THE FRIDAY
CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2012
TRI-CITY NEWS Do P3s make sense?
Blueberry pancakes!
SEE FACE TO FACE, PAGE 11
SEE THINGS-TO-DO GUIDE, PAGE 16
AUG. 17, 2012 www.tricitynews.com
INSIDE
Letters/12 Tri-City Spotlight/20 Sign Me Up/21 Sports/41
B.C. GOVERNMENT PHOTO
Transportation Minister Blair Lekstrom (centre) announces connection of the Port Mann bridge deck in June.
Could $3 tolls drop on bridge? Trans. minister hints at lower Port Mann toll By Tom Fletcher BLACK PRESS
GARY MCKENNA/THE TRI-CITY NEWS
James Morris and Melanie Prokop are helping promote the Pop Culture Positive Art event tomorrow (Saturday) at Port Coquitlam’s Lions Park. Attractions include youth artists, youth bands and the WestCoast BMX Show and Swap as well as the RailSide Skate Jam. See article, page 3.
Canadian Military contract for PoCo co. PoCo metal work is part of $130M, 47-company deal By Gary McKenna THE TRI-CITY NEWS
A Port Coquitlam company will play a piv-
otal role in the fabrication of state-of-the-art mobile shelters that will be used by the Canadian Armed Forces. Wesgar and Wesgar Completions have been contracted to provide sheet metal and assembly work for 400 of the 900 units expected to be
built over the duration of the three-year contract. The first mobile shelter rolled off the assembly line Thursday and will be used as part of the Canadian military’s overseas missions and humanitarian operations.
Ray Castelli, the chief executive officer of Weatherhaven, a Burnaby company that designed the units and received the federal contract, said the project shows that Canadian manufacturers can compete internationally. “We won the contract
in a competitive bid, beating out U.S. and European suppliers,” he said. “We can build this project — even though it is a $130-million project — we can do all this work in Canada.” see MORE EXPORT, EXPORT, page 9
As the Port Mann bridge re placement nears completion, Transportation Minister Blair Lekstrom says he is “optimistic” the toll can be lowered below the planned $3 per crossing, at least for the first year. Lekstrom told Black Press this week that his discussions with the corporation set up to build the 10-lane bridge indicate it may be possible to reduce the toll rate by extending the debt repayment period.
When the project was announced, a $3 toll was calculated to pay the bridge off over 40 years. Lekstrom said he has heard from many people who consider that toll too high, especially since the bridge will function with only eight lanes for the first year. The old bridge must be taken down before the last two lanes can be connected to Highway 1. So would a toonie get you across during the first year? Lekstrom wouldn’t give specific number until the entire tolling framework is released, which is expected to be in early September. see MORE O BRIDGE, G , page g 4
Local MP James Moore and Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore at a press conference yesterday at PoCo’s Wesgar, which is helping build mobile shelters to be used by the Canadian military. GARY MCKENNA THE TRI-CITY NEWS