Grand Forks home owners will see an average increase of $32.10 in taxes for 2012, while business rates continue to drop as council worked to balance their budget last Monday. Bylaw options for tax increases were laid out by chief financial officer Cecile Arnott at council's regular meeting May 7. Arnott walked council through...

Vibrant communities make up the fabric of British Columbia. From large urban centres to small rural towns, B.C.’s strength is defined by the strength of its communities. Healthy communities are an essential foundation to ensure the continued social, economic and cultural growth of the province as a whole. Despite the fact...

The BC New Democrat candidate in Boundary-Similkameen is showing her motivation and determination by running for office – literally. Marji Basso, a two term town councillor for Oliver, will be running a four-day 160 kilometer (KM) marathon across her constituency as a way to raise awareness of the diversity in her constituency,...

First Nations Summit leaders are speaking out in support of the Musqueam Nation in their continuing fight to protect the remains of their ancestors located on the former Musqueam village site C̓əsnaʔəm, now known as the Marpole Midden.   The Musqueam Nation has been engaged in discussions with the City of Vancouver and the ...

The economic development committee’s proposal to re-allocate $30,000 in funding set for building entrance signs to the City of Grand Forks was squashed and sent back to the committee by council at their last meeting. The proposal, brought forward by councillor Gary Smith, was to move half of the total $60,000 set aside by...

Council members gearing up for a fundraiser to support the victims of the recent hotel fires, Whispers of Hope appeals for funding to shore up their operational costs, and the RCMP reports a steady decline in crime last year, an interesting mix of business for Grand Forks council’s last meeting. Staff Sergeant Jim Harrison ...

Open letter to Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations: I would like to bring to your attention the discrepancies between government statements, data and views of communities as they relate to the option of logging in forest reserves within the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic area. Two of the common Community...

Bob Dylan wrote the lyrics; Peter, Paul and Mary recorded it in the early 1960s and I, coming of age as a young civil rights supporter and believer,  always found the song "Blowin' In The Wind" as evocative, emotional and energizing as the fight for equality and social justice took hold in the U.S. and Canada, including the...

Until this year, the purpose of the annual Canadian federal budget was to project government revenues, lay out spending priorities and forecast economic conditions for the upcoming year. Reading Budget 2012, announced last week by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, it soon becomes clear that this government has no intention of ...

IntegrityBC congratulates NDP leader Adrian Dix for renewing the BC NDP's call for a ban on corporate and union donations to political parties in the province. Dix is honouring the pledge that the NDP made in its 2009 platform. Dix made the call during a media scrum last Wednesday while responding to questions over the annual...