September 14 - 2023

ER CLOSURES

Merritt’s Nicola Valley Hospital and Health Centre was closed twice last week, prompting protests and a municipal response.

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The Nicola Valley and District Food Bank recently purchased a plot of land which they intend to use for a new building.

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Mayor and community members react to closures of Merritt hospital’s emergency room

other community members against the two recent closures. Locals gathered on Monday (September 11) in the green space of the hospital, where the mayor said he saw a clear show of unity and passion for keeping the ER open.

Organizers of the protest told the Herald that they plan to ramp up efforts in an attempt to show their opposition to what they identified as a lack of provincial action on the issue of health care reliability in rural areas.

The Nicola Valley Hospital and Health Centre’s emergency room was closed twice last week due to staffing issues, once Thursday overnight and all day Sunday. Photo/Herald File

and what needs to happen, and where we need to go.”

“We will now plan a protest two days after any closure to give people more time to arrange to attend and everyone can rely on a protest happening,” noted Clement. “The protests are going to be more and more organized, and we will be increasing to civil disobedience if that is what it takes to hold Interior Health responsible for fulfilling their mandate to ensure staff are available to all small town hospitals.”

After two closures of the Nicola Valley Hospital’s emergency room last week, the mayor and other community members are rallying to bring further attention to the ongoing issues.

The two closures mark the 10th and 11th time the emergency room has closed in 2023, with both diversions in service caused by staffing issues, according to Interior Health Authority (IHA). Mayor Mike Goetz said the closures were unexpected, noting that he has met with the province’s health minister and IHA officials to discuss the issue.

“We didn’t get the notices until quite late, usually we get a notice that we put out Voyent, and continue on from there, but we go these very late, so they came pretty much as a surprise to everybody,” noted Goetz.

“I have since talked with Minister Dix yesterday about this, and we had a meeting with the Interior Health director this morning about the closures

Moving forward, the City of Merritt will create a sub committee comprised of council members, the chief administrative officer (CAO) and fire chief to work together with IHA and address the ongoing closures that leave Merritt residents a high mountain pass away from the nearest emergency room.

Goetz said the sub committee will be an official route to move forward and get answers from the province, which he said should be more effective than just commenting on the closures publicly.

“It’s time to work as a group, work together, with quarterly reports and try to support the doctors and nurses in town as much as possible, help them with retention, and get some people here,” added Goetz.

He explained that Cynthia White, the city’s new CAO, has taken on the task of creating the sub committee, which should be established in the coming months.

Goetz also attended the protest organized by Georgia Clement and

Clement said that nurses are available to work in Merritt’s hospital, and that she believes it is a matter of IHA offering them proper compensation. She cited issues with downgraded services at the hospital over the past 20 plus years under the health authority model, leading to a lack of opportunity for nurses to use the skills they are trained for.

Clement said she believes nurses would rather work in a facility that offers them an opportunity to use their varying skills. She also noted that a lack of consistent access to emergency health care could be a deterrent for potential new Merrittonians.

“We feel IHA needs to upgrade our hospital to what it used to be, this will be a win-win for the staff and the people of Merritt,” added Clement. “We are not going to attract new residents to Merritt with these ongoing closures.”

Clement encouraged residents to join the Nicola Valley ER Crisis Facebook group, which can be found online at www.facebook.com/ groups/198040526311962.

With the Merritt Centennials now back on the ice during BCHL preseason, and the regular season quickly approaching, visit the Herald’s website for the latest game and team coverage.

The Nicola Valley Community Arts Council’s latest show starts this week in the gallery space, and features local Indigenous artist Wyatt Collins, who creates his art while navigating the complexities of autism.

Marius Auer

NEWSROOM@MERRITTHERALD.COM

Merritt RCMP reminds public of B.C. school bus traffic laws

Marius Auer NEWSROOM@MERRITTHERALD.COM

A new member of the Merritt RCMP is looking to remind residents that failure to yield for a school bus with its stop sign extended can result in hefty penalties.

Cst. Agiapal Sandhu recently arrived as a constable at the Merritt RCMP detachment, and said he has noticed multiple incidences of drivers failing to stop for school buses dropping off local students.

“In the short time that I have been in Merritt, I have seen more than a few instances where drivers are ignoring the stop sign on the school bus and proceeding directly through, which is endangering the safety of the children who are getting off the bus,” said Sandhu.

School buses dropping off students in Merritt and other communities are equipped with high quality cameras which are able to obtain the license plates on any vehicles that fails to yield to the vehicle’s stop sign and flashing red lights.

Failing to stop for a school bus that has its lights on and stop sign out can result in costly fines and drivers license

demerit points.

“Merritt RCMP take the safety of our children in the community seriously and therefore no warnings will be issued to drivers who fail to stop for a school bus,” noted Sandhu.

“When a ticket is issued, it is a fine of $368 and three demerit points. Although, subsequent violations of this in a 12-month period can result in the driver being ticketed $368 plus premium penalty point fines, which adds up the more violations you get.”

Offering an example, Sandhu noted a driver who gets five violation tickets for failing to stop for a school bus would receive the base $368 ticket fine, plus an additional $2,160 premium fine, amounting to $2,528 in penalties.

The Merritt RCMP looks to remind drivers that if the rules around school bus stops aren’t followed, a fine is a guarantee.

“We want to remind drivers when they approach a school bus that has its flashing red stop signs out and active, they are required by law to make a complete stop and wait until the stop signs are deactivated before proceeding,” added Sandhu.

“Failure to do so will result in the registered owner of the vehicle receiving a violation ticket.”

Cst. Agiapal Sandhu is a new constable to the Merritt RCMP detachment, and is looking to increase awareness of rules around yielding to school buses. Photo/Merritt RCMP

by Tanya Lee Dunlop

HOWARTH: community involvement through the arts

And then to the beautiful Nicola Valley for the last 44 years. I moved to Merritt as a young mom, and raised a family of three kids here. When the children were young we participated in everything in town: concerts, extracurricular classes, clubs and camps. I was in on setting up the Tumbleweed Participation Playschool, and promoted the beginning of French immersion in the community. It felt like a great place to bring up kids, with lots to do!

When I retired, I once again became very involved in the community, focusing on the arts and culture in the Nicola Valley, finding ways to support local talent. Besides my work putting on art shows for the arts centre gallery every five to six weeks, I participate in several exciting initiatives, like the city arts downtown beautification. This summer, our artists completed several murals and community art projects for locals and visitors to enjoy!

moting the talents we have in projects like the biographical promo videos, spotlighting local musicians and artists, on our YouTube channel, Nicola Valley Arts.

I’m Jano Howarth, art gallery curator for the Nicola Valley

Interior has

my home for most of my life, from the Okanagan Valley to Salmon Arm where my family had a book and gift shop, The Shuswap Talisman.

As a B.C. teacher, I worked for over 30 years at the Coldwater Band School, where I immersed in the First Nations culture. Along with teaching the general curriculum, I participated in arts events with Merritt and First Nations communities in the valley. On our field trips, I liked to include stops at art galleries in the towns we visited, including the Vancouver Art Gallery.

I enjoy working with artists of all ages and skill levels. I believe in finding and displaying the creativity we have in our own community in different areas, from fly tying to shoe collections, upcycling to weaving, wood carving to metal work, as well as celebrating our talented art on the wall and mural artists.

I love being in on live music events, like our past open mics and coffee houses, and pro-

It is exciting to be a part of the NVCAC and the hardworking people who are dedicated to this organization. We have a lively community of artists, musicians, and a developing interest in the performing and digital arts. I appreciate the interest in the arts in our valley and hope I can continue my work to recognize and encourage creativity in all of us.

This fall, I am beginning a series of classes for kids, focusing on the basic elements of art, and getting to know local artists and their work. Look for “Art Elements for Kids” on our website, www.nicolavalleyarts.com.

See you at our arts centre, up the breezeway from the Kekuli Café on Voght Street!

LETTERS to the editor Merritt Secondary School track athlete weighs in on new track

Editor,

I am Timothy Scholtens, a track athlete for Merritt High School. I have been running for Merritt for the past few years and have loved the sport, this has helped me reach provincial level for track and field.

As it currently stands, the track is not in any condition to run on, and thus I was excited to hear that the track was being rebuilt, assuming it was going to be a surface that would support runners that wear spikes. Unfortunately, it was kind of a let down when I heard that it was not going to be polymer, but cinder. Thus making athletes travel to Kamloops to get the real sense of track underneath them and also putting the Merritt school at a disadvantage when it comes to practices and training. For example, when I am training for hurdles, cinder and polymer react in very different ways, causing some bad habits to come in place when training on cinder, which then results in missteps and other failures when I go to a meet that is always held on polymer. Every track surface affects your speed, balance and technique differently, and the best way to train is to train on the surface you are going to run your

meets on.

My opinion on the surface of the track is it would be better to install polymer, it would encourage the Merritt school to be more active in track and field. If the infield is also rebuilt it would make us more active in sports in general. The polymer would also be better for the community if we did, the reason it would be better for the community is when I have gone to other tracks, I always see lots of people running, jogging and walking on the track.

Another reason to use polymer is because under bad weather cinder is often rendered useless, this is because it becomes soggy after heavy rain. Strong winds are also a problem (which Merritt is known for). This can lead to holes and irregularities in the surface, therefore requiring constant maintenance for it to continue serving its purpose. In conclusion, it is not only better for the short term but the long term to pick polymer, because it lasts longer.

Timothy Scholtens Merritt, B.C.

ALBAS: undercounting demand in Canadian immigration

come to Canada for various reasons.

Some of the most common reasons include international students coming here to study, short-term visitors, and temporary foreign workers who often work in agriculture on our local farms in our region.

many non-permanent residents do not leave Canada and remain here.

This is mainly because the Federal Government lacks an adequate system to track people with expired visas who stay in Canada.

students who come to Canada to study each year.

From the Herald archives: September, 1983

CENTS READY FOR HOCKEY

Fifty-nine players showed up last week in Kamloops to attend the Merritt Centennials traning camp at Valleyview Arena, said new Cents head coach Emio Sacilotto.

Recently, you may have seen a headline stating, “Non-permanent residents in Canada undercounted by one million: CIBC.”

My office has received a few inquiries on this topic, as some citizens have expressed concern.

For those unfamiliar with how the Canadian immigration process works, there is often confusion when a headline like this arises. People from all over the world

Generally, these visitors to Canada are known as “NonPermanent Residents” (NPR) even though they may be visiting Canada under a different type of VISA, permit, or program.

Refugees claiming asylum also fall into this category.

The recent headlines have arisen due to the chief economist from the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) stating that Statistics Canada does not correctly count those with an expired VISA.

The statement from CIBC observes that when the original form for entering Canada expires,

This is a concern, as stated by the same CIBC chief economist, because undercounting the number of visitors remaining here in Canada may distort the actual demands on housing and other critical services like health care.

Recently, the leader of the Official Opposition, Pierre Poilievre, has also stated that it is unacceptable for refuge claimants to be sleeping on streets in cities like Toronto due to a lack of shelter spaces.

The Trudeau Liberal Government is aware of this problem. Recently, the new federal Housing Minister, Sean Fraser, suggested that there could be a cap on the roughly 900,000 international

Some Provinces opposed this idea, as did many Universities and even some members of Prime Minister Trudeau’s cabinet. The Prime Minister has not announced any plan to address this challenge.

Statistics Canada (as reported by CBC) says, “it will publish new data tables next month estimating the number of non-permanent residents in the country” in response to the recent concerns expressed by the chief economist at CIBC.

It is critically important that we have this data so that those in public office, civil servants, and the private sector can make the most informed decisions possible. We must also recognize that housing challenges affect all Canadians, and the Federal Government must ensure that it can provide clear and accurate data to help find more solutions.

He indicated that he was happy with the turnout and the quality of the players, which by this Monday were cut down to 28.

LETTERS POLICY

The Merritt Herald welcomes your letters, on any subject, addressed to the editor.

Letters must be signed and include the writer’s name and address.

Letters may be edited for length, taste and clarity. Please keep letters to 300 words or less. Email letters to: newsroom@ merrittherald. com.

Nicola Valley and District Food Bank acquires new land

Marius Auer NEWSROOM@MERRITTHERALD.COM

The Nicola Valley and District Food Bank is one step closer to establishing a new home in Merritt’s downtown core.

The food bank’s board of directors recently approved the acquisition of 1898 Blair St., formerly High Mountain Ventures, with plans now underway to build a new food bank location just down the road from its current location.

With the sale now final, Derland Hewton, the food bank’s general manager, said the focus in now on raising support and funds toward construction of the new building.

“It’s going to take some time, but hopefully we can get some good grants coming in, so that it’s sooner rather than later,” said Hewton. “It’s very needed here in our community, so I think we’re going to have great support.”

To aid in fundraising efforts, the food bank is relaunching its capital campaign, which, alongside potential grant funding, will enable the vital community service to design and construct a building that meets its dynamic needs. The food bank provides supports to nearly 1,000 local individuals and families on a monthly basis.

Hewton said with flooding and fires becoming the norm, the food bank is focused on supporting evacuees and neighbouring communities, and would have an increased capacity to do so in a new building. Hewton sees an opportunity to expand not only the food bank’s physical foot print, but its programming and supports as well.

“We want to be an education centre, whether it be for budgeting, or learning how to can, we want to have a food safe kitchen,” note Hewton. “In times of need, like with the evacuees, we want to be able to have the space and be able to help other communities if they’re evacuated.”

The addition of a new facility will also increase storage capacity, and remove the food bank from its smaller location downtown.

While the sale of the property has gone through, and a building committee has been established to begin the process of designing a building, monetary donations and grant funding towards the capital campaign are key to ensuring the project moves forward. The food bank’s operating costs continue to increase with the cost of living.

“I just went and wrote a cheque for over $11,000 for food this week, and that’s just supporting what we have coming in right now,” explained Hewton. “It’s just going to get worse, so we need finances for every aspect of the food bank.”

The food bank runs an annual Christmas hamper program, which provides local families with a number of holiday essentials, including food and gifts for those of all ages. Due to a loss of grant funding, the program is also in need of financial support.

Currently, the food bank is in its annual struggle to find a location for this year’s hamper program, a problem which Hewton noted would be eliminated with the construction of a new building.

For more information about the Nicola Valley and District Food Bank, including donations towards the capital expense campaign and Christmas hamper program, visit www.nicolavalleyfoodbank.com.

Annual Tax Sale

As per the Local Government Act (RSBC 2015) Part 16, Division 7, the following parcels of property shall be offered for sale by public auction unless the delinquent taxes with interest are paid by September 22, 2023.

If the amount of delinquent taxes, taxes in arrear, and interest to the first day of the tax sale for which the parcel of land and the improvements are liable for sale are not paid before the annual tax sale, the City of Merritt will offer the property for sale by public auction at the time and place stated in this notice.

If the property is sold at the annual tax sale, a right of redemption will remain in the owner or holder of the charge until the end of the redemption period.

The City of Merritt makes no representation expressed or implied as to the condition or quality of the properties being offered for sale. Prospective purchasers are urged to make all necessary inquiries to municipal and other government departments, and in the case of strata lots to the strata corporation, to determine the existence of any bylaws,

restriction, charges, or other conditions which may affect the value or sustainability of the property. Any person upon being declared the successful bidder must provide photo ID and immediately pay by cash or certified cheque a minimum of not less than the upset price. Failure to pay this amount will result in the property being offered for sale again. Purchase of a Tax Sale Property is subject to tax under the Property Tax Transfer Act on the fair market value of the property.

The Nicola Valley and District Food Bank has purchased the property located at 1898 Blair St. in Merritt. Marius Auer/ Herald

2023 SPECIAL PRIZE WINNERS

High Indoor Aggregate

Susan Thompson: Name on Aggregate

Trophy and a keeper trophy donated by Nicola Valley Fall Fair

High Outdoor Aggregate

Keith Hume: Name on Aggregate Trophy and a keeper trophy donated by Nicola Valley Fall Fair

SECTION A FLOWERS

High Point Winner - Angela Ho: $50

Gif t Cer tific ate donated by Mis s Vicki’s

Best Overall Flower ArrangementAngela Ho: $10 Cash donated by Centur y 21 Moving Real Es tate

Best Overall Potted Plant - Angela Ho:

$5 Cash donated by Centur y 21 Moving

Real Es tate

SECTION B FRUIT AND VEGGIES

First Prize - Susan Thompson: 2-$25 gif t

Cer tific ates from Black ’ s Phar mac y

Second Prize - Julia Wingleman: $25

Cash donated by C21 Moving Real Es tate

Third Prize - Kathy Reimer: $25 Gif t

Cer tific ate donated by Nicola Valley

Far mer s Mar ket

High Point Veggies Classes 40 - 135 -

Kathy Reimer: Gif t donated by Nicola Valley Fall Fair

Hi Point Veggies - Classes 1-25 - Kathy Reimer:Gif t donated by Nicola Valley Fall Fair

SECTION C BAKING

Highest Points Baking Sec tion - Julia

Wingleman: $15 Cash donated by Centur y 21 Moving Real Es tate

Second Highest Points Baking Sec tion - Julia Wingleman: $15 0 0 Cash donated by Centur y 21 Moving Real Es tate

Third Highest Points Baking Sec tionSusan Thompson: $10 0 0 Cash donated by Centur y 21 Moving Real Es tate

First - White Bread- Michelle Shaw:

$15 0 0 Cash donated by H & R Block

Second - White Bread - Susan

Thompson: $10 0 0 Cash donated by H & R Block

First - Brown Bread - Rose Kanda:

$15 0 0 Cash donated by H & R Block

Second - Brown Bread - Susan

Thompson: $10 0 0 Cash donated by H & R Block

First - Apple Pie - Julia Wingleman:

$15 0 0 Cash donated by H & R Block

Second - Apple Pie - Michelle Shaw:

$10 0 0 Cash donated by H & R Block

Highest Points in Class 28 - Pumpkin

Pie - Julia Wingleman: 1 LB Garlic donated by 3 Bar Far ms

SECTION D CANNING

High Points Jams and Jellies - Janet

Roth: $25 Cash donated by Tim Kroeker Mas sage Ther apy

High Points in Canning - Roxanne

Loret te: $25 Cash donated by Tim Kroeker Mas sage Ther apy

First Prize for Class 163 Display of Various Canned Fruits, Veggies and Meat - Roxanne Loret te: $25 0 0 Cash donated by Elks

Second Prize for Class 163 Display of Various Canned Fruits, Veggies or Meat - Bar bar a Sayles: $15 0 0 Cash donated by Elks

Highest Points in Class # 126 -137Susan Thompson: $15 Gif t Cer tific ate donated by Michell Bacon, Epicure

SECTION E FOR AGE & CROPS

High Points - First Place WinnerChris tine Schult z: $50 0 0 Cash Card from Wal Mar t donated by Mandolins

High Points - Second Place Winner - Marianne Reimer: $15 0 0 Cash donated by Kat Ventures Bookkeeping

SECTION F FINE ARTS

Judges Choice - Marianne Reimer: $50 0 0 Cash donated by Elks

Best in Show – Diane Wandler: Gif t

$25 0 0 Cash donated by Centur y 21

High Points - Ac acia Veens tr a: $50 Gif t

Cer tific ate donated by Mandolins

Honorable Mention - Janet Roth: Ribbon donated by Nicola Valley Fall Fair

SECTION G HOMECR AFTS

Best in Show - Classes 1 - 8 -

Embroider y - Diane Jackman: Roset te donated by Nicola Valley Fall Fair

Best in Show - Classes 139 - 168

Sewing - Chris tine Schult z: Roset te donated by Nicola Valley Fall Fair

Best in Show - Classes 181 - 199

Quilting - Diane Jackman: Roset te donated by Nicola Valley Fall Fair

High Points Sewing- Classes 117–146Chris tine Schult z: $20 0 0 Wal Mar t Card

donated by Nicola Valley Fall Fair

High Points - Classes 70 - 93 - Ruth

Stef fens: $25 0 0 Gif t Card

donated by Marianne Reimer Nicola Valley Fall Fair

High Points in Quilting Classes 180

- 199 - Diane Jackman: Fat Quar ter

Bundle - approx $30 0 0 donated by Marianne Reimer

High Points in Embroider y - Classes

1 - 8 - Diane Jackman: $25 0 0 Gif t

Cer tific ate donated by Creative Company

SECTION H HOBBIES

Best in Class 1 - 3 - Clif f Reimer: $25

Cash donated by Vision Ques t

Best in Class 12 - 16 - Jean Guy Dupuis:

$25 Cash donated by Hub Inter national

Best in Class 17 - 21 - Jean Guy Dupuis:

$10 Cash donated by NMV Lumber

Best in Class - Class 22 - 26 - Jean Guy

Dupuis/Diane Wandler: $12 50 Cash each

donated by Hub Inter national

Best in Class - Class 4 - 11 - Jean Guy

Dupuis/Bar bar a Sayles:$5 0 0 c ash each donated by NMV Lumber

Best in Class - Class 36 - 44 - Jean Guy

Dupuis: Roset te donated by Nicola Valley

Fall Fair

Best in Show - Class 36 - 44

- Jean Guy Dupuis: Roset te donated by Nicola Valley Fall Fair

Judges Choice – Most Unique in Show – David Far rell: $25 0 0 Cer tific ate donated by Vision Ques t

Judges Choice - Best in Show

- Trent Reimer: $20 0 0 Cash donated by NMV Lumber

Highest Points Sec tion H - Donna Bent: $50 0 0 Cash donated by Hub Inter national

SECTION I ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY STUDENTS

Division A - Kindergar ten to Grade 3

Highest Points - Mateo Bauwens: $15 0 0 donated by Subway

Second Highest Points - Hendrix Far rell: Gif t Cer tific ate donated by Dair y Queen

Highest Points in Fine Ar ts

- Mateo Bauwens : $7 50 Cash donated by Sponsored in Memor y of Ignatia

Gr ams

SECTION I ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY STUDENTS

Division B - Grade 4 to Six

Highest Points - Elia Thomas : 5 Pool

Pas ses,Teen Burger, Root Beer, Ice Cream Cones donated by Cit y of Mer rit t, A & W, DQ, McDonalds

Second Highest Points - Silas Reimer:

2 Pool Pas ses, Ice Cream Cones, Coupon donated by Cit y of Mer rit t, DQ, McDonalds, Subway

Third Highest Points - Daniel Schult z:

1 Pool Pas s, Teen burger, pop, ice cream cone Coupon donated by Cit y of Mer rit t A & W, Mcdonalds, Subway

SECTION I ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY STUDENTS

Division C - Grade Seven to Nine

Highest Points for Homecraf tsMoriah Wes tergard: 10 Free Admis sions to Nicola Valley Aquatic Centre donated by Cit y of Mer rit t

Highest Points – Moriah Wes tergard: $10 0 0 Cash donated by Centur y 21

Highest Points - Maris sa Ouimet: $10 0 0 Cash donated by Centur y 21

SECTION I ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY STUDENTS

Division D - Grade Ten to Twelve

Second Highest Points – Anika

Wes tergard: Anika Wes tergard

Third Highest Points - Iggy Connolly: Gif t Cer tific ate donated by Dair y Queen

Highest Points In Homecraf ts – Anika

Wes tergard: 10 Free Admis sions to Nicola Valley Aquatic Centre donated by Cit y of Mer rit t

SECTION K PHOTOGR APHY

Highest Points -Susan Donc as ter: $50

Gif t Cer tific ate donated by H & R Block

Best Pic ture in Show- Marianne Reimer:

$25 Gif t Cer tific ate and Trophy from Phar masave

Judges Choice Award - Susan

Thompson: $25 0 0 Cash donated by DQ

Highest Points - Class 6A to 10D -

Susan Donc as ter: $25 0 0 Cash donated by Nicola Valley Fall Fair

Highest Points - Class 11A to 15D -

Susan Donc as ter: $15 0 0 Cash donated by in memor y of Ann Johns ton

Highest Points - Class 16A TO 23D

- Susan Donc as ter: $15 0 0 Cash donated by Hub Inter national

SECTION M PET SHOW

First Place - “Ac tion Jackson” Special Prize and Ribbon donated by Nicola Valley Fall Fair Roz & Rober t Ther nes

SECTION U POULTRY AND PIGEONS

Highest Points – Keith Hume: $50 0 0

Gif t Card donated by Home Hardware

COLOURING CONTEST WINNERS

Kindergar ten - Olivia Schult z: Fir s t

Ribbon donated by Nicola Valley Fall Fair

- Olivia Schult z: Second Ribbon donated by Nicola Valley Fall Fair

K- Grade 3 - Mateo Bauwens: Fir s t

Ribbon donated by Nicola Valley Fall Fair

- Rayah Connolly: Second Ribbon donated by Nicola Valley Fall Fair

Gr 4 – Gr 6 - Elia Thomas: Fir s t Ribbon donated by Nicola Valley Fall Fair

OPEN CL A SS WINNERS

2023 NICOLA VALLEY FALL FAIR SPONSORS THANK YOU

to our many sponsors from the business communit y, your suppor t is an impor tant par t of the success of our Fall Fair and we truly appreciate your help to achieve our goals each year

• 3 Bar Farms

• A & W Restaurant

• B.P.O. Elks

• Black’s Pharmacy

• Centur y 21 Moving Real Estate

• Cit y of Merrit t

• Creative Company

• Dair y Queen

• Empt y Keg Brew House

• H & R Block

• Home Hardware Building Centre

• Hub International

• In Memor y of Ellenor Graham – Kathy Reimer/Susan Thompson

• In Memor y of Ignatia Grams

– Eleanor Ware

• Jamara Joyal Massage Therapy

• Kat Ventures Bookkeeping

• Mandolins

• Marianne Reimer

• McDonald’s

• Merrit t Cit y Council & Staf f

• Merrit t Herald

• Merrit t Stock Car Association

• Michel Bacon – Epicure

• Miss Vicki’s

• Nicola Valley Apiaries

• Nicola Valley Fall Fair

• Nicola Valley Farmers Market

• Nicola Valley Massage Therapy

• Pharmasave

• Ralphs Custom Pens and More

• Reimer Family

• Sharon Keyser

• Subway

• Tim Kroeker Massage Therapy

• Vision Quest

Work on Voght Street upgrades to begin mid-September

Marius Auer NEWSROOM@MERRITTHERALD.COM

The long awaited upgrades to a stretch of Voght Street from Blackwell Avenue to River Ranch Road will get underway next week.

The City of Merritt announced in a release that crews will soon begin with part one of the project, upgrading Voght Street from Blackwell Avenue to the Nicola Valley Hospital entrance. The process will start next week in mid-September 2023, and run for approximately one year.

“Traffic disruptions of single-lane, alternating traffic is expected,” said the city in a statement. “Short-duration detours along Parker and Juniper will be announced when required. Survey and general layout work may be seen on-site prior to mid-September.”

Residents are encouraged to check the City’s official channels, as well as local media, for the status of any detours and road closures.

Following the completion of the first part of the project, and pending finances, parts two and three will get underway.

“When funding is available, part two of the Voght Street upgrade will continue the main alignment work from the hospital entrance to Belshaw Street/River Ranch Road,” said the City.

“Part three of the upgrade will cover the roundabouts at two intersections: Grimmett Street and Walters Street.”

The city added that the entire Voght Street projects includes active transportation pathways, water, sewer, storm drains, and paving.

Ar nica Contracting Inc is adding two key people to their team. The following positions are available immediately, are permanent full time, and come with exceptional compensation packages. Complete job description packages are available for each position. Please contact the Ar nica team for details at admin@ar nicacontracting.com or stop by and see us at 2768 Marian Ave in Merritt.

Excavators, dump trucks, civil construction, utilities.

The Voght Street redevelopment project’s first phase will begin next week, and run for approximately one year until Fall 2024. Crews will begin work in front of Central Park. Photo/CoM

NICOLA VALLEY NEWS

Lytton author includes Merritt stop on book reading and talk tour

Marius Auer NEWSROOM@MERRITTHERALD.COM

A Lytton based author looks to advocate for the recovering community and share her journey of healing and art following the devastating 2021 wildfire that destroyed her business and her community.

Meghan Fandrich, former owner of the Klowa Art Cafe that once stood in the now-destroyed Lytton downtown, will visit Merritt on Sept. 19, 2023 for a reading and discussion of her new book, Burning Sage.

Burning Sage tells the story of the devastating fire and the ensuing trauma endured by Fandrich and many other Lytton residents, as well as the local author’s path out of it. Fandrich described it as a universal and human story of loneliness, fragility and beauty. The book explores topics such as grief, heartbreak, healing and “the impossibility of single parenting in a burned-up town.”

“About a year ago, when I was finally ready to start processing the trauma of the Lytton fire and life in a burned-up town, I started writing out the memories,” said Fandrich, noting

it quickly turned into a collection of poems, and then a book, which came out with Caitlin Press on September 1.

The gallery space at the Nicola Valley Art Centre will host the book reading and talk from 7 to 8 p.m. Fandrich will read a number of her poems before leading a conversation about the healing power of art. Snacks will be provided by Valley Graze, and beverages will be available. The event is being sponsored by United Way’s Local Love microgrants.

Fandrich explained she also looks to use the book tour she is on advocate for the community of Lytton, which still has not begun rebuilding more than two years post-fire.

“I’m looking forward to taking my little book on tour as an opportunity to advocate for Lytton,” she explained. “In a way, I’m sharing my personal emotional experience in order to show the direct, deep, intensely human effect that climate disasters can have.”

To learn more about Fandricyh and Burning Sage, visit the free-to-attend book tour stop, or go to www.meghanfandrich.com.

Meghan Fandrich, an author and former owner of the Klowa Art Cafe that was destroyed in the Lytton fire of 2021, will be at the Nicola Valley Arts Centre in Merritt next week for a book reading and talk regarding her new poetry collection, Burning Sage.

Photo/Shelanne Justice

Photography

BC nonprofit calling for improved communication health services

Marius Auer NEWSROOM@MERRITTHERALD.COM

As children across the province returned back to school last week, a nonprofit focused on speech and hearing services for youth said many of them will fall behind their peers as a result of not being able to access quality communication health services.

Speech and Hearing BC (SHBC) said in a press release that B.C. is falling behind other provinces when it comes to communications services, including access to speech-language pathologists and audiologists.

The organization said federal comparisons on access to support for students in key area such as early childhood and school-age intervention, hearing aid funding, and accessing speech-language pathology services for seniors demonstrate that the province is not keeping pace with other parts of the country.

“The provincial government must take action to ensure all of our students can access treatment for speech, language and hearing difficulties,” said Becca Yu, president of SHBC. “Communication is the first step to success in school and life. We have a

responsibility to make sure that BC’s children can access the services they need.”

She noted that a lack of access to essential communication health services has long-lasting effects on the cognitive development, social skills, academic learning, and self-regulation of children, as they reach critical points in their development.

With communication being a vital aspect of everyday life, Yu noted a lack of early support can have lifelong repercussions on an individual’s development and societal participation, including permanent impacts on their health.

“Currently, children wait months or years to see a publicly funded speechlanguage pathologist or audiologist in the province,” added the release. “Early intervention is key to sufficiently treating communications difficulties, meaning that long wait times are potentially exacerbating peoples’ communications difficulties.”

SHBC is a nonprofit association of more than 1300 speech-language pathologists and audiologists across the province. For more information on the organization and its services, visit www. speechandhearingbc.ca.

Speech and Hearing BC is calling for an increase in communication health supports by the province. Photo/Kenny Eliason

New medical clinic faces delays in official move

Marius Auer

Patients of Dr. Duncan Ross will have to wait a bit longer before the physician’s new Chapman Avenue office opens.

The Coquihalla Primary Care Clinic was set to open on Tuesday (September 5), but unexpected delays forced the date to be pushed back for approximately two weeks. The move was originally announced on August 29.

The new clinic, located at 1802 Chapman St., is owned and operated by Scw’exmx Community Health Services Society (SCHSS).

“Dr. Ross extends gratitude to Dr. Don McLeod and the clinic team at the Nicola Valley Medical Centre, where his practice was located for the past 29 years, and to the team at Scw’exmx Community Health Services Society,” reads the joint release by the Merritt Rural & Remote Division of Family Practice and SCHSS.

Until the new Coquihalla Primary Care Clinic is open, which will be announced in the coming weeks, Ross will remain at the Nicola Valley Medical Centre on Granite Avenue. Appointments can be booked by calling 250-378-5115, although Ross is not accepting new patients.

Locals without a family physician or nurse practitioner can add their names to the Health Connect Registry online at www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-connect-registry, or by calling HealthLink BC at 811.

Registrants will be contacted by the Rural and Remote Division of Family Practice once any local primary care provider has an opening on their patient panel.

The new office will be located at 1802 Chapman St. Photo/Herald File

Province announces new funding for injury recovery and disabilities

Marius Auer

NEWSROOM@MERRITTHERALD.COM

Celebrating

B.C. Disability

Employment Month, new provincial and federal funding will benefit people with disabilities, and those recovering from a physical injury or mental-health challenges.

The $4 million in funding to the National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMAR) will allow the nonprofit to develop a project that will provide early intervention for people who are unable to work due to injury or disability through effective occupational rehabilitation.

Supports could include healthcare support, ergonomic assistance, job coaching, medical exams, and other assistance needed to maintain employment. Supports will be centralized to larger communities, but delivered rurally as well.

“After suffering a serious spinal cord injury in an industrial accident many decades ago, it was the commitment from the company and union which allowed me to return to work,” said Wolfgang Zimmermann, executive director of NIDMAR.

“We very much appreciate the support of the province, enabling us to develop new and innovative approaches designed to support employers and disabled workers in maintaining and regaining the allimportant employment link.”

The province said more than 926,000 British Columbians over age 15 live with a disability. More than 80 per cent of mental and physical impairments emerge during a person’s work life, and less than one per cent will work again if they are not back within the first year.

NIDMAR’s three-year pilot project will support approximately 500 people in their return to work. Supports will be based out of Nanaimo, Vancouver, Kelowna and Prince George, but will be delivered to

both urban and rural residents.

“An inclusive B.C. means all British Columbians receive employment support if needed to find meaningful work,” said Susie Chant, B.C.’s parliamentary secretary for accessibility. “This funding for NIDMAR supports employers in establishing and sustaining workplaces that are barrier-free, thus ensuring all British Columbians can be part of our workforce.”

The provincial grant funding stems from the 2022-23 Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Development Agreement. Under the federal agreement, B.C. receives more than $300 million each year to fund employment services and supports, including those offered through WorkBC centres.

“Organizations like NIDMAR empower persons with disabilities to succeed through their inclusive training programs. I look forward to seeing the benefits this project will bring to people across B.C.,” said Randy Boissonnault, federal minister of employment, workforce development and official languages.

For more information on NIDMAR, including their upcoming program, visit www. nidmar.ca.

New funding will support a national project to provide early intervention through occupational rehabilitation for those unable to work due to injury or disability. Photo/BC Gov News

Rent increases in B.C. capped at 3.5 per cent for upcoming year

Marius Auer NEWSROOM@MERRITTHERALD.COM

The provincial government has announced that rent increases will be capped at 3.5 per cent in 2024, representing a 1.5 per cent increase in the limit from 2023.

The province said in a press release the 3.5 per cent limit is well below the 12-month average inflation rate of 5.6 per cent. The cap applies to rent increases with an effective date on or after Jan. 1, 2024.

B.C.’s housing minister said the large increase is due to the increasing cost of living nation wide.

“Across the country, costs have been increasing — especially for housing — at a rate that’s unsustainable for many people,” said Ravi Kahlon, minister of housing. “We know that’s the case for both landlords and renters, and that’s why we’ve found a balance to protect renters while helping to keep rental units on the market.”

Landlords, who are entitled under B.C. law to increase their rent once annually, must provide a full three months’ notice to tenants using the correct Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) forms if they chose to increase their rent.

Before 2018, the annual allowable rent increase in B.C. was based on the inflation rate, plus two per cent. The rent increase was reduced to just the inflation rate following a recommendation by the Rental Housing Task Force.

A rent increase freeze was put in place by the Province in 2020 and 2021 to support renters during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Province said it capped rent increases at 2 per cent in 2023 to protect renters from high inflation, setting the rate well below the 5.4 per cent inflation rate that would have otherwise applied.

Moving into 2024, the 3.5 per cent rent increase cap represents the highest cap since 2018, when increases were limited to four per cent.

“With renters facing a possible rent increase of almost six per cent, the government listened to the voice of renters and acted, and I’m so glad they have,” said MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert, the premier’s special liaison for renters and former chair of the Rental Housing Task Force.

“We also know people renting out homes are facing increased costs and want to make sure they continue to make places available for long-term renters.”

The province announced plans to return to an annual rent increase that is tied to B.C.’s Consumer Price Index in future years, as inflation returns to normal levels. B.C. will also provide the RTB with $15.6 million in additional funding to improve services and reduce delays, increasing the capacity of its Compliance and Enforcement Unit to allow for earlier interventions.

B.C.

landlords will be able to increase their tenants’ rent at no more than 3.5 percent in 2024.

Photo/PhotoMIX

Disaster Financial Assistance offered to wildfire affected regions

Laisa Conde REPORTER@ MERRITTHERALD.COM

Local governments and First Nations that have been affected by wildfires this season are eligible to request Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA).

In a press release published on

Wednesday, September 6, the provincial government announced that the financial assistance is available to help community authorities cover disaster-related losses that are not covered by insurance, such as wildfire damage to public infrastructure.

According to the release, all Indigenous communities, electoral areas and municipalities affected within 15 geographical boundaries, including Thompson-Nicola Regional District, are eligible to apply.

The B.C. government reminded in the release that those who have been affected by wildfires are encouraged to contact their insurance representative, as standard home and business insurance policies cover fire damage and additional living expenses in evacuation order cases.

Also according to the release, the provincial government has also applied to the federal government for Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA), which pro -

vides cost-sharing support for wildfires expenses, such as repairs to roads and public buildings, as well as cleanup.

“First Nations communities and local governments that have infrastructure damage as a result of the wildfires since April 29, 2023, should submit a local government DFA application as soon as possible,” the release said.

For more information, visit the B.C. government website.

A s construction of the Trans

Canada’s Forests:

September 17-23, 2023

CANADA’S FORESTS: SUPPORTING BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

Biological diversity in our forests is critical to our survival. From fresh air and water, food security, medicines, shelter to innovative products and technologies, forests and trees provide many cultural, societal, environmental, and economical benefits. In a changing climate, forest practitioners, professionals, researchers, and scientists are working to ensure forests are sustainably managed for generations to come.

A day in the life of a former logger and current logging manager

opportunity to him, as a Nlakaʼpamux First Nations member, to advocate for a more sustainable way of logging.

The art of logging for many might be described as the skillful process of cutting down and removing trees from forests for multiple purposes. But for Jonathan Holmes, former logger and current logging operations manager at Lower Nicola Indian Band Development Corporation, logging goes beyond tree harvesting.

“I’m in a really good position where I can advocate and I can let Lower Nicola Indian Band know that we’re leaving retention, we’re leaving supporting trees, we’re managing water accordingly, we’re protecting (the environment),” Holmes said.

Lower Nicola Indian Band Development Corporation (LNIBDC) is the corporate entity of the Sulu̓ s (Lower Nicola Indian Band) and the Nlakaʼpamux First Nations. According to their website, the corporation’s goal is to “create wealth and prosperity for band members as well as the local economy businesses” while continuously protecting their land and waters according to the Nlakaʼpamux values.

Jonathan

holmes, lnIBDC

“Logging is not as easy as people would think it is, you know, there’s a lot behind it, a lot to it,” Holmes said.

From assessing the area and the trees to transporting all the logs to the mills, Holmes describes logging as not only a way to make a living and an

The concept of protecting the nature that surrounds them and also provides them what they need is deeply embedded in traditions of the Nlakaʼpamux First Nations. Holmes said one of the key principles that he follows in his work is “taking only what you need and making the most use of what you’ve taken.”

“I feel better that I’m able to come out and give an offering to let mother nature know that, hey, we are out here, we are harvesting and taking resources

Continued Page 19

Jonathan Holmes, logging operations manager at Lower Nicola Indian Band Development Corporation, poses with a Kobelco. Laisa Conde/Herald

Laisa Conde REPORTER@MERRITTHERALD.COM

‘Logging is not as easy as people would think it is, you know, there’s a lot behind it, a lot to it.’

and wood,” he said, “In return, I want to try and protect what I can because she’s given up some, so we have to give up some too.”

Upon arrival at the logging site, accompanied by his four-legged best friend Toby and some coffee, Holmes assessed carefully the job being done by his team.

As he sat down and watched one of his operators working, he said his past experience as a logger helps him a lot to better understand what his team needs to improve from time to time.

“I can be level ground when I communicate with people and it helps,” Holmes said. “He’s a good operator, but it’s my job to critique and support him and be like, actually, maybe set up the woods a little bit differently because the guy loading is having a tough time, you know.”

Holmes also takes his commitment to responsible logging beyond just protecting the lands, waterways and wildlife that are found at the locations they cut down trees. At the logging site they are currently working, Holmes and the loggers are always aware and communicating about the amount of area being explored.

As the trees that are being cut down create a clearing, Holmes and his team plant tree seeds and grass seeds to revitalize the area and allow the forest to recover as they move to the next area.

“So hopefully we will come next year, and there’ll be a bunch of grass seed on there,” he said. “We try to make it look as natural as possible to match the surroundings.”

Holmes hopes that he and his team continue to make a change and “start setting stepping stones” for other communities to reach a sustainable way of logging that revolves around quality over production.

“That gives us the best fighting chance to have a sustainable resource to move forward with,” he said. “The way we have been going and logging and producing, there’s not enough trees and ecosystems to support that.”

Harvesting of timber by the Lower Nicola Indian Band Development Corporation takes place near Douglas Lake. Laisa Conde/Herald

Community round table offers venue for discussion on forestry

Marius Auer NEWSROOM@MERRITTHERALD.COM

Looking to provide the community an opportunity to unify their voices on important issues such as forestry and water management, the Nicola Watershed Community Round Table (NWCRT) has operated in the Nicola Valley for decades.

While they are less active now than throughout the group’s storied past, the round table looks to invite new members to its upcoming meeting on Sept. 18, 2023, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Nicola Valley Arts Centre.

“The issue is that we’re not super active anymore, but we have a long history and understanding of what’s going on with the water in the Nicola,” said John Anderson, chair of the NWCRT and a local rancher.

The NWCRT looks to provide a venue for respectful and non-judgemental public conversation on issues deemed important by its member base, often community issues such as land use, forestry, water, and healthcare. The conversations and opinions expressed during their public forums are often summarized and sent to decision makers such as elected officials to provide a local lens on current issues.

One of the round table’s biggest projects to date is its Nicola Water Use Management Plan (NWUMP), devel -

oped from 2005 to 2009. Its development consisted of a plan initiation phase, plan development phase, plan evaluation phase, and a chance for review by the community, government and other stakeholders. The plan was submitted to government for adoption, with some recommendations being implemented, but many others being rejected.

The plan predicted significant challenges moving forward with water supply due to the pine beetle epidemic that was taking place in the valley at the time the report was being developed. It predicted that increased harvesting from pine beetle kill would change the way water runoff takes place, such as an earlier runoff and a longer dry period later part of the year. Anderson said many of these predictions have come to pass.

“There’s a huge amount of wood fibre that’s gone, and the reforestation that has taken place is now still pretty immature, and has not got a lot of water holding capacity,” noted Anderson.

“The other thing that happened with the process of harvesting is we have exposed, through that process of large cut blocks, a lot of wetland areas that would have been shaded up by pine trees in the past.”

See DISCUSSION Page 23

The Laurie Guichon Memorial Grasslands Interpretive Site is maintained by the Nicola Watershed Community Round Table. Photo/Herald File

Celebrating National Forest Week

Aspen Planers has proudly supported green jobs in sustainable forestry for over 70 years.

Discussion on forestry, water issues encouraged at round table

From Page 21

The wetlands are then more prone to drying out, harming the ecosystem and increasing wildfire risks. Anderson noted that reforestation efforts in the area often consist of planting large monocultures of pine, similar to the species that had just been harvested for their vulnerability to pine beetle epidemics. He added that government policies allow pine trees to grow older by not having fire as a natural part of the landscape, making the trees more susceptible to pine beetles.

Anderson noted that having grassland areas create a buffer between forests that have varying species of trees would allow for a slower burn in the event of a wildfire, rather than the ferocious treetop to treetop spread as is currently seen in many cases.

“My opinion is that the way we move forward is that we try and replicate what was here 100 plus years ago in terms of a landscape,” explained Anderson.

“Because fire was a natural phenomena that took place on a regular basis, we had large openings of different species of trees. We had species of trees that were a mix of spruce, fir, and deciduous trees, and we had an immense amount of grasslands.”

He added the BC Cattleman’s Association has been working on a project in Okanagan to create more natural fire breaks in the land, including the use of targeted grazing as a method of eliminating potential fuel.

Anderson believes that provincial forestry and water management policies have been slow to evolve, and while change doesn’t happen over night, he thinks that more input from communities and First Nations is needed, rather than just the professional reliance policy that is currently in place. He cited the need for communities to talk more about water, fire and drought in a positive and respectful way.

“I don’t know what the real solutions are, but I know one thing we used to do as a round table is get together and discuss them in public forums,” said Anderson.

“The value of the round table in past times was to get together and discuss in a public forum what the problem is, identify potential solutions, regardless of whether or not they were implementable or not, and then provide that information for decision makers to review.”

The NWCRT has held public forums on healthcare, water, and other community topics. These forums act as a venue for discussion, communication and education on important local issues in a respectful manner. Anderson noted the point of the round table’s discussions is not to make anybody right or wrong, but alternatively to provide a space for open dialogue.

For more information on the Nicola Watershed Community Round Table, attend their upcoming meeting, or visit their website at www.nwcrt.ca.

The Nicola Watershed Community Round Table is seen in discussion on one of their previous projects. Photo/Herald File

Local electric logging truck company making a name for itself

the ground up. But the project faced some challenges along the way as they were “completely shocked” there isn’t a supply chain of electric vehicle parts in North America.

He also recalled how his other ventures while building and inventing things were also important for their latest project and that the process, which involves making a lot of mistakes, made them realize that making a mistake is better than not.

“We are just so pleased that every single challenge we faced, we were able to overcome with just a lot of ingenuity,” Little said.

Chace Barber and Eric Little started Edison Motors after graduating from university together in 2016. Laisa Conde/Herald

release their electric truck to the public after four years since their announcement in 2016.

As the duo tries their best to incorporate both the electric powertrain and a diesel generator, Little defines their prototype as a “great demonstration on how to build an electric truck without any compromise.”

make it unique and suitable for the rugged conditions of the logging industry. It is equipped with an electric motor and a diesel motor that promises more horsepower with a fraction of the fuel costs and emissions.

Little believes this version is the solution for now as about only 10 per cent of the industry can operate on fully electric trucks.

“We just wanted to bring another bridge technology, in this case, the electric vehicle to get logs out of the bush and into the mill and do so in a way where we actually can use the logs to our advantage,” he said.

A duo of Merritt residents have created a groundbreaking hybrid truck prototype that displays innovations and dedication to sustainability.

Edison Motors’ co-founders Eric Little and Chace Barber were inspired to create their own electric truck after Tesla didn’t

“They (Tesla) didn’t actually give us a timeline, a concrete date, to get our truck that we decided to take our deposit back and use those funds to build our own prototype,” Little said.

Little said the project took 24 months to build, not only one, but two trucks from

The hybrid truck is a specially designed heavy-duty vehicle intended to replace traditional diesel-powered logging trucks. Little said much of the inspiration for the truck came from their mission to protect the environment.

“We thought that there was a gap in the market that we could have built these systems long ago, but they weren’t being built,” he said.

The prototype boasts features that

He explained how the energy from the truck batteries is used when loggers go uphill with their empty trucks because they are still very light. After they load their trucks, loggers produce more energy going down the hill than you used going up.

“You actually end up producing more electricity while you go downhill than you burn going up. Therefore, it’s a closed loop system,” Little said. “And you can actually use the logs to derive the energy to get it to the mill. And if you keep doing

Continued Page 25

Laisa Conde

From Page 24

this in perpetuity, you can actually get logs back to the mill for a very low cost.”

Little said him and his business partner Chace Barber are very happy to achieve this goal.

“To our surprise, we, as you know, small town Merrittonians had to come up with and build ourselves,” Little said. “All we want to do is showcase to Canada, as well as to the world that this is a great and viable solution today.”

As the logging industry takes steps towards a greener future, Little hopes that their hybrid electric/diesel truck prototype will serve as a catalyst for change and help people realize that “loggers can come up with brilliant solutions to help the planet.”

“Knowing that we do come from Merritt, a small town, a logging town, we want to prove to people in our community … that we are capable of building this technology at home.”

Eric Little and Chace Barber are on a mission to prove that electric logging trucks can be sustainable, and can be built right here in the Nicola Valley. Photo/Edison Motors

Locally made film explores downturn of local forestry industry

Marius Auer NEWSROOM@MERRITTHERALD.COM

Local filmmaker Simon Rizzardo has released a new short film called Merritt is Dying, featuring several local forestry contractors left without work due to what they identified as permitting delays.

A group of local forestry workers reached out to Rizzardo with the idea for the film, which he quickly agreed to produce due to his passion for the forestry industry. The films features several forestry workers and employers based in the Nicola Valley, sharing their experiences with a lack of local work in the industry.

“The biggest things is just to get the information out there, and get the story told,” said Rizzardo, owner of local production company Big Power Films.

“I’m in the same boat in the mining side of things. We’re up against all sorts of challenges and red tape trying to open up mines and getting mining extraction materials approved, so I can see their frustration with the bureaucratic red-tape stuff.”

Both AP Group, the parent com -

pany of local mill Aspen Planers, and forestry workers in the film said the issue behind the lack of forestry activity in the area is no new cutting permits being issued by the provincial Ministry of Forests. The Ministry previously said it was working with both Aspen Planers and local First Nations to find ways to address First Nations’ concerns around sustainable forestry practices regarding permit applications in the valley.

Rizzardo noted that more than 10 months after the mill’s first closure due to lack of supply, many mill workers and forestry contractors sit idle, waiting for new work while struggling to get by and earn a living for their families. This sentiment is echoed by subjects interviewed as a part of Merritt is Dying.

“Merritt is going to die if we don’t have something else come in place of forestry, or keep forestry operations going,” noted Rizzardo, noting that a lack of forestry industry in Merritt would have catastrophic effect on other industries and businesses.

“There’s too much spinoff with everything, there’s people from the Walmart, all the ways to the guys that

supply fuel, services, truck parts, and issue the inspections on the trucks. All that stuff is going to disappear if we don’t have sustainable services out in the forest.”

Rizzardo noted that he belives forestry is too large and important of an industry to the area for it to ever truly be replaced. Forestry creates hundreds of direct jobs for Nicola Valley residents, not counting the other industries supported by forestry operations, such

as logging truck drivers.

Throughout the film, which has gathered more than 20,000 views on YouTube, interviewees share their frustrations with a lack of harvesting, especially of readily available and time sensitive wildfire-affected timber.

“You have standing timber that’s just dead, nothing is going to happen with it, and then it’s not worth any -

Continued Page 27

NATIONAL FOREST WEEK

From Page 26

thing anymore,” explained Rizzardo. “You might as well go in and try to get that value out of that wood as quick as you can.”

He noted wildfire-affected timber can quickly degrade and lose its commercial value. The longer the lumber sits, the more it becomes susceptible to insects, disease, and rot. While Rizzardo is not a forester himself, he noted the expertise of those interviewed for his film allowed him to expand his knowledge of the industry.

“I learned a lot myself, talking to these guys, I’m definitely not in that world, but I understand the process of going in, cleaning up the forest, making it healthy again, replanting it, and making it so that cows and wildlife can go back in there properly and graze it,” noted Rizzardo.

To watch the film, visit https://youtu.be/18a6gWwhkGI?si=s0xlS9WZJRJG sjH0.

A still shot from Merritt is Dying shows forestry equipment in storage, sitting dormant as many local forestry workers wait for cutting permits to be issued. Photo/Big Power Films

Local artist hand crafts models of common forestry equipment

Marius Auer

Leonard Roberston has been building wooden models of forestry equipment for decades, hand crafting representations of the machines that have allowed many Nicola Valley residents to make a living for themselves and their families.

Growing up, Robertson’s father maintained forestry recreation sites, igniting his passion for the forestry industry. Robertson told the Herald he initially picked up the craft of model-making while attending high school at Merritt Secondary School in the nineties, where former shop teacher Dave Mahoney handed him his first set of plans.

The young Robertson carefully crafted the model high track dozer, which was quickly followed by a Kenworth logging truck, continuing on from there. Not long after he left high school, Robertson attained his Class 1 drivers license, driving for local logging outfits, and going for ride-alongs with local forresters.

“I got to see the bush part of things and how things worked out there, and just the big iron, logging part of things, and the equipment,” said Robertson.

Since first being published for his work in a Feb. 17, 2002 edition of the Merritt Herald, Robertson has created roughly 70 different models of forestry equipment, including logging trucks, skidders, low beds, and other industrial machines.

The models are made of wood, and feature moving parts, such as spinning wheels and moving equipment. Often, the models Roberston makes are given as gifts for retirement or other senti -

loCal artIst

leonarD roBertson

mental occasions, which often elicit a strong emotional response.

“They turn back into kids, sort of,” explained Roberston with a chuckle.

The models are hand crafted in Robertson’s shop, with each creation being based on reference photos of the original equipment. Many of Robertson’s models take him months

One of Leonard Robertson’s hand made wooden forestry equipment models is compared to the real deal. Photo/Leonard Roberston

‘They turn back into kids, sort of.’

From Page 28

to complete, as he balances his hobby with full-time employment in the Alberta oilfields. While the process can take anywhere from 60 to 150 hours, it all starts with

a single step.

“I select the wood I will use for the project, starting with a basic blueprint, and if it’s a custom build, I will gather as many pictures as I can use to reference off of while I build each model,” said Robertson.

“For most of the models I have done over the years, people ask if I can replicate the the equipment they own, so getting pictures isn’t to hard. Then it’s just a matter of cutting the lumber, sanding it, test fitting, and finally, gluing it together before a clear coat.”

The finished products are then left to cure, before eventually making their way to their intended recipient. While he occasionally accepts custom orders and sells his models for cost, Robertson sees his talent mostly as a hobby.

“I’m not in it for profit, I’m in it to make people happy, and to show my talent or what I can do,” he explained.

“Also, for myself, it’s the challenge of taking pictures from someone and seeing what I can make from it.”

Leonard Roberston, a life-long Lower Nicola resident, creates models of forestry and other industrial equipment. Photo/ Leonard Robertson

MERRITT FORESTRY COMMITTEE in partnership

GRADE 5 TREE PLANT:

On May 24 - 27, 2023

with Princeton

Building Str onger Communities

STUWIX RESOURCES JOINT

The Merritt Forest Week Committee, which consists of the Cascades Natural Resource District, BC Wildfire Ser vice, Stuwix Resources Joint Venture, and Weyerhaeuser Company Ltd., held the Annual Grade 5 Tree Plant at Lundbom Lake and the Black Mine area in Princeton. In addition to tree planting, this year the event also had a grasslands segment where the students learned about native ecology, invasive plants, and inver tebrates.

2023

POSTER WINNERS

ARE: The theme this year for the poster contest was “How do foresters take care of the forests?”

CONGRATULATONS TO THIS YEARS WINNERS.

Nicola Canford Elementar y

1st place: Layne Neustaeter

Honourable mentions: Harper

Andersen, Alivia Schuitema

Central Elementar y

1st place: Mya Mar tindale

Honourable mention: Stella, Logan D.

Collettville Elementar y Honourable mentions: Thomas Sine & Jayna Minar

Winners received a week long campership to the camp of their choice. In addition, the honourable mentions received a pool pass for their community pool.

There were three campership winners, 1 from Princeton & 2 from Merritt schools.

Vermillion Forks Elementar y Princeton, BC

Leven Stringfellow

1st place:

Leven Stringfellow

Honourable mentions: Brett Wolbeck & Savannah Vanderhide

The Merritt National Forestr y Week Committee is pleased to announce the 2023 offering of the Mike Morrison Memorial Bursar y

Please

4.

Layne Neustaeter

Myra Mar tindale

Study finds clear-cut logging connected to extreme flooding

Laisa Conde REPORTER@MERRITTHERALD.COM

According to new research by the University of British Columbia, clear-cut logging practices are connected to more frequent flooding and extreme flooding events.

The research analyzed data from the Deadman River and Joe Ross Creek watersheds north of Kamloops, which showed the cumulative effects of clearcutting downstream and the link between the size and state of watersheds and flooding.

The study showed that when 21 per cent of trees were harvest by clear-cut logging, the average flood size increased by 38 per cent in the Deadman River watershed and 84 per cent in Joe Ross Creek area.

Younes Alila, co-author of the research and hydrology professor at the University of British Columbia, said his interest in this particular research was to better understand the clear-cut logging policy across the province.

“My interest lies in understanding and quantifying the effect of the excessive cataloging and clear cut logging policy that has dominated the forestry in British Columbia for several decades,” he said.

Alila said he was surprised to see that his results were “directly opposite to the established quote on quote wisdom and decades of literature.”

“The old experimental design is actually uncontrolled and therefore, noncasual, and that means the outcomes are actually flawed,” he said. “For my experimental design that I have used and the research questions that have guided

me are very different from the questions that have guided former hydrologists for decades.”

As for Merritt, which has suffered greatly with the flood back in November of 2021, Alila reminded that the city has two watersheds – the Coldwater River basin and the Nicola River basin – that have suffered human and natural actions that impacted on the flooding.

“These two big basins in the region have been clear-cut logged (from) 30 to 40 per cent,” he said. “And I think it was 20 or 25 per cent of the Coldwater basin was affected by the wildfires.”

Alila said that in a city such as Merritt, which has suffered great damage caused by an intense flooding in 2021, the combination of the wildfire along with clear-cut logging associated with the new climate realities should be a concern to the municipality as well as traditional districts and the B.C. government.

“Usage policies, forest management policies and flood risk management policies should all be designed to make sure that future land use management and forest carbon management are not exacerbating and making the situation worse,” Alila said.

Alila hopes that if natural disasters, such as flooding or extreme flooding, were to occur again in cities like Merritt, communities are better prepared to alert their residents ahead of time.

“I truly hope that we’ve learned from the experience and make sure that the public of British Columbia is actually warned properly and timely to make sure people have time to flee to higher ground and, therefore, be able to save lives.”

A photo shows flood waters breaching the banks of the Coldwater River. According to a new UBC study, clear-clut logging practices are connected to increased flooding. Photo/Herald File

NATIONAL FOREST WEEK

Indigenous scholarship program supports forestry employment

Marius Auer NEWSROOM@MERRITTHERALD.COM

A new scholarship program is open to First Nations, Inuit, or Métis descent students interested in attending full-time forestryrelated studies in a designated post-secondary institution.

Supports from the BC First Nations Forestry Council’s (BCFNFC) Indigenous Forestry Scholarship Program (IFSP) include tuition and living expenses scholarships, paid summer work-term experience, one-on-one mentorship with a program partner, and support from a local Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program centre.

“The program is designed to grow and connect Indigenous talent to BC Forest Sector Workforce opportunities,” said the BCFNFC in a release announcing the program.

“It is a work and study mentorship program that provides the opportunity for Indigenous students to access funding and enter into forestry-related training or educational programs plus a mentored summer work experience in their field.”

Students pursuing studies in the following forestry-related areas are eligible for the program:

- Forestry technician

- Natural resources

- Environmental technology

- Business management

- Business administration

- Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

- Forestry trades

- Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics

- Logging machine operator

- Skidder operator

- Heavy-duty mechanics

The BCFNFC said it is an advocacy organization working to support B.C. First Nations in increasing their role as the rightful owners of forest, lands, and resources. Promoting governance and stewardship of forest resources by First Nations, the council hopes to improve and sustain economic wealth and wellbeing in these communities through Indigenous values and sustainable practices.

The forestry council developed the IFSP alongside the Ministry of Forests, and the program is now delivered in partnership with BC Timber Sales (BCTS), BC Wildfire Service (BCWS), Mosaic Forest Management, Tolko Industries Ltd., Western Forest Products Inc., and the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program (ISETP).

“Our work includes helping Indigenous students find appropriate pathways to work placements they are interested in, and providing continuous support to keep them on track towards their professional development and success,” added the release.

“IFSP also supports retention and advancement by providing opportunities for upgrading and laddering to gain the skills.”

The BCFNFC attributed the success of the IFSP to their relationships with First Nations communities, organizations and individuals, noting they are the foundation, and key, to the program’s success while enhancing their ability to recruit, mentor, and connect the students with industry partners.

The program is currently open for applications, with a fourstep process. Applicants must first fill out an intake form, at which point a workforce advisor will contact them with an application form. The completed application form, along with any necessary documentation, must then be submitted to the forestry council for consideration.

More information is available at www.forestrycouncil.ca.

Applications for the Indigneous Forestry Scholarship are currently open.

Photo/Herald File

The USW is one of the largest private sector Unions in both Canada and North America with more than 225,000 members in Canada and more than 800,000 members continent-wide.

Today, more than ever, working people need strong, effective unions.

United Steelworkers is here for

Local 1-417 is based out of Kamloops, BC. Our Local Union represents over 1,100 members in many industries including:

Sawmilling

Wood products manufacturing

Steel manufacturing

Recycling

Security

Trucking

Construction

Machining, and more.

Centennials lose two exhibition games in back-and-forth affairs

appearance.

The Warriors came out swinging in the first period, outshooting the Centennials 11-8. West Kelowna opened up scoring at the 3:25 mark with a shot to the back of the net by Callum Hughes. Just 16 seconds later, Hughes bested Ballantyne once again to make the score 2-0 for the Warriors. Scoring for the period would end at the 16:04 mark, when, after some mostly defensive play, Simon Hogue would score for a 3-0 West Kelowna lead going into the second period. No penalties were handed out for either team during the game’s first period.

Marius Auer NEWSROOM@MERRITTHERALD.COM

Looking to come back bigger and better than ever, the Merritt Centennials hit the ice for their first pair of 2023/24 preseason games this weekend.

The team underwent some major changes in the offseasons, including the replacement of former head coach Curtis Toneff with Brian Passmore, along with other sweeping changes behind the bench and on the roster. With just a handful of returning players, and new league rules allowing for more international players, the team looks to improve from their past five seasons, in all of which they missed out on the playoffs.

Last season, the team won just 12 of their 54 regular season match ups. The team’s roster was heavily marred by injuries, especially later in the season, when the Cents lost multiple games in major blowouts. While the team’s first two BCHL exhibition (preseason) games ended in losses, the Cents put up a strong fight against the visiting Warriors.

Game one – September 8, Nicola Valley Memorial Arena – at West Kelowna Warriors:

The first exhibition game of the preseason saw the West Kelowna Warriors visit the Cents on home ice, with new

acquisition Beau Lane starting in goal for the Cents, and Angelo Zol between the pipes for the Warriors.

The first period began as a slow burn, with solid defensive play from the Centennials’ refreshed defensive line.

Jackson Kyrkostas of the Warriors managed to break through for the game’s first goal at the 6:17 mark, capitalizing on a power play as a result of a charging call against Merritt’s Michael Stenberg. A few minutes later, Kyrkostas would double up his scoring for the night, making it 2-0 for West Kelowna. Before the period ended, despite being short handed from an interference call, the Cents would respond with a goal by Damon Jugnauth. Jugnauth, who spent most of last season recovering from an injury, made the score 2-1 before period close. Shots on goal for the Cents were at 14, with just eight for West Kelowna.

The second period featured a strong showing by the Cents, who were eager to make themselves heard in front of the home crowd. While Jack Farrell of West Kelowna would make it 3-1 midway through the period, most of the action took place within its last minute. The Cents then swapped out Beau Lane for goalie Stefan Carney. Jace Koenigsmark, a Cents new acquisition from New Jersey, found the twine behind Zol at the 19:07 mark to make the score 3-2. Just 24 seconds later, the Cents would make the alarms sound again with Timothy Kim scoring anoth-

er and evening things up. Unfortunately for the Cents, the tie wouldn’t last long, as Mikka Kelechian of the Warriors scored with just one second left on the clock to make the score 4-3 heading into the third period. The Cents defensive line held the Warriors to just seven shots on goal in the second, with the Cents shooting on goal 18 times.

The first half of the third period saw multiple man advantages for the Cents, although they were unable to capitalize on any of the opportunities. Forward Noah Weir would cement his team’s lead with a goal for the Warriors at the 12:00 mark, making the score 5-3. Just minutes later, despite being shorthanded after a high-sticking penalty, Trent Wilson of the Warriors would score the game’s final goal, leading to a final score of 6-3 for the Warriors. West Kelowna outshot Merritt 10-6 in the final period. Beau Lane saved 6/9 shots, while Stefan Carney held in 13/16.

Game two – September 9, Nicola Valley Memorial Arena – at West Kelowna Warriors:

Night two of hockey action at the NVMA saw the new Cents roster hit the ice for another matchup against the visiting West Kelowna Warriors. The Centennials started Andrew Ballantyne behind the crease, the 6’3” Whitby, Ont. native’s first Cents appearance. The Warriors started Matthew DellaRusso, also in his first BCHL

It was the Centennials who would strike first to open the second period, with Merritt’s Jacob Smith scoring on DellaRusso to make the score a more manageable 3-1. The next score would come until much later in the period, with Jackson Kyrkostas of the Warrior scoring his third of the preseason to make the score 4-1. Defenseman Martins Kruklitis, a Cents import from Latvia, would respond by finding the back of the net with just six seconds left in the period, making the score 4-2. West Kelowna outshot Merritt 19-15 in the second period.

The third period in Saturday night’s game saw little scoring action, but plenty of penalties delt out. Trey Ausmus of the Warriors garnered a holding penalty to start the period, but the Cents were unable to capitalize on the ensuing power play. The Cents themselves were hit with four penalties throughout the period, including roughing, slashing and tripping, but the team’s defenses kept the Warriors from scoring during the man advantages. The period’s lone goal happened with just 60 seconds left on the clock, when Simon Hogue scored his second of the night for a final score of 5-2. The Cents were outshot 7-5 in the final period of the game. Cents goalie Andrew Ballantyne saved 32/37 in the loss.

Coming up

The Cents will continue their preseason at the end of this week, with one away game on Friday being followed by a home game on Saturday. Both matchups will begin at 7 p.m., and the Cents will face the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in Interior division showdowns for both games. Admission for preseason games is by donation.

For more information on the Merritt Centennials, including roster and game details, visit www.merrittcentennials. com.

Two nights of BCHL preseason action took place at the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena last weekend, featuring two Centennials matchups against the visiting West Kelowna Warriors. Photo/Merritt Centennials

Upper Nicola Band hosts second annual youth golf fundraiser

Marius Auer NEWSROOM@MERRITTHERALD.COM

It was all fun and games at the Upper Nicola Band’s second annual Youth Golf Fundraiser Tournament, as 17 teams hit the fairway for a cause.

The tournament was held at Sagebrush Golf Club, located approximately 20 kilometres from Merritt along Nicola Lake. A total of 17 teams consisting of four members each com -

peted in the tournament on August 29.

“I think next year will be better and bigger,” said Diana Boston, communications officer for UNB. “The day was amazing and ran very smoothly, and everyone had a great time.”

The four-person scramble style tournament raised money to support sports and recreation programming offered to Upper Nicola Band youth. Totals from this year’s fundraiser are still being calculated.

Full results from the tournament are

as follows:

First place – Starwest Petroleum (-21)

Trent Bilodeau

Joe Quewezance

Greg Kelner

Jordan Relling

Second place – Moccasin Trails (-20)

Frank Antoine

Tracy Antoine

Greg Hopf

Luke Ghostkeeper

Third place – Crocket’s Rockets (-19)

Dave Alexander

Craig Bahm

Tanner Bahm

Ken Kocker

Most honest – YRB (-3)

Pat Sefton

Rodney Hafner

Ellis Junker

Cassidy Bell

Annual Terry Fox Run returning to the Nicola Valley this Sunday

She also mentioned that there are other ways of being involved in the Terry Fox Run that don’t involve running, such as volunteering.

Lace up your shoes this weekend in honour of Terry Fox.

The 43rd annual Terry Fox Run is set for Sunday, September 17, starting at 11 a.m. at Rotary Park with registration taking place at 10:30 a.m.

Those that prefer to participate on bicycles, wheelchairs, scooters and even rollerblades are encouraged to do so. Residents who also wish to bring their pets along for the run are reminded to keep them on a leash.

Leslee Lucy, co-organizer of Merritt’s Terry Fox Run, said that the annual event feels very personal to her.

“I have a sister and a brother going through cancer treatment right now,” she said. “My mother and another brother have been through cancer treatment in the past. My husband and my father died of cancer.”

“They can come out and volunteer to help us if they would like, you know, the more the merrier,” Lucy said.

Lucy hopes everyone at the event enjoys themselves and reminds those who can’t make it, can still help the cancer research cause.

“If they’re not able to make the run, then just go online and donate,” she said.

Anyone who wishes to donate, register or learn more about the event can access the Terry Fox Run website at www.terryfox.org.

The 43rd Annual Terry Fox Run

When: Sunday, September 17 – registration and warm-up starts at 10:30 a.m.

Where: Rotary Park – 1990 Maxwell Ave., Merritt, B.C.

Cost: Donations at the site or online.

The Upper Nicola Band’s second annual Youth Golf Fundraiser Tournament took place on August 29.

Photo/Diana Boston

A total of 17 team of four gathered at Sagebrush Golf and Country Club for the second annual UNB Youth Golf Fundraiser Tournament. Photo/Diana Boston

Laisa Conde REPORTER@MERRITTHERALD.COM

Lower Nicola Garlic Festival returning to newly upgraded park

of the Lower Nicola Community Association, which hosts the festival.

Making use of the newly upgraded Smith Pioneer Park, the Lower Nicola Garlic Festival will return for its classic two-day festival, including a few new additions to the lineup.

The garlic festival started as a venue for Lower Nicola locals to sell and trade their garlic, which has been popular in the unincorporated community for decades. From its humble beginnings as a back yard garlic sale, the garlic festival has taken on new forms since.

“It has expanded to include locals being able to bring their crafts and their canning, and inviting the little communities all around us to come and enjoy the day,” said Karen Knapp

This year’s festival, happening September 23 and 24, will feature garlic festival staples like garlic ice cream, the community concession, tractor pulls, live music, vendors, and an opportunity to connect with the community. More than 60 vendors from across the province and beyond are registered for the event.

In addition to the classic garlic festival events, this year’s festival will feature an expanded kids corner, such as a kids petting zoo on Saturday, and a performance by illusionist Estry Hiltz. The festival will make use of the newly upgraded Smith Pioneer park, including the new bandshell, which will host live music for the first time during the festival.

“Personally, I’m looking forward to expanding on the kids corner,” said Knapp. “And the musicians change every year, and I have to admit, they do it by donation, they are volunteering their time to to entertain the community.”

The full lineup of live music for both days of festival includes local and visiting artists looking to entertain the crowds with a variety of genres, from classic rock to country. Knapp noted the variety isn’t limited to music, it applies to the dozens of vendors as well.

“We range from garlic to moonshine,” said Knapp with a laugh.

The Lower Nicola Garlic Festival relies on a large amount of volunteer power to keep operations running smoothly over the two days of the fes -

TOP: A garlic festival venor presents some of the good stuff.

BOTTOM: Tractor pulls are an iconic part of garlic festival weekend.

Photos/Herald File

tival, plus set up and take down efforts. More than a dozen volunteers look after the concession, tend to vendors, and clean bathrooms.

Profits from the garlic festival go to the the Lower Nicola Community Association, which Knapp said recently had its community hall flood, resulting in costly repairs and the hall sitting empty until recently being reopened. For more information on the Lower Nicola Community Association, including the garlic festival, visit www. lowernicolacommunity.com.

Lower Nicola Garlic Festival

When: Sept. 23 and 24, 2023

Where: Smith Pioneer Park, 447 Aberdeen Rd, Lower Nicola, B.C. Cost: Free admission

1750 Hill Street ■ Phone: 250-315-3000

THE CHURCHES OF MERRITT WEL COME YOU

Crossroads Community Church

2990 Voght St. • 250-378-2911

Ser vice Time: Sundays 10:00 a.m

Merritt Baptist Church

2499 Coutlee Avenue (at Omre)

Sunday ser vice 10 am, Phone (250)378-2464

Merritt Lutheran Fellowship

in St. Michael's Anglican Hall • 250-378-9899

Ser vice Time: 3rd Sunday each month 1:00 p m

Sacred Hear t Catholic Church

Corner of Jackson & Blair • 250-378-2919

Mass Time: Sundays 9:00 a.m.

St. Michael’s Anglican Church 1990 Chapman St • 250-378-3772

Ser vice Times: 2nd and 4th Sundays only - 10:00 a m.

Trinity United Church

Corner of Quilchena & Chapman • 250-378-5735

Ser vice Time ever y Sunday - 10 am

Somang Mission Community Church (SMC) 1755 Coldwater Ave ( The Cadet Hall)

Sunday Ser vice Time: 4:00 pm • 250-280-1268

Nicola Valley Evangelical Free Church 1950 Max well St • 250-378-9502

Ser vice Times: Sunday 9 am and 11 am

Marius Auer NEWSROOM@MERRITTHERALD.COM

PLEAS E RECY CLE THIS

WSPAPE R

Daniel Wendell Robins

April 6, 1954-July 20, 2023

We are sad to announce the sudden passing of Dan Robins on July 20, 2023 at his home in Merritt B.C

He was born in Vancouver April 6, 1954. He moved his family to Merritt in 1985, helping with the family business Robins Appliances with his Dad Albert Robins. He loved going to the family cabin, fishing and hunting, especially bears (AKA BEARHUNTER).

He is survived by his children Crystal (Mark) and Jerrid (Janelle) Chandler, Grandchildren, Samantha, Jacob, Aayla and his nephew Wayne (Sheila).

As requested, no service will be held.

We

Qualified candidates are invited to apply online at https://www.makeafuture.ca/bc-

. Only those applicants selected for an inter view will be contacted.

An exciting opportunity exists for a Part-time Staff Administrative Support position at Merritt Funeral Chapel

The successful candidate shall have the following qualifications:

• Computer, inter net and word processing skills

• Effective communication skills both orally and in writing

• High level of compassion, integrity and confidentiality

Duties will include:

• Greeting persons entering the office for infor mation and assistance

• Receiving incoming telephone calls and assist callers with enquiries; direct calls to appropriate team members

• General maintenance duties

Resumes may be presented in person, or submitted via email to: Angela Texmo@DignityMemorial com

Applications will be accepted until Wednesday, September 27th, 2023

DoddsAUCTION AUC TION

HUGE MULTI ESTATE - SATURDAY, SEPT 16 ONLINE TIMED AUCTION

Lots Start Closing - 8 AM

JOB POSTINGS

3 EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUC ATOR POSITIONS

Full Time Permanent Position

Bridge River Head Star t/ Daycare program is seek ing an individual to commit to providing high quality care to Children aged 0-6 years with interest in work ing in a unique program and ensuring that there is use of best prac tice provided during the program deliver y. ECE Workers only need to apply.

LANDS MANAGER

Full-time Salaried Position

As the Bridge River Indian Band (BRIB) Lands and Resources Manager, you will oversee the management and stewardship of all lands and resources related projec ts on reser ve and within the BRIB traditional territor y. The Lands and Resources Manager repor ts direc tly to the Band Administrator and to Chief and Council as required This position is responsible for liaising with other governments regarding reser ves and the community ’s area of interest and using administrative systems for land related business

Wage: $35.00-$45.00 per hour based on salar y ~

Depending on experience and negotiable

Closing Deadline: Open until filled

HEADSTART/DAYC ARE MANAGER

Repor ting to the Health Manager, the Administrator will be responsible primarily for the overall Super vision of the Headstar t/Daycare program This includes and understanding to staff super vision and scheduling, ensuring all licensing, and repor ting requirements are being met, and ensuring a quality land-based program is being offered to children and families.

Posting Closed Date: UNTIL FILLED

EDUC ATION COORDINATOR

Under the direc tion of Chief & Council and Administrator, the Education Coordinator is required to properly super vise and manage the overall Education programs (Provincial Schools, Post-Secondar y, Occupational Sk ills and Training, and Trades)

Wage: $22.00 per hour minimum ~ Depending on experience

Closing Deadline: Open until filled

While we welcome all candidates, only those selected for an inter view will be contacted

Please submit your cover letter with resume and contac t for full job description to: Gar y Forsyth, Administrator , Bridge River Indian Band Fax (250) 256- 7999

VALUE ADDED

LUMBER REMANUFACTURING PLANT

PRODUCTION WORKERS (FT/PT)

• Wages: starting $20 to $25

• Steady day shift work

• Students welcome to apply

• No experience necessary

• Will train

TRUCK DRIVERS WITH CLASS 1

Local steady work

LICENCED SECURITY GUARDS

Excellent medical & dental plan

Please submit resume in person to 1195 Houston Street, Merritt B.C. 250-378-6161

Legal/Public Notices

Reliable Towing Merritt Ltd. 2900 Pooley Ave

the following vehicle will be auctioned on September 28, 2023 for non payment

2002 Dodge Durango

VIN 1B4HS48ZX2F219861

Debtor: James Brown

Amount owing: 2,477 26

2011 INTERSTATE

VIN 4RACS1628BN079099

Debtor: Shivraj Sandhu

Amount Owing: 12,361.95

1997 Chevrolet Monte Carlo VIN 2G1WX12X9V9227277

Debtor: Evelyn Rose Graff

Amount owing: 1,714 58

1998 Chevrolet 2500 VIN 1GCGK29J4WE239353

Debtor: Brian Mcadie Amount Owing: 2,131 46

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Instruments/Misc. - 6 - Guitars, Drums, 2 - Accordions, Saxophone, Trombone, TVs, Stereos, Electronics, AC Units, Binoculars, Lamps, Framed Wildlife Prints, Large Desk & Matching Wall Unit, Roll Top Desk, China Cabinets, New Carpet & Rolls Lino, Crib, Unique Items, Wagons, Spinning Whee , Xmas Houses, Swords, Canes, Blowers, Mattresses, 1989 Chev 2WD

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Viewing - Dodds Showroom Thu/Fri (Sep 14/15) - 8:30 am - 5 pm & Sat (Sep 16) - 8:30 am - Noon

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