2012 budget to include property tax increases for all but major industry
The City of Castlegar unveiled its $19-million 2012 budget to less-than thunderous applause Wednesday, as only seven people (not including city staff and council) showed up for the public meeting. The turnout was disappointing, but not surprising, according to city councillor and finance committee chair Russ Hearne. “It’s similar to the turn out we’ve had […]
US reduces claim against alleged B.C. Softwood timber violations
Madison's Lumber Reporter has learned that the United States' claim against Canada, for alleged subsidies on British Columbia's timber stumpage rates, has been reduced from US$499 to US$303.6 million. In the American rebuttal of Canada's defense, which was filed on Dec. 23, 2011 but only made public this week, the U.S. Trade...
United States: How the stimulus revived the electric car
By Michael Grabell in ProPublica. A common criticism of President Obama's $800 billion stimulus package has been that it failed to produce anything – that while the New Deal built bridges and dams, all the stimulus did was fill some potholes and create temporary jobs. Don't tell that to Annette Herrera. She was 50 when the ...
Healthy forests dialogue publishes results
In 2009 and through 2010 a growing concern was voiced among professional foresters and biologists, conservationists, academics, community leaders, forest industry support companies and First Nations that British Columbia (BC) forests are in need of greater attention to meet societal expectations over the long-term. This concern generated the Healthy Forests-Healthy Communities: A conversation on BC […]
Celgar launches $250-million NAFTA claim against Canada over alleged discrimination by BC Hydro
Mercer International, the parent company of Castlegar’s pulp mill, Zellstoff Celgar, is filing a $250-million claim indicating discrimination on the part of BC Hydro is costing the company about $19 million of incremental energy sales every year. The claim, according to a Mercer press release issued Jan. 26, is against the government of Canada for […]
Lions Club calls on Chamber of Commerce to explain eviction
Letter to the Editor: Last Thursday, four of the Lions executive waited for our turn to visit the Chamber of Commerce board meeting. In the closed meeting of the chamber board, a discussion of how to proceed with the eviction of the Lions Club. For 41 years, the Castlegar-Selkirk Lions have been involved in Castlegar. Shopping...
$2.3-million Phase Two to service airport lands sent out to tender
The City of Castlegar is putting out an early tender for the roughly $2.3-million Phase Two of the airport-lands-servicing project, after an unanimous vote at council’s regular meeting Monday evening. “This is where we connect the pipe (recently installed spanning Kinnaird bridge during Phase One) at either end – on one end to the city’s […]
$2.3-million Phase Two to service airport lands sent out to tender
The City of Castlegar is putting out an early tender for the roughly $2.3-million Phase Two of the airport-lands-servicing project, after an unanimous vote at council’s regular meeting Monday evening. “This is where we connect the pipe (recently installed spanning Kinnaird bridge during Phase One) at either end – on one end...
Shop Local campaign kicks off across Castlegar
Castlegarians will be hearing “Shop Local” a great deal in the coming months, as all four of the city’s major media outlets embark on a shop local campaign spear-headed by the Castlegar and District Chamber of Commerce (CoC), and funded by the Heritage Credit Union. The campaign, according to CoC executive director Pam McLeod,...
Wireless innovations driving BC economy
We are fortunate in our lifetimes to have seen technology’s amazing ability to “amplify human potential,” as Microsoft founder Bill Gates said so aptly.In the last century, we saw how the automobile, the airplane, the telephone, and electricity transformed our society. In the 21st century, the wireless revolution is transforming...
