TERRACE
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S TANDARD
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VOL. 24 NO. 49
www.terracestandard.com
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Jobs plan roll out underway THE PROVINCE is spending more than $500,000 on the start of a plan to train people to work on industrial projects in the region. Provincial jobs minister Pat Bell said his ministry is spending $540,000 on determining what kind of employees companies need and then starting to train people to fill those needs. He described the effort as
developing a top ten jobs list for the northwest. “Some of these will be evident, but what we’re really trying to do here is determine what jobs will be needed two, three, four years from now and then work to fill that demand,” said Bell. The minister expected that jobs list to be finished fairly quickly so the stage can then be set to prepare
people for the work. “We’ll be using Northwest Community College to deliver those programs,” said Bell, adding some of the first may include everything from first aid to brushing up on math and reading skills. The jobs ministry’s impetus comes from a BC Hydroorganized study which looked at the employment impacts stemming from its
Northwest Transmission Line. Construction has already started on the line which will stretch up Hwy37 North. When finished, the line will spur mine and hydro electric development. The BC Hydro $217,000 labour market research study, completed late last year, conservatively estimated that large industrial proj-
ects will create 4,000 direct and indirect jobs from now until 2021. Optimistically, the study indicated the number could climb to 5,700 or as high as 12,000. But it also indicated there was not only an existing gap between skills northwest residents have and what companies need, but that the gap will continue to grow.
“Training for many of these high-demand occupations is only available outside the Northwest,” read the document. “Local people are available to fill many of the jobs, but a mismatch often exists between the skills of potential workers and the needs of employers,” it continued.
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Tax shift debate coming CITY COUNCIL has yet to decide on whether to support a Terrace and District Chamber of Commerce request which would lower business taxes but raise what residents pay. The chamber plan would mean a shift from the city’s current policy, which involves both business and residential classes paying the same as last year plus 2.5 per cent. So far, Mayor Dave Pernarowski said he doesn’t favour a tax decrease unless it’s fair and even for all. “I would consider a change that brought the 2.5 per cent tax increase down, but fairly across our tax classes,” he said. “We will only be able to accomplish this by reducing our infrastructure projects and cutting services and community grants.” “The setting of tax rates is one of the most important policy decisions that council makes in a year because we’re a small tax revenue city with very limited industrial tax, any decision we make either has an effect on commercial or residential,” said councillor Brian Downie.
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MARGARET SPEIRS PHOTO
DOUG AND Lydee Stainton with daughter Kiplin, 2, outside of their Kawrner store, formerly Danica’s, on the southside.
Store takes anti-crime stand SHADY DEALINGS stopped in one parking lot after the new owners of a corner store took action. Doug Stainton and his wife Lydee, who own the Kawrner Store, formerly Danica’s Convenience Store, on South Kalum put up a sign a couple of months ago to deter what looked like drug deals going on in their parking lot. It states, “Drug deals and other illegal activities are now being recorded.” “There’s been a lot of positive feedback about it, We’re quite happy to leave it up there awhile,” said Doug.
They noticed the activity happening a couple times a week after they bought the store on the corner of Kalum St. and Haugland Ave. in November 2011. Since then, and with the help of a video camera that films the parking lot, it’s been a lot quieter. Doug said when they called the local RCMP detachment to tell them about the transactions going on, they were told to “ask them not to deal drugs in our parking lot.” Shortly afterward, they posted the sign by the door. Several people have come by to
take photos of it as it’s been a huge conversation piece, Doug said. The only negative comment came from a man who said the sign would make a lot of people unhappy and there could be some broken knees because of it. “[We] take it with a grain of salt,” said Lydee. She said new people are coming into the store and wonders if they are former customers who are now returning. “One or two mothers say they’re not afraid to send their children down the hill,” Doug said.
RCMP commends the couple for their actions. “A person or business can post any type of sign that they feel is necessary, as long as it respects our Canadian Charter of Human Rights,” said Terrace RCMP Const. Angela Rabut. “We encourage people to report criminal activity to the police and not to confront criminals directly. “But this is clearly a case of a Terrace citizen having had enough of criminal activity in their town and making an attempt to put a stop to it.”
Top of the trades
City taxes
Lacross revival
A trades competition at NWCC saw locals show off their skills \COMMUNITY A17
A look at what freezing mill rates means to city residents and business \NEWS A5
League readies for the season after a 1-year hiatus \SPORTS A26