INDSTRY AND TRADE-WINTER 2019 by Prince George Citizen

Industry And trades Winter 2019

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Inside

Thursday, January 31, 2019

Pages of new book

steaming with train history............................................................... pg

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Q and A Local inventor has unique answer to electrifying quandary........................................................................................pg

Natural gas industry now a liquid asset

LNG Canada digs in on new project.................................pg

Building on 2018 A busy economy is exciting and challenging for the north................................................................ pg

PG Airport hits

new heights.......................................................................................................................................pg

Why was mega-sprinkler not used on wildfires?........................................................................................................pg

Industry and trades skills

for Aboriginal teens............................................................................................. pg

Water fight

19 21

Building a new benchmark Prince George construction hits all-time high........................................................................................................... pg

Cover photo:

Equipment used to help set a fireguard during the Southside firestorm this past summer near Ootsa and Francois Lakes. Photo by Aaron Gerow, Cheslatta Carrier Nation.

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Pages Of New Book

Steaming with Train History Written by Frank Peebles Derek Hayes is a geographer by trade, and a writer by vocation. Both skill sets put Prince George on the map in his latest book Iron Road West. The new volume came out just in time for Christmas and scratches out the details of the province’s railway history. Trains are a passion for even the passing British Columbian, whether it be for the conveniences and environmental impacts of Skytrain in Vancouver or the foundation industries that built the province on the steel backs of 19th century steamer rails. Prince George and the greater Lheidli T’enneh First Nation territory walked into modern times on these metal footprints. Trade and settlement with the overseas world had some early action thanks to pack trains on the forest trails and the paddlewheelers plying the rivers, but interior towns became cities due to the screech and screams of steel and steam. Trains carried the minerals and ore, the livestock and crops, and Herculean amounts of lumber that cemented the central interior economy. “In Iron Road West, Derek Hayes charts the development of the province through its railway lines, using a wealth of photographs and other visuals to show how rails were laid through the wild terrain that characterized much of British Columbia,” said a spokesperson from Harbour Publishing, the B.C. bookmaker that pressed the new title. “As railways revolutionized the province,

they inevitably incited fierce competition and personal hatreds, creating an exciting frontier-like environment that Hayes describes in vivid detail. The book also covers the emergence of the modern freight railway in British Columbia, including fully automated and computerized trains. An extensive section details our railway legacy, including preserved railways, locomotives and facilities that can still be visited today. Prolifically illustrated, Iron Road West will fascinate not only railway enthusiasts, but anyone with an interest in the history of the province.” This hardback legacy book has 500 vibrant photos, illustrations and maps. The visuals are what consolidate each of Hayes’ books and he gave special thanks to the Prince George Railway & Forestry Museum for providing him with some of that beauty as well as the raw information he used to hammer together his Iron Road West.

Prince George earned its rail wings later in the industrial game than many other B.C. communities, especially southern ones where the first steel lines were drawn from Atlantic to Pacific in 1886. Being at the centre of this expansive province made getting here difficult, but an

Prolifically illustrated, Iron Road West will fascinate not only railway enthusiasts, but anyone with an interest in the history of the province. – Harbour Publishing

IMAGE ABOVE: Cover of ‘Iron Road West: An Illustrated History of British Columbia’s Railways’ by Author Derek Hayes. Image courtesy of derekhayes.ca

important part of any book on the history of Canadian railways can’t fail to recognize the economic importance of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad (the route taken over later by CN Rail) that connected this region in 1914 to the rest of Canada to the east and the Pacific coast to the west. Coming with it was an equally long telegraph link and a mail service. Story continued on page 6

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Story continued from page 4 The last spike in that continental connection was driven at nearby Fort Fraser on April 7, 105 years ago. Even later came the north-south link to Prince George and beyond to the coal mountains and grain fields in the northeast. In an exlusive interview, Hayes said this was a provincially interesting period of time. The plan when BC Rail was formed in 1912 was always to have a line from North Vancouver all the way to Prince George at least and on, as the economy dictated, to the natural resources baskets in the northeast (it got built) and the northwest (the right of way was set to Dease Lake but rails never set). The southern terminus was Squamish. It took a long time to get to North Vancouver because of the epic terrain challenges along Howe Sound. The northern terminus was Quesnel. Prince George was the intended northern interchange, but, said Hayes, the cost of building the Cottonwood River rail bridge was so prohibitive, it took the bold push of premier W.A.C. Bennett to get it done. It finally happened on November 1, 1952. Six years later, the line reached Peace Country. Spur-lines were added in 1966 to Mackenzie

and ’68 to Fort St. James, then a connection ing stories. Some of those volumes involved to Fort Nelson in 1971. railway information. That material began to Each of those expansions (and the ones that accumulate for Hayes. didn’t occur despite political aspirations) “The way I typically write books – this is has its own set of stories. The one from my 17th book – is I collect material and Prince George to the coal mines northeast information, images and stuff, sometimes of the city had a particularly electrifying for years and years before I actually write chapter. anything,” he said. “There’s a whole section “Suddenly I’ll think (of the book) on the I’ve got enough and sit electrification of the Hayes is renowned down and start writing. Tumbler Ridge branch That process may only for his series of which was done to open take a year or so, but historical atlases, up the coal mines at it’s the result of years of Tumbler Ridge,” Hayes collecting information.” using geography said. “They built those Some of the maps and as a basis for very, very long tunnels, images he squirreled and that’s why they away were specific to telling stories. electrified the line, is this area, like the one of because they thought a steam locomotive pullthat there would be too ing much more modern many fumes to deal with, with diesels going and capable diesel locomotives and a string through it. It was subsequently found that it of cars behind. was ok, so it is used now by diesels. And as “The PGE was a pioneer in the use of diesel, you probably know, the only surviving BC but the rules said that to cross the Fraser Rail electric locomotive is standing in the there had to be a CN locomotive on the Prince George railway museum, there.” front of the train, so you’ve got pictures of All these stories came together as a bythe steam locomotive at the front and two product, in a way, of his past authorship. diesels behind it. It was quite silly because Hayes is renowned for his series of historical the steam locomotive hadn’t pulled it from atlases, using geography as a basis for tellSquamish.”

Hayes also put some journalism instincts to use, in the making of this book. There are questions, he said, about the current state of the 2004 BC Rail deal that saw the former provincial Crown corporation get leased in large part to the CN Rail company. One part of that deal, the northernmost part of it, has not been acted on, as close as he can determine. “CN wouldn’t answer some of my questions, like the Hythe Line, which was part of the deal,” said Hayes. The Hythe Line, also known as the Grand Prairie Substation, is a short connection between northeastern B.C. and northwestern Alberta, was a stretch that hasn’t been in much use for decades, but came with the BC Rail package. “They were supposed to start up service again, because it had been disused, and as far as I can see they have not and I was trying to find out how they managed to get out of that, and they didn’t want to answer any of that. I talked to Transport Canada and the Competition Bureau about it, and I never got any proper answers,” said Hayes. There are plenty of answers, and the inspiration to many interesting questions of your own, contained in the pages of Iron Road West out now on bookstore shelves across Canada.

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Local Inventor Has Unique Answer to Electrifying Quandary

PHOTOS: Inventor Sterling Roberts with his invention of the Q-Plug that disconects with a very slight tug. Citizen photo by Brent Braaten

Everyone who’s spent any time with winter has seen it. You’ve noticed the car drive by with a fragment of extension cord dangling from the grill. You’ve witnessed the mangle of wires in the parking lot where part of a block heater line is semi-attached to a home cord now lying dead in the slush. You may have heard the sickening snagging sound outside the vehicle of electricity lines parting company when you roll past the end of the cold weather cord. Written by Frank Peebles Motorists have tried all kinds of antidotes to the inadvertent drive-off at wicked sub-zero temperatures when the car is still attached to the house until that moment the line snaps. Does it wrench the block heater plug out of the vehicle? Does it yank the house outlet off

the wall? Does it cleave the 20-foot extension cord you just invested in? Sterling Roberts knew all the tricks people try: the cord-wrap on the mirror, the reminder item under the wiper or in the door handle, the string on the steering wheel. Yet the Canadian winter still claimed its electrical victims.

Like every Canuck who’s ever donned longjohns, Roberts knew there had to be a better way. Unlike any other Canuck, he had a lifetime of tinkering to set his mind on finding the solution himself. He was not about to mind his Ps and Qs. He was going to plug into this problem and spark a solution. The first mental light bulb went off for him in about 2004. He did some preliminary testing of the theory with quarter-inch stereo jacks. He envisioned a breakaway connection that would pop free under pressure without doing damage to the expensive infrastructure of car, cord and domicile. He worked on prototypes until 2009 when he

reached a point where the next-level design needed next-level money. “I’m not risk-averse but I try not to be stupid,” said Roberts, explaining his invention circuitry. Another grounding force was the critical illness suffered by Roberts’ wife who eventually passed away from cancer. He sidelined his technical noodling to focus on her needs, in that time. However, sitting in hospital rooms and treatment centres put Roberts in close contact with a lot of different electrical interfaces. He took note, on occasion, of how certain connections were made on that cutting edge equipment. Story continued on page 8

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Story continued from page 7

The passing of his wife gave him some empty time he filled with his invention dreams. She also left him a nest-egg of money and the lingering support she always had in turning his idea into a product Canadians could use to solve a problem. In his disconnection, he re-connected. He also got a jolt out of the blue. He had consulted with the Innovation Central Society (ICS), the city’s foremost public agency for stimulating tech-based business. He gained knowledge and direction from their programs, but his invention was still just home-based fabrication of preliminary prototypes and he was about at the end of his expertise. That’s when the phone rang. It was Ernest Daddey calling. Daddey was the executive director of ICS when Roberts first came through the door. Daddey had moved on to work in the tech sector of the Lower Mainland, and he called Roberts one random day just to say hello and catch up. When Roberts told him of the hurdle he couldn’t jump, Daddey knew exactly whom he should call. He knew that a program based at BCIT was there especially for inventors who needed to build a functional prototype of products with strong market potential. With the additional help of Elissa Meiklem and Geoff Clarke at the Prince George branch of the National Research Council, Roberts’ idea

I would hate to ever be blinded by my own idea. You have to try to listen to people’s suggestions and try to react to problems people identify. – Sterling Roberts, Q-plug Inventor

for the breakaway plug to protect electrical connections was accepted into the up-scaling program. It cost a lot of money, but much less than contracting the fabrication out on the open market, and the money was provided through grants he was able to apply for due to the proof of concept he had already achieved. He took a moment to point out how lucky he was to have the support of such wise players in the tech development world, but he also knew how much stress he had to go through to reach this stage, how uncertain it was that he’d get into the fabrication program, and how many others he had known of didn’t get half as far as he had gotten. “You can have the greatest idea in the world, but if you can’t execute, it is essentially useless,” Roberts said. “We have a bureaucracy in Canada built up around the tech sector and domestic innovation, and it’s great that that bureaucracy safeguards fairness. It’s very democratic. It’s very safe. It looks after taxpayers’ money almost militantly. But it puts up so many walls, too many walls, and it chokes off the innovation and kills the technological advancements it’s supposed to be there to support.”

Roberts considers himself lucky to now hold in his hand an expertly crafted model of what he calls the Q-Plug (Q for quick, he said). It is a two-part device that has the correct input and output plugs for a standard three-prong cord. You plug your car into one end, your extension cord into the other end, and where they meet in the middle is a circular plug that can twist around in endless circles and pull apart with a gentle tug. It also lights up so you can see the plugs if they happen to fall in the snow or you’re plugging in at night. “I got a lot of help from the fabrication program at BCIT, and I got a lot of feedback along the way,” Roberts said. “I would hate to ever be blinded by my own idea. You have to try to listen to people’s suggestions and try to react to problems people identify.” To reduce his idea self-bias, he stood at the front of Canadian Tire for two days, with the store’s permission, and handed out surveys that allowed the general public to have input on the Q-Plug. The responses were helpful. The next hurdle for the Q-Plug is figuring out a manufacturing location. In order for the QPlug to be approved by the Canadian Safety Board and get their imperative CSA stamp of

approval, he needs to manufacture it in a factory that is itself CSA approved. That is the next hurdle he must overcome. He must also fund the first batch himself, unless an angel investor comes forward to cover the initial cost. “I do not feel like I’ve wasted my time, and that’s a nice feeling. For the most part, I’ve seen it through,” said Roberts. And he did it without a degree in engineering or a red seal in any trade. “I don’t even have a workshop at home,” he said. “I just tinker; I always have. I have a notebook and I have an app called Evernote that synchs my notes between devices. That’s how I’ve designed this and mapped out how to move it along.” He has other inventions in mind, but the QPlug still isn’t quite across the finish line until it is in the manufacturing process. He has the patent already in hand. He just needs a factory to power up for the product. Maybe they might have their own uses for the Q-Plug. It has many more applications than just saving the pop of a block heater cable or house outlet. It can be just as helpful for power tools that need to turn off if operated over water or a high place, or to spare the costly prong-bending of vacuums that get jerked out of the wall at the high speed of cleaning. There are applications from A to Z but Sterling Roberts is focused on the Q.

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Natural Gas Industry Now A Liquid Asset

LNG Canada Digs In On Project Written by Frank Peebles

For a long time – two provincial election cycles have used it as a foundational issue – the promise of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) has been piped into the minds of British Columbians. There have been 18-or-so proposals on the government books – companies suggesting their version of moving the northeast’s natu-

ral gas reserves across the land to shipping facilities on the north coast. The first one out of the gate with a final investment decision to go forward was the LNG Canada partnership (a collection of proponents led by Shell, also including Petronas/North Montney LNG, PetroChina, Mitsubishi/Diamond LNG, and Korea Gas/ Kogas Canada). Story continued on page 10 PHOTO: LNGC SIte Photography at Kitimat, BC Photo courtesy of Ed Robinson/Shell

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Story continued from page 9

As will all LNG projects, the whole proposal is made up of three parts: extraction infrastructure in the northeast (LNG Canada has indicated it will utilize the Groundbirch and Cutbank Ridge gas fields near Dawson Creek), a shipping facility they have committed to build in Kitimat, and a pipeline between the two. LNG Canada chose Coastal GasLink (CGL - a subsidiary of TransCanada) in 2012 as their pipeline construction and operation partner. The pipe is slated for a 670km route. In 2017, due to concerns expressed by the Wet’suwet’en First Nation, the route was altered for a patch south of Houston to veer away from culturally sensitive areas. “These productive, two-way conversations with all Indigenous groups have resulted in many changes to the project,” said a CGL official. Once Coastal GasLink re-earned the approval of environmental assessment officials for the new route, the plan was back on track. It was made the centre of a protest effort, however. A small but vocal community within the Wet’suwet’en First Nation took up a position that became headline news this winter when they refused to yield to pipeline workers. RCMP were forced to execute arrests. The protesters, acting on behalf of a minor-

ity of Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs within the First Nation, behaved with restraint in making their point in that altercation. It was not violent the way past industrial opposition has been in B.C.’s past, but it made headline news. Rick Gateman, president of CGL, issued a statement soon after the arrests south of Houston. “The outcome of the impasse at the Morice Bridge River crossing is not one we wanted. Instead, we have always strived to have an open, honest conversation about how to resolve this issue. It’s unfortunate that RCMP were forced to take this action to ensure the re-establishment of lawful access to this public bridge and road that leads to our pipeline right of way. “We respect the rights of individuals to peacefully express their point of view, as long as their activities do not disrupt or jeopardize the safety of the public, our employees, our contractors, and even themselves. “There is nothing more important to us than that. Our only goal was and is access to the bridge and public road so our teams can travel to our pipeline right of way one kilometre away from the camp. Construction and pre-construction will not impact the camp. In fact, the camp can continue with its activities. Our pipeline right of way isn’t near the camp, and does not overlap or directly affect it.

“We took legal action as a last resort and only after six years of unsuccessful efforts to find a mutual solution. We remain committed to keeping the lines of communication open.” The companies involved in the entirety of the project point out that hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested in Aboriginal jobs, communities and education programs. Hundreds of millions more are pending, once construction and operation are underway. They also point out that the process could not have gotten this far were it not for majoritybased membership decisions in each of the First Nations along the route. While she stressed that she does not speak for CGL, Susannah Pierce is the external affairs director for LNG Canada and in an exclusive interview, she said she wouldn’t be afraid to talk about the protest and the pathway to success for the project. “I do think I will spend a little bit of time talking about the unprecedented support we do have, and despite what we’ve seen recently with the five hereditary chiefs of the Wet’suwet’en, the support for the project is still unprecedented,” she said. “It’s been unfortunate to see how that opposition has translated into something which is not representative of the broad support of the project.” Pierce and LNG Canada CEO Andy Calitz were both in Prince George for the TrueNorth Business Development Forum and the BC

Natural Resources Forum. Each of them, in their public comments during these events, made procurement and the upcoming economic infusion for northern B.C. part of their key topics. “There is a whole host of different small contractors to individual tradespeople, for whom there is opportunity to work on-site,” Pierce said. Much work is already underway, doing preliminary setting of the sites, but principal construction is yet to get underway. “Coastal GasLink will obviously be doing a lot more along the pipeline route, and they have already announced they’ve put in $20-million worth of First Nations contracting opportunities, which is a big deal, huge deal, actually.” The CGL portion alone of the three-part project represents an investment of $6.2-billion. The construction phase is anticipated to generate 2,500 jobs. The Kitimat shipping facility, where the natural gas will be processed into liquefied form and transferred onto specialized ships for overseas markets, will be an even bigger investment, with more construction jobs and long-term operations jobs as well. It is a $40-billion overall investment. Prime minister Justin Trudeau called it “the single largest private sector investment in the history of Canada.” B.C.’s minister of energy, mines and petroleum, Michelle Mungall, estimated the aggre-

gated employment footprint of the project at 10,000 jobs, most of them in northern B.C., and the provincial revenue to be in the neighbourhood of $23-billion. “Making the final investment decision was more significant than I ever imagined, in terms of how difficult it was to get there,” said Pierce. “When you go into this next phase which is really about how we build it, it is actually, in some ways, more difficult. Our executive vice-president of integrated gas and new energy, Martin Wetselaar of Shell, said getting to a final investment decision was a lot like a moon landing and building it was like getting your people back. With that, it’s how we live up to our commitments that we have with all our stakeholders, making sure it is on time and on budget, but also with communities so we are working in a way that makes them comfortable with the construction, that they are comfortable with the operations, that we live up to our commitments with them, as well as First Nations.” The liquefied natural gas is expected to sail out of Kitimat from the LNG Canada facility starting in 2025. IMAGE: LNG Canada sIte redering. Photo courtesy of LNG Canada/Shell.

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Building On 2018 A Busy Economy Is Exciting and Challenging For The Central Interior

Business Group CEOs Predict 2019

Written by Frank Peebles

Construction, renovation, innovation, solidification - these are the themes that typified the local economy in 2018, setting the region up for a prosperous year ahead. Forecasts are not always so rosy. It was only 10 years ago that the entire globe was gasping for economic air when the tumble of the U.S. banking industry and housing market caused a domino effect across the entirety of the financial sector. The effect was the worst depression on world economics since the 1930s. Prince George suffered along with the rest of the province, nation, continent. Three of the region’s CEOs in closest touch with the industry and trades portfolios have a much more bullish outlook on current times. Joel McKay of the Northern Development Initiative Trust, Todd Corrigall of the Prince George Chamber of Commerce and Scott Bone of the Northern Regional Construction Association took turns outlining their views of the 2018 that was and the 2019 they see ahead. “The economy in B.C. remained strong through 2018, and although much of the growth we’ve seen has been centered in the southern regions of the province, some significant infrastructure projects such as Site C and AltaGas’ propane export terminal in Prince Ru-

pert spurred activity in the north,” said McKay. Bone said it was a plentiful year in all three construction sub-sectors: industrial, commercial, and institutional. “The opportunities have come thick and fast, as have the challenges, all largely due to a complex political and economic environment shaped by local and international forces,” said Bone. “With the recent announcement of LNG Canada to spend $46 billion dollars, all eyes will be on northern B.C. to capture the many procurement and employment opportunities this project has to offer.” Corrigall said the money wasn’t just being handed over in the form of easy and plentiful jobs. Advocacy was required, because hurdles are in place that will only be removed by local effort. “With historic investment from the LNG industry in B.C., we will see increased traffic throughout our region, on infrastructure which needs to be properly funded,” he said, as one example. “The provincial government eliminated tolls for Lower Mainland commuters, ensuring that all of B.C. is now saddled with the bill. We will be advocating for increased road improvements to northern routes.” The three agreed that economic forecasts looked promising, but their jobs required of them to be realistic about the inevitable challenges. Problems and opportunities arrive together. Story continued on page 16

In 2018 we were able to create greater connections with our elected officials, and those representing other political parties and regions.

Todd Corrigall, CEO, Prince George Chamber of Commerce. Photo from pgchamber.bc.ca

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a firm believer, that the answers we seek in our ongoing drive to strengthen the economy in Northern B.C. are here in Northern B.C.

Joel McKay, CEO, Northern Development Initiative Trust. Photo from northerndevelopment.bc.ca

The opportunities have come thick and fast, as have the challenges, all largely due to a complex political and economic environment.

Scott Bone, CEO, Northern Regional Construction Association. Photo from nrca.ca

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Story continued from page 14

“One of the consistent themes we saw across the north in 2018 was the shortage of workers needed across an array of industries, echoing the relatively low unemployment rate for the region and the demographic shift that’s underway with Baby Boomer retirements,” McKay pointed out. “Evidence of a strong economy was certainly felt in Prince George in 2018, where building permit values hit record highs, and, on the qualitative side, we heard more and more stories of new people moving to the city from the south thanks to Prince George’s relative affordability and career opportunities. “Still,” McKay cautioned, “not all things were positive in 2018. Summer wildfires, for the second year in a row, negatively impacted the economy, most notably in the forestry and tourism sectors. As well, the long-expected impacts of the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic are being felt in communities throughout the north as forestry companies struggle to manage a reduction in fibre supply. Forest-dependent communities (are caught in a transition period) to a new reality of lower fibre supply, forcing them to seek new economic development opportunities while working to ensure important services are delivered to residents.” Corrigall said that, “from a business perspective, we saw some new challenges come forward in 2018. Whether it be new taxes or fees, businesses have been saddled with changes at the provincial level. A great deal of (Chamber of Commerce) focus was put towards the budget and what those impacts would look like. While some have seen the direct implications of those changes, the brunt of that will be felt in 2019. Whether that be double dipping with MSP and the Employers Health Tax (EHT), or the speculation tax.” Bone echoed McKay’s observation about the labour pinch being felt by industry and trades companies of all size, and he echoed Corrigall’s concerns about the state of provincial policies. “Emerging issues are plentiful -- steel and aluminum tariffs, small business taxes, Community Benefits Agreements, deteriorating public procurement practices, and lack of prompt payment legislation in B.C. to name a few –

but according to employers, the number one thereof. issue is still the overarching shortage of skilled Diversification is certainly a key element to workers,” Bone said. “In a 2018 industry surwrestle with, to ensure resource-focused comvey 68 per cent of employers – regardless of munities have more employment sustainability labour affiliation -- say finding skilled workers than mills and mines. is their biggest challenge. In addition to the Government policies are another matter. Some hunt for tradespeople, they can’t find enough of those present bright opportunities but othtrained and experienced managers to replace ers look more like storm clouds in the eyes of the old guard that’s retiring. northern proponents. “Interestingly,” Bone added, “in the same That will require firm, evidence-based input survey, many of B.C.’s skilled tradespeople from this region’s economic voices, said Coridentified an ‘old school mentality’ as a probrigall. lem they experience, with this theme running “In 2018 we were able to create greater through their concerns about diversity and the connections with our elected officials, and adoption of technology.” those representing other political parties and There are counterpoints, of course. The labour regions. We arranged tours and visits with shortage, especially among the skilled trades members to discuss current and emerging isprofessions, is a result of a lot of work going sues, aligning their needs with those in power. on. We look forward to “Looking forward, enhancing these opWe’ll continue to the positive investportunities in 2019,” ment decision for the Chamber boss work hard to forge LNG Canada will said. “Finally, we partnerships throughout support growth in anticipate 2019 will the coming years be a strong year for the north that help across the north,” advocacy on behalf strengthen our region McKay predicted. of our members. We as whole, acting as a “Things are lookknow there will be ing up for the catalyst for development one election in 2019, mining sector as but there could be a opportunities. well, with stronger second. It is impor– Joel McKay, CEO, Northern steel-making coal tant for our issues Development INitiative Trust prices supporting to be communicated reopened mines in to those running to the northeast and serve our communistronger commodity prices driving up interest ties. We achieve this through direct advocacy in exploration activities. work, and aligning ourselves and our mem“A number of capital projects are also slated bers with the BC Chamber of Commerce and to occur in the north in the coming years, Canadian Chamber of Commerce.” including new hospitals, schools, highway “Most importantly, we’ll continue to work projects and an expansion at the Port of Prince hard to forge partnerships throughout the Rupert,” McKay continued. “These activities north that help strengthen our region as coupled with a retiring workers will make whole, acting as a catalyst for development workforce attraction and retention initiatives opportunities,” said McKay. “For our part, a top priority for industry, small business and the trust will continue to focus on ensuring the public sector in the coming years.” we’re responsibly stewarding our capital base Unlocking these problems is a problem, but to ensure there’s new funding available each a good problem to have, each of these CEOs year to support crucial community initiaimplied, because the issues are largely in tives that strengthen local area economies response to economic activity not the lack and our region as a whole. That means our

programs must continue to be responsive, accessible and inclusive so that communities, business and not-for-profit groups – no matter their size – can look to us for assistance with their economic development initiatives. We’ll continue to be focussed on assisting to address the digital divide in the north through the delivery of the Connecting BC high speed internet access program, as well as providing innovation funding for our core industries through our Northern Industries Innovation Fund. On the community development side, our infrastructure, capacity building and internship programs will be mainstays that provide the funding and people needed in small communities to get projects done and fill succession gaps.” Bone said “There are many bright spots ahead: important projects such as LNG Canada’s recent announcement, investments in social housing, local government infrastructure, and green building, and a booming provincial economy projecting a $1.35-billion surplus.” The construction association, he added, will be busy internally to put the building projects of the region, and the builders who turn them into reality, are actively served. “In 2019 NRCA is expanding its suite of health and well-being services like the Employee Benefits Trust to include Employee Retirement Savings Program and a Retirement Benefit Plan for the construction workforce. Co-funded by the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training, NRCA is an industry partner including LNG Canada, the Industry Training Authority, and WorkSafe BC on a new project to improve retention of women in B.C.’s construction trades. The details of this new Construction Workforce Equity Project are coming in the new year. A highlight will be the availability of human resources advisors to employers looking for assistance in managing diversity.” “I’m a firm believer,” said McKay, hitting on a theme all three CEOs radiated, “that the answers we seek in our ongoing drive to strengthen the economy in northern B.C. are here in Northern B.C. – we must only work together to find them and make them a reality.”

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PG AIRPORT HITS

New Heights

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Written by Frank Peebles

It was a record-breaking year for the Prince George Airport. As the largest and most interconnected air traffic facility in the north, the fortunes of YXS often reflect the fortunes of the surrounding region. This year, for the first time, their gates were passed by more than a half-million passengers - 506,486 passengers to be precise.

Story continued on page 18

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Story continued from page 17

In excess of 28 businesses, with over 200 employees, work from the airport, including charter and helicopter companies, aircraft maintenance providers, and government agencies. – John Gibson, YXS President and CEO

Citizen photo by James Doyle.

“This is the first time the airport has exceeded 500,000 passengers in its 77 years of operation at the current site,” said YXS president and CEO John Gibson. “Prince George Airport’s passenger growth is an indication of the economic strength and importance of our area. We have been growing steadily and are continuing to rehabilitate and improve the airport to best serve the higher volume of passengers.” The new benchmark is especially exciting considering the influx of passengers through the airport in 2015 when the city hosted the 2015 Canada Winter Games. Despite that unusual bubble in the statistics, Prince George leapt above those rare numbers almost immediately. One year later, the stats nearly met the influx numbers, and they were easily surpassed the next two years in a row. Recent passenger volumes (includes arrivals, departures, connections): 2018 506,486 2017 499,125 2016 462,007 2015 470,849 (Canada Winter Games) 2014 445,929 “Four airlines offer scheduled services between 12 destinations including Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria and (seasonally) Puerto Vallarta from the Prince George Airport,” said Gibson. “In excess of 28 businesses with over 200 employees work from the airport, including charter and helicopter companies, aircraft maintenance providers, and government agencies.” Since the airport’s administration was transferred from the federal government to the Prince George Airport Authority in 2003, several major infrastructure projects have been completed, including expanding the departure lounge and baggage handling area, adding the international arrivals wing and services, significant runway extension (YXS is home to the third-longest runway in Canada) and tarmac rehabilitation. In that time, passenger numbers increased from 339,858 to 506,486. There have also been major upscaling in the abilities of the Prince George Airport to handle freight. The airport authority is an independent not for profit organization, governed by a board of directors appointed from the community, and operating on the traditional territory of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation.

Prince George Airport Passenger Volume by year 2018

506,486

2017

499,125

2016

462,007

2015

470,849

2014

445,929

2013

426,709

2012

418,589

2011

402,438

2010

390,340

2009

376,030

2008

417,484

2007

407,300

2006

394,407

2005

376,289

2004

340,397

2003

339,858

2002

325,522

2001

362,087

2000

393,397

1999

352,866

1998

323,030

1997

312,303

1996

304,481

1995

284,342

1994

272,298

1993

240,723

1992

243,266

1991

241,413

1990

280,726

1989

243,912

Thursday, January 31, 2019

www.pgcitizen.cA

Water Fight Why Was Mega-Sprinkler Not Used On Wildfires?

Written by Frank Peebles

It was a hot summer. Some of that heat was the roar of forest fires. Some of that heat was the roar of anger over how the fires were fought. The firefighters themselves were celebrated then as heroes and their smoky, sooty reputations are still just as sterling, but management practices raised ire that has not subsided in many communities where homes were lost and stress was felt at once-in-a-lifetime levels. The hottest spot for that community backlash was the Southside - a community south of Francois Lake, north of Ootsa Lake and west of Fraser Lake. Other than resource roads through the bush, the only way in or out is across the Francois Lake ferry, and that became a choke point for people trying to help, trying to flee, trying to protect, and trying to understand why authorities seemed to be in

their way at every turn. The anger was already feverish when the fires got out of control in the first place, it was fanned when some area residents felt levels of government were forcing them out of the threatened communities, and it boiled over into open protest when a multi-million-dollar industrial sprinkler system sat unused for days as the fires burned ever larger and then the word got heard that the system was being sent home by the BC Wildfire service without a single squirt being spit. A community rally of more than 100 people blocked the path of the trucks owned by Safeguard, an industrial safety company based in Fort St. John. They were the private owneroperators of the super-powered sprinklers. They were hired, as in previous years, by BC Wildfire to come set up a wall of water up to 10 kilometres long to protect structures and halt the advance of the flames. The protesters did not block the tractor-trailers from leaving, out of respect for the next community that may need them, but they let their rage erupt with words like “abandoned” and “betrayed” spewed at the authorities.

The protesters were unsure to whom their anger should be directed. There was an estimated $20-million worth of firefighting equipment going unused. Was that due to orders from the BC Wildfire Service, or was it due to doubletalk on the part of Safeguard owner Jeff Kelly. Kim Janowsky was the incident commander for the Southside fires the day the trucks were sent home dry. He said they wanted to use the equipment on the Southside but he was told it couldn’t handle the landscape conditions over there. The one place they tried to factor it in was to be a water shield for a prescribed burn to counterattack the Verdun Fire threatening the most populace communities in the vicinity of the Takaysie Lake Resort. “It would then give us an upper hand to be able to safeguard the fire from heading towards the north and east in the Grassy PlainsDanskin areas. It would be a really helpful tool to put water on the area in preparation for our (protective back-burning) ignition operations,” Janowsky said. “We deferred to him (Kelly) as the expert with his system. We don’t know his system.

PHOTO ABOVE: Aaron Gerow, equipment operator for the Cheslatta Carrier Nation, helps set a fireguard during the Southside firestorm this past summer near Ootsa and Francois Lakes. Photo courtesy Cheslatta Carrier Nation.

We’ve used it a little bit in the past, but we don’t know his system; he knows it very well. We asked him to go along on a field reconnaissance and look at the site, an area where we felt we could use his equipment. Over a period of three and a half to four hours, it was determined that he wouldn’t be able to put his equipment into operation, and that determination was made by him, not by us.” Why? The system is a series of pumps that suck large amounts of water into a sequence of hoses that are fitted with high-power, highvolume sprinklers that super-soak their immediate area. The Southside is the heart of the Lakes District - a moniker derived from the staggering abundance of lakes in that small area. Story continued on page 20

www.pgcitizen.ca | Thursday, January 31, 2019

Story continued from page 17 “He had a lot of restrictions or a lot of inability for his equipment to do things in the bush that we needed it to be able to do,” said Janowsky. “The setup was quite an arduous task. Looking at it, we gave him a paved road that was on one perimeter of the fire. We’ve given him a water source that was in proximity to that paved road. We thought it was an opportunity for him to show us what his equipment could do, but because of the amount of water that he needed, he determined that the water source we had identified was not going to be adequate for his equipment.” That body of water was, Janowsky estimated, two to three hectares in size and deep enough that the firefighting helicopters were able to bucket water from it for dumping on the flames. “When he saw the amount of water available and the amount of rise he would have to draw from to bring the water up to his system, he just said it wasn’t going to be workable.” Janowsky said Kelly was along in person for the exploration trip, and it was Kelly who detailed the system’s inabilities. “His trucks don’t go on machined guards (land cleared by heavy equipment), they have a difficult time on any gravel or forest service roads, so he is already limited in what he can and can’t do. He’s limited by the amount of

rise, as to how far he can pump uphill, based on his pumping capabilities. So honestly it was him telling us that where we had wanted him to set up, that he wouldn’t be able to do the work.” Kelly rebutted that version of events. “That is absolutely false. I never said that (there was no way to deploy at the Babine complex). It’s lakes country. Of course we can find all kinds of water sources. Of course we can pump uphill. We had 23 12-inch pumps, some of them as much as 630 horsepower. We can move a lot of water uphill. There was a lot of potential there.” The one and only issue with the spots BC Wildfire took him to see, he said, was the amount of water at the sites. He needs a lake. The fires in that area were amidst one of the greatest concentration of lakes in the entire province. “When we were deployed to the Babine Lake complex fires, we were given two small ponds to assess, with a guide from BC Wildfire,” Kelly said. “We can’t pump out of ponds. These are 12-inch pumps with 12-inch lines that are feeding 120 water cannons that pump as much as 1,250 gallons each, so we need some water to make this happen. We charge up our lines and then wait until they are needed, so it’s not as much as you might think, but we definitely need more than a pond that’s three feet high and 50 to 70 feet wide.

PHOTO: Sprinkler cannon operated by Safeguard for forest fire control. Photo courtesy Safeguard.

“With vertical elevation we just keep adding pumps. It’s a formula called Total Dynamic Head. As we go up a certain distance, we add another pump. It’s not uncommon to plumb as many as 20 of these pumps together to go over small mountains. So, moving water uphill is no issue. The pumps can very easily be deployed with either a pickup or a skid-steer loader, backed into a water source. We don’t need flat ground.” So the big question among residents, then, is why weren’t you shown more sites? “In a perfect world it would have been nice to be left alone to do our own evaluation and make our recommendation according to BC Wildfire where the most hazard exists, because it is lakes country, and we probably would have come up with 100 different deployment options for them. And then that could be calculated into the weather forecast as well as the current fire activity. But we weren’t given that opportunity. We were given a very short guided tour by a person who was very busy fighting the fire right on the fire’s edge and couldn’t really focus a day or two in advance of what it takes to truck everything in and set it up. Once we told the incident commander, Pete Lang, that this deployment (the suggested ponds) was not going to work because of the lack of water, he very quickly packed everything up and headed home rather than allowing us to do assessments.” Fraser Lake was concurrently under imminent fire threat. The town itself, two First Nations communities, and a number of rural neighbourhoods were all under threat, with that ample lake as a backdrop to it all - enough water to use the system without a second thought.

“For 2017, we mapped out dozens of deployments and we eventually ended up being allowed to deploy on Elephant Hill (one of the most critical fires in B.C. history),” said Kelly, looking back at the year before. “We have been constantly sending BC Wildfire potential deployment maps throughout this season. It’s hard not to find an application for our systems, because not only do we deploy this water curtain, which can be broken into seven different smaller units that are capable of one- to one-and-a-half-kilometre deployments, times seven, but the second thing we can do is pump water to firefighters. We could have filled tanks for them as well, to use water in different areas. There were many different opportunities, but we weren’t asked. “Our system is by far the least expensive way of delivering water currently available for BC Wildfire,” he said, adding that the greatest expense had already been paid by the B.C. taxpayer, which was assembling the components from their various locations in B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan and shipping it all to the fire site - 54 people and 29 rigs. Once they were in the Central Interior, he said, setting up and turning on the water was costnegligible. The provincial government already made efforts to say the winter months would be a period of deep reflection on how forest fire fighting would be done in the future. Premier John Horgan called the recent years’ pattern of more, faster, bigger, hotter fires to be signs of a “new normal” in the B.C. environment and in need of a new approach. Part of the off-season assessments might be how to better use equipment and interact with communities when the heat is on.

Thursday, January 31, 2019

www.pgcitizen.cA

Written by Frank Peebles

Industry and Trades Skills For

Aboriginal Teens

In other circumstances they might have fallen back, or been left behind, but instead they were the first. Twenty Aboriginal teenagers were drummed into the Canfor Theatre at UNBC and took turns waving at their families in celebration and graduation. Instead of a single diploma, they were bestowed with a handful of certificates that mapped out the past six weeks of their lives, living and learning in the wilderness near Prince George. They were the first ever cohort of the Outland Youth Employment Program (OYEP) West, an Ontario-based youth development agency that has now come to B.C. “Everyone is going home with this immense stack of paper - real certificates for real work done,” said Hamish Black, OYEP West’s supervisor. He lamented that it’s too bad there was no certificate that could capture the personal growth each of these youth underwent, and that went for the seven program leaders as well. PHOTO: Participant of the Outland Youth Employment Program West. Photo courtesy of Outland Youth Employment Program.

Story continued on page 22

www.pgcitizen.ca | Thursday, January 31, 2019

training, WHMIS certification, basic first aid, and tree planting experience, among other “We all came feeling alone and no one would modules to prepare them for entry-level work like us, and we would miss our families,” said in a range of locally relevant industries. It was Catherine Thomas, co-valedictorian along with an early leg up towards careers in their home Pauline Tom. “We found out that we were our territories, across Canada, or beyond. own little family.” “Derek saw this opportunity to do something They came from a wide range of places and important to really help people in a meaningFirst Nations. The 20 were connected to the ful, long-term way, without having to reinvent Halfway River, Fort Nelson, West Moberly, the wheel. The model was already up and Tl’azt’en, Nakazdli, Takla, Metis, Nadleh running, we just had to bring it to B.C.,” said Wuten, Esk’etemc, McLeod Lake, Lake Babine, Carrier Lumber company president Bill KordyWet’soweten and Ts’il Kaz Koh cultures. ban. “We have this need for skilled labour in They came together due to a persistent effort our industries across the north, and you have by Carrier Lumber’s business development these kids available right in our communities, manager Derek Orr to bring the OYEP model but for a long long time, the way circumto this region. Orr first convinced his comstances were for Aboriginal kids, they were pany to be the first investor in the summer going this way (gestures wide to the left) and school, and then he set to work attracting employment opother companies portunities were and agencies to going that way The youth got chainsaw join the mission. (gestures far to About 30 did so, operations training, brush-saw the right). How mostly from the training, WHMIS certification, do you bridge natural resource that? How do industrial sector basic first aid, and tree you close that since the learngap for Abplanting experience, among ing was focused original kids and on land-based other modules to prepare bring people and trades. them for entry-level work in opportunities The youth got together? Derek a range of locally relevant chainsaw opspotted a way.” erations trainindustries. As the camp ing, brush-saw Story continued from page 21

leaders and the youth took turns expressing their experiences and their breadth of learning, both practically and emotionally, the sponsors of OYEP West admitted to feeling moved beyond their expectations. “Your hands are sore from clapping, your face is sore from smiling, your heart is two sizes bigger, and I just want to cry - and I just met you all - from feeling so, so proud of you all,” said Enbridge representative Catherine Pennington. “I know this might affect my job, but I’m going to go on record right here and say next year, we are in. Put us down for another year.” Orr said the plan was to expand OYEP West to include a second year of deeper development for returning students, but in the short term he hoped to have a few of the inaugural class come back next year as leaders for the new set in 2019. The interest expressed by the sponsor companies and the northern First Nations indicated to him that it is already a program they can repeat next summer. “What I loved was how everybody who started the program completed the program,” said Orr. “For many of those kids, it was their first

PHOTO: Participants of the Outland Youth Employment Program West. Photo courtesy of Outland Youth Employment Program.

of a lot of things, the first time away from their families, their first time facing challenges on their own, their first time having to form a team with people don’t know, and there is strength in those lessons learned as well as the practical course work.” These 20 youth are now, whether they realized it or not, leaders in their peer groups all over the north. They are also, whether they realized it or not, ambassadors for the workforce of tomorrow. When the BC Natural Resources Forum was held this January, one of the event’s internal charities was the OYEP program. This platform allowed Western Canada’s industrialists, resource-connected government officials, First Nations and small business operators to contribute towards future OYEP summers, and also spread the word about this new skills training, life-building direction for northern youth.

Building A New Benchmark Prince George Construction Hits All-Time High • New construction of Kelly Road Secondary School: $28.3 million; • Parkade next to city hall: $12.9 million; • Apartment building in College Heights Those who swing hammers, (Building B): $6.7 million; • Apartment building in College Heights set steel, pour concrete, string (Building A): $5.9 million; cable and wire, connect pipe • Renovation at UHNBC: $5.2 million; and all the other elements of • Federated Co-Operatives Ltd. New Bulk Plant (BCR Industrial Park): $3.5 million; construction had their tool belts • Addition to show lounge at Treasure full this past year. Cove Casino: $3 million; • New multi-family development (3rd Permits for a record-setting $186.4 million Ave): $2.6 million; worth or work were taken out during 2018, • New multi-family development (Vanier according to year-end numbers from Prince Drive): $1.6 million; George City Hall. • New single-family dwelling (West): $1.6 The total surpasses the previous mark of million. $147.9 million reached in 2007 by nearly $40 “This is an all-time record for the city and a million or 26 per cent. That mark was actually large piece of the development over the last surpassed in the fall, with significant construc- four years, which will likely exceed $600 miltion still added during the autumn months. lion and is really driven by the private sector At $156.5 million, private sector investment and that’s pretty important for us because accounts for 84 per cent. That also surpasses it shows a lot of confidence in the economy the previous record of $121.6 million, set in here,” said Prince George mayor Lyn Hall. 2016, by nearly $35 Hall said even million or 29 per though the city didn’t cent. A high number have anything to do Residential construcwith the latest School indicates an increase in tion also set a new District 57 project, record at $114.4 construction activity and the construction of million, breaking the new Kelly Road related employment, the previous record Secondary School, it of $76.4 million in as well as other direct is still really big for 2017 by about $38 the city. and indirect economic million, a 50 per cent The mayor’s office increase. at city hall overlooks benefits. In total, the city isthe construction site sued 438 residential for the new condobuilding permits, which include permits for minium complex, giving Hall a bird’s-eye view renovations and new construction. of a project he hopes transform downtown. In total, the number of building permits issued “Changing the face of downtown – we haven’t rose from in 455 in 2016 to 515 in 2018 and seen any development like this for decades,” the number of new multi-family permits rose Hall said. “The Park House condo developfrom one in 2016 to 33 in 2018. ment is something that I really think will be “Traditionally, the value of building permits is the driving force behind more commercial an important measure of economic progress,” and retail development downtown. We need the city said in a press release. “A high number people to live downtown. There’s lots hapindicates an increase in construction activpening on the other side of Victoria Street ity and related employment, as well as other but when you get on the downtown side, we direct and indirect economic benefits.” needed residential living downtown to create The top 10 projects for 2018 in terms of build- a community and that’s what Park House ing permit value are as follows (figures are development will do.” rounded up to the nearest $100,000): Written by Frank Peebles (With files by Mark Nielsen and Christine Hinzmann)

Thursday, January 31, 2019