Burns Lake prepares for impeding shortfall in timber supply - July 6, 2016
The Village of Burns Lake and the Burns Lake Community Forest (BLCF) are preparing for an impending shortfall to the volumes of timber supply in the Burns Lake area.
“It should be no surprise and is no secret that the shelf life of the dead pine is coming to an end, and for some it has been a surprise that it has lasted as long as it has,” said Frank Varga, general manager of BLCF.
In 2020, the annual allowable cut of the BLCF is expected to drop to 63,000 cubic metres.
The Village of Burns Lake plans to look into the implications of a reduction in timber supply. As part of the village’s 2017 municipal objectives, the village plans to form a task force that will assess the impact of a reduction in timber supply to Burns Lake and surrounding areas.
Vivian Tom the new Chief of Wet’suwet’en First Nation - July 13, 2016
Vivian Tom was elected as the new chief of Wet’suwet’en First Nation (WFN) on July 6, 2016. She received a total of 33 votes. Running against her were Maureen Luggi, who received 23 votes, and incumbent Chief Karen Ogen, who also received 23 votes.
Tara Alfred was elected by acclamation as the Broman Lake councillor, and Erwin Tom was also elected by acclamation as the Palling councillor.
A total of 79 ballots were cast. Vivian said the past few years have been hard for her since her daughter, Destiny Rae Tom, was murdered in March 2013. Vivian hadn’t been working due to health issues, but said she had been praying to go back to work. This was Vivian’s fourth attempt at becoming WFN’s new chief.
“I was so surprised,” she said. “My hands got shaky… I ran in previous elections; I never gave up.”
Baker Airport’s runway resurfacing project starts next week - July 20, 2016
Work on the resurfacing project of Baker Airport’s runway is set to begin next week now that the Lakes District Airport Society (LDAS) has received all the necessary funding.
Although Lakes District residents voted in a Feb. 27 referendum to increase their taxes in order to resurface the airport’s runway, there was still a shortfall of $258,000 to complete the project.
Last week, MLA for Nechako Lakes John Rustad delivered a cheque of $552,000 from the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure toward the project.
In addition, over the past few months, the airport has also received $275,000 in federal gas tax funds; $125,000 from the Northern Development Initiative Trust, $200,000 from the Nechako-Kitamaat Development Fund Society; $30,000 from Burns Lake Comfor; $30,000 from TransCanada; $20,000 from LDAS; and approximately $150,000 from the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako’s (RDBN) capital reserve withdraw.
Chinook Community Forest pressures government for FSP approval - Aug. 10, 2016
The board of directors of the Chinook Community Forest, Burns Lake’s newest community forest, is pressuring the provincial government to approve Chinook’s forest stewardship plan (FSP).
Chinook’s FSP was first submitted to the provincial government on April 14, 2015. While the approval process can vary from district to district, Ken Nielson, Chinook’s president, said a reasonable timeframe would be two to four months.
“Chinook has been in discussions with the Nadina district staff on the FSP for over a year and a half and believed that there were continuous delays with the process,” explained Nielson.
The Chinook board recently had a meeting with the district manager of the Nadina Forest District in Burns Lake to discuss the delay. Nielson said the meeting has helped move the process along.
Babine sockeye return lower than anticipated - Aug. 17, 2016
The estimate of sockeye return heading to Babine Lake this year is slightly below the pre-season forecast, according to Lake Babine Nation (LBN).
While the pre-season sockeye return forecast was 1.28 million, the estimate that has passed the mouth of the Skeena, heading to Babine Lake, is 1,222,195. A total of 207,008 sockeye have been counted through the Babine fence.
Lake Babine Nation Chief Wilf Adam said he hopes the sockeye is simply “late” this year.
According to Donna Macintyre, fisheries director for LBN, it is unclear why the sockeye return has been lower than anticipated this year.
“Are the fish late? We shall have to wait and see,” she said. “We do know that the Skeena is at the lowest level in record and temperature is high.”
Burns Lake resident prepares for 250-km bike ride to raise money - Aug. 17, 2016
At this time last year, Burns Lake resident Linda Saugstad was walking with two canes while she recovered from a hip replacement surgery.
The 67-year-old is now preparing for a 250-km ride from Vancouver to Seattle to raise money for cancer research.
Saugstad has been practicing every day at 5:30 a.m., right before she goes to work at A&W, where she works full time as a manager. Just last week, she rode her bike from Burns Lake to Fraser Lake, and the week before she went from Burns Lake to Houston.
The reason she will be doing the ride to conquer cancer is because she’s been personally touched by cancer. She not only had cancer herself at the age of 32, but she’s also lost her husband to cancer in 2010.
Huckleberry Mine placed on care and maintenance - Sept. 7, 2016
As it had been announced earlier this year, Huckleberry Mine, an open pit copper mine located 88 km from Houston, closed its doors last week.
On Aug. 31, 2016, the mine was placed on care and maintenance, which would allow for a reasonably quick restart in the event that metal prices improve.
The mine had suspended its pit operations in early January, laying off 100 workers in addition to the 20 laid off in December as declining world demand saw copper prices plummet. The remaining 160 workers, plus 44 workers that had been laid off and were called back, were kept on to mill stockpiled ore until all operations shut down.
Approximately 200 workers lost their jobs last week.
Burns Lake mayor Luke Strimbold resigns - Sept. 21, 2016
Burns Lake Mayor Luke Strimbold announced Sept. 15, 2016 he was resigning from office effective immediately.
Strimbold said he made this decision after careful consideration and that he had “mixed emotions.”
“I have sincerely enjoyed the last five years serving as Burns Lake’s mayor,” he said in a statement. “I have appreciated the opportunity to work with so many great people; I have truly learned a lot about service and how important local government is to the well being of our communities.”
Strimbold was first elected to council during a by-election in late 2010, being re-elected as mayor in 2014. Strimbold held the distinction of being the youngest mayor in British Columbia, and the second youngest mayor in Canada.
Cheslatta Carrier signs historic agreement - Sept. 21, 2016
Approximately 200 people gathered by the shore of Cheslatta Lake on Sept. 12, 2016 to welcome B.C. premier Christy Clark, the first premier ever to visit the Southside.
Clark was there to sign a framework agreement between the provincial government and Cheslatta Carrier Nation (CCN), which was designed to help heal historic wounds and shape a better future.
It has been more than 60 years since the Cheslatta people were displaced from their homes and cultural sites to make way for construction of Kenney Dam in northwestern B.C. Over the past 63 years, CCN regularly recover skeletal remains of their ancestors on the lakeshore and estimate that more than 60 Cheslatta graves have been destroyed.
Burns Lake Thrift Shop to nearly double in size - Oct. 5, 2016
The Burns Lake and District Healthcare Auxiliary - the group that runs the Burns Lake Thrift Shop - spent months searching for a bigger location for its thrift shop in Burns Lake.
However, after months of searching and failed attempts, they decided that the best option would be to simply expand the existing building on Fourth Avenue.
Starting next week, approximately 1120 square feet will be added to the back of the existing building. A basement will also be added underneath the new area, but it will be used for storage only.
According to Jeanie Reimer, president of the Burns Lake and District Healthcare Auxiliary, donations have progressively increased over the past five years and there is currently no room to store all the items received.
Councillor Beach resigns to run for mayor - Oct. 12, 2016
Burns Lake residents will not only choose a new mayor in the village’s upcoming by-election, but also a new councillor.
Chris Beach resigned as councillor on Oct. 5 in order to run for mayor.
“It’s been an honour to serve on council and I’ve gained a lot of knowledge about the municipality and the role of mayor,” said Beach. “Former Mayor [Luke] Strimbold was an excellent mentor and I am excited to work with our community on maintaining and strengthening the local economy, expanding partnerships with our local First Nations, and replacing our infrastructure in a fiscally responsible manner.”
“I am thankful for the supportive dialogue that has started since I announced my decision and I look forward to continuing the conversation as I seek the position of mayor of Burns Lake,” he added.
Chief Dan George re-elected - Oct. 26, 2016
Burns Lake Band (BLB) Chief Dan George was re-elected for another four years as chief on Oct. 21, 2016.
He won with a total of 40 votes while candidate Greg Favelle received 29 and Jean Sam received five.
“It feels really good to be re-elected,” he said.
Chief George said that in addition to the new lodge being built in Burns Lake, he is working on two other projects. However, he said it was too soon to discuss them.
Ryan Tibbett was elected as councillor with 37 votes while incumbent Daniel Cunningham was re-elected as councillor with 35.
Debate over bus stops continues - Nov. 2, 2016
In a letter to B.C. Transit, the parent advisory council of William Konkin Elementary School (WKE) asked B.C. Transit to reconsider a proposed bus stop location and bus route in Burns Lake.
As part of the Hwy. 16 action plan, a $5-million plan that will have buses connecting the Hwy. 16 corridor between Prince George and Prince Rupert, B.C. Transit proposes a bus stop near WKE.
“It is imperative that our children be safe and protected; we feel that transit buses travelling through residential areas and stopping near the schools put all our children at risk,” says a letter signed by Shannon Adams, chair of WKE’s parent advisory council. “As a result, the WKE parent advisory council is urging you to reconsider the proposed route and eliminate the route traveling through our residential areas and stopping near our school.”
Talks continue to bring new college to Burns Lake - Nov. 23, 2016
The rural post-secondary education committee (RPEC), created in response to the cutbacks and restructuring at the College of New Caledonia, continues its efforts to bring a new college to Burns Lake.
The committee has been working diligently to create a rural campus of the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT) in Burns Lake. The Aboriginal public post-secondary institute currently has campuses in Merritt and Burnaby.
Ken Tourand, NVIT president, was in the Lakes District on Sept. 26-27, 2016. Tourand and other NVIT representatives met with RPEC and representatives of the six local First Nations groups.
Cathy Ashurst, RPEC member, said NVIT’s visit was “very exciting and a refreshing change.”
Sentencing delivered in Destiny Tom’s case - Nov. 23, 2016
A packed courtroom watched the sentencing hearing of Garrett Steven George in Prince George last week, including dozens of people from Wet’suwet’en First Nation.
George, who has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in relation to the death of Destiny Rae Tom, was sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison. However, he only has eight years and four months left since he received one and a half day credit for each day he has already spent in custody.
Destiny’s mother Vivian Tom, who’s also the Wet’suwe’ten First Nation Chief, said many people in the courtroom disagreed with the sentencing’s length.
“A lot of people were upset, my family was quite upset, they thought that he deserved a lengthier term,” said Vivian.
Norther Gateway pipeline rejected - Dec. 7, 2016
The federal government rejected Enbridge’s controversial Northern Gateway oil pipeline last week.
It’s the final nail in the coffin for the Enbridge project, which was widely considered dead in the face of widespread opposition from northwestern B.C. First Nations as well as the B.C. government.
Enbridge proposed the construction of a 1200-km twin pipeline that would carry diluted bitumen from Alberta’s oilsands to B.C.’s coast, passing directly through Burns Lake.
Lake Babine Nation Chief Wilf Adam, who has been opposed to the project since it was first proposed in 2005, said the announcement was “very good news.”
“I’m very happy about this as it was the wrong project and it was done wrong in the first place,” he said.
Chris Beach elected Burns Lake mayor - Dec. 14, 2016
Former Burns Lake councillor Chris Beach was elected as Burns Lake’s new mayor in the village’s by-election.
Beach received 387 votes while Burns Lake’s former fire chief Jim McBride received 106.
“I’m very excited and honoured to become Burns Lake’s new mayor,” he said. “As mayor of Burns Lake, I will focus on responsible infrastructure replacement, economic development and strengthening First Nations partnerships.”
Michael Riis-Christianson was elected as councillor with 213 votes. Candidate Louise Lacerte received 164 votes; Craig Haizimsque received 60 votes; and Gregory Brown received 51 votes.
Riis-Christianson said it will be an honour to represent the community at the council table.
Autobot Sales donates vehicle for Christmas - Dec. 21, 2016
Burns Lake’s Autobot Sales Inc. is once again boosting the Christmas spirit in Burns Lake with its annual Christmas giveaway.
This year, the car dealership donated a 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo - worth $7900 - to Albert Hill and Tara Hill, from Fraser Lake. The couple, who raise five children and did not have a car before, were nominated by two different people.
After Autobot Sales shared their photo on Facebook, the post was seen by thousands of people, shared dozens of times and received dozens of comments of support.
“I was shocked,” said Tara, not being able to contain her tears. “We had a lot of support.”