FRIDAY
S I N C E
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SEPTEMBER 7, 2012 Vol. 117, Issue 173
BCHL’s Interior Conference preview
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INCLUDING H.S.T.
PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF
ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALM SALMO
FortisBC breaks ground on $1.7 million facility However, company expects to pull 67 jobs out of Greater Trail BY TIMOTHY SCHAFER Times Staff
A new $1.7-million FortisBC central warehousing facility is being built in Greater Trail, even as the power company is expected to pull 67 jobs out of the area and into a new proposed Castlegar operations centre. FortisBC community relations manager Blair Weston confirmed this week that, although Greater Trail would lose 67 jobs—including two from its Trail office—with the transfer of its transmission, distribution and construction operations to Castlegar, it would gain a whole new operation that would create some new jobs in the area, and inject some cash back into the local economy. Although he could not say how many jobs would be created, work began Tuesday to build the new facility on Bingay Road in Warfield, said Weston. They are closing the operation in Kelowna and moving it to Trail. “It’s over $1.7 million we’re injecting in to the Trail economy right now with just that project,” he said, also noting the $500 million being spent at the Waneta Dam expansion. “And with that will come some later benefits to the local economy as well.” The project is an expansion of the existing facility—that also houses linemen, engineers and power generation crew foremen— creating a central warehouse for
TIMOTHY SCHAFER PHOTO
Work began this week on a new warehousing facility at the FortisBC site on Bingay Road near Haley Park. The $1.7 million-facility will serve the entire FortisBC operation. the entirety of FortisBC. Even with the loss of 67 employees to Greater Trail, Weston said there are still over 130 FortisBC employees in Trail that will still be coming to the Silver City for their 9-to-5 commitment. And with employees spread out over the entire West Kootenay, Weston said the proposed move does not mean the income associated with the jobs will also
SELKIRK COLLEGE
Councillor pushes for expanded curriculum
BY TIMOTHY SCHAFER Times Staff
Although there will be one new program added to the Trail campus of Selkirk College, the battle continues to expand the curriculum offered in the Silver City. Trail city councillor Robert Cacchioni’s met with the upper brass at the Castlegar-based college recently, asking for some balance between the programs
be moving, with nobody being required to move for their new job in Castlegar. “We’re very committed to the community of Trail,” he said. “We’re pumping money into the local economy. There are some jobs moving, sure, but in the end what we’re doing is to the benefit of all out customers to provide the most efficient service we can.” With two buildings at the end offered at the college’s three main cities: Trail, Nelson and Castlegar. He wanted to see a larger presence from Selkirk College in Trail, rather than the basic and adult education services, distance (online) learning, and skills upgrading courses that they offered. In all, the city attracts 390 fulltime-equivalent (FTE) students to its campus, while the rest of
of their life span, they needed to be repaired or replaced, Weston explained. It was felt to be much more efficient to build one centralized location than to build in two or three spots. “But I can’t say lower rates,” he admitted. “The rates are never lower. I don’t want to mislead anybody by saying that. Certainly, this is a positive impact to rates rather the college network supports over 11,100 learners, and nearly 1,600 FTE students. “I would like to see more programs so that when new programs come on line that they are centred out of here and not always Nelson and Castlegar,” Cacchioni said. Trail did manage to acquire a new administrative skills program this fall—a “one off” program the college received one-time funding for, said Selkirk College communi-
than rebuilding and renovating in the current facilities.” The decision to build the new facility at 120 Ooteschenia Road was not politically motivated, said Weston, instead the project was completely driven by geography: Castlegar was a central location for the West Kootenay operation. “Nothing can change that (location),” he said.
See TRANSFER, Page 3 cations director Barry Auliffe. The program is not part of the ongoing funding for offering diplomas or degrees—and there is no commitment to return the program to Trail next year—but is a specific training opportunity. Auliffe dismissed the notion of any other programs being uprooted from other college campuses to flesh out the roster in Trail.
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