News Influencing Decision Makers in Northern BC
PRINCE GEORGE
Ann Marie Hak
Ann Marie Hak is joining the Northern BC Tourism Association as a marketing coordinator.
The Prince George Chamber of Commerce is hosting their Political Breakfast with MP Todd Doherty on August 16th at the Marriott sponsored by TC Energy/Coastal GasLink. Join them for a morning of networking and engaging discussions with a prominent advocate for mental health and suicide prevention. Doors open at 7:30 am, don’t miss out. Register for the event on the chamber website; prices are $30 for members and $45 for non-members.
The Hotel Association of Canada has unveiled its new website, which features an improved members-only section.
FortisBC is hiring Customer Service Representatives in Prince George.
Road to Recovery, a British Columbia-developed addictions treatment model, is expanding, improving service accessibility by streamlining addiction therapy from detox to aftercare. Expanding Road to Recovery is another substantial stride toward the establishment of a comprehensive system of mental-health and addictions care for all in British Columbia, with a commitment of nearly $154 million over the next three years.
A new mental-health crisis team, the Peer Assisted Care Team (PACT), will soon be accessible to Prince George. This team is managed by the community and is designed to assist individuals in stabilizing their condition and locating the aid they require.
The new employment program initiative, which will be administered by community services in Victoria, Vancouver’s downtown eastside, Surrey, Prince George, and Nanaimo, has received nearly $4 million from the province.
As the wine sector struggles with persistent climate-related issues and vine damage, the province has announced new regulations that would allow wines to be created with grapes and juice from outside the province for the 2024 vintage year. These provisions will go into effect on April 1, 2025, and expire on March 31, 2026.
The Blackwater Gold Mine project, which is situated 160 kilometres southwest of Prince George, is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
On August 2, Barkerville—which had been shuttered and evacuated due to a nearby wildfire—will reopen to tourists. The Indigenous Peoples’ Celebration on August 17 and the Chinese Mid-Autumn Moon Festival on August 24 in Barkerville have been rescheduled for next year.
Through the province’s Housing Supply Act, the BC Government claims 1,803 homes are on route for Prince George during the next five years.
About $145 million in funding has been made available by the federal government for the building and maintenance of affordable homes on Vancouver Island and throughout British Columbia.
The Prince George Chamber is having their 39th Annual Business Excellence Awards and nominations are now open.
PRINCE RUPERT
Michelle MacNeill has been appointed as the new executive director of North Coast Community Services.
Dr. Rob Buchan, the manager of the City of Prince Rupert, will step down in July 2025, after working for the city for thirty years.
The City of Prince Rupert is hiring a Deputy Director of Operations to lead the Engineering and Public Works team.
The AltaGas Brighter Future Bursary, in collaboration with Indspire, offers financial support to Indigenous students residing in the Prince Rupert and Fort St. John region who are enrolled in post-secondary education. Apply before Aug. 1 to qualify.
Park Avenue Foods in Prince Rupert has reopened under new management.
Prince Rupert Recreation is turning its Youth Lounge into the Olympic Lounge from July 26th to August 11th.
FORT ST JOHN
The province is providing Fort St. John Figure Skating Club with $40,000 under the Community Gaming Grants to cover ice costs and salaries for coaches and administrative staff.
After brief disruptions caused by cybersecurity issues, the Fort St. John Co-op announced that both cardlock locations’ services are back to normal.
The Province and Halfway River are conducting a landscape planning project to protect Treaty 8 rights and support northeastern B.C. restoration, land protection, and sustainable development. B.C. and Halfway River are also agreeing to award the Nation a petroleum and natural gas tenure.
Drop-in racquet sessions are back at Kin Park, hosted by the Peace Country Pickleball Association (PCPA) and scheduled every two weeks, according to the City of Fort St. John‘s recreation department.
Westjet Airlines has announced that Fort St Johns North Peace Regional Airport will be receiving an extra weekly flight connecting Fort St. John and Calgary.
KITIMAT
Janice Thurber celebrates 5th anniversary with RE/MAX Kitimat Realty.
Envision Financial is giving $414,000 in grants to 26 nonprofits in Kitimat, the Lower Mainland, and the Fraser Valley through the First West Foundation.
Trishan Food Kitimat has moved to its new location at 434 Enterprise Avenue, Kitimat.
The electric tug HaiSea Wamis, a Haisla Nation/Seaspan vessel, has reached Kitimat. Two more electric tugs and two larger dual-fuel tugs will arrive in mid-August to support LNG tankers travelling to and from LNG Canada.
TERRACE
New MRI, CT, and SPECT-CT equipment have been installed in the soon-to-be-completed Terrace hospital, enabling patients in the Northwest to access the most recent imaging technology without having to go to a larger facility. The North West Regional Hospital District and Northern Health, on behalf of the BC Ministry of Health, provided funding for the devices as part of the larger hospital renovation.
A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by the Skeena Industrial Development Park (SIDP) and Source3 Energy X Inc. (Source3X) to work together on the creation of the Skeena Clean Hydrogen Hub, a large-scale facility for producing clean hydrogen and derivative fuel products at the Skeena Industrial Development Park in Terrace.
WILLIAMS LAKE
In light of the multiple temporary closures of Cariboo Memorial Hospital‘s emergency room in the last week attributed to a cited shortage of available nursing staff, the City of Williams Lake Council has asked the Interior Health Authority to undertake an internal evaluation of the hospital’s operations and management.
The Williams Lake Curling Club was presented with the Accessibility Award of Merit by the City’s Accessibility Advisory Committee at its regular meeting on July 16.
BGC Williams Lake Club is planning their Annual Street Party for Wednesday, August 28th, 2024.
SMITHERS
The province’s Community Gaming Grants will grant the Smithers Minor Hockey Association with $40,000 to help cover the cost of facilities for programs for youngsters ages five to eighteen.
The Northwest BC Resource Benefits Alliance will provide the Town of Smithers with over $21 million in funding for vital infrastructure improvements for the next five years.
The right-of-way improvements project for Mountainview Drive, which runs between Pioneer Place Activity Centre and Columbia Drive, will begin on Monday, July 29.
Construction will soon begin on 37 new homes for Indigenous individuals, families and seniors in Smithers. Located at 1611 Main St., Ken’ulh K’it Yikh is the community’s first Indigenous-led housing project. The name Ken’ulh K’it Yikh means “wetland housing”.
QUESNEL
Rick Kooses, Vice President of AUL Industrial Repairs, has been named the new Director of the Quesnel Chamber of Commerce.
Quesnel City Manager Byron Johnson has announced his resignation, effective at the end of September 2024. Johnson has dedicated a total of 18 years to serving our community, starting with his role as the Director of Finance and Administration.
Fraserview Dental, a privately-owned dental group in Quesnel is looking to hire a Dental Hygienist.
Ryan Adams has joined Community Futures North Cariboo as the new general manager.
Greg Lawrence, the General Manager of Community Futures North Cariboo, has announced his retirement after 35 years of service to the organization.
Due to restructuring, Quesnel Taxi will temporarily suspend services from July 31st to August 4th. Operations will resume on Monday, August 5th.
100 MILE HOUSE
The Grey Cup Truck will be making a stop at CARSTAR 100 Mile House located at 872 Alpine Ave., on August 8th.
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