From The Leg: Busy times in Victoria
November MLA Report The Legislature has begun the fall sitting so I am back in Victoria until the end of November. As Opposition, it is our job to use question period to take the NDP government to task on its policies and political decisions especially in the areas of taxes and jobs. The policy of allowing only specific unions...
Proposed Boundary Integrated Watershed Service referenda passes
A ballot question to Boundary region voters proposed during Saturday’s municipal election passed said by a narrow margin the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary said in a media release. The question: Are you in favour of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary adopting Bylaw No. 1678, 2018 establishing a service for the...
RDKB recognized as climate action leader
The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary has been recognized by the joint Provincial-UBCM Green Communities Committee (GCC) as a climate leader for achieving Level 3, the second highest level in a four-level program toward becoming fully carbon neutral. Level 3 recognition means the RDKB has accelerated its progress on...
Column -- From the Hill: Climate change urgency
Last week I became a grandfather for the first time. Politicians are fond of talking about what kind of future we will leave our grandchildren, but I can now say that having a grandchild sharpens that perspective dramatically. On Thanksgiving Monday, two news headlines jumped out at me, both dealing with our path to a...
Penticton SPCA overrun with cats
The BC SPCA has been coping with a massive intake of cats and kittens right across the province, including 111 cats surrendered to the BC SPCA’s South Okanagan Similkameen Branch in Penticton. “A total of 111 cats and kittens came in from the same owner, at a location in the 3600-block of Airport Road in Penticton,” says...
Satellite fire hall under construction in Kettle Valley
In a media release, the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) said construction of a new satellite fire hall in Rock Creek is now fully underway. The RDKB said the foundation has been poured, the walls are framed and the roof should be on by early October, depending upon weather. The Regional District of Kootenay...
Billing relief offered to FortisBC customers
Customers who were forced from their homes by flood or fire will not be charged for energy used while not at home thanks to billing relief being provided by FortisBC. There were 2,623 gas and electric customers under evacuation order due to this year’s floods and wildfires and they will be receiving a bill credit that accounts...
Open burning now allowed in Boundary
BC Wildfire said in a media release that Category 3 open fires are again permitted in the Boundary Fire Zone. Campfires and Category 2 open burning are already allowed in the Boundary Fire Zone and throughout the Southeast Fire Centre's jurisdiction. Anyone wishing to light a Category 3 open fire must obtain a burn registration...
Burning of wood piles planned near Grand Forks
The BC Wildfire Service is planning to burn about 100 piles of wood debris near the Copper Ridge subdivision, north of Grand Forks. These controlled burns could start as early as Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, and continue until the end of October, weather permitting. Groups of these piles will be lit in sequence as weather and...
From The Leg: Cannabis legalization top issue
The Legislature will resume sitting in Victoria on October 1st. As this is a continuation of the spring session there will be no Ceremonial Speech from the Throne. There are many issues that will be debated between now and December but I am sure the Cannabis legalization on October 17th will be number one on everyone’s minds....
