Wednesday, March 21, 2012
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Volume 92 - No. 12
Local thinks he has found three meteorite crater sites. p7
www.ldnews.net
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$1.34 HST inc.
William Konkin Elementary School celebrate their Winter Carnival last week. p19
Babine EI payments still being processed Twenty per cent of applicants still waiting REBECCA BILLARD A representative from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) said to Lakes District News that approximately 155 Babine Forest Products employees are currently receiving Employment Insurance payments. Almost three months after the Jan. 20, 2012 explosion and fire, some claims are yet to be finalized. According to HRSDC, about 80 per cent of the 194 Employment Insurance claims received by Service Canada from Babine Forest Products employees have been processed and paid. "Claims not finalized are awaiting additional information. Once this information has been received, payment will be initiated," the HRSDC representative said. Babine Forest Prod-
ucts employees were asked to use a special reference code when completing their Employment Insurance applications. "This reference code was generated to ensure that claims were processed in a consistent and timely manner by staff familiar with the details." As for the claims being fast tracked, HRSDC said, "All Employment Insurance time frames and regulations applied to these claims." This is contrary to MLA John Rustad’s earlier statement [as reported in the Lakes District News edition of Feb. 8, 2012] that Babine Forest Products workers Employment Insurance payments were being fast tracked. "Once a claimant submits an application for benefits, Service Canada registers it for tracking. Once the client’s record of employment is received, the claim is finalized and payments are issued to those that are entitled. It is up to the claimant to submit timely, accurate and complete biweekly reports," the HRSDC representative said.
RIBBON CUTTING (L-R) Adrienne Hiebert, Joe Cormeau, president of the Royal Canadian Legion branch number 50 and Valerie Anderson helped celebrate the grand re-opening of the Legion last weekend. A ribbon cutting ceremony kicked off the celebrations. Both Hiebert and Anderson volunteered their time to help with the upgrades which cost approximately Rebecca Billard photo $60,000, including new paint, tables and chairs, new flooring and an updated kitchen.
Sheraton Holdings Ltd. up and running
REBECCA BILLARD Sheraton Holdings Ltd. sawmill, which is owned by Comfor Management Services Ltd. (CMSL), is back up and running. As reported in the Lakes District News edition of Feb. 15, 2012, the sawmill, located East of Burns Lake, was scheduled to reopen this month after being closed for more than a year. The company officially wound up its operations during December 2010 and to limit losses all staff, except for a skeleton maintenance crew and manager Henry Wiebe were laid off. The sawmill produces a variety of specialty cut products from timbers to side lumber for domestic and foreign markets. CMSL president Quentin Beach said Sheraton commenced its operations on March 6, 2012. At present, the mill is running one shift and is employing seven people." "The decision to reopen the mothballed saw-
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mill makes good business sense at this time. While we are cognizant of the community’s employment needs in wake of the Babine Forest Products explosion and fire, our decision to reopen Sheraton Holdings Ltd. is based on sound business principles." The improved demand for some of Sheraton’s traditional products have made it feasible to reopen. Hampton Affiliates also played a key role in getting the sawmill back into production with negotiations between the two companies that have lead to Sheraton Holdings Ltd. acquiring logs from Hampton Affiliates for its start up operations. The company's inventory dried up when its remaining saw log inventory was sold off prior to the shutdown. Beach said, "Sheraton Holdings Ltd. has an agreement in place with Hampton Affiliates to acquire the fibre required for its immediate operations."
Industry Field Medic (Includes OFA Level 3) .. April 10 to May 12 Residential building Maintenance..............March 26 to June 29 Of¿ce Workplace Essential Skills ................... April 16 to June 1
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Phone: 250.692.1700 • Fax: 250.692.1750 • Toll Free: 1.866.692.1943 545 Highway 16 West • PO Box 5000, Burns Lake, BC • V0J 1E0 Email: lksdist@cnc.bc.ca • Website: www.cnc.bc.ca/lakesdistrict