Columbia Valley Pioneer - January 18, 2024

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VOL. 21/ISSUE 3

Your Weekly Source For News And Events

JANUARY 18, 2024

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VALLEY NEWS

THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

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New owner, new location for the Pioneer

By Columbia Valley Pioneer staff The Pioneer will ring in the new year with some big changes.

The biggest of those will take effect on Feb. 1, when longtime associate publisher Amanda Nason becomes the Columbia Valley Pioneer’s new owner.

That same day, the Pioneer will move its office from the current location, where it has been for more than a decade, to a new spot on the same block just a few doors away.

“It’s exciting and scary all at the same time to become owner,” said Nason. “Nothing grows without change,” she added, noting however, that the Pioneer is keeping its current team intact and that readers and customers will continue to enjoy the aspects of the Pioneer they love for years to come.

Nason, who has been working remotely from Hinton for the past year and a half, will return to live in the Columbia Valley as a full-time resident once again.

“It’s good to have feet on the ground . . . and the Columbia Valley is such a beautiful place. There’s something about it that always stays with you once you’ve lived here,” Nason said of her move back to the valley, adding it will help the Pioneer keep the hyper-local focus that has been its strength for years.

Outgoing owner and veteran newspaper publisher Robert Doull is excited and proud to hand over the Pioneer to local ownership, something he predicts people will see more of in print media’s future.

“We already see some communities experimenting with co-operative ownership and others with a non-profit model,” he said, noting that readers want verifiable news and engagement

with local stories.

Doull has always held the Pioneer close to his heart. “It is a great paper with great staff. It has its own personality, its own look, it is fun and interesting to read, and it is fully engaged with its community. It doesn’t model itself on any other paper; it is entirely its own being.”

Doull said Nason is a creative problem solver with a strong background in sales and understands that without revenue, nothing else matters. “She is highly motivated and having her back in the community will be a net positive for everybody. She knows exactly what is needed to carry the paper into the future.”

Speaking of his own career, Doull started as a freelance reporter in the early 1970s and worked his way through various positions, eventually managing Alberta Report Newsmagazine in Edmonton during the mid-1980s.

From there he bought his first newspaper, and over a period of 12 years he built the company into a group of 24 newspapers with a central press plant and distribution centre. He subsequently sold that company in 1998 and moved to the Okanagan where he started buyings papers again as a retirement hobby.

At its high point his company (Aberdeen Publishing) consisted of 14 papers in B.C. and Alberta, including the Pioneer (which Doull has owned since 2010).

“The highlight for me was being able to meet an astonishing diversity of people and hear their stories. I have learned never to prejudge and always try to integrate, and fairly represent, different points of view,” Doull said.

He noted the world is vast and you start to grasp the enormous scale of what you don’t know.

“If you walk out on the street you can stop any person and, if they are willing to talk to you long enough, you will eventually hear some astonishing stories from their past. You never stop learning and that makes the work exciting.”

As an independent publisher, Doull eventually found himself in a bit of a tight spot. He didn’t have the scale of Black Press or Glacier Media but had to maintain a lot of fixed overhead costs to provide services to the papers.

“We eventually decided that these papers would be best back in the hands of independent operators who could function with a smaller footprint. Essentially we are returning our community papers to community-based ownership,” he said.

Nason brings plenty of experience in the newspaper industry to her new role as owner: she began working in sales for the Daily Gleaner in Frederic-

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Amanda Nason is the new owner of the Columbia Valley Pioneer. At right is veteran newspaper publisher and former Pioneer owner Robert Doull.

FILE PHOTOS

ton, New Brunswick in 1998. From there she worked in several different roles and departments with Brunswick News (the Gleaner’s parent company).

“It was a different world back then for newspapers, but it taught me a lot,” said Nason.

In 2013 Nason moved to the Columbia Valley. She started working at the Pioneer in sales a year and a half later in early 2015. In 2019, Nason became the Pioneer’s associate publisher.

“I look forward to the days, months and years ahead,” said Nason.

Starting on February 1, the Pioneer will be located at 1014 8th Avenue in Invermere – the office that is currently home to local Internet, wifi and telephone services company Devtel Communications. The move will be a straightforward office swap, with Devtel moving into the Pioneer’s current space at 1008-8th Avenue.

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This past week, January 8 to January 15, the Columbia Valley RCMP responded to 47 calls for service.

The following is a summary of some of the files our officers responded to: On January 10 police responded to a report of a truck upside down approximately three kilometres north of Radium Hot Springs on Hwy 95.

Police attended and learned the driver had braked to avoid a deer and lost control of the dump truck on the icy road. The driver was alone and uninjured in the crash. Highway maintenance was advised by police and the roadway was sanded to avoid further incidents.

The Columbia Valley RCMP responded to two reports of scams that involved the delivery of packages.

The victims received a text message stating their pack-

ages had not been delivered due to an outstanding delivery charge and were asked to click on a link (one FedEx and one Canada Post).

Once the link was clicked, they were instructed to enter their banking information to pay for the charge.

The scammers used this information to access their funds and defraud them of their money.

If you receive these types of texts, refrain from clicking on any provided links and contact the company through their posted phone number on their official website.

On January 12 the Columbia Valley RCMP were advised that community mailboxes had been broken into in the Castlerock community, the Pineridge community, and the Copper Point community sometime overnight.

If anyone has any information regarding these break-ins, please contact the Columbia Valley RCMP at 250-342-9292.

School district avid to help on timely ‘Situation Table’ Columbia Valley Pioneer staff Helping vulnerable people in crises is a form of education that Rocky Mountain School District #6 is happy to be involved in.

This was a topic of discussion last week by the board of trustees that is lending its support to the new Columbia Valley “Situation Table.”

This group, established in many cities across Canada, is comprised of several front-line agencies that meet once a week to address situations where people find themselves in acutely elevated risk which could lead to harm.

In Invermere, the RCMP were awarded a start-up grant in the spring of 2023 to create a Situation Table in the valley, where the school district is a participant.

The first meeting was held on December 11, 2023.

In a report by director of instruction Sharon Collin, it was noted that professionals at the Table work collaboratively to support individuals and/or families

facing risk factors. These could include mental health, addiction and homelessness.

Collin explained this confidential group can mobilize multi-agency supports (ideally within 24 to 48 hours) leading to the connection of essential services for the at-risk individual or family. She noted the district can present situations (referrals) and interventions impacting individuals within school communities.

“Our presence at the Situation Table takes collaboration to a new level, building trust and strengthening inter-agency relationships,” Collin explained.

It was noted that principals in the Windermere zone will receive one day of training from Situation Table mentors. This training will help principals understand how to gather risk-based data and report to Table when elevated risk is identified.

Situation Tables are up and running in various communities such as Penticton, Kelowna, Prince George, Terrace, Hope and Kitimat.

THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

JANUARY 18, 2024

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Radium readies for OCP renaissance

By Steve Hubrecht steve@columbiavalleypioneer.com The Village of Radium Hot Springs has either recently refreshed or is about to start refreshing several major guiding plans for the community, including its Official Community Plan (OCP), its wildfire resiliency plan, and its emergency response plan.

Radium chief administrative officer Adrian Bergles spoke to these topics, among others, during last week’s Radium council meeting, while giving council members an update on his priority project list. The new community wildfire resiliency plan is already complete; much work has been done on the village’s new emergency response plan; and the process of re-doing the OCP is still in early stages.

All these projects are major initiatives, but the OCP refresh is the biggest of the three, Radium Mayor Mike Gray told the Pioneer.

Gray outlined several factors that contributed to Radium council’s desire to update the OCP: the current OCP is already a decade old; there was a major changing of the guard on Radium council in the 2022 municipal election (with several long-time council members stepping down and new faces stepping up to replace them); and — most importantly — the village’s population soared more than 72 per cent between the 2016 and 2021 national censuses to a total of 1,300.

“That is a time when you should check in with the community to make sure you are going in the right direction,” said Gray. “I have an idea about what the community is looking for. Other councillors have an idea about what the community is looking for. But it should not be about what my ideas are, or what council’s ideas are, it should be about what the community

wants.”

The OCP, which is developed with extensive public consultation, will give the community a chance to voice its opinions.

“The OCP really sets the direction for the community. It will shape what Radium will look like generations from now, so we really want the community to speak up and tell us what they want,” said Gray. “With all the big changes, it is an exciting time in our community.”

The village has hired planning consultants to help with the OCP. Gray said the first part of public consultation may begin as early as this spring, and that it would run, in various forms, at least into the fall.

Creating a new OCP is a very involved process, and typically takes about a year to a year and a half, but Gray is fine if Radium’s current OCP update takes even longer than that.

“It will take the time it takes,” he said. “It’s more important to get it done right than to get it done quickly.”

The new community wildfire resiliency plan has been adopted and identifies several areas around Radium for treatment (i.e. making them less susceptible to wildfires). Most of this treatment involves thinning out forest and pulling out underbrush. This will help make wildfires less likely to occur, and when they do occur will make them more likely to be smaller fires that don’t spread rapidly instead of larger fires that spread quickly.

“There are some spots where we can take action on public land and there are some spots where we need to work with private landowners to make sure they are aware of their responsibilities,” said Gray, adding most of the private landowners are “very cooperative and

eager to do what they can to protect our community.”

Radium’s new emergency response plan will help the village meet new provincial requirements under the B.C. Emergency and Disaster Management Act (EDMA), which will come into effect later in 2024.

The pending provincial act contains some significant changes for municipal governments and adds more responsibilities for them, explained Gray. “We just want to make sure we are dialled into the new expectations,” he said.

The Village of Radium Hot Springs is redoing its Official Community Plan.

FILE PHOTO

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THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

JANUARY 18, 2024

PERSPECTIVE

The wish list As we embrace the new year with anticipated optimism, one can’t help but harbour more than a few musings of dread. The first being the climate crisis.

Last week was the only noted snowfall in the Okanagan, and it melted almost as fast as it came down. People were walking around in running shoes admiring the greenery on Christmas Day and New Years. Great, they marvelled, a mild winter with no snow to contend with. But they forget that a low snowpack in the mountains can be disastrous for the spring and summer fire season, which is already causing a lot of worry.

If things don’t change soon, and if our regions don’t get much rain this spring, the wildfire season may be worse than last year. How could it get any worse? Just wait and see.

That’s why governments and big business are implored to ramp up programs to address global warming with urgency. We need to cut greenhouse gas emissions and carbon pollution now, not in a few years. Some say it’s too late, but we must remain hopeful for future generations. In the meantime, undertaking FireSmart principles at home is more important than ever.

Another issue on the 2024 priority list is mental health and addictions, which dominated the news last year with myriad reports of suffering. The opioid crisis and the number of overdose deaths represent a staggering problem in Canada that needs a more urgent response when it comes to prevention, treatment, and recovery.

Unfortunately, it’s becoming more hazardous to walk down the street or operate a business in some larger centres due to the mental health crisis. Last week one Okanagan businessman filmed a young man threatening him with his own business sign. After the entrepreneur said he would call the police, the suspect encouraged it with a taunt. It was noted in the news report that one of the entrepreneur’s employees was sent to hospital after being allegedly assaulted by this street person.

In another incident caught on surveillance camera, a young man on a scooter vandalized a couple of vehicles at an auto dealership. At one point he had to stop his violent tirade because his pants fell down.

One might say the world is getting crazier by the minute, which could be true, but the fact is there are so many people lashing out for help in bizarre ways. Let’s hope the Columbia Valley’s new ‘Situation Table’ will soon be up and running to provide the support needed for these vulnerable people in crisis.

Besides a renewed focus on addressing our social ills, there really needs to be a turnaround in our justice system that continues to place more emphasis on the rights of the accused than the victims. People are losing faith in the courts when they see conditional sentences, probation, and bail for offenders who commit serious crimes, especially assault. There was a time when the scale tipped in favour of the victim, but sadly those days are gone.

Lyonel Doherty, editor

Historical Lens

Shown here in this undated photo are three men spending the workday branding cattle.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE WINDERMERE AND DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The seizure of zoning control Submitted by Riley Donovan The passing of the B.C. NDP Bill 44 on November 29 marked the largest transfer of power from municipalities to Victoria since British Columbia entered Confederation in 1871.

For those who have mercifully spared themselves from provincial politics these past weeks, Bill 44 mandates that municipalities allow up to four units of housing on single-family residential lots, and prohibits municipalities from requiring off-street parking for secondary suites.

How, you might ask, could the NDP unilaterally open the fourplex floodgate across the province?

Under this bill, municipal control over residential zoning - previously one of the key spheres of local governance - is a thing of the past.

The varied and unique towns of British Columbia will now have to update their official community plans to reflect an as yet unpublished, one-size-fits-all “policy manual” written by the province.

Under the new bill, public rezoning hearings are banned, with municipalities instead being required to automatically approve developments which adhere to their community plan (which, remember, will merely be a local reflection of the provincial policy manual).

With the stroke of a pen, single-family zoning and public rezoning hearings are a thing of the past.

Bill 44 applies to all municipalities with more than 5,000 residents, but will apply to smaller towns as soon

as they reach the cutoff.

This might be some relief to villages like Radium Hot Springs (pop: 1,339 as of 2021), but will be a cause for concern in Invermere, with a population quickly approaching 5,000.

From 2011 to 2016, Invermere’s population grew by a striking 15 per cent, from a little more than 2,900 to a little less than 3,400. From 2016 to 2021, the town’s population grew again to 3,917 souls.

At this rate of growth, it could take as little as two or three more five-year census cycles for the population to reach the 5,000 mark – at which point Bill 44 will start to apply.

At which point, the Invermere mayor and council will be stripped of their control over zoning, reduced to an essentially ceremonial role on the issue that matters most: the level and shape of future local development.

Why have I, a journalist from the Land of the Lotus Eaters (sometimes referred to as Salt Spring Island), embarked on a crusade against this bill, firing off opeds to papers ranging from the Vancouver Sun to the Merritt Herald?

Because eliminating local control over zoning will be an unmitigated disaster across the board, especially for small towns.

Stripping towns of zoning control will not solve the housing crisis, it will merely result in chaotic, random increases in density with no discernible pattern.

Continued on page 7

The Columbia Valley

CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2013

PIONEER

is independently owned and operated, published weekly by Amanda Nason, President and Publisher, Nason Publishing Limited.

Box 868, #8, 1008 - 8th Ave., Invermere, B.C. V0A 1K0 Phone: 250-341-6299 | Toll Free: 866-496-8047 info@columbiavalleypioneer.com | www.columbiavalleypioneer.com

Amanda Nason Lyonel Doherty Steve Hubrecht President/Publisher Guest Editor Magazine Editor/Reporter Ext. 102 editor@columbiavalleypioneer.com Ext. 105

Julia Magsombol Reporter Ext. 106

Jamie Baes Sales Representative Ext. 103

Christina Boucher Office Administrator Ext. 101

Chris Moseley Graphic Designer Ext. 107

The Columbia Valley Pioneer is available free of charge at 13 essential businesses in the Upper Columbia Valley, limited to one copy per reader.

This publication has been made possible, in part, by the Government of Canada and the support of our advertisers and is published every Thursday. The Columbia Valley Pioneer may be distributed only by its authorized contractors and employees. No person may, without the prior written consent of The Pioneer or its Publisher, take more than one copy of each issue of The Pioneer. The content is protected by copyright. Reproduction by any means is prohibited except with the permission of the Publisher.

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JANUARY 18, 2024

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Bill 44: B.C. NDP’s control of local zoning Continued from page 6 Instead of being able to carefully plan which areas of town have the right infrastructure to allow for multiplexes or townhomes, and which areas wish to remain single-family neighbourhoods, town councils will have to run around providing infrastructure to totally unplanned developments.

This is not purely hypothetical. Af-

ter spending 10 years carefully crafting three neighbourhood development plans, Langley recently decided to shelve all of them upon the realization that Bill 44 will allow for a massively higher population in those areas than envisioned by the council.

As explained to me by View Royal Mayor Sid Tobias, the prohibition on requiring off-street parking for secondary suites will disperse parked

cars throughout his town, which in the case of single-lane roads could block snow-clearing and the passage of emergency vehicles.

The fundamental problem is that communities will no longer have the autonomy to create towns that reflect their unique infrastructure capabilities, character, economy, culture, environment, architecture, and history.

Mayors and councils should speak

up for their towns and demand that the NDP back down on this unprecedented transfer of power from local communities to Victoria bureaucrats.

(Riley Donovan is a journalist and columnist living on Salt Spring Island.

You can find more of his work at dominionreview.ca, and follow him on Twitter @valdombre.)

Youth network opens Canal Flats space

By Steve Hubrecht steve@columbiavalleypioneer.com The Columbia Valley Youth Network (CVYN) has opened a space in the Village of Canal Flats, giving youth there a chance to more easily access support, to take part in activities and even just to hang out as a group.

The network has been planning the space for some time, and finally opened last month, on December 10, with a drop-in day.

The opening was a chance for youth, their parents, siblings and friends “to come check out the space, roast a hot dog, play games and see what we have to offer,” explained CVYN coordinator Angela Miller.

The CVYN is heading into its seventh year of operation, and for most of that time youth in Canal Flats have been asking for a space of their own in the village, she noted. “Transportation is a big barrier for them, since not having a late bus after school leaves them unable to take part in after-school activities in Invermere,” said Miller.

The new youth space is at suite 8 in Ponderosa Place in Canal Flats. It’s about 400 square feet in size, but feels larger than that, since it has been arranged into different sections, allowing youth a spot to play pool, a venue to play games, a craft area, a gaming/ television spot, a kitchen space to prepare food and a ‘hangout’ with couches.

Canal Flats residents were very supportive of the space, and indeed instrumental in creating it, explained Miller.

“We have had many donations come in from Canal Flats community members — as well as throughout

the entire valley — who are very happy to hear about the space opening up. The youth have even donated items including games, activities and pool table to be used in the space,” she said. “It is so heartwarming to see the community and youth come together to make this happen. We are very grateful for all the support.”

Miller added that a Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) grant was also critical in getting the youth space up and running, and that the Summit Youth Centre Hub has been helping by supplying staff to run events and youth nights.

The Canal Flats youth space is open weekly every Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m.

Before the new space was open, Family Dynamix (which runs the CVYN) was hosting Canal Flats youth events out of the Canal Flats Community Hall, and drawing 10 to 20 youth on average each night.

“Since opening the new space we have seen similar numbers. Currently, we are offering an open dropin time which we will update to meet the needs of the community such as participant numbers, bus schedule and youths’ needs,” said Miller The new Ponderosa Place venue in Canal Flats is the first youth space set up by the CVYN. Other youth spaces exist in the Columbia Valley, such as the Summit Youth Centre Hub in Invermere, and Summit’s ‘The Edge’ space in Edgewater, but those are separate entities from the CVYN. The CVYN serves youth in Grades 6 to 12 from Canal Flats to Spillimacheen, offering different activities, events and support based on youth input. The network will conduct a new survey this spring to ensure it is connecting with as many youth as possible and to assess if their needs are being met as much as possible.

Fishing Derby

The Columbia Valley Youth Network opened a new youth space in Ponderosa Place in Canal Flats earlier this winter.

PHOTOS ANGELA MILLER

24th Annual

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Tickets

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Our efforts are supported by incredible individuals, businesses, organizations and community groups, churches, schools, farmers, gardeners, governments at all levels and their agencies, as well our faithful volunteers. Your continued contributions of food, services, resources, expertise, time, and monetary donations have made it possible for us to meet a staggering 33% rise in hampers provided to our valley community in 2023.

We are humbled by your generosity, committed to serving the ongoing need and determined to find ways to reduce the growing demand. We can’t express enough how important your support has been to the Columbia Valley Food Bank and to those who benefit from our work.

at Station Pub

1st

Thank you from the Columbia Valley Food Bank (CVFB)!

250-342-5557

THANK YOU!

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THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

JANUARY 18, 2024

CVC kitchen eyed as food business incubator

By Steve Hubrecht steve@columbiavalleypioneer.com Something may soon be cooking in the kitchen of the Columbia Valley Centre (CVC). Just what is that something?

Budding, would-be culinary entrepreneurs keen to see if their ideas for food businesses have what it takes to go beyond the level of home cooking.

The idea to use the CVC kitchen for just such purposes was proposed by Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce executive director Pete Bourke and Alpenglow Superfood Bakery co-owner Adrian Johnson during last week’s Invermere committee of the whole meeting.

Bourke explained to the Pioneer that a lot of work has been done in the past to create a small commercial kitchen in the valley that would function as a culinary business incubator and food hub.

The main stumbling block was that creating such a facility, even on a modest incubator-type scale, is far from easy and comes with substantial costs.

Although the CVC kitchen is smaller than most commercial kitchens, and may only be available at odd or off-peak hours, it still could function as a testing ground of sorts for residents with aspirations of taking a gastronomic aptitude

and turning it into a business. Creating a food business is expensive, and renting space in a commercial kitchen is a big part of that.

Those who are daunted by these initial costs could use the CVC kitchen to churn out a limited amount of their culinary product, then see how it is received by the public, at local farmers’ markets, for instance, before committing to anything on a larger scale.

In other words, the CVC kitchen would be a chance to take some baby steps before taking the first big step.

“The idea is for the incubator stage, and the hope is we can help them (would-be entrepreneurs) grow,” said Bourke.

The committee meeting was “the start of a dialogue about how that might work”, he said.

According to Bourke and Johnson, if the plan to use the CVC kitchen as a food business incubator is to succeed, some additional equipment (mostly fridges and freezers) would be needed, and the existing equipment might need to be moved.

Aside from owning Alpenglow, Johnson also creates home and business design plans for a living. He created some design concept plans to show what the tweaked CVC kitchen might

DISTRICT OF INVERMERE

look like, and shared them with Invermere council members, who expressed enthusiasm for the plan.

“We’re very open to the idea,” said Invermere Mayor Al Miller. “It’s a good use of space. If there was an event booked at the centre that needed the kitchen, obviously that would take precedence, but right now that kitchen just does not get used very much at all.”

Invermere councillor Gerry Taft said a key part of any arrangement to use the CVC kitchen would be having a nonprofit entity step in to oversee the management and booking of the kitchen among would-be entrepreneurs.

Taft noted that district staff simply don’t have any extra capacity to take on the logistics associated with the kitchen.

Would-be culinary entrepreneurs with ideas could benefit from the CVC kitchen as a food hub.

PHOTO CONCEPTS/GETTY IMAGES

THE REAL ESTATE TEAM THAT WORKS FOR YOU!

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NOTICE TO ALL DOG OWNERS All dogs over the age of four months residing in the District of Invermere require an annual dog license, from January 1st to December 31st. Licensing allows Animal Control Services to contact you as soon as possible if your animal has been impounded or if the animal has been injured as a result of traffic or as a result of other causes.

If you live within the District of Invermere and own a dog, please drop by the municipal office at your earliest convenience to pick up a dog tag. Fees are as follows: UNSPAYED FEMALE DOG UNNEUTERED MALE DOG SPAYED FEMALE DOG NEUTERED MALE DOG

$35.00 $35.00 $15.00 $15.00

Spaying / Neutering We encourage all pet owners to have their dogs spayed or neutered to assist in promoting the health of your animal and to minimize the potential for unwanted pups in the community. As an incentive to spay or neuter your dog, the various license and impound fees for spayed or neutered animals are less than if your animal is not spayed or neutered.

For dog control issues within the municipality, please contact our Dog Control Officer at 250-342-1707.

As we now know, plastic is not so fantastic. Up to a trillion plastic bags per year are used around the world. While most of them go to landfill sites where, scientists estimate, takes up to 1,000 years to break down, millions still end up in waterways, trees, and in our oceans where it eventually ends up in stomachs of fish and birds. We encourage you to use biodegradable dog waste bags, which are available at various sites throughout town.

DK Rice

RT Rice

250-342-5935

250-270-5935

dk@rockieswest.com

rt@rockieswest.com

InvermereListings.com “We were referred to D.K through a friend that also recently purchased a property in Invermere.

Our experience was seamless, a true professional when it comes to buying or selling in the Columbia Valley. D.K goes above and beyond to meet your requirements. If you are looking for a cut above the rest, look no further”.

-Richard & Mackenzie Fuller, Trotters Catering, Invermere

2023 YEAR END STATS

BUY INSTEAD OF RENT

LOCAL REAL ESTATE MARKET UPDATE Annual # of Sales 482 (-18% vs 593 (2022)) Annual Sale Price $453,622 (up 6.57% vs $425,652 (2022)) # of Sales - December 9 (down 50% vs 18 (2022)) # of New Listings - December 31 (down 13% vs 36 (2022)) Current Inventory 310 (same vs 2022) Average Days On Market 161 (up 55% vs 103 (2022))

LOCAL AREA ANNUAL SALES BREAKDOWN Homes Townhome Invermere Windermere/Rural Radium Fairmont Area Canal Flats Panorama Edgewater North

53 33 15 26 11 4 13

22 9 16 9 2 16 0

Condo/ Vacant Lots/ Apt. Acres 11 40 2 13 82 7 15 14 4 0 1 21 0 7

Purchase Price $500,000 @ 5% down pymnt ($25,000) 4.87% Interest -5yr fixed w/25yr amortization

$2836/mos *Rate was provided by Truenorth.com mortgage calculator. Subject to change

FEATURE LISTING 2202 Sable Ridge

$359,900

2bdrm/den/2baths

*all information provided by MLS

South facing, fully furnished, modern look

THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

JANUARY 18, 2024

9

Business honours climber Conrad Kain Submitted Ninety years after his death, Conrad Kain will be toasted at a two-day celebration of life on February 2 and 3.

This celebration is the first event organized by the newly renamed Conrad Kain’s Kitchen + Grill in Radium Hot Springs.

“We’re excited to honour Conrad Kain’s spirit and celebrate his accomplishments,” said Ryan Karl, a longtime valley resident who took ownership of the restaurant in November.

“Kain was nine when his father died, and the family faced hard times in Austria. But he became an international mountaineering hero, and he chose to live in the Columbia Valley.”

Conrad Kain made more than 60 first ascents in the Canadian Rockies and Purcells. Alone or with companions, he was the first to climb to the top of Mount Farnham and Farnham Tower, Bugaboo Spire, Mount Louis, Mount Robson and more. His solo trip up Mount Jumbo in March of 1919 is credited as the first winter ascent of an 11,000 foot peak in Canada.

Kain settled in Wilmer with his wife, Hetta. Descendants on both sides of the family approved Ryan’s naming of the restaurant. “[Conrad Kain] is by far not as famous in Austria as he is in Canada,” wrote Karin Schmid. “So this is pretty special to us.”

Both J.A. Laird’s climbing wall and the Bugaboo Provincial Park hut were named in Kain’s honour. He has been celebrated with an interpretive sign north of Brisco, a cairn and bench in Radium Hot Springs, geocaches, and a monument and park in Wilmer. The

Windermere Valley Museum has a permanent display.

“We’re actively looking for ways to help the groups Conrad Kain would have supported: the hikers, the skiers, the backcountry explorers,” said Ryan. The restaurant will sell copies of Conrad Kain’s autobiography, Where the Clouds Can Go, as an ongoing fundraiser for the Summit Trail Makers.

To commemorate Kain’s death day, the restaurant is sponsoring a special trivia night at Radium Brewing on Friday, Feb. 2, starting at 7 p.m. Topics include mountaineering and local geography.

On Saturday, Feb. 3, Conrad Kain’s Kitchen + Grill will host a celebration of life for its namesake hero. Everyone is invited to the 5 p.m. presentation and toast, held in partnership with the Conrad Kain Society. The celebration will continue with live music, yodeling and food and drink specials.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER

BOARD OF VARIANCE

IN HONOUR OF CONRAD KAIN TRIVIA @ RADIUM BREWING 7pm, Friday, Feb. 2, 2024

CELEBRATION OF LIFE Conrad Kain’s Kitchen + Grill Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024 5pm: presentation, song + toast 6-9pm: live music, food & drink specials

Renowned climber Conrad Kain is being honoured by a local business.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

7493 Main St W, Radium Hot Springs, BC, Canada (250) 347-2340

info@conradskitchendonagave.com

TheVillage of Radium Hot Springs seeks three individuals, each for a threeyear term on the Village’s Board of Variance. This is a volunteer position.

A Board of Variance is an alternative to applying for a development variance permit from a local government. A person may apply to the board of variance if they feel compliance with the bylaw would cause them hardship. For example, if an outcrop in a person’s yard prevented them from siting the house in conformity with the normal setbacks, a person could apply for a variance.

Individuals applying to be a board member must not be members of an advisory planning commission or officers or employees of the Village of Radium Hot Springs.

If you are interested in this volunteer position, please send a cover letter and resume to: Adrian Bergles, CAO PO Box 340 Radium Hot Springs, BC V0A 1M0 or by email to cao@radiumhotsprings.ca.

The deadline for submissions is January 31st, 2024.

P.O. Box 340, 4836 Radium Blvd, Radium Hot Springs, B.C., 250-347-6455

Join the Columbia Valley Pride Society!

Become a member of the Columbia Valley Pride Society and help us create a more diverse and vibrant community!

Why Join Us?

Membership Perks:

Foster connections within the 2SLGBTQI+ community Participate in impactful projects Champion equality and acceptance

Exclusive invites to Pride events Networking opportunities Have a say in shaping our community's future

Your Expertise Matters

How to Get Involved:

Elevate our mission by joining our dynamic sub-committees: Pride 2024 Event Coordination Outreach and Education Fundraising...and more!

Visit our website at ColumbiaValleyPride.org or email ColumbiaValleyPride@gmail.com to learn more. Join today and be a vital part of the Columbia Valley Pride Society!

10

THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

JANUARY 18, 2024

OUT OF OFFICE… Workshops! Information Sessions! Volunteering!

We have so much going on this week, you guys. We maybe overcompensated a bit after the holidays were over and there was a lull.

Oops. But it’s all good stuff, I promise!

Our workshops kick off on Tuesday January 23 with an online seminar with The Inclusive Employers Hiring Hub (The HUB) at 11:00am MST. Inclusivity training is one of the best strategies to build a stronger, happier workforce leading to lower turnover rates.

Join The HUB team to improve your inclusive hiring practices. You will walk away with new perspectives on how to integrate Persons with Disabilities into your workforce and 70+ HR toolkits. Employers can access interactive web-based training and resources to learn how to hire and work with persons with disabilities, and job seekers can view a job board with postings from employers who have completed this training. The Inclusive Employers Hiring HUB offers Employers across BC and Alberta training on hiring and retainingPersonswithDisabilities.Registerfor

the webinar at: https://inclusiveemployers. ca/event/columbia-valley Next up on January 24th at 9:30am is an information session on the Canada Digital Adoption Program featuring Obed Maurice, CPA, CA of Maxim Management and Kyla Lam, CPA, CA of Aspire. Have you ever dreamt of having someone else foot the bill to level up your businesses and embrace some game-changing upgrades? Well, guess what – the Canada Digital Adoption Program is all about funding those cool plans you’ve got for making your organization run like a well-oiled machine. Join Obed & Kyla, two accomplished founders and business advisors well-versed in the intricate intersection of finance and technology to learn more about the CDAP program at the Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce on January 24th at 9:30am to 11:00am. Chamber members can attend for free, future members pay only $10. Sign up at cvchamber.ca.

And lastly, January 24th at 4:30pm, at the

Chamber offices you can join Sheena for a session on everything volunteerism! It’s a different landscape out there in 2024!

This session will cover current trends in volunteerism, tips in recruiting people to your cause and ways to keep people engaged.

It’s a great time to kick off a refreshed vision for volunteers in your organization. Sheena is from VolunteerConnector, a charity that provides digital volunteer engagement solutions across Canada; join this discussion with a Columbia Valley context. Free for everyone, and non-profits are encouraged to attend – sign up at cvchamber.ca.

There you have it! A little bit of something for everyone! Sign up now to guarantee your space and/or to ensure that the program will run! And to sweeten the pot, I’ll even make coffee. It’s drip though.

Thanks, Deanna Berrington

THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

JANUARY 18, 2024

Thursday, January 18 • 10:30am-11:30am: Senior’s Fitness Columbia Valley Centre, $2 dropin.

• 11:30am-12:00pm: Little Lambs – Baby Program. Radium Public Library. Join us for songs, rhymes, and stories with your babies! No registration required.

• 2:00pm-3:00pm: Needles & Hooks. Invermere Public Library. Join us on the 1st & 3rd Thursday of each month at 2:00pm for Needles & Hooks. Bring your current yarn project and meet with other makers. All welcome!

• 3:45pm-4:45: Graphic Design Club. Invermere Public Library. Using Canva, we will create our own book covers to learn a few basics of graphic design. We will turn them into real mini-books you can write a story in! Ages 10+ Space is limited! Registration required.

• 6:45pm: Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Invermere Legion. $30 buy-in.

• 7:30pm: Trivia Night Windermere Whitehouse Pub. Host Mandi Cox $3/ person, teams of more than 6 will be split into two groups. Ages 19+

Friday, January 19 • 10:30am-11:00am: Family Storytime. Invermere Public Library.

Join us weekly on Fridays and/or Saturdays for Family Storytime at the library! With stories, songs & a craft. Geared towards preschool age (2-5) but all welcome.

• 2:00pm-3:00pm: Friday Funday. Invermere Public Library. Crafternoon: fun new craft each session. Drop-in programming. Drop-off for ages 7+.

Younger children are more than welcome to join with a grown-up.

• 2:00pm-3:45pm: Wild Woolies: Radium Hot Springs Public Library.

Join our fibre arts circle! Everyone and every skill level welcome. No registration required.

• 6:30pm - close: Meat Draw and 50/50 in the Legion! Members and guests welcome!

Saturday, January 20 • 10:30am-11:00am: Family Storytime. Invermere Public Library.

Join us weekly on Fridays and/or Saturdays for Family Storytime at the library! With stories, songs & a craft. Geared towards preschool age (2-5) but all welcome.

• 11:00am-12:30pm: LEGO/Duplo Club Invermere Public Library. We'll have Lego, Duplo, big blocks & more out to play with on Saturday mornings! All ages welcome.

• 11:00am-12:00pm: STEAM Games & Activities. Radium Hot Springs Public Library. Our STEAM sessions are designed to encourage children to develop an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math at

a young age. There will be new activities and gadgets featured at each STEAM session! Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult • 2:00pm-4:00pm: Buddy Reading. Invermere Public Library. Contact us to book a 30 minute session to read with a librarian. Practice reading aloud one-on-one to build skill, confidence & a love of reading! Open to all ages and reading abilities.

• 6:30pm: Meat Draw and 50/50 in the Legion! Members and guests welcome!

Sunday, January 21 • 2:00pm: Cards, Cribbage and Darts Come to the Legion and have some fun! Members and guests welcome.

• 7:00pm: Live Music Horsethief Creek Pub & Eatery. Accompanied minors are permitted. No cover.

Monday, January 22 • 10:00am-11:00am: Senior's Yoga Columbia Valley Centre, Invermere. $2 drop in, open to all seniors.

• 6:30pm: Poker (Chip up for Charity). The Station Pub $20 buy-in. Every Monday.

11

• 10:30am-11:30am: Homeschool Meetup. Invermere Public Library.

Drop-in, all-ages programming with open-ended STEAM play, group activities and art projects. A chance for homeschool kids and families to get together! Please contact us to get on the Homeschool email list to stay up to date and see what extended programs are coming up.

• 1:00pm-3:30pm: Art in the Afternoon. Radium Public Library. A free program for local artists and art enthusiasts! Whether you sketch, paint, carve, knit or crochet, bring your supplies and work alongside fellow artists.

• 7:00pm: Ullr Presents: Musical Bingo with Tim Richards. Ullr Bar. Every Tuesday - $5 per card.

•

Wednesday, January 24

• 9:30am-11:00am. Canada Digital Adoption Program with Kyla Lam & Obed Maurice. Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce/Lions Hall. Ever dreamt of having someone else foot the bill to level up your businesses and embrace some game-changing upgrades? Well, guess what – the Canada Digital Adoption Program is all about funding those cool plans you've got for making your organization run like a well-oiled machine. Sign up at cvchamber.ca Chamber Members: Free Future Members: $10

• 11:00am-12:00pm: Disability Inclusion Webinar. Webinar by The Hub and the Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce. Inclusivity training is one of the best strategies to build a stronger, happier workforce leading to lower turnover rates. Join The HUB team to improve your inclusive hiring practices. You will walk away with new perspectives on how to integrate Persons with Disabilities into your workforce and 70+ HR toolkits. Register for this Free Webinar at: https://inclusiveemployers. ca/event/columbia-valley

• 4:30pm-6:00pm. The New Era – Recruiting and Retaining Volunteers in 2024. Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce/Lions Hall. It’s a different landscape out there in 2024! Join us as we go through all things volunteerism. This session will cover current trends in volunteerism, tips in recruiting people to your cause and ways to keep people engaged. It’s a great time to kick off a refreshed vision for volunteers in your organization. Join Sheena from VolunteerConnector, a charity providing digital volunteer engagement solutions across Canada in discussion with a Columbia Valley context. This information session is free for everyone; non-profit organizations are encouraged to attend! Sign up at cvchamber.ca

• 12:30pm-1:30pm: Trusts & Estates. Ascend boardroom. Learn How Estate Planning With Trusts May Help You. Mark Digney, CPA, CGA, TEP will present a general overview of types of trusts and how they can be useful in estate & tax planning. Trust tax planning is an area that many businesses and individuals are not currently considering. This oversight could mean they are missing out on significant tax benefits that come with an estate tax plan. RSVP to invermere@ascendllp.com.

Ascend clients – no charge Chamber Of Commerce members - $20 Non-members, nor clients - $40 • 10:30am-11:30am: Senior’s Fitness Columbia Valley Centre, $2 dropin.

• 10:00am-11:00am: Senior's Yoga Columbia Valley Centre, $2 dropin.

• 11:30am-12:00pm: Story Time. Radium Public Library - preschool & all ages.

• 3:00pm-4:30pm: After School Club. Invermere Public Library.

A window of transition time between school and home or extracurriculars. Come colour, bead, play with LEGO and catch up with friends! Open to all school-aged kids and teens. Drop-off allowed for Grade 2 students and up. Younger kids are welcome with a grown-up.

Please bring your own snacks! Register. https://invermere.bc.libraries. coop/ • 6:00pm-9:00pm: Wednesday Dinners & Meat Draw & 50/50 Invermere Legion. All welcome.

Tuesday, January 23

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THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

JANUARY 18, 2024

Bonspiel on the Lake returns to Invermere

By Steve Hubrecht steve@columbiavalleypioneer.com The Bonspiel on the Lake is back again this winter. It’s the landmark weekend of the year if you’re a local curler, and if you’re not a curler, the fun and festive energy of the event makes for a great time.

This year, as in most recent years, the bonspiel, put on by the Invermere Curling Club, will coincide with the annual Snowflake Festival, which is hosted by the District of Invermere.

The bonspiel will involve 64 teams from not just the Columbia Valley but throughout British Columbia and Alberta, and even Manitoba, as well as a few from south of the border. All will be playing on the ice at Taynton Bay. This year’s bonspiel will run from Friday, Jan. 19 through to Sunday, Jan. 21. It will be the 39th edition of the event, which began back in 1982 and has been held outdoors most years since, with warm temperatures pushing the event indoors on a few occasions and the COVID-19 pandemic seeing it cancelled for a couple of years.

The 2024 edition will follow the same formula as years past, with one exception: while regular bonspiel participants are busy attending the dinner and dance at the Columbia Valley Centre on the evening of Saturday, Jan. 20,

16 teams of curlers will have a chance to participate in a mini bonspiel.

Invermere Curling Club vice-president Richard Brunner told the Pioneer the Bonspiel on the Lake can be hard to get into. “We’ve had a fairly big wait list for quite a few years now,” he said. “This mini bonspiel will give an opportunity to curl for people who might not otherwise get a chance to participate.”

Brunner grew up in Invermere and remembers watching some of the early bonspiels as a youngster.

“It’s really nice to be out on the lake, under the lights, with fireworks and music, and the stars overhead,” he said.

“To have an event this big on a lake, it’s pretty rare. You can curl anywhere in Canada indoors. But to be in a 64-team bonspiel outdoors, that’s unique.”

The Snowflake Festival will run the same weekend, at Kinsmen Beach, right next to the bonspiel. There will be live music and other entertainment, fireworks, bonfires, skating and food, with many local restaurants serving up appetizer size portions of their best dishes in a mini ‘Taste-of-the-Valley’ type event.

“I’m always excited to see this event come around. It’s a real high point for citizens and visitors alike,” said Invermere Mayor Al Miller. “It’s very enjoyable, even if you’re not a curler, to just go down to the beach and soak up the atmosphere.”

HEY BABY!

The Bonspiel on the Lake will see 64 teams competing on the ice at Taynton Bay from January 19 to 21.

PHOTOS RYAN WATMOUGH

Did you welcome a new addition to your family in 2023?

Show off your little bundle of joy in the January 25th edition of The Columbia Valley Pioneer!

NOTICE OF INTENT TO CONSIDER COUNCIL PROCEDURE BYLAW NO. 265, 2023

Simply submit a high resolution photo of your baby (or grandbaby, niece, nephew...) along with the child’s full name, date of birth, weight at birth, parents’ names and a fun fact about the child.

In accordance with Section 124(3) of the Community Charter, notice is hereby given that the Village of Canal Flats intends to repeal Village of Canal Flats Procedure Bylaw No. 1, 2004 and replace it with Council Procedure Bylaw No. 265, 2023.

In addition to re-ordering and restructuring, applicable amendments to the previous bylaw have been consolidated as part of the new bylaw. Minor revisions and additions to provide clarity and housekeeping changes include: • The means to hold an electronic meeting; • Clearer language regarding: i. Code of Conduct and Debate, ii. Motions, iii. Reconsideration/Rescinding of a Motion, iv. Presentations, Delegations and Petitions Delegations v. Late Items Any member of the public may provide public input on this bylaw prior to adoption.

Bylaw 265 is available for viewing on the Village of Canal Flats Website at www.canalflats.ca or by request, Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at the Village office. Questions and comments regarding the new bylaw can be received until January 22, 2024 at 4:00pm and directed to Sylvie Hoobanoff, Corporate Officer at 250-349-5462 or sylvie.hoobanoff@canalflats.ca

The cost is $34.99+tax.

Contact: Jamie Baes

250-341-6299 x103 jamie@columbiavalleypioneer.com Deadline for submissions is Friday, January 19

The Columbia Valley

PIONEER NEWSPAPER

P.O. Box 159, 8866 Grainger Road, Canal Flats, BC, V0B 1B0 Phone: 250-349-5462 Fax: 250-349-5460 Email: village@canalflats.ca

THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

JANUARY 18, 2024

13

Ktunaxa Nation language book heralded

By Julia Magsombol Local Journalism Initiative julia@columbiavalleypioneer.com A book that was launched in Invermere Public Library last year is being heralded as a celebratory look at the Ktunaxa people and their historically-unique culture.

Translated, the book’s title in the Ktunaxa language means ‘to tell someone everything.’

The launch attracted approximately 30 people.

“It was a lovely gathering where people had the chance to meet, chat and look at the book," said Blair McFarlane, the library’s community outreach programmer.

The history of the Ktunaxa Nation and the story of their lands and people are highlighted in the 164-page book that launched in Invermere, Cranbrook and the lower Kootenays on December

11. It includes wonderful photographs, interviews, and stories.

Being the first book of its kind, McFarlane said that Lillian Rose, Ktunaxa’s traditional knowledge and language coordinator, described it as a “starting point for further learning.”

Rose introduced the book and the contributors who were at the event.

She also introduced the representatives from Parks Canada who helped fund the project. Along with Rose, Nasukin Donald Sam spoke briefly at the event.

McFarlane highly recommended the book to everyone living on Ktunaxa land, saying it is a special collection of history and culture. “There are interviews, stories, photographs and poems; it is a celebration of the Ktunaxa lands and its people."

The book is available to purchase at Four Points Books, and the library is adding a copy to their circulating and reference collections.

Climbing wall to see rebirth at JA Laird Columbia Valley Pioneer staff After a long hiatus, it appears the climbing wall at J.A. Laird Elementary School will see a rebirth in public use.

Last week Rocky Mountain School District #6 trustees discussed the issue and leaned toward an agreement to allow public access while covering the risks.

A new society has been created with its own board of directors that will see a license of occupation coordinate all non-school sanctioned climbing activities.

“The society is currently seeking insurance which will be the final piece required to open to the public once again,” the district says.

The climbing wall hasn’t been available to the public since COVID-19 put a halt to it. Before that, people greatly enjoyed its use under certified instructor Herb Weller who provided the activity to the school and the community.

“Mr. Weller has put countless hours of his personal time and money into maintaining the climbing wall and equipment as well as growing the sport within the community,” said district secretary treasurer Alan Rice.

In a report to the board, Rice indicated that the district’s liability insurance provides coverage for school-sanctioned events including clubs or other activities outside of regular school hours.

But concerns quickly arose when public access was curtailed by the pandemic. However, Rice has been working with Weller and other individuals to

brainstorm alternatives to bring back public use.

It was noted that Saanich school district on Vancouver Island was in a similar predicament with their climbing facility located in a high school. Now that society (Boulders Climbing Gym) has its own board of directors and maintains the wall as well as insurance for non-school sanctioned activities.

Rice said a similar arrangement could be a workable solution here for the Rocky Mountain district to establish a new group (society) to enter into a license of occupation to allow public access. He noted the board of directors are Weller, Jack Caldbick and Julie Beauchemin.

Rice said management is proposing that the district cover the cost of the wall’s annual inspection, while all other costs such as maintenance, equipment, training, and insurance be covered by the new society. It was noted that insurance will also be in place for all school-sanctioned activities.

While the previous concern was insurance for non-sanctioned events, Rice said the district has a long history working with Weller and the Invermere climbing community with no climbing-related incidents.

He noted the license of occupation would detail the following requirements of the society: maintain the wall, ensure instructors are appropriately trained, ensure the receipt of liability (waiver) forms, ensure participants have completed orientation, and provide annual insurance certification.

The book, translated to mean, ‘to tell someone everything’, is a celebratory look at the Ktunaxa people and their culture.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

DISTRICT OF INVERMERE

914 – 8th Avenue, PO Box 339 Invermere, BC V0A 1K0 Tel: (250) 342-9281 Fax: (250) 342-2934

PUBLIC NOTICE Business Licencing Bylaw No. 1647, 2023 Notice is hereby given, pursuant to Sections 59 (2) and (3) of the Community Charter, that the District of Invermere Council is considering the adoption of Business Licencing Bylaw No. 1647, 2023, a bylaw to replace the municipality’s current Business Licencing Bylaw No. 1550, 2018 and all its amendments.

Proposed Business Licencing Bylaw No. 1647, 2023 will, if adopted: • Include provisions to help regulate the operation of Short-Term Rental Accommodation Units (STRs) in the District of Invermere; and • Replace the District of Invermere’s current Business Licencing Bylaw No. 1550, 2018 and all its amendments.

In accordance with the provisions of Section 59(2) of the Community Charter the District of Invermere Council will provide an opportunity for persons who consider they are affected by Bylaw No. 1647, 2023 to make representations to Council at a Regular Council Meeting to be held on Tuesday, January 23, 2024, at 7:00 pm MT, in the District of Invermere Council Chambers located at 914 – 8th Avenue, Invermere, BC. Afterwards, the Council of the District of Invermere may consider giving third reading to Business Licencing Bylaw No. 1647, 2023 during the same Regular Council meeting.

A copy of Bylaw No. 1647, 2023 and related documents may be inspected at the District of Invermere Municipal Office at 914 – 8th Avenue, Invermere, BC, Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30 am to 4:30 pm from January 2, 2024, to January 23, 2024. The proposed Bylaw may also be inspected online at the District of Invermere website: https://invermere.net. Questions about the Bylaw can be sent to info@invermere.net or by calling the Corporate Services Department at 250-342-9281 extension 1228.

Persons who wish to provide comments on the Bylaw can submit them in one of the following ways: • Mail or hand delivery to the District of Invermere Municipal Office at 914 – 8th Avenue, PO Box 339, Invermere, BC V0A 1K0, provided they are received by the District of Invermere Municipal Office not later than 12:00 pm noon MT, Friday, January 19, 2024 • Email to info@invermere.net by 12:00 pm noon MT, Friday, January 19, 2024 • Facsimile to 250-342-2934 received by 12:00 pm noon MT, Friday, January 19, 2024 • By attending the Regular Council meeting, described above, to be held on Tuesday, January 23, 2024, at 7:00 pm MT. Written comments received will be distributed to Council for their consideration at the Regular Council meeting on January 23, 2024. Those members of the public in attendance at the Regular Council meeting on January 23, 2024, will be allowed to make presentations to Council or present written submissions respecting matters contained in Bylaw No. 1647, 2023.

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THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

JANUARY 18, 2024

Minor Hockey 2023/2024 U7

Meet your Windermere Valley Minor Hockey Association teams of 2023/2024!

FRONT (L-R): Jayce Bidinger, June Stapleton, Elsey Atkinson, Joey Robb, Axel Plaunt, Grayson McMurray, Brighton Sumbera, Scarlett Smith, Beckett Sherlock MIDDLE (L-R): Georgia Eastick Smith, Bosco Bourbeau, Tristan Shaw, Maverick Malhiot Seel, Conrad Caswell, Marshall Dewey, Caleb Harding, Nash Fuller, Oliver Brown BACK (L-R): Maddie Roe, Tom Smith, Lindsey Sherlock, Jean Bourbeau, Rachel Caswell, Steve Atkinson, Geoff Sherlock Missing - Lennon Vernon

PHOTOS CHRIS MOSELEY

“Dream big, work hard, stay focused, and surround yourself with good people.”

U9

FRONT (L-R): Daxton Eastick-Smith, Weston Shanks, Finnleigh Botterill, Sam Koss, Blaine Atkinson, Ashton Wierenga, Symon Mercado MIDDLE (L-R): Remi Bourbeau, Rennen Cullen, Max Brown, Jules Pemberton, Talon Jones Julian, Trygg Miller, Ellis Kinsey BACK (L-R): Aldene Atkinson, Sahara Eccles, Matt Luton, Jason Botterill, Nate Wierenga , George Pemberton, Steve Atkinson, Jean Bourbeau Missing - Copper Smith, Everett Johnson, Evy Brown, Leif Armstrong, Teddy Wood, Violet Caswell, Zachary

U11A

-Connor McDavid 101A 1028 7 Avenue PO Box 130 Invermere BC V0A 1K0

Ph: 250-342-2175 Fax: 250-342-2669

FRONT (L-R): Colin Gallaway MIDDLE (L-R): Teeg Stapleton, Judah Johnson, Bentley Vernon, Ronan Pemberton BACK (L-R): Liam Morrison, Henry Read, Nate Shanks, James Smith, Owen Brown, Roy Bush COACHES (L-R): Matt Morrison, Derek Johnson, Justin Brown, Richard Vernon, George Pemberton

www.kootenayinsurance.ca

Great moments are born from great opportunities

Make teamwork your first goal, and many more goals will follow!

Kevin and Kristin Thygesen RE/MAX Invermere

Dreams are so important. You need to have big goals and expect a lot of yourself but you have to enjoy the ride too. ~ Sidney Crosby

You see a hockey player, you’d never know he’s a professional athlete. But you put the skates on him, and he becomes a beast.

DISTRICT OF INVERMERE ~ Junior Seau

250-342-7100 www.diamondheatingandspas.com

914 – 8th Avenue, PO Box 339 Invermere, B.C. V0A 1K0 Tel: 250-342-9281 • Fax: 250-342-2934

THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

JANUARY 18, 2024

15

Minor Hockey 2023/2024 U11B

PHOTOS CHRIS MOSELEY

Meet your Windermere Valley Minor Hockey Association teams of 2023/2024!

U13 FRONT (L-R): Saxon Schuler, Calder Schaffer, Sawyer Jones, Griffin Witzke, Jonny Shane, Braya Botterill, Kerissa Lajoie BACK (L-R): Coach Ed Schaffer, Oliver Lapointe, Tuck Taylor, Jack Moseley, Tucker Godlien, Coach Jason Botterill, Coach Jeff Witzke

U15

FRONT (L-R): Bryan Wood, Sam Tregidgo, Henry McAffer, Alexandra Brunner, Jack Hildes, Pistol Keith, Teagan Wolfenden, Everett Hysert, Bruce Bush BACK (L-R): Hudson Lapointe, Nash Dubois, Luke Cropley, Wyatt Witzke, Emersyn Johnson, Addison Chasse, Ben Saunders COACHES (L-R): Mike Dubois, Derek Johnson, Steve Bush

FRONT (L-R): Myan Ford Twogood, Hayden Walker, Crosby Vernon (A), Ethan Dewey, Tanner Cropley (A), Jake Cable, Liam Gallaway, Theo Wilson BACK (L-R): Coach Brad Cable, Caden Culham, Coach Gregg Walker, Brayden Rice, Chayton Martin, Tyler McGowan (C), Kade Shaw (A), Zoe Hetherington, Odin Oddy, Coach Fergus Dewey, Skeeter Langton (on-ice helper), Coach Richard Vernon

“Great moments are born from great opportunities.”

1988

30

~ Herb Brook 2018

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16

THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

JANUARY 18, 2024

Minor Hockey 2023/2024 U18F

Meet your Windermere Valley Minor Hockey Association teams of 2023/2024!

U18

(L-R): Calden Stanbur, Keegan Kelly, Hunter Wood, Etienne Desilets, Connor Brooks, Everett Friesen, Myles Altmann, Noah Ledermann, Coach Carl Kinsey Missing: Chase Kinsey, Thomas Meena FRONT: Katie Schick, Saffian Douglas, Charley Hildebrand, Sydnee Brooks, Erica Pfisterer, Keira Neal BACK (L-R): Coach Jody Brooks, Shelly Jaskela, Cara Jaskela, Meika Vandervinne, Maya Eccles, Sahara Eccles, Payton Kruger, Makenna O’Connor, Nevaeh Oddy, Coach Craig Eccles.

PHOTOS CHRIS MOSELEY

Hockey players have fire in their hearts and ice in their veins.

Author Unknown

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THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

JANUARY 18, 2024

17

Mother Nature and old man winter collaborate to form an ice wall/fountain at the 26.5 km marker on Kootenay 3. The ice turns blue when the light is right . People from around the world love the challenge of climbing the wall.

PHOTO SYD DANIS

Physician recruitment priority in 2024 Columbia Valley Pioneer staff An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but don’t say that to local officials who are continuing their push to attract more physicians to the Columbia Valley.

Leading the charge is Pete Bourke, executive director of the Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce who recently gave the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) an update on the physician recruitment program.

Bourke informed the board they are trying to attract long-term locums by attending conferences and trade shows.

The other goal is to host tours for prospective general practitioners and plan welcome meetings for visiting locums, residents and students. Meanwhile, they are continuing to maintain the physician recruitment website at www. invermeredoctors.ca.

The current steering committee includes Al Miller, Clara Reinhardt, Danielle Armstrong, Dee Conklin, Dr. Billy Brown, Dr. Gareth Mannheimer, Dr. Stefani McLellan, Laura Slipp, and Pete Bourke.

Bourke said the current positions available in the Columbia Valley include a full-time, long-term locum at the Invermere Medical Clinic. The group is looking for someone to cover shifts for a five-partner family practice, as well as on-call coverage in the emergency room.

Also in need is a family/general practitioner for Chisel Peak Medical

Clinic.

Bourke said Interior Health is seeking a full-time registered midwife to provide contract services in Invermere.

Maternity services based out of Invermere include Windermere, Canal Flats, Shuswap and Akisq’nuk First Nations.

The program’s budget shows total income and expenses of $36,000 for 2024. The line item for conferences in Edmonton and Whistler shows $16,000, while the 2023 actual for this expense was $7,753.

During question period, Radium Mayor Mike Gray said the program is invaluable and expensive at the same time. He noted that he understands the payoff but it “seems like a lot of money” to recruit one or two people. Gray wanted to know if the Columbia Valley is faring better than other communities in trying to recruit doctors.

In hearing what’s happening in other areas where clinics are closing down and emergency rooms are limiting their hours, Bourke said the situation is better here. He acknowledged that trade shows and conferences are expensive to attend, but he asked the question: If you’re in a community where there is a shortage of doctors, is spending $8,000 on a trade show a good investment?

“In a lot of ways it is. We run the program as lean as we can . . . we carry over as much funds as we can,” Bourke said.

Miller responded: “I think keeping the pedal to the metal is very important because it’s a competitive industry out

there.”

In a follow-up interview with the Pioneer, Bourke said their biggest need right now is long-term locums.

“We have had moderate success with this over the past couple of years and it remains one of our top priorities.”

Bourke noted there are currently two full-time GP positions posted and

there will be a third one posted soon.

“With the support of this program, we aim to attract all three full-time GPs to our region this year.”

He pointed out that one of the strategies in 2024 is to attend a second conference/trade show that is BC-focused, in addition to attending the national Rural Medicine Conference.

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THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

JANUARY 18, 2024

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THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

JANUARY 18, 2024

19

BEY ND THE BLUE LINE Rockies bounce back after ‘ghost’ scare

By Stephanie Stevens The Columbia Valley Rockies went into last weekend perhaps a little flat at first, but they ended it on a much higher note.

The Eddie Mountain Division leading Fernie Ghostriders were in town Friday, Jan. 12 but despite a decent Rockies offence, the 4-2 win went to the ‘Riders.’

“Friday night I thought we generated enough offence to compete in the game but we were far too flat to win a tough game in this division,” said head coach Tayler Sincennes.

Assistant coach Tanner Wit added sometimes you can play hard, but you fight the puck bounces. “(Nick) Kunyk (Fernie goaltender) played a phenomenal game,” said Wit. “We did start to find a better energy and it was a chance to try and find the right chemistry between the new guys coming in.”

Scoring for the Rockies in the third period was Justin King (assists from Gage Sather and Luke Hamilton) and Paddy Donahue (assists from Carter Velker and Kaelan Shelton).

Rockies netminder Jaiden Jakubowski kept out 28 of 32 shots on goal, making some impressive saves

during the Friday game.

Saturday saw the Osoyoos Coyotes in Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena but they were sent summarily packing with their tails between their legs.

“We found a decent rhythm early and kept the energy high,” said Wit. “It was a better response after a tough game Friday, and I thought it was trending more in the direction of where we want to be headed come post regular season.”

Sincennes said he was much happier with Saturday’s better bench energy.

“We competed and dominated the game for 60 minutes, generating lots of quality scoring opportunities and defending fairly well.”

The 5-1 game saw no scoring in the first, but new acquisition Kade Cochlan came out of the gate early in the second to score his first goal with the Rockies (assist from Jamieson Franz) and Johnny Lozeman followed shortly after (assists from Ethan Adair and Ben Sharp).

Third period scoring was started by Oleg Bitus (assists from Wyatt Wurtz and Velker) and then two empty netters, first from Kyran Gromnisky (assist from Shelton) and then with only 19 seconds left on the clock Ben Sharp potted his first Kootenay International

Junior Hockey League goal (assists from Gromnisky) to end the game on a high note.

Goalie Nate Glenn was between the pipes and stopped 24 of 25 shots on goal.

The Rockies will be playing out of town for the next two weeks but will be

back home in the Eddie Feb. 2 against the Kimberley Dynamiters.

At press time the Rockies were sitting in third place in the Eddie Mountain Division at 45 points, with Kimberley one point ahead and Fernie sitting at the top of the heap with 49 points.

Rockies netminder Jaiden Jakubowski made some impressive saves against Fernie on January 12.

PHOTOS STEPHANIE STEVENS

In left photo, new acquisition Kade Cochlan (far left) celebrates his first goal with the Rockies. Above and below, loyal fans line up for a recent game at Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena.

20

THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

JANUARY 18, 2024

PIONEERCLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIEDS PIONEER 250-341-6299 250-341-6299

HELP WANTED

SNOW REMOVAL AND GROUNDS HELP

info@columbiavalleypioneer.com www.columbiavalleypioneer.com info@columbiavalleypioneer.com www.columbiavalleypioneer.com Help needed in Windermere,

potential for year-round position.

ANNOUNCEMENTS Al-Anon. Are you concerned about or affected by someone else’s drinking? Meeting Mondays 7:15 pm. at Canadian Martyrs Parish front side door.

712 12 Ave. Invermere. For more information or to speak with someone from our fellowship, please call 250-8782448 or 250-342-8392.

Alcoholics Anonymous. If alcohol is causing problems or con ict in your life, AA can help.

All meetings are at 7 p.m.

Columbia United AA, Invermere: Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday at the BC Service Building, South End – 624 4th St., Invermere. Please call 250342-2424 for more information or to speak with someone from our fellowship.

Narcotics Anonymous Open Meeting Mondays 7 p.m. at the BC Service Building, South End. 624-4th St. Invermere.

CHEERS

Happy to be Back!

Providing real estate services for Buyers & Sellers!

Connect with Gerry for honest advice! cell 250-341-1202 gerry@gerrytaft.ca

Cheers to Irene O. for being so kind and generous! You are a wonderful person.

Cheers to Tasha S. for your care and concern and for checking up on me. Your kindness means a lot.

OBITUARY

Apply at terravistagm@gmail.com

In Loving Memory Monty Brent Anderson

H E L P WA N T E D

20.03.1951 - 05.01.2024

It is with indescribable heavy hearts that Renate, Melissa and Sam announce the sudden passing of Monty.

Those who knew him will remember a resourceful, genuine, brilliant man.

Monty loved the Outdoors and his passion was fishing-he tied many lucky flies.

Monty grew up in Edmonton, Alberta and on his Grandfather’s farm. Early years saw him playing in the Band “Damian”, working in California and picking apples in the Okanagan. He moved to Kelowna in the 1980’s and started working and teaching at Del Radomske’s logbuilding school while also running his own logbuilding company. Together they were building houses for the German and Japanese markets. He made many friends later when working for the Kelowna Rec Center.

Monty located to the Windermere Valley in 1992, pioneering his acreage.

He lived the first winter in a tent before starting construction on his log home. Monty then enlisted with the BC Ambulance service where he worked as a Paramedic for 25 years. He and his longtime friend Renate became a couple in 1997 and started their family. Between the job, running a garlic farm, keeping chickens and pets and raising children as a dedicated and loving father, Monty loved travelling the world with the family and took time to visit his friends all over BC. Monty always had an innovative project on the go, improving our lives or planning the next fishing day.

The strong bond he had with his family will keep him alive in our hearts forever.

CHEERS

CHEERS

CHEERS

Cheers to Jennifer Lindal for taking time from her busy schedule to check on an 82 year old senior during this cold snap to make sure she was safe in her house and that her furnace was working properly. Your kindness is very much appreciated.

Cheers to Louise and Amanda Helmer for coming to the rescue of a senior citizen by purchasing a new lter for her propane furnace so that the furnace now works properly. They purchased the new lter and delivered it to my house. Kind, caring friends!

Cheers to Mary and Josh at Invermere McDonald's. Both of you remember my name and are always so friendly and kind to me. You deserve an Employee of the Month award!

Cheers to Blair at the Invermere Library for hosting EMP classes and signing up so many kids for library cards. We all had such a great time!

Cheers to Columbia House for being such an attentive audience while EMP students performed holiday songs. It was the highlight of our holiday!

Cheers to Doris C. for all you do to help me. Even when you are busy with your own life, you always make the time to do things for others. You are a wonderful person!

Cheers to the Danny and the Invermere Bakery for donating gingerbread houses and candy for the students at EMP to decorate. They had a great time!

Ravenhead Fabrication Services is seeking a detail-oriented Metal Fabricator/Welder to join our team.

Apply in person at 128-B Industrial Rd. 2, Invermere, or email resume to jobs@ravenheadfab.ca

Private Caregiver Seeking full-time and part-time experienced caregivers to work with a senior male in Radium Hot Springs. Salary will be based upon experience.

Contact Erin: epalash@live.ca CHEERS A heartfelt cheers to the Fairmont Lions Club for their incredibly thoughtful and generous Christmas gift to my son Thomas R. Once again, their generosity will help us ful ll some goals and also a bit of fun!

Cheers to my neighbor Dan for looking after my driveway and sidewalk. It is such a relief to know that you will take care of the snow shoveling for me. You are awesome!

CHEERS Cheers to the maintenance crew that looks after the creekside pathway at Creekside Golf Course. It is always clear for walking.

Cheers to James and Jerry Jefferson of Jefferson Contracting Ltd. for the super service they gave to me when my propane furnace would not work during this cold snap.

Within one day of calling them, they came to my home and got the furnace working again. The best service!

BUSINESS SERVICES

B.B.'s Home & Design Services Renovations, Masonry & Handyman Services, Blinds, Cheers to Rocky Mountain Housechecks, eavestrough/ Telecom for sponsoring yard cleaning/dump runs.

Edgewater Elementary School’s 250-688-2897 or 403-861-8782

January hot lunch! We appreciate your support of our schools program!

Get-ER-Done Handyman Landscaping, Asphalt Pads, Christmas Lights set up, Cheers to Sandy and Michael of General Contracting, Radium Mountainside Market Cleaning Gutters, House Checks Cheers to Linda A. for winning Call Ryan 604-346-5087 the Majestic Christmas Baking for helping a senior citizen with her groceries.

Sandy for taking Contest. my order and Michael for Cheers to Ryan (Butter) Karl, for delivering the order to my THE HEARTFELT COMPANION: Services for Seniors the games night he runs on house. Great customer service!

Since 2014 we've provided

Mondays at the Station Pub. He makes no money - and probably loses some - but sets things up just because he loves the game, and communing with friends.

We appreciate you giving us a place to play Butter!

kind and compassionate Cheers to Audrey at No Frills. non-medical care, The sale item was not on the transportation to Cranbrook, shelf and you went searching in overnight care, meal prep, the back to nd it for me. Great grocery shopping and more. customer service. I really Excellent local references. appreciate you doing that for 250-341-5683 Heartfeltcompanionservices.com me.

THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

JANUARY 18, 2024

21

Aftermath of fire still a shock to many

By Julia Magsombol Local Journalism Initiative julia@columbiavalleypioneer.com The devastating fire that occurred in the North Shuswap last year is still a shock to many people, including BTR Landscaping Ltd. “I am still shaken every time I drive through the North Shuswap and see the extent of the damage due to the fire that hit. This event wiped out more than just trees and homes,” said Brenden Roy, company owner and CEO. Roy explained that he visited the North Shuswap weeks ago and saw the damage that the firestorm brought to the families and the homes they used to live in. He was left reeling to see how the North Shuswap changed.

“All the beautiful green trees in the forest that were stacked and lush were there and burnt and black. Every house, almost felt like they were just burned to the ground. And it was like a horror movie, to be honest,” Roy said.

A bolt of lightning started above the west side of Adams Lake. Due to a windstorm, it exploded, causing a huge fire.

Fortunately, local firefighters were able to curtail the fire at the time and stopped it from destroying homes and cabins along the lake. However, the winds pushed the fire to spell certain disaster. However, in September, the fire stopped expanding and the evacuation order was lifted.

As the new year ended, so did the fire, but the aftermath didn’t.

There were 226 homes and businesses that were damaged or destroyed.

An additional 85 homes and businesses were destroyed in Squilax.

“The fire took out livelihoods, memories, family heirlooms, years of hard work, and dedication,” said Roy. When he recently visited the North Shuswap he met with the locals and talked with the homeowners who were affected. He shared how they opened his eyes.

“Meeting the locals and hearing a few of the homeowners’ stories truly gives a man a reason to be thankful for the little things in life,” Roy said.

Members of the North Shuswap Chamber of Commerce commented that people must take some time to appreciate the efforts of each other through these unprecedented times.

“If we all work together, one day at a time, we can help restore the area, the homes, and maybe even a few good memories if we’re lucky,” Roy said.

He noted that the Chamber and Shuswap construction industry professionals are willing to offer any services for those in need.

If anyone is interested in helping the residents, visit https://www. n o r t h s hu s w a p b c . c o m / n e w s / s t o r y/15/Shuswap-Economic-Recovery-Task-Force-Launches-Wildfire-Recovery-Program/

The North Shuswap fire left behind a devastating mark, but residents hope for something better in 2024.

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

22

THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

JANUARY 18, 2024

Tolerance goes long way Fresh old ideas

By Arnold Malone Columnist

This squirrel eating seeds in Edgewater seems to be saying, “Eek! It’s cold out here!”

PHOTO JENNIFER GRAHAM

Land Act: Notice of Application for a Disposition of Crown Land Take notice that I, Jodie Endicott of 1215 NW Davenport Ave, Bend, Oregon, have applied to the British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship (WLRS), Kootenay Boundary Region, for a Crown Grant for residential use situated on Provincial Crown Land located in the vicinity of Windermere, BC. WLRS invites comments on this application, the Lands File is 4406447. Comments concerning this application should be directed to Sr. Authorization Specialist, WLRS, Kootenay Boundary Region, at 1902 Theatre Road, Cranbrook, BC V1C 7G1. Comments will be received by WLRS up to February 25, 2024. WLRS may not be able to consider comments received after this date. Please visit the website at http://comment.nrs.gov. bc.ca/ for more information.

Be advised that any response to this advertisement will be considered part of the public record. Access to these records requires the submission of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. Visit http://www.gov.bc.ca/freedomofinformation to learn more about FOI submissions.

It was a seminal moment. I was in my early 20s and attending Montana State University. I was walking back from class to my apartment. En route I needed to pass by the university’s married housing community. Half a block away I could hear delightful laughter from happy boys at play. The sounds of joy continued non stop. As the boys came into view, I noted that one was a white boy and the other an African American playing in a sand box.

While I was passing beside these joyful sounds, an adult woman – likely the white boy’s mother - raced from her house, grabbed her boy by the arm and dragged him away while shouting, “I told you not to play with him.”

That disturbing event has been etched in my mind for a lifetime. So much of intolerance is learned. I am reminded of those words from a song in the movie South Pacific: “You’ve got to be carefully taught. To hate all the people your relative’s hate. You’ve got to be carefully taught.”

At one time we humans lived in smaller communities and while intolerance existed then, the world has shrunk and our differences are now more clearly amoung us. Tolerance is needed for living in a modern world. Enhanced mobility has brought the variations of cultures and races in to be our daily mix.

Tolerance is the objective understanding towards those whose opinions and practices differ from our own.

It requires a special talent for listening with care. Also, the capacity to resist quick retorts and to allow some thoughtful silent moments for time to work her magic.

It is not just possible but expected that we to try and understand the formation of another’s opinions. Every culture believes it is correct. Participants

in the world’s five largest religions mostly believe that they are absolute in their correctness.

Being tolerant does not mean an abandonment of one’s own beliefs.

So, it is imperative that views that differ from our own need to be understood in the context of the culture from which they arose.

So, a question does arise: do we ever confront another’s opinion? The answer is yes, whenever an opinion or practice is likely to do harm to another person or persons. However, we ought to resist confrontation when we sense a difference that is nothing other than a harmless cultured practice that may seem odd to us.

We can be tolerant of others without animosity. In fact, the practice of understanding differences is rewarded by our knowing that we have a compassion for a bigger world.

I worked with someone who was a master of tolerance. When a view was expressed that was counter to his he would softly say, “Are you sure?” That invited further conversation along with additional background. After which he might say, “Are you certain?” This brought about self-examination yet impartiality was retained.

Tolerance and tolerate are not the same. ‘Tolerance’ is understanding without conflict, but to ‘tolerate’ is to begrudgingly ignore.

In this time when communication is near instant and transportation can connect people from anywhere in less than a day, tolerance is a required skill.

Tolerance requires respect for differences. Being tolerant is a learned behaviour.

When associating with others who are different, the pause before a response is helpful. The blurting out of a knee-jerk response is likely to be harmful. Give some space before a counter view is expressed and thereafter your tone is the key to a greater connection.

There is a special joy that arises from learning about our world as a whole.

Compassion is its own trophy.

Embracing tolerance is a wonderful way to start a new year.

Compassion and tolerance is a wonderful way to start the new year moving forward.

PHOTO PEOPLEIMAGES/GETTY

THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

JANUARY 18, 2024 JANUARY 18, 2024

23 23

Cold Cold results results in in record-breaking record-breaking demand demand

Columbia Valley Pioneer staff Columbia Valley Pioneer staff BC Hydro says extremely cold temBC Hydro saysthe extremely colddrove temperatures across province peratures demand across the province electricity to a record highdrove level electricity demand to a record high level last Friday night when it reached 11,300 last Friday night when it reached 11,300 megawatts. megawatts.

Despite the demand, BC Hydro notdemand, BC Hydro ed itDespite did notthe require imports fromnotthe ed it did not require imports from the market and also had enough generating market and also hadsupport enoughtogenerating capacity to provide its neighcapacity provide support to itsNorthneighbours in to Alberta and the Pacific bours in Alberta and the Pacific North-

west who were experiencing demand westsystem who were experiencing demand and challenges. and“Extreme system challenges. weather events like “Extreme like drought and coldweather snaps are events putting peodrought and cold snaps are putting people and communities at increased risk,” ple and communities at increased risk,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, said Josie MinisterInnovation. of Energy, Mines andOsborne, Low Carbon Mines and Low Carbon Innovation.

“Thanks to the resiliency of our energy “Thanksand to the resiliency of our energy system exceptional planning

by BC system and exceptional planning

by BC Hydro, we are able to meet the needs of Hydro, we are able to meet the needs of British Columbians while also deliverBritish Columbians while also delivering clean, reliable hydro-electricity to ing clean, reliable hydro-electricity to

our neighbours in Alberta when they our neighbours needed it most.” in Alberta when they needed it most.”

Alberta residents received emerAlberta residents received gency alerts issued by the AlbertaemerElecgency alerts issued by the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO).

It urged tric System Operator (AESO).

It urged people to reduce electricity usage to people to toreduce electricity usage to essentials prevent outages or blackessentials to prevent outages or blackouts. AESO declared the grid alert due outs.

AESOcold, declared grid alert to extreme high the demand, and due low to extreme cold, high demand, and low imports. imports.

“B.C. is fortunate to have an inte“B.C. is fortunate to have an integrated, provincial hydroelectric system grated, provincial hydroelectric system

that allows BC Hydro to ramp up quickthat allows BC Hydro ramp and up quickly when generation is to needed scale ly when generation is needed scale back when it is not,” said Chrisand O’Riley, back when it is not,” said Chris O’Riley, President and CEO of BC Hydro.

President and CEO of BC Hydro.

“Our teams carefully plan and pre“Our teams carefully planlike and prepare for cold weather events this to pare forour cold weather events like to ensure generating facilities arethis runensure our generating facilities are running at full capacity so we can deliver ning at full capacity we can deliver clean electricity to oursocustomers when clean electricity to our customers when they need it the most.” theyThe need it the most.” cold snap was expected to last a Theofcold snap was expected to last a couple more days. couple of more days.

2024 Electoral Area

VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR

NOMINATE SOMEONE TODAY

Can you think of someone in your area that is always first to step up and help? Is someone close to you making your community a better place?

Do you know of an individual who is making positive change for those around them?

These are the people that make our region an amazing place to live. Help us celebrate and recognize their efforts by nominating them as an Electoral Area Volunteer of the Year.

Nominees must be a resident of an Electoral (rural) Area and make voluntary contributions to the spirit, culture or people of the community.

Nomination forms are now available at our Cranbrook & Columbia Valley RDEK offices and on: engage.rdek.bc.ca/volunteer Nomination Deadline is 4:30 pm WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024

NOTICE OF SHORT-TERM RENTAL TEMPORARY USE PERMIT APPLICATIONS UNDER RDEK STAFF DELEGATED CONSIDERATION Pursuant to Section 494 of the Local Government Act, public notice is hereby given that the RDEK is considering the Short-Term Rental Temporary Use Permits (STR TUP) listed in the table below. Issuance of the permits will be considered by the delegated staff person at 10:00 am on February 1st, 2024 at the RDEK office at 19 - 24 Ave S in Cranbrook, BC. PERMIT NO. STR 23-003

PROPONENT Christie Deans & Derrick Newman

ADDRESS 27 - 4926 Timber Ridge Rd (Windermere)

PARCEL ID 031-722-334

# OF GUESTS APPLIED FOR 8

All persons who believe they are affected by any of the Short-Term Rental Temporary Use Permits are encouraged to submit their concerns in writing to the RDEK office at 19 - 24 Ave S. Cranbrook, BC or by email to jcook@rdek.bc.ca prior to 12:00 pm on January 29, 2024. All submissions should include your name and address. Please be advised that any written submissions will become part of public record.

The permit is available for viewing by email request, on the RDEK website (www.rdek.bc.ca/meetings_events/publichearings) or at the RDEK Offices between the hours of 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays. To search for properties online, visit: www.rdek.bc.ca/departments/mapping.

For more information contact Justin Cook, Planner II, at 778-761-1785 or by email at jcook@rdek.bc.ca.

All written submissions are public information pursuant to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. All submissions will form part of the public record. Questions about the disclosure of your personal information may be referred to the Corporate Officer at 250-489-2791 or 1-888-478-7335.

19 – 24 Avenue South, Cranbrook BC V1C 3H8 | 250-489-2791 | 1-888-478-7335 | Fax: 250-489-3498 | info@rdek.bc.ca | www.rdek.bc.ca

The ReDi Grants program is now accepting applications for: support projects that benefit the broad community and public good through community-based decision-making and ensuring an opportunity for resident input.

Planning a project that will benefit the community?

Apply by 4pm February 12, 2024.

Late applications will not be accepted. engage.rdek.bc.ca

City of Cranbrook City of Fernie City of Kimberley Village of Canal Flats

Village of Radium Hot Springs District of Sparwood District of Elkford District of Invermere

A PROGRAM OF

Electoral Area A Electoral Area B Electoral Area C

Electoral Area E Electoral Area F Electoral Area G

DELIVERED BY

24

THE COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER

FAITH

A fresh start, a new beginning

By Pastor Wayne Frater Radium Christian Fellowship Church Here we are , a new year, 2023 is gone, and 2024 is only a few weeks old. I believe God wants to do something fresh in our lives.

Isaiah 43:18,19: “Remember you not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

I know we have all made mistakes in the past, but I believe that the Lord is telling us here that He would like to do something new and fresh.

God loves us and is willing to deliver us from all our past mistakes, no matter what wrong choices we have made. He has forgiven us if we ask Him to, and He wants us to move forward. He wants to give us a fresh start; what better time than the beginning of a new year to decide to give God a chance to work change in our lives. I believe that He wants to; He is simply wait-

Doug Clovechok, MLA

Columbia River-Revelstoke www.DougClovechok.ca The NDP’s healthcare failures continue to leave doctors and nurses sidelined.

After seven years of the current NDP government, our healthcare system has never been worse. We have watched a crisis unfold in every part of the system and it’s time the NDP answers for their failures.

Under the former BC United (BC Liberal) government, British Columbia was boasted the best cancer care in the country.

To see our system crumble this dramatically in seven years is a true testament to the NDP’s mismanagement. Instead of fixing the problems here in B.C., David Eby has opted to send cancer patients to the U.S. for radiation therapy.

Yet people are still dying on waitlists. In fact, the lists are so long that some people have been directed to consider medically assisted suicide because they can’t get the timely care they need.

When it was announced that David Eby would send people to the U.S., he promised that 50 patients would be sent each week. However, the government’s own documents reveal the NDP has sent only an average of 12 patients each week — and zero from Interior Health. After failing to provide life-saving cancer treatment in British Columbia, the NDP are now failing at their backup plan.

At present, only 75 per cent of B.C.’s cancer patients are receiving radiation therapy within the Canadian benchmark of 28 days.

This is down from 93 per cent in 2018 and well below the national average of 97 per cent. Every day beyond this lifesaving 28-day window increases the chance of cancer worsening.

Meanwhile, it is suffering cancer patients and burnt-out healthcare staff who are paying the price for

ing for us to ask Him to do it.

Let’s make 2024 the year that we had a fresh start in life. In Isaiah 43:18, God is telling us to put behind us all the mistakes of the past, and in verse 19, He is telling us that He wants to do something new. In fact, it says that He has already began; he is telling us that He will make a way, through Jesus.

Jesus is the author of eternal salvation, the light of the morning, the restorer of our soul, the dayspring from on high, the strength to the poor, the great physician, the finisher of our faith, the lifter of our head, the word of life, the bread of life, and the gift of God. For Jesus is our fresh start; for Jesus is the way in the wilderness; for Jesus is the river in our dry desert place. This is our moment, this is our season.

Do you want this fresh start in life? It is really quite simple. Get your life right with Jesus; get His presence, confess your sin, and accept his forgiveness. Ask Him to make Himself real to you.

God has already begun this fresh start; all we have to do is accept it.

Romans 10:9-10: That if thou shalt confess with they mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

MLA Minute the NDP’s failure to provide adequate cancer care.

Worryingly, the problems don’t stop with cancer care, as emergency rooms across the province are having to shut their doors due to staff shortages.

In Williams Lake, staff put up a sign warning patients to stay away unless they were ‘imminently dying’.

Despite the increasing chaos in our hospitals, the NDP continues to sideline thousands of doctors and nurses who don’t meet the province’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements — a measure that was always meant to be temporary.

Since June of 2022, BC United has been calling on the NDP to follow the rest of Canada and end the vaccine mandate for healthcare workers. Why should B.C. be the only province in Canada still facing these requirements?

Quite frankly, we need all hands on deck to deal with this crisis, and the NDP’s continued resistance on this matter will bring further harm to our healthcare system at a time when it’s already in shambles.

Once globally renowned for our healthcare system, B.C. is now an international embarrassment thanks to David Eby’s inability to deliver proper care.

It’s time for the NDP to bring back the thousands of sidelined healthcare staff and make changes to our system that prioritize giving people access to the timely, quality care they need and deserve. Enough is enough.

I want to hear from you about any concerns you have about this or any other issue. I read every email I receive. Please reach out to me at doug.clovechok. mla@leg.bc.ca or call my office in Kimberley at (250) 432-2300 or Revelstoke at (250) 805-0323.

JANUARY 18, 2024

Columbia Valley

Churches LAKE WINDERMERE ALLIANCE CHURCH While you are with us, you are always welcome to join us.

Sunday at 10:30 am 326 10th Avenue, Invermere 250-342-9535 | www.lwac.ca

WINDERMERE VALLEY SHARED MINISTRY ANGLICAN-UNITED Minister: Brent Woodard Sundays at 10:30 am, in-person or on Zoom.

For the Zoom link, please visit our website at wvsm.ca.

110 - 7th Ave. in Invermere.

VALLEY CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY Pastor: Justin Furse Sunday 10 a.m. Worship Service 4814 Highway Drive, Windermere 250-342-9511 | www.vcachurch.net

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH St. Anthony’s, Canal Flats: Saturday, 4 pm Canadian Martyrs’, Invermere: Saturday 5 pm, Sunday 9 am St. Joseph’s, Radium: Sunday 11 am Father Francis Dela Cruz | 712 -12th Ave., Invermere 250-342-6167

ST. PETER’S LUTHERAN CHURCH Sunday 1:30 p.m. Worship Service at Valley Christian 4814 Highway Drive, Windermere lutheranstpeter@gmail.com

RADIUM CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP Sunday 10 a.m. Worship service Pastor Wayne and Linda Frater | 250-342-6633 #4, 7553 Main St. Radium | 250-347-9937

CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS Worship Service, Sunday, 10 a.m.

Relief Society, 11:15 a.m.

President Kendyn Mackensie • Columbia Valley Branch • 5014 Fairway, Fairmont Hot Springs 250-439-9041

CHURCH OF CHRIST (Iglesia ni Cristo) Worship Service: Sunday 9 a.m., Thursday 7:45 p.m.

Chamber of Commerce (Lions Hall) For inquiries: 250-688-1643 250-270-2208 or 250-688-0629 For more info about the church, you can Google online at incmedia.org or pasugo.com.ph

Recycling Questions?

BC RECYCLING HOTLINE 604-732-9253 1-800-667-4321

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