What's been happening in the North Peace this summer
Apologies for slacking off and not keeping up with the Week in Review – I’ve been using the weekends to keep up with my garden and brand-new monster greenhouse which my husband and kids built for my birthday . . . and I should be good for the next five birthdays! Last year the weeds got away on me, and it was horrible. This year, I’m aiming for only plants with purpose in the garden. Right now, I’m waiting for my soggy garden to dry off a little so I can weed the corn.
So today, I’m bringing you a round-up of the Top Stories based on the number of views in The Broken Typewriter from June and July!
The top story of the summer so far, is also one of the most recent – former Mayor Steve Thorlakson was awarded the Freedom of the City in a private ceremony at City Hall on July 15. Thorlakson, with the invaluable assistance of the council and city staff, laid the foundation needed to turn Fort St. John from an ugly, financially unstable municipality to one which is not only on sound financial footing, but has infrastructure and amenities worthy of a vibrant, energetic city. Thorlakson was also one of the prime movers behind getting the provincial government to create the Fair Share Agreement, which enabled the city to pay for the infrastructure upgrades residents enjoy today.
Independent MLA Jordan Kealy topped the news in June, when he launched his own mini-audit of healthcare in Peace River North, and sought constituents’ feedback on their experiences accessing healthcare from Northern Health.
Kealy continued to make headlines when he chose not to join the new OneBC Party formed by MLAs Dallas Brodie and Tara Armstrong, opting instead to continue serving as an independent.
“I believe I can best serve my constituents by staying rooted in the local issues that matter most – whether it’s infrastructure, economic development, healthcare access or supporting our rural communities,” Kealy said.
He hasn’t ruled out conversation and collaboration with the new party, but said: “For now, I remain committed to doing the job I was elected to do – standing up for Peace River North and delivering strong, independent representation in the Legislature.”
The City of Fort St. John proposed a tax exemption bylaw pilot project in an effort to spur investment in, and revitalize the city’s downtown. The proposed bylaw would allow the city to waive property taxes on new development on empty downtown lots for up to five years.
The pilot bylaw applies only to the former Fort Hotel location at the corner of 100 Street and 100 Avenue, but there are two more large vacant spaces, also former hotel sites that could benefit from such a bylaw, if the pilot proves successful. One of these sites, where the Frontier Hotel once stood at the corner of 102 Street and 100 Avenue, has been vacant since the hotel burned down in 1980.
Council is set to adopt the bylaw during its regular meeting July 28 at 3 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall.
Despite Prime Minister Mark Carney’s assurances that his government will focus on “nation-building” projects which will make Canada “an energy superpower”, following the First Ministers meeting in June, BC Premier David Eby was still vehemently opposed to an oil pipeline from Alberta through BC to Prince Rupert. Such a pipeline would allow Canada to expand trade in oil to markets other than the United States, but Eby remained firmly against it.
High temperatures and strong winds fanned the flames of several wildfires in northeastern BC in early June, but thankfully much needed rain arrived to assist fire fighters in their endeavours. Agricultural meteorologist Drew Lerner says that the drought which has plagued the region causing both hardship to farmers and exacerbating the wildfire situation will soon be over, as the 22-year solar cycle came to an end in August 2024.
The business case for the third house at Peace Villa Residential Care facility has finally been approved by the provincial government, more than a decade after the facility opened. Save Our Northern Seniors (SONS) members have been working diligently since 2012 to get the third house, which was included in the original plans.
“The long-term vision for the third house, or third pod as they’re calling it has always been there. It’s a matter of when they were going to do it. We’ve been advocating that for a number of years, when Jean Leahy was the president. And we’ve been wanting to have the third house because we told them the day that Peace Villa opened, that it was going to be full and have a waiting list,” SONS president Margaret Little said.
The number of cannabis retailers in the downtown core has caused concern from local residents, so much so that the city wrote to the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) seeking clarification as to why there seems to be limits placed only on the number of liquor stores in a community, not cannabis stores.
“It came down to that they don’t have a numbered amount that you’re allowed to have in your community, but they do have a numbered amount that one owner can own, that number is eight,” Councillor Tony Zabinsky said at the June 23 council meeting.
“So unfortunately, they don’t have regulations in place presently that states you can only have three or five in your area.”
The cannabis market controls are currently being reviewed by the LCRB, and one of the things they are considering is distance criteria.
Finally, every week local financial planner Brad Brain brings his years of financial experience and knowledge to The Broken Typewriter in his column, Smart Money. Over the last few weeks, he has discussed how real frauds can seem and how to steer clear of them, financial planning for young adults, the pitfalls of failing to plan, and how time waits for no one, so early planning saves a scramble later in life.