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Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Volume 92 - No. 32
Tourism B.C. commits $30,000 to ongoing efforts. p3
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www.ldnews.net
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$1.34 HST inc.
Constables Chris and Carla Ivany arrest a local citizen for ‘Jail & Bail’. p16
Hampton Affiliates present report in Vancouver Special committee on timber supply wraps up LAKES
DISTRICT NEWS STAFF
The special committee on timber supply meetings that were held across the province wrapped up earlier this month, but not before Hampton Affiliates made a second submission to the committee during a July 11, 2012, meeting in Vancouver. Both Steve Zika, Hampton Affiliates chief executive officer and Richard Vossen, Babine Forest Products woods manager addressed the committee and presented preliminary independent report findings on timber supply to the committee. Zika also presented to the committee signatures of 1,700 people in the local community that signed a petition supporting the rebuilding of the sawmill. As reported in the Lakes District News edition of June 27, 2012, Vossen said the company was in the process of completing an independent report into the timber supply issues that will determine a rebuild of the mill, which was completely destroyed by a Jan. 20, 2012 explosion and fire. “We’ve hired an independent consultant that will do our own timber supply analysis for the lakes timber supply area. We question some of the numbers of the chief forester and we’d like to verify them ... we’d like to see where the differences are,” Vossen said.
During the July 11, 2012, Vancouver meeting Zika said, “If we don’t begin construction of a new sawmill soon, I fear for the effects on the community and our business. Burns Lake isn’t Vancouver or Prince George; it’s a small community. Babine is by far the economic engine there.” He said the mid-term timber supply could be increased from the base of 500,000 to a million cubic metres. “We are confident of that.” Zika said the committee will not be able to solve all the pine beetle issues with one process and one report. “Legislation will be required, similar to what has been done for other communities such as Mackenzie. The legislation should authorize the area licence conversion, along with new First Nations licences. Your report should also encourage the Minister of Forests to find other replacement licence volume for our big competitors, near their many other sawmills in the province and should emphasize a district-by-district approach. What is applicable in one area does not work for other areas. Additional time for analyzing timber supply in each district should be taken, with input from professional local foresters, First Nations and community leaders. The management regime in each district will be different, based on the health of the forest and other societal values More on page 2...
PADDLING TOGETHER The Wet’suwet’en First Nation along with the Cst. Tyler Sondergaurd from the Burns Lake RCMP and Cst. Chester Williams organized a ‘pulling together’ canoe journey from one end of Tsil Kaz Kwah [Burns Lake], out by Babine Forest Products to Kakuz’ Whuten [Palling]. See story on page 8. Submitted photo
Welding’s back by popular demand!
Take your Level C and gain credit to your grade 12 graduation! Some Level B and A spaces available October 15, 2012 to May 31, 2013
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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