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Resources are golden A look at resources in the north

Itâ€™s an iconic image of mining for gold in the Cariboo. Miner Frank Cushman checks out some wonderful nuggets pulled out of the waters of the Cariboo. L i e f G R ANDAL L / St u d i o G r a n d a l l P h o t ography

Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

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Special Edition: The Northern Report

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Index A look at resources in northern British Columbia

Clean LNG is B.C.’s goal: Clark - 4 Bell ready for resource forum - 5 Resources North a collaborative affair - 6 Skilled labour shortage a concern - 8 Initiatives Prince George - 9 EDI Environmental Dynamics - 10-11 Air Liquide opens Dawson Creek office - 12 Tourism is a major resource in the north - 14-15 Powering up Highway 37 - 17 Rio Tinto Alcan gets modern - 20 Engineering a future at UNBC - 21 Regulations hurting placer miners - 22 Cariboo miners seeking input - 23 Site C sets sights on the future - 24 Education important to CIM - 26 NDIT – making things happen - 27 Prince George gets ready to host the nation - 28-29 Learning about resources at CNC - 30 Forests still a vital resource - 31 Piping up about the pipeline - 32 Studying the mountain pine beetle - 33 Spectra – the other pipeline - 34 Minerals North heads west - 35

Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

Clean LNG is B.C.’s goal: Clark BY TOM FLETCHER Northern Report

he B.C. government isn’t wavering from its goal of developing clean energy as negotiations continue for an expanding natural gas export megaproject across the north, Premier Christy Clark says. In a year-end interview with Black Press, Clark responded to Coastal First Nations concerns that liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing at Kitimat and potentially Prince Rupert could proceed without external electricity supplies. Clark said LNG exports to Asia have been her top economic priority in recent months, with the original two projects on Haisla Nation land at Douglas Channel growing to eight proposals as international interest in B.C. shale gas development has grown. Confidential negotiations are ongoing with energy companies, and decisions on power supply have not yet been made, she said. “Our plan has always been for the cleanest LNG produced anywhere in the world, so that’s been hydro, wind power and other renewables as well,” Clark said. “But we’ve always said there’s going to have to be some natural gas power produced to shape it. “There’s another economic imperative we have, which is to grow our clean energy industry,” Clark said. “We’ve got the third biggest Artist’s rendering shows natural gas processing and shipping facilities on Haisla Nation land already cleared for clean tech industry on the globe, after Germany the project on Douglas Channel near Kitimat. and California, and we want to keep growing oppose processing LNG directly by mechanical equip- as the Great Bear Rainforest, a vast area of the north and that.” central B.C. coast with a land use plan negotiated in 1996 Last week the Haisla Nation dropped out of its vol- ment that burns gas. Clark said full development of B.C. LNG will require with the B.C. and federal governments. A group of U.S.untary association with the Haida, Heiltsuk, Gitga’at and other communities who make up the Coastal First construction of the Site C hydro dam on the Peace River, based environmental foundations matched the two govNations. They are still united in opposition to the as well as smaller hydro developments and wind power ernments’ $60 million financing for the protected areas plan, working with environmental groups Greenpeace, Enbridge Northern Gateway oil pipeline proposed to such as that proposed off the coast of Haida Gwaii. The Coastal First Nations occupy what is now known Sierra Club and ForestEthics. go to Kitimat, but the rest of the Coastal First Nations

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HOSTED BY The Honourable Pat Bell MLA Prince George – Mackenzie Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour

Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

Bell ready for resources forum DELYNDA PILON newsroom@pgfreepress.com

Why did Rio Tinto Alcan invest $3.3 billion in Kititimat? Why did Hampton Affiliates decide to rebuild thee nd nd Burns Lake sawmill after saying no in Washington aan and n Oregon? Why did Steve Zika, the CEO of Hampton, invest in B.C.? ilHow do any of the boards of these multi-nationall b bilhatt lion dollar companies make the kind of decisions that g fo or? r? bring them to invest in B.C.? What are they looking for? urcce ces es People who attend the 10th annual Natural Resources ance ce forum in January in Prince George will have the chance m tthe hee h to get the answers to those questions and learn from age successes of others when it comes to taking advantage ncce, n e, of the billions in investment pouring into the province, rcees in large part due to the abundance of natural resources available in B.C. lss MLA Pat Bell, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills hee Training and event organizer, said they are having tthe eak kCEOs and CFOs of major companies as keynote speaked ers for the upcoming forum, which he said is entitled o Economic Olympics: Does B.C. Have What It Takes To Win? missDoug Bloom, president of Spectra Energy Transmishose se sion’s western Canadian operations, will be one of tthose speakers. hose hose “When he goes to his board, how do they make those decisions?” Bell asked. Bell said he’s happy the forum became so popular. “This is the 10th one for me. It’s a bit of an important anniversary. It was just an idea, and it caught on,” he said. “I think we’re in this very important economic time.” Bell likened the expected economic bounty and B.C.’s opportunity to be part of it to the Olympics. The key, he said, is the markets opening in China and India. Whichever country with the available resources partners with either of these massive emerging markets as the major exporter wins it all.

“T The he difference d dif ifffe if fere fere renc ncce iiss tth n nce heree is he is onl o on nly ly o ne m ne ed dall - g old ol ld,”” he he “The there only one medal gold,” said id said. The top three runners, he said, are Australia, Canada and the USA. Australia is being incredibly competitive and also has a plethora of natural resources, Bell said. “For the province, and Canada as a whole, establishing China and India as strong trading partners is important. They need what we have. If we are successful, we will be set up for two or three decades.” Finding the key components in what interests important investors is important, improving the province’s chances to win this race. “The Natural Resources forum gives us some of these answers,” Bell said.

Expe Ex xpe p rt rts ts in in sse eeccctto tors llik tors ikee fo ik fforestry, oresstttry ore ry mi ry ry, ini niing ng, na ng n nat atu turraal ga tura g ass Experts sectors like mining, natural gas d skills kil illl training t i i will ill actt as k keynote t speakers k E Each h and speakers. session will be followed by a panel, giving attendees an opportunity to listen and interact with presenters. Nancy Greene, who took home the gold for Canada in the giant slalom at the Grenoble Olympics, will also share a message with participants. “Preparing to win in sports is similar to preparing to win in business,” Bell said. The forum takes place at the Civic Centre on Jan. 9 and 10, 9:30 until 4 p.m. Sessions are free. For tickets to one of the luncheons or award ceremonies, go to www.bcnaturalresourceforum. com/ and follow the links.

Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

Resources North collaborates

ALISTAIR MCINNIS Northern Report

esources North Association’s (RNA) general manager Kathi Zimmerman says their mandate is to champion integrated resource management. It’s a wide subject, something that requires further explaining. “It’s such a broad topic, you don’t get a visual of what that means,” she says. “But what it means is inspiring collaboration between the different sectors in natural resources.” Those sectors include forestry, mining, oil and gas, tourism, energy and agricul-

ture. “We can’t all do everything on the land base that we’d like to do,” Zimmerman says. “RNA can facilitate multi-stakeholders in working together to collaborate and come up with opportunities to have economic, as well as environmental, benefits to how we operate on the land base.” Founded in 2007, RNA is a non-profit organization led by a partnership of communities, industry and government. Resources North focuses on helping resource-based communities diversify their economies by implementing and evolving principles and practices of integrated resource management across all natural resource sectors.

Our Resources, Our Future Shirley BOND, MLA Prince George–Valemount h Avenue Prince George, BC Toll Phone: Shirley.Bond.MLA@leg.bc.ca www.shirleybondmla.bc.ca

Pat BELL, MLA Prince George–Mackenzie Central Street Prince George, BC Toll Phone: 250 612-4194 Pat.Bell.MLA@leg.bc.ca www.patbellmla.bc.ca

Resources North is currently supported through three revenue sources: Natural Resources Canada’s Forest Communities Program (FCP), project-based grants, and social entrepreneurship. It’s governed by an actively engaged board of directors featuring a variety of organizations and individuals. Resources North is one of 11 sites funded under the Forest Communities Program. Community partnerships include a mix of urban, rural and Aboriginal communities. But the federal program is coming to a close, creating additional challenges for Resources North. Zimmerman says they used to receive $325,000 a year from Natural Recourses Canada under the FCP. A lis ta ir M cINNIS/ No r th e r n R e p o r t They’re in the Resources North Association general manager Kathi process of a twoZimmerman. year wind-down, receiving $175,000 to develop strategies to grow the labour in funding this year and $75,000 next pool in the region. year. RNA is also working with numerous Losing that federal money means RNA partners to secure funds for developis looking at other ways to raise funds to support their mandate. Zimmerman says ing a community-based engagement framework and a science-based toolkit they’re in the process of developing a to address the mid-term timber supply new business plan. issues resulting from the Mountain Pine The loss of funding isn’t a reflection of the state of the forest sector. Zimmerman Beetle. Another focus RNA has is on agroforpoints out that the industry is actually estry, combining agriculture and forestry. rebounding in B.C. They’ve held events and workshops to “It’s about the national deficit and the educate people on the subject. fact that the federal government needs Agroforestry combines trees and to address that, pay back our debts,” she shrubs with crops and/or livestock. It says. “We’ve heard there’s 19,000 jobs combines agricultural and forestry techslated to be eliminated in the federal nologies. government and programs are being cut Next summer, RNA is holding an inauleft, right and centre.” As RNA diversifies its business model, gural conference to showcase approaches and innovations in cooperative land use one area RNA has paid particular attenmanagement. The event is scheduled for tion to lately is workforce attraction and June 19-20, 2013. retention in the resource sectors. RNA • For more information on RNA, visit is working with partners such as the its website at www.resourcesnorth.org. Prince George Chamber of Commerce

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Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

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Skilled labour shortage an issue for North DELYNDA PILON Northern Report

ompanies are already feeling the pinch, fearing putting projects on stand-by or hold because they canâ€™t fill all the positions for the skilled workers they need, putting projects behind schedule and raising costs. Gwen Oâ€™Mahony, NDP skills training critic, said the lack of labour has already caused issues for some companies. Oâ€™Mahony said other projects have had huge cost overruns, or been put on hold, because of the skilled labour shortage. She said the Mount Milligan mine had a cost overrun of $200 million. And, when you canâ€™t open the mine, people canâ€™t take on the permanent jobs that will be offered their as quickly. â€œIf that keeps happenJobs, Tourism, and Innovation Minister Pat Bell ing, more investors might and Quebec, are likely to move west, reconsider coming to B.C. say about 100,000 people, Bell said. So, or how they do business in B.C.â€? he said, B.C. will need to acquire about Michelle Mungall, NDPâ€™s advanced 200,000 people through immigration, education critic, said the province doesnâ€™t which might sound like a big number, want a fly in/fly out workforce either. but Bell pointed out that the federal govA fly in/fly out society happens when ernment lets 250,000 people into Canada big companies import skilled workers every year. from elsewhere in the world, flying them â€œTwo or three months ago we released home from camp on a regular basis as the skills training plan,â€? Bell said. work is completed. One of the things the Minister of This can lead to odd dynamics within Advanced Education is looking at is the any community â€“ plenty of jobs coupled curriculum at post-secondary institutions, with a high unemployment rate since checking carefully to see if what is being those available to work donâ€™t have the taught matches the jobs that are available. ability due to lack of skills to do so. â€œThere needs to be a realignment of According to Mungall, by 2017 there training across the province,â€? he said. are likely to be 160,000 unfilled skilled He added there needs to be an assurlabour positions in B.C. ance that the skills employees need are â€œWe have five years to train people, offered. and the biggest barrier to that is finances, Another program the government is so thatâ€™s what we need to start working focusing on grants funds to colleges and on.â€? universities so out-of-date equipment Jobs, Tourism and Innovation Minister can be upgraded. Bell said it is important Pat Bell, agrees there will be plenty of job students learn on the equipment they will openings as the economic boom within work on in the future. the province increases. Another change that needs to be made â€œThere will be about one million new is attitude, Bell said. jobs between now and 2020,â€? he said. â€œThe trades are not a last choice.â€? The numbers he quotes come from the Too long have trades been considered labour force survey. something you took if you couldnâ€™t New jobs will come through LNG hack it academically, however Bell said development, the Site C dam, mining not only do the trades require precision and regular development. This, he said, and skill, but they promise a lucrative is coupled with the number of retirees future for grads, especially in the coming expected within the next eight years. decades. Within the same time period there will â€œSomehow we need to break through be 650,000 graduates from high school, leaving a 350,000 gap. The unemployment the idea that trades are a last instead of a first choice.â€? rate sits at around 6.8 per cent. Some Putting those components in place people will take advantage of the job while looking at the numbers shows the opportunities, so itâ€™s likely that will drop skilled labour shortage is a problem with by another two per cent, putting another solutions. 50,000 people into the workforce, leaving â€œI think we have sufficient overall 300,000 job openings. Canadians from capacity,â€? Bell said. other provinces, likely especially Ontario

Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

The north drives economy: IPG DELYNDA PILON Northern Report

Resource development is the engine that drives the economics of the province, and a large portion of the natural resources the world needs is located primarily in the north. “Resource development is a key part of the entire province’s economics,” Heather Oland, CEO of Initiatives Prince George, the economic arm of the city, said. She added 70 per cent of that revenue is generated in the north. “The health, diversity and vitality of resource development is critical for the province as a whole,” she said. “That is what pays for things like health care, education and social services.” She added northern B.C. has gone from what was primarily a forestrydriven economy to one that has diversified and now includes the oil and gas industry as well as mining. Within each of those sectors lie subcategories which are dependent on resource development, like manufacturing and many value-added industries. Though much of the infrastructure integral to the oil and gas industry lies hidden from view in the Prince George area, unlike further north, it is an important economic driver locally. “It is not a sector the general population is familiar with, though it is very important to the supply and service firms,” Oland said. Mining projects are abundant, she said, from Mt. Milligan, a copper and gold mining project located about 155 km northwest of the city De Ly nd a PILON/ No r th e r n R e p o r t which infused $42 million into the Prince George economy last year, Heather Oland, CEO of IPG, says the corporation has nearly completed a map that shows to New Gold’s Blackwater Exploration project, located about 160 km the locations of resource projects – from mining to pipelines – either completed or prosouthwest of Vanderhoof, and which also had a significant impact on the posed for the province. local economy. Liquified natural gas projects and the infrastructure they Those amenities and the surging interest in natural resources, which the area has require, like public utilities, are bringing investment north. The electrification project along the Highway 37 corridor continues, as does the Site C dam project in abundance, is paying off for the city. Oland pointed out that 2,500 more people became employed in the last three months in the city. and Rio Tinto’s investments. And the investment in natural resource development is expected to continue. She “Prince George firms are working on all of the projects,” Oland said. “They are actusaid there will be about $34 billion invested in the next three years. Within the decade ally supplying equipment and taking part in the construction of many of them.” about $64 billion will be invested into development and infrastructure. In Prince George, she said, the economy is fully diversified. As the supply and service hub of northern B.C., Prince George’s economy will The city isn’t the logging town it once was. Although forestry remains vital, the continue to grow as a result of the many projects being planned, constructed and growth in these other sectors, which came hand-in-hand with billions in investment, brought about diversification. It helped transform the city’s social profile as well, with completed in the north. Oland noted many people predicted significant growth in the north thanks to the investment in resource development, however she said that the addition of a world-class university and continued growth in the transportation growth is not longer on the horizon - it is here. sector, leading to a focus on greater international trade opportunities. “This is growth. This is what it looks like,” she said. “Prince George has all the urban amenities of a large city,” she said.

Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

EDI looks at our natural TERESA MALLAM Northern Report

Te re s a M A LLA M / No r th e r n R e p o r t

Jason Yarmish, senior biologist project manager, works on a sturgeon project in an EDI Environmental Dynamics lab along with natural resources technician Mark Racicot.

CNC

As natural resource consultants, EDI Environmental Dynamics Inc. plays a key role in whether or not major industry projects get off the ground – or water. From fish and wildlife assessments, fish and fish habitat monitoring programs to water quality programs, the company uses its science-based approach to collect and report on environmental risk and make recommendations. “We have specialists in terrestrial (e.g. wildlife and vegetation) and aquatic (e.g. water quality, invertebrate and fish habitat) biology and we do the majority of our work for three core industries: mining, oil and gas and hydroelectric as well as forestry,” said EDI’s president Robert Redden. “One of the big things we do is work with testing and turn to PAGE 11

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Special Edition: The Northern Report

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resources from PAGE 10

assessing water quality, especially for mines and oil and gas pipeline operations where there are potential environmental concerns.” EDI is often first on the scene with projects such as start-up mining ventures and that is part of the challenge and reward. “Resource development companies have to meet government standards, regulations and requirements before they can even get their projects started. In the case of hard-rock mines, for example, we’re often there in the initial stages of the proposed projects with a baseline to do assessment work – which comes before permits are issued or construction begins.” Based in Prince George with four other offices (Nanaimo, Vancouver, Grande Prairie and Whitehorse), Redden says there is a distinct advantage to living here. “Prince George is a great base for us, it’s a big hub and there is a great highway transportation infrastructure with the roads and the airports. So we can travel into places like Alberta to get our work done. We do a lot of work in B.C. Alberta, Nunavut and the Arctic. When we opened our office in 1994, there really wasn’t anyone else doing this work – or at least not on the scale we do.” Northern The company has grown considReport erably since then, he said. “We’ve grown into a reasonablesized company with 60 to 70 people working out of five offices. Most of our staff is from the North “Prince George is a so they have the relevant educagreat base for us, it’s tion, local knowledge and history a big hub and there that provides significant benefits to our clients and our communiis a great highway ties because they understand the transportation [environmental] issues of living in infrastructure with the the North.” Redden says the company is roads and the airports. proud of its “daily service and So we can travel into contributions” to the natural places like Alberta to get resources sector and the awards they have won for a job well done. our work done.” The company’s newly renovated - Robert Redden downtown offices on George Street EDI president are spacious, modern and twice the size of their former location. But don’t expect a full staff if you visit – much of their work is done away from home. “We do a lot of our work with proposed or active mines and we work in a lot of different places, so we’re often out of the office,” says Redden. What kind of companies hire EDI to do work for them? “One of our biggest clients is HD Mining Company in Tumbler Ridge. We’ve been doing environmental baseline and monitoring work for them for the past two and one half years now, leading up to them going into operation. But it’s just now really you’re hearing about it in the news. We take pride in being an important part of the planning and development building process of these types of operations.” More information on EDI and their work can be found on their website.

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Bob Redden, president, Cathy Mackay and Hanna Van de Vosse, both senior biologists with EDI Environmental Dynamics Inc. and some of the company’s awards displayed at their George Street office.

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Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

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Contact: John Stevens, Branch Manager, Prince George Phone: 250.960.1404 Email: jstevens@newalta.com

Air Liquide opens office BY JILL EARL Northern Report

DAWSON CREEK After a $60 million investment and two years of planning and construction, Air Liquide Canada officially opened its new air separation unit in Dawson Creek. Company executives, government representatives and industry partners met on Oct. 30 to celebrate the opening of phase one of the plant that can supply 450 tonnes of liquid nitrogen to its industrial customers, mainly in the oil and gas sectors. Phase two of the project is expected to be completed next year, and will more than double the capacity of the plant. Air Liquide sells products in over 80 countries and has approximately 2,200 employees across Canada. They provide products such as nitrogen, oxygen, argon, helium, and hydrogen in gaseous Jill EA R L/ No r th e r n R e p o r t and liquid form as well Employees fill the truck with liquid nitrogen as as other specialty gases. part of a demonstration for visitors celebrating Air Customers include a variLiquideâ€™s official opening in Dawson Creek on Oct. ety of industries including 30. pulp and paper, wine, used and also to continually promote the agriculture, health care and metal fabriindustry, I think is important,â€? Bernier cation but the investment in a Dawson said. Creek facility was mainly to support the Liquid nitrogen is a sustainable and needs of the oil and gas industry. Before the facility opened, Air Liquideâ€™s custom- environmentally friendly way of adapting to industry needs. Oil and gas comers in the region were serviced by their panies can feel good that they can use facility in Alberta. less water while displacing it with an eleâ€œThis facility here is a very pivotal ment that has no harmful effects on the point of our whole distribution system, environment. itâ€™s a hub for us here in northern B.C. â€Ś Bernier recognizes their huge investThis facility is strategically located and ment in the community and thanks Air will produce liquid nitrogen that will Liquide for choosing Dawson Creek as be used in the oil and gas sector,â€? said their new home. Drolet expressed the Pierre Drolet, vice president of Air Liqcompanyâ€™s desire to become part of the uide. community and made a $10,000 donation Some oil and gas companies use the to the South Peace Community Resources liquid nitrogen in hydraulic fracturing operations because it reduces the amount Societyâ€™s Reconnect Youth program. â€œThe weather might be cold here but of water needed for that purpose. it is a warm community and you picked â€œWhat it does is reduce the consumpup on that culture immediately,â€? said tion of water by as much as 50 per cent, Jane Harper, executive director of SPCRS. the industry would say 25 to 30 per cent, â€œ[You] went looking for places to become so it reduces the need to process that more involved. Weâ€™re thrilled that you waterâ€Śso itâ€™s a very environmentally chose us. beneficial replacement,â€? said Adam â€œWe have a beautiful facility that was Peters, president and CEO of Air Liquide built by the businesses of this community Canada. and now weâ€™ll able to add to the operaMayor Mike Bernier is pleased the tion of that by another business in this opportunity exists for the regionâ€™s growcommunity.â€? ing industry to reduce their water use. The donation will go towards staffing Bernier takes it as a good sign that for the Reconnect facility. industry is confident in the city because, Air Liquideâ€™s new facility has provided although there are other liquid nitrogen 10 permanent jobs in the community, facilities in the area, Air Liquide still three positions as plant attendants and made the investment here. seven truck driver positions, deliverâ€œI think itâ€™s really important to recing the liquid nitrogen to the customers. ognize that we have a couple of liquid Peters said the plant will need support nitrogen plants in town and the whole services from local contractors such as point is that theyâ€™re recognizing the oil maintenance providers. and gas activity. When you talk to all â€œWe continue to rely on the local comthe companies in the area, this growth munity and contractorsâ€Ś We really that has been here for the last couple of become a part of the local community...â€? years is just the beginningâ€Ś so anything Peters said. that we do to lessen the amount of water

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Tourism is a major resource ALISTAIR MCINNIS Northern Report

orthern BC Tourism CEO Anthony Everett says most travellers coming through Prince George are interested in seeing the region. “The number one thing that we market to and then sell are touring itineraries,” he says. “By far, like 90 per cent or more of people who are coming through Prince George or to northern British Columbia are here for a touring vacation.” As part of their vacation, visitors participate in a variety of activities such as camping, hiking and fishing. Northern B.C. is full of mountains, lakes, forests and wildlife. Everett notes that travellers to the area come for very specific reasons. That could mean a fishing vacation or RV trip. Prince George is the gateway to other areas. As the largest city in the northern half of the province, it also offers visitors more of an urban experience. International visitors come from Europe, the U.S. and Alis ta ir M cINNIS/ No r th e r n R e p o r t

Northern B.C. Tourism CEO Anthony Everett.

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Asia. Everett notes that Chinese travellers often travel through to Vancouver, Jasper or Banff. He points out that a lot of Germans travel northern B.C. highways. Stats through the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training showed that Americans made up 86.3 per cent of all international visitors to the region in 2009. Everett also carries the title of 2015 Canada Winter Games Host Society Chair. He stays in regular contact with the Games’ CEO, Stuart Ballantyne, and knows the event marks an opportunity to showcase northern B.C. communities. “From a tourism perspective, I think the Games will be good. We’ve been lucky in northern B.C. Like I said, we’ve held our own during the economic downturn,” Everett says. “The Americans, we’ve probably seen a greater return of Americans last year. We just weren’t impacted as much.” But the road hasn’t always been smooth, and challenges are coming. “What has happened in the last 10 years in this country is that Canada, in general, is falling down a list of desirable destinations due to competition,” Everett says. “We’ve gone from top 10 to almost 20th place on international rivals.” Changes at the provincial level have also impacted Northern BC Tourism. Three years ago, the B.C. government got rid of Tourism BC. This year, it created a new Crown corporation to attract tourists. Premier Christy Clark announced the opening of Destination BC on Nov. 5. When Tourism BC was scrapped by the Gordon Campbell Liberal government it 2009, that Crown corporation was folded into the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Arts. Under the new entity, tourism will be funded under a formula based on performance. A certain percentage of taxes from hotel accommodations goes into tourism destination marketing. “It’ll be good because it’ll just mean assurity of contracts,” Everett says. “Northern BC Tourism has been an independent organization for 40 years and we’re under contract. It’ll hopefully help our ability to lead tourism.” But the formula also depends on the cooperation of individuals working in the hospitality sector. As long as visitors staying in the city and region experience good customer service, tourism will benefit. Everett also stresses the important role tourism plays in other resources that shape northern B.C. These include forestry, mining, oil and gas. “We have a mantra in this office and that is a good place to live is a great place to visit.” But the population is aging. And Everett points out that the tourism sector has the highest percentage of employees in the 18- to 24-year-old group. He knows that with a shortage of skilled workers and demand in trade, they’ll face challenges keeping the tourism sector going strong. Northern BC Tourism is one of six recognized tourism regions in B.C. The region covers the top 61 per cent of B.C. and includes Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands). As already mentioned, Northern BC Tourism has fared well considering the economic downturn. “Tourism has become much more competitive,” Everett says. “What does that mean for northern B.C.? It means that in a lot of ways we’ve been holding our own because people are coming here.”

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Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

Powering up Highway 37 T

he largest construction project ever seen in Terrace is taking shape on a cleared section of land just a few kilometres up from the junction of Highway 16 and the West Kalum Forest Service Road. There, Valard Construction has started to assemble the pylons, insulators and other material needed for the $561 million Northwest Transmission Line which will reach from BC Hydro’s Skeena Substation south of Terrace to Bob Quinn on Highway 37 North, a distance of 344 kilometres. A camp at the location that’s large enough for 75 people is slowly filling up as Valard employees arrive. “We like to hire locally where we can,” says Valard BC vice president Graham McTavish during a recent tour of the site. “For assembly and foundation, we like to hire locally. When it comes to stringing [of the line itself], that’s fairly specialized and we have to bring in our own people,” he said. Valard does have an experienced local workforce – people it hired at the beginning of the year to work on a power line project in Fort McMurray. But some are still at work in Alberta on other Valard projects. “We may not be able to get them back here because of our guys in Alberta,” said McTavish. The camp contains full food services, laundry and other facilities. The single rooms are large and have shared bathrooms with another room in what’s called a “Jack and Jill” set-up. Workers spend three weeks in camp and one out with a shift being 10 hours a day. Valard will have at least four and possibly five camps along the power line route, anchored by the larger one here and a large one at Bob Quinn. At construction peak, the company could have upwards of 150 people at its various camps but the total population could be larger because of other companies working on various aspects of the line. Construction activity is taking place simultaneously at

various locations. The activity began early in the new year by clearing a route north of the Skeena Substation toward the Skeena River and at Bob Quinn in the north reaching south. The seven kilometres from the Skeena Substation to the Skeena River paralleled an existing line running to the north and it’ll cross the river at the same location of the existing line just before New Remo. The clearing work was done by the Kitselas First Nation on a contract awarded directly by BC Hydro that follows a policy of involving First Nations in work when work takes place on their traditional terValard officials Gary Alexcee and Graham McTavish look through an ritory. iron-bar cage. It will be lowered into concrete and form the foundaClearing work for the portion of tion for a large tower structure. The company is installing 1,100 tower the line running through Kitsumstructures over a distance of 344 kilometres. kalum and that First Nation will the BC Hydro provincial grid at Meziadin. benefit. And it will be building a 40km line to connect the AltaThe Kitsumkalum will also benefit in a different way Gas Forrest Kerr run of river project along the Iskut River because the cleared land upon which Valard’s local construction camp and marshalling yard is located belongs to to the Northwest Transmission Line’s Bob Quinn substation. the Kitsumkalum. That’s just one of the lines AltaGas will need because of “It’s fully serviced with electricity, water and sewer,” says McTavish. “For us, we need to have a yard but when its plans for two other run of river projects in the area. McTavish reels off a list of other potential work up to we leave it, it’ll for the long-term use of the Kitsumkaand including the construction of a line from the Red lum. It’s something they can use.” Chris copper property near Iskut south to the Bob Quinn Valard will be installing 1,100 towers along the 334km substation, the Galore Creek copper property and the route. Seabridge gold development. The construction plan is to first prepare all of the founBC Hydro itself is planning work on existing lines and dations. planning for new construction in the region as well to ser“Once we’re out of the ground, we’re a bit more comvice what promises to be a burgeoning liquefied natural fortable,” said McTavish. gas industry. The transmission Line is to be completed by mid-2014. “There’s a lot of work up here as long as governments Valard is planning to be in the region a long time. It stay supportive of industry and as long as commodity has the contract for a 10km 138kv line over a section of prices stay strong,” said McTavish. mountain to connect the Long Lake run of river project - Terrace Standard near Stewart into an existing 287kv line which connects to

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Why Mackenzie?

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Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

Mackenzie is a welcoming community that has: · Many developing industries and good paying job openings · Low housing prices and low taxes · Within easy reach of a major urban center (Prince George) · Sandy beaches in summer and ski trails in winter, in town!

Photo Credit: Alex Pytlowany

· Fresh clean air, crystal clean water · Great municipal recreation facilities

Forestry

· Low municipal debt · A safe community with a low crime rate

Forestry has a bright future in Mackenzie! While many communities are planning for a sharp drop in available timber supply and reduced timber harvesting in the near future, Mackenzie is gearing up for a period of increased harvesting, without a drop in long term timber supply. Forestry: Mackenzie’s Forest Industry is here for the long term

What are you waiting for?

Photo Credit: Mt. Milligan/Thompson Creek Metals

Mining

Major forest companies in Mackenzie are making signiﬁcant capital investments in their operations

Mt Milligan Mine is currently hiring! The mine is 98km from Mackenzie and in the ﬁnal stages of construction, it will be fully operational in 2013. Bussing from Mackenzie to the mine is available. To date, 157 people have been hired for the operations team, leaving 200 jobs still to ﬁll. Other exploration and mining opportunities in the Mackenzie area are in development.

Mackenzie Timber Supply Area has a solid softwood timber base Opportunities around bioenergy are being developed Forest companies are looking for people to join their teams. Many openings available for logging truck drivers, equipment operators and in the mills. Source of Graphic: Mackenzie Mid-Term Timber Supply Review, June 8, 2012, available at: Timber Supply Review Website: http://www.leg.bc.ca/cmt/39thparl/session-4/timber/5-39-4-39-9.htm

Photo Credit: Mt. Milligan/Thompson Creek Metals

Powder King - “Whisper of the North” Powder King Mountain Resort is only a 45 minute drive from Mackenzie. Offering phenomenal downhill skiing and snowboarding with an average of 41 feet of pristine powder and excellent spring conditions. “The Best Snow on Earth”

“In less than a 20 minute drive from the doorstep of your home in town, you can experience above treeline hiking along the mountaintops, starting on Morfee Mountain.”

Morfee Lake’s sandy beach is less than 2km from downtown Mackenzie!

Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

Why Mackenzie?

Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

Photo Credit: Alex Pytlowany

· Fresh clean air, crystal clean water · Great municipal recreation facilities

Forestry

· Low municipal debt · A safe community with a low crime rate

What are you waiting for?

Photo Credit: Mt. Milligan/Thompson Creek Metals

Mining

Major forest companies in Mackenzie are making signiﬁcant capital investments in their operations

Photo Credit: Mt. Milligan/Thompson Creek Metals

“In less than a 20 minute drive from the doorstep of your home in town, you can experience above treeline hiking along the mountaintops, starting on Morfee Mountain.”

Morfee Lake’s sandy beach is less than 2km from downtown Mackenzie!

Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

Rio Tinto Alcan gets modern DELYNDA PILON Northern Report

Rio Tinto Alcan’s modernization project will cost the company $3.3 billion, employ a multitude of contractors and improve the current smelter ’s production capacity by 48 per cent. This means, with the latest evolution in AP technology, increasing the output tonnage up to 420,000 tonnes annually. Paul Henning, vice-president strategic projects western Canada, discussed the project during a recent Chamber of Commerce luncheon. The project will revitalize the older larger aluminum smelting plant, which will remain in operation while the new one is built, then replace it with the modern facility. The company is also adding a back-up tunnel for the Kemano hydroelectric power station, which is built within a blasted cavern inside the base of Mt. Dubose, and provides 896 MW of power with its eight generators, energizing the Alcan plant. Henning said, as far as he is aware, KMP is the largest ongoing project in Canada, and perhaps around the world. Modernizing the plant, he added, means success in the future. The old plant was no longer competitive in the world market. Built 60 years ago, Rio Alcan felt it best to replace the smelter, but the location is prime, offering a year-round ice-free ocean port on the Douglass Channel with access to the Asian Pacific Rim and the emerging market in China.

De Ly nd a PILON/ Fre e Pre s s

Paul Henning with Rio Tinto Alcan talks about the benefits of the Kitimat Modernization Project during a Prince George Chamber of Commerce speaker’s luncheon. It doesn’t hurt that Rio Tinto owns the majority of the waterfront in the

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area. Henning said a thriving port is a dream for the futures which may include identifying synergies and cooperating with interested parties. Currently, though, the KMP is the focus. “For KMP it’s all about the next 50 years.” With half the emissions of the former plant, the production capacity will increase by nearly 50 per cent. All around, Henning said, it will be a more efficient and a safer facility. Employing over 1,000 people, there used to be about 300 injuries each year. That statistic has decreased dramatically to single digit numbers, and Henning said he believes that shows its ability to become a world-class facility on many levels. Right now, he said, there are about 1,200 employees at the old plant, with about 1,000 more building the new plant, which, at 30 per cent complete, is on schedule. “Roughly we’re about where we

should be,” Henning said. When construction is completed, the plant will offer about 1,000 high-paying jobs to skilled workers annually for between 35 and 40 years. During construction, the need for workers on-site will peak at about 2,500 people. In 2011, about 62 per cent of the KMP work force were locals. About 80 per cent working on construction live in zone 1 and zone 2, meaning from around Kitimat to the coast and the central interior. Workers from different trades are needed depending on what point they are at in the construction of the facility. “People are needed at different times for different skills,” Henning said. “We must be out there promoting ahead of the wave.” The project has proven lucrative in many ways. Besides providing employment, it pumped $377 million into the region in 2011. Now well into phase one, the project is set to be completed in 2014.

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Engineering a future at UNBC ALLAN WISHART Northern Report

Dean of Science and Management Dan Ryan has been on the forefront of developing a larger engineering program for the University of Northern B.C. (UNBC), and he feels they are in a great spot. “We’re in an exciting situation,” he says, “where we’re building basically from the ground up.” The need is definitely there for an increased engineering presence at the school, Ryan and UNBC president George Iwama say. “The recent survey funded by the Northern Technology and Engineering Society,” Iwama says, “acknowledged the need in the north for engineers in a range of areas.” Now, he says, UNBC is hoping it can win the lottery when it comes to engineering programs. “That’s the thing with the new programs,” Iwama says. “It’s like the next lottery winner, where you don’t know how close you are. “What we’re doing at this point is responding to questions and pushing forward the model we’re looking at.” For instance, he says, mining companies have indicated a need for chemical, structural and mechanical engineers, among others. “The projects are expanding in the north, and engineering companies are looking to expand as well. “We see opportunities in renewable energy systems and other disciplines that don’t even exist today.” And that represents one of the problems with developing a program. There are so many areas to work in, and a new program couldn’t cover all of them at the same time – even if it started immediately, which it can’t.

“If we got the funding tomorrow,” Ryan says, “our first intake of students would be in two or three years.” That means planning for the needs of industry in the north six or seven years down the road to start with, which Iwama says presents its own problems. “It’s not just not knowing what courses we might be offering, it’s attracting professors to the region and the institution. “You don’t just take them off the shelf.” However, he says, UNBC has some advantages there as well. “We are a research-oriented university, and we have a great reputation in research.” Ryan says bringing in new branches of engineering would be expensive, but there should be some savings. “We need more facilities, but we do have room on the campus to develop them. There is also some natural overlap in the labs needed. We wouldn’t need a special lab for each branch of engineering.” He adds there are also other avenues the school is exploring for labs. “Industry is open to us, and have shown willingness to make some lab space available to us as well. “We are definitely interested in working with them to make sure the program is geared for the north.” Iwama says so far, the province has not given UNBC any reason to expect immediate funding for further engineering programs. “The difficult thing about making these proposals is that it’s not a designated fund we’re looking at. “It’s like a White Spot menu. We’ve got UNBC President George Iwama, left, and Dean of Science and almost every imaginable combination of programs, and we’ve got the numbers for all of Management Day Ryan look over one of the development plans for them.” an increased engineering program at the school.

Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

Regulations threaten placer miners TERESA MALLAM Northern Report

erhaps the most iconic image of the Cariboo is that of the lone placer miner with deeply lined face, dirt under his fingernails, unkempt beard and crumpled hat, pan tilted towards the sun looking for gold amid the gravel. Ever since the Gold Rush days, the dream of finding a fist-sized nugget leading them to the mother lode, keeps them eternally young. While the “older” face of placer mining in northern B.C. has changed with its new generation of miners, there are still signs of the old “David and Goliath” battles. Battles in which smaller placer mining operators struggle to abide by a growing number of stringent government regulations and restrictions, environmental and land claim issues – while also facing rising costs in fees, fuel and transportation. Some placer miners panning for gold in the Cariboo say that they are “losing ground” in the battle. However, the situation could get much worse, warns Cariboo Mining Association (CMA) president Chris Winther. He says proposed changes and recommendations arising from an MOE (Ministry of Environment) now FLNRO (Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations) 2010 report will, if implemented, effectively “kill” the placer mining industry in the Cariboo. The report signed by a section head, Ecosystems Branch, Cariboo Region was posted by Winther in mid-December on the CMA’s website, within days of him finding out about it.

“It was obtained by people who got it through [a request] under the Freedom of Information Act. I don’t think they (environment ministry) wanted us to know about it.” The report is an outline of an audit done of area placer mining operations conducted by ministry ecosystem staff during July and August 2010. It states the study was initiated, “in response to a substantial increase” in the number of placer Notices of Work being received by government and (their) concern about potential environmental impacts associated with this industry. The report notes there is a “concentration” of placer mining activity in places like the Quesnel, Cariboo, Cottonwood and Bowron Rivers, Lightning Creek and others. They found, according to the report, that of 23 active placer tenures inspected – chosen at random – most of them (74 per cent) were found to be in non-compliance with their Notices of Work. There was no advance notice to tenure holders of the inspections which is why Winther refers to it on the CMA website as a “clandestine” audit. He also disputes its conclusions: “The results of this audit highlight the risk of aquatic, fish and riparian habitat impacts occurring in high-value fisheries waters with inherent hydrological sensitivity,” says the report. Their key findings include inadequate reclamation (restoration) work, unreported disturbances and – in over half the sites – work being done within the 10-metre placer riparian reserve setback. Report recommendations are for “regionally stepping up compliance and

enforcement on placer mine operations” and also putting into place more environmental protections. Why did the ‘audit’ report take so long to surface? Responding to questions from the Free Press, Brennan Clarke, FLNRO public affairs officer, says the environment ministry was going through “restructuring and reorganization” process for the past two years. He suggests the report was likely forwarded from one office to the other, however he did say that ministry officials are now aware of the concerns raised by the CMA. “None of the recommendations in this report have been implemented,” he said. “They may be implemented in the future, we don’t know.” Will they be consulting with CMA before changes are put in place? “Ministry staff have been working with the Ph o to C o ur te s y o f th e C a r ib o o M ining A s s o cia tio n CMA to bring awareness Gunnar Tjener takes a bite out of a big nugget of current environment and safety standards. Min- found near Wells in the 1980s. istry staff were at a meetephemeral streams – it makes the whole ing with the CMA in November and will watershed blue. All that would be out of be meeting with the association again in bounds for us. It’s going to make a lot of January,” said Clarke. property out there unmineable.” With respect to some findings conWinther says the report needs clarifitained in the report, Winther agrees that cation and correction. He said he wrote some placer miners need to clean up government officials at the Williams their act. Lake-based office requesting a meeting His main focus, however, is on how and that meeting has been scheduled for the report and its recommendations will Jan. 22 in Quesnel. impact miners. “We want a meeting with them And he is especially concerned about [because] we want to get the facts out losing more ground. and make things clear because this report “Right now we have a 10-metre setis quite damaging.” back from the high-water mark in creeks Winther says he’s also asked indepenand streams where we can’t work. We’re dent MLA Bob Simpson to take their not allowed to put any dirt in there – if concerns to Victoria. A communications you see any discolouration, that is a officer with Simpson’s office says that problem. They want to push us back to will likely happen in the new year when 30 metres which is a problem because the Legislature is back in session. close to the streams is where gold gets Meanwhile there’s strength in numdeposited. bers. “And they also want to stop us from Winther notes on the group’s website: working in ephemeral streams (water“Most miners are basically solitary beds, wetlands which exist for a short sorts who simply want to carry on with period after snowfall for instance).” mining but we realize we are dependent Winther is even more concerned about upon each other for support when it other proposed changes. comes to dealing with the different chal“If you look on overlay maps of the lenges that face our industry.” region, you will see a large part of it is This is one of those challenges, he says.

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Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

Cariboo miners seek input Recently the Cariboo Mining Association (CMA) sent out a questionnaire to its membership to help them calculate the economic impact small scale miners have on our local communities. They have been asked to answer (anonymously) questions about how much money they spend on goods like fuel, food etc. in the operation of their businesses. “The results of the study will be presented to the mayors, the local town councils, chambers of commerce, local and provincial governments as proof that mining activity on all levels is of significant valuable economic importance for our local businesses and the community,” says CMA president Chris Winther. On the CMA website, he points out: “As prospectors, mom and pop operations, small companies can and often do attract larger companies or operations to come into the community. The simple effort of a recreation miner can become a small-scale operation in the A miner fills up his sluice-box in this undated photo from the Cariboo. near future. The prospector can find a valuable mineral resource that can bring in a income and/or savings on a potential deposit and small company and in turn small companies can attract “most often put back into their operations what they’ve larger companies.” earned.” Winther says the future of mining depends on indi“We are also dealing with other interests for the same viduals willing to explore, test, mine, gamble their resource ground such as environmental protection,

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First Nations land claims and wildlife as other protected areas and other various concerns,” he said. “The response to the survey is crucial in our attempt to fight for the continuance of small scale mining in this province.”

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Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

Site C sets sights on the future ALLAN WISHART Northern Report

he proposed Site C Dam on the Peace River is still in the environmental assessment stage, but that isn’t stopping the company and interested companies from planning for the future. “We had probably about 75 attendees at the session in Prince George,” says BC Hydro manager of community relations Dave Conway. “It was a real crosssection of people interested in what tenders we may be putting out as we move ahead.” The meeting was held in late November, and was the last of a series of similar meetings held around the province. “The point is to keep potential service providers appraised of where we are in the process.” The current environmental assessment process is part of Stage 3 of the evaluation process, and is a joint review between the federal and provincial governments. “At this point,” Conway says, “the only work we can do is work related to the environmental assessment approval process. We’re doing a lot of studies on fish, wildlife and birds to see what impacts the dam would have on them.” The Site C proposal would mean a third dam on the Peace River system. It would provide 1,100 megawatts of capacity and produce around 5,100 gigawatt hours of electricity each year – enough to power the equivalent of 450,000 homes each year in the province. Hydro says having a third project on the same river system would result in

A lla n W ISHA RT/ No r th e r n R e p o r t

BC Hydro manager of community relations David Conway was in Prince George to bring local businesses up to date on the status of the Site C project, as well as business opportunities associated with the planning and construction. efficiencies not previously available. “This means,” an information site on the BC Hydro website (www.bchydro. com) says, “that Site C would generate approximately 35 per cent of the energy produced at the W.A.C. Bennett Dam with five per cent of the reservoir area.” Conway says they were told the

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timeline for the current environmental assessment is a three-year process. “A decision is expected in late 2104, but we’ve already been hard at work, encouraging interested companies to register with us to be kept up-to-date on what is happening.” The formal process for the assessment started in August 2011, with the formation of an advisory working group. “That group worked on what would be required from us in the environmental impact statement. There was a series of workshops and open houses to get input from stakeholders, and the terms of the statement were approved in September of this year.” Conway anticipates Hydro will file the statement with regulators in early 2013, at which time it will again be sent to the working group and public stakeholders for comments. “The whole process should take about 24 months, then the joint review panel – which has one federally appointed member, one provincially appointed member and one jointly appointed member – will hold a series of meetings. It’s much like the process Enbridge is going through now with the Northern Gateway proposal.” That series of hearings, he says,

should take about eight months, at which time the panel will present its report to the two levels of government. In the meantime, Conway says, Hydro is continuing to line up firms interested in being part of the construction, if and when it takes place. “There are three sorts of groupings for the work involved,” he said. “There are the dam-site components, the offsite components, such as highways and transmission lines, and the early works, such as clearing brush and getting worker accommodation into place. “We’ve provided the details for the people who came out to the meetings, and the whole presentation is online at our website.” Conway says another thing they emphasized in the meetings was the desire to have multiple contracts for tender. “We are aiming for multiple contracts, so we can involve small, medium and large companies. I think some small companies are worried on a project this size that it’s just the big companies which are going to get the contracts. “That’s not the way we are going to do it, and we wanted to make sure the smaller companies knew how to get involved.”

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Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

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Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

Education important to CIM ALLAN WISHART Northern Report

ust like the industry it is part of, the Canadian Institute of Mining (CIM) is experiencing a regrowth in the region. “When we started up again in 2008, we had 28 members,” says Trent Bilodeau, the treasurer of the North Central B.C. branch. “Now, we we have more than 165. “We’re probably the fastest-growing branch in B.C.” The full name of the not-for-profit group is the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum, “but we go by CIM, that’s our logo, and people refer to us as the Canadian Institute of Mining.” Members aren’t all mining companies, he’s quick to point out. “We have mining companies and suppliers making up a good part of our membership, but we also have a lot of students.” In fact, education is one of the driving forces behind the CIM, and the local branch has made it a priority. “The mainstay of our fundraising is the college endowment fund we’ve established at CNC. We donated $30,000 to start it last year, and we’re donating another $10,000 this year, so we’re well ahead of schedule for making the fund $50,000.” While CNC is the CIM’s choice for educational funds, it also has a special charity. “We’ve been associated with the Friends of Children since we started. We hold a charity golf tournament each year with all the funds we raise going to them.” That golf tournament, by the way? Guess what direction its player list is going in? “We had 42 players our first year at Aberdeen,” Bilodeau says, “and we had 138 this year.” The industry people who are part of the CIM appreciate the work of the group. “It’s a way to give back to the community, both as a charity and for education. “We know there’s a trades shortage coming to B.C.,

A lla n W ISHA RT/ Fre e Pre s s

From left, Christy Smith, Superintendent, Community Affairs, Mount Milligan, Jamie Hull, general manager of Wolftek Industries and vice-chair of the North Central B.C. Branch (NCBC) of the CIM, Jerome LaMarre, outside sales, West Fraser Electro/Mechanical, and Trent Bilodeau (right) of StarWest Petroleum and treasurer of the NCBC Branch of the CIM, present CNC director of communications and development Randall Heidt with the $30,000 cheque. but there’s also going to be a skilled trades shortage.” Virtually gone are the days, he says, when someone could finish Grade 12, walk out of school and get a job at a mine. “The skilled shortage is in areas like engineering, but there are also skills that our equipment drivers need to have now.” The North Central B.C. branch covers quite a range of territory, stretching from Fort Nelson in the north to Williams Lake, and from Prince Rupert to McBride and Valemount.

Bilodeau sees a lot more being done through the CIM in the future. “If you’ve been down to the Kamloops area, you know how much Highland Valley Copper means to that region, and how much they put back into the communities. “We’re going to have a number of mines up here bigger than Highland Valley.” For more information on the CIM, contact Bilodeau at trentb@swpetroleum.ca or Jerome Lamarre at jerome@ west-fraser.com.

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Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

NDIT - making things happen ALLAN WISHART

territory, but King says the northeast will see some in the near future. There have been some companies already able to take advantage of NDIT’s contacts and the growth of the natural resource industry. “There was a road-maintenance company in Terrace which was doing mostly civic work. They saw an opportunity with the number of new roads being built, and now every piece of equipment they have is at either Mt. Milligan or Tumbler Ridge.” She also knows of a welding shop in Prince George which saw an opportunity to set up a second A lla n W ISHA RT/ No r th e r n R e p o r t shop in Tumbler Renata King, left, Joel McKay and Janine North check out some of the success stories in the latest Ridge. report from the Northern Development Initiative Trust. “We were able to help them get that velopment.bc.ca),” North says,” we have says. shop set up.” stories from the different projects. It’s “On the investment portion – which is Communications director Joel McKay like a digital cookbook in some respects. split into northwest, central and northalso keeps in touch with both industry If you’re building a skatepark in one east – we have a list of the major projects and local communities. area, and you can find the plans that we know about and opportunities for “We need programs and services to another community used to build their suppliers. work in tandem with business and comskatepark, why not just use them?” “We are also working on a database munities, responding to their future The website is also expanding as the for subcontractors and suppliers so they needs.” need for more communication does, she are instantly accessible for industry.” North said that while part of NDIT’s mandate is to get local business and communities in touch with industry, an equally important part is working in the communities themselves. “We do a lot of work with the communities across the north to help them with the infrastructure, the things they feel they need to make their communities more desirable for industry to locate to.” She points to projects like community halls and recreation facilities, as well as airport expansions. “Some of the airport expansions have been to assist with bringing industry in, others have been expanding to allow more tourism in an area.” With more than 1,000 projects under its belt, NDIT has seen a lot of ways for communities to make plans come together. They’ve also made it easy for communities to find those ideas. “On our website (www.northernde-

Northern Report

EO Janine North sums up the role of the Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT) simply. “It’s about northern leadership making decisions that help the north grow.” More and more of those decisions are having to do with natural resources, and NDIT is there to help communities across northern B.C. deal with the new naturalresource economy. “We work with both industry and their suppliers,” North says. “In our legislation, there are 10 mandates to build a stronger north. They include tourism, energy, agriculture, but they also include a lot of natural resource sectors.” There is $70 billion in present and planned investment in natural resources in the area NDIT covers. North says that’s the equivalent of the amount spent on commercial real estate on the coast. “There are challenges in working with industry and suppliers. We have a strong team in place to help meet these challenges.” Renata King is the director of business development for NDIT. She says all the money now flowing into the north in the natural-resource sector “presents challenges for local businesses.” “One of the biggest challenges is some of the local companies are just not experienced enough. The opportunities they’re seeing have never been on this scale. You can’t just go from handling a $500,000 contract to handling a $5 million contract without making some changes.” King has held meetings with some of the industry companies undertaking the projects to get their perspective on matters. “I’ve asked the companies what they do about local procuring for contracts, and many of them have policies in place setting out their procedures.” She says she also acts as a go-between for the industry groups coming into unfamiliar territory. “I work with them to help them find the businesses they need at the community level.” After working with industry to find out their needs, King organized a series of Boot Camps for local businesses in the various regions. “We’ve held 10 so far, and they’ve been quite successful. The most recent one was in Vanderhoof, and we had 30 people out.” So far, the camps have been held in the northwest and central portions of NDIT’s

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Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

Resources needed to host the nation ALISTAIR MCINNIS sports@pgfreepress.com

he 2015 Canada Winter Games is a significant project. In order for the games to be a financial success, the business community needs to be involved. The committee is actively seeking sponsors, aiming for millions of dollars in support. Canada Winter Games CEO Stuart Ballantyne says there are different levels of sponsorship. Although they haven’t specified investments in exact dollar figures, they have plans in place for businesses who want to come on board. The Games are scheduled to run from Feb. 13 to March 1, 2015. Prince George and northern B.C. will play host to 2,350 athletes, 950 coaches and officials, and up to 4,500 volunteers. The event will also attract hundreds of media and medical professionals, and thousands of volunteers. The event will be the largest sporting and cultural event ever held in Prince George, with a projected economic impact of $70 to $90 million. The Games’ executive team planned to go forward to Prince George City Council with their business plan on Dec. 17. Ballantyne says the plan is more than 200 pages long and took roughly five months to complete. “It has to go through a huge approval process and because we have three levels of funding from all levels of government, each one of the government groups had to have their say on how they felt about it,” Ballantyne says. “So we went through that through the summer and then to our board and our board only meets every two months.” Among the team’s many plans in the upcoming year is upgrading its facilities. Ballantyne notes that’s one aspect of preparation they need to have completed well in advance, with the next 12 months playing a crucial role in generating money. The Games’ biggest capital facility upgrade is the $16-million Kin Centre Enhancement Project, slated for completion in October 2013. The finished product will

result in a new Kin 1 arena with a wider ice surface, expanded seating and a new roof. Improvements to the lounge, dressing rooms and Kin 2 are also part of the plan. Ballantyne notes that their capital budget is set at $19 million. They’re required to raise just under $2 million of that total. As he points out, you can never have enough. “The quicker you can get the money, the more you can do with it in the form of pre-Games legacies,” he says. “And we’ve identified some things we want to fund, but we have to have the money in order to fund them and there’s parameters on the government money on where it can be spent and how it can be spent.” Advertising will be present at all venues during the Games, which will be featured on TSN. Ballantyne says the event will have more than 100 hours of TV time. Ballantyne points out that investments from sponsors will range from a couple of thousand into seven-figure dollar totals. “The bigger partners, these are multimillion dollartype projects that we’re looking at trying to build,” Ballantyne says. “We take some of the more popular aspects of the Games, the volunteer program, the torch relay, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, some of the presentation of the venues. These are the things that the bigger sponsors are going to want to invest in.” Businesses can offer goods and services, or pay a fee to sponsor part of an evening or an event. “Beyond what the Games are doing, sponsors are going to be activating and doing things as well, so we’ll have things happen on street corners and streets,” Ballantyne says. “We want activities where people will come downtown and spend some time downtown.” The Canada Winter Games receive support from seven national partners. Supplies in the Canada Games House in Prince George came from SpeeDee Office Experts Ltd. On top of the many volunteers, there will be about 50 full-time paid staff working at the Games. Ten of those positions have been filled already. To help prepare for the Games, the management team has employed the Twentyten Group, a team of sponsorship, marketing and communications professionals. The

group includes key members from the VANOC marketing team that generated a record-setting $760 million in domestic sponsorship revenue for a Winter Games. “It was important for us to make sure that we looked at what the North offered from the business perspective. We’re a resource-based economy,” Ballantyne says. For information on Canada Winter Games sponsorship, e-mail director of revenue generation Todd Doherty at tdoherty@canadagames2015.ca. Visit the Games website at www.canadagames2015.ca for updates.

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Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

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Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

Learning about resources at CNC ALLAN WISHART Northern Report

lot has changed since Ed Morrice became an instructor at the College of New Caledonia in 1991. “The program was then called Forest Resource Technology,” he says, sitting in his office at the school. “It had been running pretty much since the college opened in the 1960s.” Now, the program is Natural Resources and Environmental Technology, but Morrice says some perceptions are hard to change. “A lot of people, students and industry, still see it as a ‘forest’ program, but there are opportunities in a number of other fields as well.” The core skill set for the students in the two-year course is focused on forests, he’s quick to admit. “You look around Prince George. We’re still a forests town.” But, he says, there are many other industries which need people with forestrelated skill sets. “Oil and gas, mining, other natural resource industries. They might not think of hiring someone with a forest-related diploma, but their work will involve the need to clear forest lands. They will need to have site reclamation plans in place. “These are just some of the places our students can help other industries.” Forest companies know the quality of student the CNC program turns out. “We were at a job fair at UNBC recently,” Morrice said, “and Canfor hired three of my students on the spot.”

Companies in other fields are starting to notice, he says. “Can Am Geomatics came down from Fort St. John to talk to the students and let them know what kinds of jobs they had available. “And they brought pizza.” When students complete the two-year course, they can register as Forest Technologists, a factor Morrice brings up several times. “There are some companies who look at what professional designations you have, and this gives you something to hang your resume on with them. There’s also what I call a True Grit component to an Ph o to s co ur te s y o f C NC employer seeing that des- CNC Natural Resources and Environmental Technology instructor John Neumann works ignation.” with some Grade 11 students as they analyze owl pellets. It’s part of what students in the No, he’s not figuring Ornithology and Mammalogy course would study. students can ride horses and shoot outlaws. just being piqued by the time they finish areas. “Many of the students love the idea of the two years at CNC, Morrice says there But they’ll always have that Natural being out in the wilderness. They want are more options opening up all the time. Resources and Environmental Technoljob where you’re 150 km out of town to “You can transfer our courses to the ogy diploma, and Morrice says the benstart with, then you have to take a quad forestry degree programs at UNBC, UBC efits of taking the course are many. another 20 km to meet the helicopter and University of Alberta. We’re working “You’re employable right out of the that’s going to take you to to the top of on being able to transfer them to Thompgate. You start learning job skills, literthe mountain. son Rivers University (Kamloops) for ally, on Day 2. You have access to about “They drop you off there and you have their environmental studies program, and $16,000 in scholarships and bursaries that to make your way back down, doing we’re talking to BCIT about working into are specific to this program. Universities your surveying on the way, and they just their site rehabilitation program.” like to see our students if they do decide say, ‘We’ll pick you up at the bottom’.” Students can also continue studying to transfer, because they know they’re For the student who finds their interest sciences at CNC to branch off into other getting someone with a proven skill set.”

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Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

Forests still a vital resource DELYNDA PILON Northern Report

Although talk about pipelines, lliq liquid quid eeem natural gas and mining ventures sseem o to top the headlines lately, there iss n no ally y denying that forestry remains vitally important to the province. ur“It is very important,” Jobs, Tourellll el ism, and Innovation Minister Pat B Bell ost said. “It is by far and away the most haaps h sustainable natural resource, perhaps other than agriculture.” tin ng He said the industry took a beating hee when the province got hit with the he mountain pine beetle. Managing tth the aak ken a issue and the damage done has taken sults lot of good hard work, but the results have been worth it, he said. ffficce Recently the Chief Forester’s office pply released news that the timber supply dlly in the Quesnel area wasn’t as badly affected as it was first thought. “I think we’re going to get moree o off that type of news,” Bell said. mag gee, Previously, when predicting damage, ors rst the forester’s office looked at the w worst nccee iiss case scenario. Now that the province xpeerrtts basically through the epidemic, experts can look at the landscape. vee,”” “The mills out there will survive,” ce-Bell said.” The Hampton announcee.” ment gave people a sense of hope.” nvesti ting g iin nb uildi illdi ding The fact Hampton Affiliates is investing building d speaks k another mill in Burns Lake is great news and well of the future of the forest industry, he added. He added he believes there will be changes within the sector, with more importance paid to silviculture as carbon sequestering becomes integral to some companies. Carbon credits, he said, will increase the value of silviculture.

“We’ “W e’re re n ott q o uite ui uit te tthere here he re ttoday, od o day ay, bu b ut w wi ith th hiin in ffive ive ye iv y ear ars ars “We’re not quite but within years ther th herre’s e’’s g goin go ing g to to be be a re all ram a p-up am p,”” B Bel ell ll sa id d. ““I It wi ill ll there’s going real ramp-up,” Bell said. “It will b funded f d db h d d about b b be by those industries concerned carbon emissions. “I’m confident in the forest industry,” he added. “It sustained us over a long time, and it is just as important as it used to be.” The difference, he said, is diversification, another factor benefiting the province’s economy. New job oppor-

tuni tu nities niti ties ti es are are re o peening p ning ni ng u p in in ssectors ecctto ec tors rs llike ike m ik mi ini niing ng. Impr ng IImproveIm mpr pro ov veetunities opening up mining. ment me ntss done do d onee to to tth he Pi P ine Pas P asss me mean ans th her ere is is a lot lott m oree or ments the Pine Pass means there more activity transporting goods to that area, including the Site C dam. “We are sending a huge amount of business north to the Peace,” he said. Nevertheless forestry remains one of the most important natural resources, one that is sustainable and that will carry the province into the future.

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Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

Pipeline causes controversy DELYNDA PILON Northern Report

WHAT IS IT? The Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline is a twinned pipeline to run 1,100 km between the oilsands and a marine terminal to be constructed at Kitimat. It will transport bitumen, a heavy type of oil, that will be mixed with condensate because bitumen is too heavy to be moved through a pipeline without it. The other line will transport condensate. The Kitimat terminal would have two berths and storage for three condensate tanks and 11 petroleum tanks, and a radar monitoring system as well as first-response capabilities. The project is expansive with many components, not only encompassing building the lines through some of the most beautiful natural countryside in the world, but then transporting it by ship along a pristine coastline know to be one of the most rugged in the world, then to its final destination via supertanker to China. POLITICS The Canadian Conservatives under the leadership of Premier Stephen Harper make no bones about their support of the Northern Gateway pipeline. “We think it’s obviously in the vital interest of Canada and in the vital interest of British Columbia, as Canada’s Asia-Pacific gateway. The economic growth we expect to have here in the future is going to be based on commerce with the Asia-Pacific region and we think it’s important that we continue to diversify our exports through this province,” Harper told reporters at a news conference in Vancouver. NDP opposition leader Thomas Mulcair does not, and has publicly stated the issue, to him, is dead in the water, thanks in great part to the opposition the project has faced in B.C. His statement came following the Enbridge spill in Michigan, when the government reported there was a breakdown of safety at Enbridge and likened the Enbridge employees actions to those of the Keystone Kops. However, he has said he does not oppose refining Alberta’s oil, and suggested an eastwardbound line might produce a win-win situation. For months people questioned B.C.’s Liberal leader, Christy

Clark’s stand on the pipeline. The provincial NDP have criticized her for not taking a more active role in the Joint Review Panel hearings, especially considering the Liberals will not do an independent environmental assessment of the pipeline and instead will go along with whatever the national assessment states, a process that has also been questioned because the Conservative government supports the pipeline and because the Conservatives changed, some say gutted, the environmental process. However, Clark has said she will oppose the pipeline if Alberta and the federal government don’t meet the five conditions her government have imposed, which include environmental concerns and the necessity of B.C. being given a fair share of benefits for complying. NDP environment critic Rob Fleming said the Liberals dropped the ball, abdicating their power to be an in-depth part of the process, and added the Harper government is biased in favour of the project. Conversely, he said he can’t imagine a situation where the NDP would support the pipeline construction. “I can’t imagine a situation where the NDP would say yes to this project, but the point is the province failed to exercise its rights. Are the Liberals neutral about this? Or are they just missing in action? When the panel concludes it will say if this pipeline is in the national interest. B.C. needs to reserve its right to say no.” ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS “Canadians shouldn’t have to choose between jobs and the environment,” he said. He said the Conservatives are selling Gateway as the saviour of the country, exporting raw bitumen 1,100 km through a pipeline running from Alberta to the coast of B.C., then via supertanker to China. Oil spills, he said, are inevitable, especially considering the Pacific Ocean is known to be fast, cold and sometimes rough. Exporting the bitumen means loading the tankers with the product, which will then navigate a coastline that includes three hair-pin turns, before heading into open seas. “There are three hair-pin turns, and without ever making a mistake they have to do everything perfectly right 15,000 times,” Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen said.

“We have to protect our land for our children – for all the children.” Chief Martin Louie of the Nadleh Whut’en First Nation joined about 150 people outside the Prince George Civic Centre holding placards and banners protesting the Enbridge pipeline during the province wide Defend Our Coast day of action. Terry Teegee, vice tribal chief with the Carrier Sekani tribal council, was among several protesters at the JRP hearings on the board’s second visit to the city. He was also among about 600 people who protested during the first time the hearings were held in the city, and his message was the same. Teegee said he has many concerns with the pipeline, from the process to the way First Nations groups are being treated when it comes to presenting their issues. He said when the federal government passed Bill C-38, not only did they take the teeth out of the environmental review process, it also changed the rules governing what constitutes a charitable organization, meaning there is no funding available for them while millions are being pumped into the pro-pipeline side. The lands the pipeline will cross in B.C. have outstanding land claims, he said, another issue he feels isn’t being dealt with appropriately. Teegee added from what he has observed, there is plenty of concern regarding the pipeline from Aboriginals and nonAboriginals alike, and little to no support. “They should kill it,” he said of the project. Two mayors of Alberta, both of whom live in areas where pipelines exist, visited the city with a different opinion. Mayor Stuart Houston of the City of Spruce Grove said he understands there is a certain amount of environmental risk attached to the pipeline, however pointed out the Trans Mountain pipeline goes through Jasper National Park, and now people can’t even tell what side of the road it lies on. “It must be done in an environmentally responsible manner,” Houston said. He added the Joint Review Panel will make recommendations to mitigate any associated risks if it approves the project. “Is there a risk?” Leduc Mayor Greg Krischke asked. “Yes there is, but there’s a risk involved in crossing a road. You can live next to a pipeline and not even know it’s there.”

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Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

Studying the mountain pine beetle A

s the mountain pine beetle infestation spreads over the Rocky Mountains and into the jack pine forests of Alberta, research involving the University of Northern British Columbia is promising to help scientists understand why the insect is able to withstand the extreme cold of northern winters. Researchers point to the beetle’s ability to survive extreme cold as being a major factor in its spread and this research is the first large-scale look at what’s going on in mountain pine beetle larvae as they physiologically prepare for winter, and then complete their development into adult beetles in the spring and early summer. The results of the project can help scientists predict the insect’s spread and assist governments and industry in figuring out ways to manage it. The new data comes just as the insect is moving into a new region with different climate variables than it faced as it spread across BC. “We wanted to get a better idea of the types of natural antifreezes the larval beetle produces and find out how it deals with the physiological stresses that it goes through as it prepares for and endures the extreme cold of winter,” says UNBC Ecosystem Science and Management Professor Dezene Huber, the principal investigator in the study, which was recently published Ph o to co ur te s y o f UNBC in the international journal Insect BioDezene Huber at work in his lab at the University of Northern B.C. chemistry and Molecular Biology. “Our work opens new doors to discovery by paper has been published in “open the project was provided by Genome the Canada Foundation for Innovation, providing insight for the first time into access format” – meaning anyone on Canada, Genome BC, Genome Alberta, and the BC Knowledge Development which genes and biochemical pathways earth with an internet connection can the Canada Research Chairs Program, Fund. are important to mountain pine beetle download and read it – thanks in part survival beyond winter.” to a publishing grant from UNBC. A popular misconception about the “I started working in this research pine beetle is that northern winters are program as a third-year undergraduate no longer cold enough to kill the insect. student and continued after graduating, “While the overall depth of winter and it’s been a great experience for me, cold is important, the timing of deep to follow through and help bring the cold snaps – how early or late the cold work to this stage,” says Bonnett who happens – is more important,” says Dr. Victoria Sports Physiotherapy is a dynamic received a UNBC President’s ScholarHuber. ship, the R. Priefer Organic Chemistry Dr. Huber and his research team, and result oriented physiotherapy team with Prize, and the Rotary Club of Gibsons including research associate and UNBC an active approach to wellness. We specialize – Jim Ling & Michael Cruise Scholargrad Tiffany Bonnett, surveyed proship while she attended UNBC. “Along teins in pine beetle larvae that they in sports and work related injuries, the way I’ve built transferable skills in collected in early autumn and then late back and neck pain, and hand writing, analytical thinking, and other autumn, and again in late winter and areas that will be helpful to me whether therapy. early spring. “The results provide a rich I pursue graduate studies or another source of data on the proteins required for the survival of larvae, and they point path.” ICBC, Worksafe BC & The study was conducted in collaboto the identities of a number of possible Private Claims antifreeze compounds in the pine beetle. ration with other researchers from the Tria Project from the Universities of Our work also contributes to the growWelcome British Columbia, Alberta, and Minneing knowledge of cold tolerance prosota and the Natural Resources Canada cesses in other organisms.” Drug & Alcohol Canadian Forest Service. Funding for Dr. Huber adds that the research

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Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

Spectra - the other pipeline One of the many companies seeking to cash in on the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG) billed itself as a provider of a fuel that’s both environmentally responsible and profitable during a massive telephone conference call earlier this year. Spectra Energy staged what it called an “interactive townhall” to explain plans for a 48-inch diameter pipeline that would run approximately 850 kilometres from the northeastern B.C. gas fields to an LNG export plant at Prince Rupert. An exact route has yet to be determined, but company officials have said so far the pipeline would emerge from the northeast around the Cranberry

Junction area north of Terrace and then through the Nass Valley region on its way to the coast. Spectra, a pipeline company with operations in Canada and the United States, would build and maintain the pipeline as part of a 50/50 partnership with the BG Group, an international company that would operate the Prince Rupert LNG plant and buy all of the gas the line could provide. Doug Bloom, in charge of Spectra’s western Canadian operations, said the company was seeking the opinions of people in the region about the best way to build the pipeline.

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But as much as Bloom said Spectra wanted to get the opinions of northerners, he was clear the company wanted to be part of a growing LNG export market to Asia, centering on China, Korea and Japan. Spectra views itself as being an “environmentally response energy source,” he said. And, in what might be taken as a reference to the provincial government’s dispute with Alberta about a share of the royalties from crude oil that would flow through the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline, Bloom said with a Spectra line, “with natural gas you can be sure B.C. will get its fair share.” Bloom responded to a series of questions from those invited to be part of the Spectra conference call. He told one person who questioned the export of gas and oil that B.C. has an abundance of natural gas. “We can be part of a more global solution to move away from higher carbon or dirty fuels to natural gas,” said Bloom. And Bloom did remind people that Spectra’s project development was still in its early days. So far, Spectra says a pipeline would generate more than 4,000 jobs during the construction phase and 50 to 60 jobs afterward. An estimated 75,000 automated phone calls were made asking people to join in on the conference call and approximately one-third of those called responded. And

of those who resonded, approximately 1,700 took part in the question and answer session. The Spectra-BG pipeline and LNG plant plan for Prince Rupert is the second to be announced this year. Petronas, which is owned by the Malaysian government, also wants to build a pipeline to Prince Rupert and an LNG plant in the area. That’s contingent upon the completion of a $5.2 billion deal to buy Progress Energy. Neither Petronas nor Progress are providing details of their intended pipeline route but have identified a location on Lelu Island, near Prince Rupert, for the LNG plant. There are also three planned LNG projects at Kitimat, two of which would require pipelines – one in which Apache has a controlling stake and the other in which Shell is the dominant player. A smaller project would use the existing but underutilized Pacific Northern Gas pipeline. As part of its plans, Spectra has opened an office in Terrace, employing two public relations people, one of whom is Graham Genge, formerly the executive director of the Kermodei Tourism Society. Spectra’s public relations team working on the pipeline project includes Evan Saugstad, who was the mayor of Chetwynd until he retired from civic politics last year. He’s also the chair of the Northern Development Initiative Trust.

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Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

Minerals North heads west ALLAN WISHART Northern Report

f you plan on attending the Minerals North Conference in Terrace in April, be advised it is currently “BYOB”. As in “Bring Your Own Bed”. Conference coordinator Evan van Dyk says accommodations are at a premium. “There are no hotel rooms left in town for that weekend, and I’ve talked to some of our neighbouring communities and they’re starting to fill up.” He days some of the people coming to the conference will be bringing RVs to serve as their accommodation, while others are looking at staying with friends. “We are expecting record numbers this year. We started selling booths on October 1, and we were sold out in two days. We actually had people looking to buy booths the day we won the bid for the conference

at Stewart in 2011.” The Minerals North conference is held annually at different locations across northern B.C. The location is announced two years in advance, so while Terrace was named as the 2013 host at Stewart in 2011, Vanderhoof was named the 2014 host at the last meeting in Burns Lake. “We started working on our bid in January 2011,” van Dyk says, “and submitted it in late March. We were one of four bids for the 2013 conference, and we got it.” This is not the first time Terrace has hosted Minerals North. “We hosted it in 2007, but this year’s event will be significantly larger. It’s good, though, because our committee has people who worked on the 2007 event, so they have some experience with Minerals North organizing.” There will be a trade show at the conference, which will be held in the Sportsplex, as well as a series of guest speakers and

panels. While many of the aspects of the bid proposal they put in are still applicable, their choice of theme is not quite as applicable. “We picked the theme ‘The Northern Network” because at that time we were expecting the transmission line to be constructed in 2013, at the time of the conference. “Well, that’s been pushed back a bit, but we’re still using ‘The Northern Network’ theme.” The Northern Network is what many people believe will be necessary to achieve success in mining, with com-

munities working together to make the industry viable. And with four months to go before the April 24-26 conference, van Dyk says things are running well. “We’re right where we want to be. We’re finalizing the lists of speakers and the agenda, and those should be available soon. We’re almost sold out of sponsorships, which makes our lives easier. It means we have one less thing to worry about.” And what is the one thing he and the rest of the organizers are most concerned with at this point? Van Dyk laughs. “Where’s everybody going to sleep?”

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L au ra Blackw ell/Special to Northern Report

Burns Lake Mayor Luke Strimbold welcomes delegates to the 2012 Minerals North conference. The 2013 conference is set for Terrace from April 24 to 26.

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Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George Free Press - DECEMBER 2012

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