private sector shudders. Owners

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know how much more union-represented workers cost, not to mention the increased lack of flexibility of operation.

What is a business owner to do? What do they do in environments like this?

They adjust, in clever ways.

Restaurants have been pounded by the government’s prolonged restrictions, but you can see how many have adjusted by focusing on take-out and delivery.

Skip The Dishes, DoorDash and others have slid into the market to get restaurant food to customers at their homes and offices.

Some eateries have simply hired their own drivers to deliver.

Is this a temporary fix? What if the restaurant owner likes the results of utilizing out-sourced delivery companies – read contractors – for which they pay either flat fees or commission. They have less staff, thus less to pay out in terms of benefits, and minimum staff issues. If they’re not happy with a contractor, then it’s “next”.

The end result could be less restaurant jobs, especially if they’re $15 an hour. Those serving jobs, which include huge tip opportunities, could be gone forever.

Self-checkouts at grocery and department stores started slowly, with one or two per store. Count how many there are now, and where the larger lineups linger. While it costs more up front for technology, that investment will pay off as the machines are paid for.

And again, less staff – and related problems.

Outsourcing to other countries – or out of province – also presents tempting opportunities. Employ someone in BC and typical benefits and related expenses total an extra 20 per cent each to the payroll. Using labour and contractors from lesser developed countries means lower wage costs, no minimum wage standards, and no benefits to be paid.

These survival tactics and more become genuine solutions to protect investment, and come with tangible payback. The negative? Less workers employed in British Columbia, which means non-positive payback somewhere down the economic cycle.

What else is a business owner to do to survive tough times and unfair, anti-owner policies? They’ll do what they must. Ultimately, the voters who applaud when their government of choice implements policies that please only them, will pay the price.

Talk about a lack of political foresight: Buying votes via job-killing policies to please workers today, which forfeit future employments by ultimately eliminating jobs, especially those paying minimum wage.

Mark MacDonald is President of Communication Ink Media & Public Relations Ltd. and can be reached at mark@communicationink.ca​

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