PRINCE RUPERT VOL. 8 NO. 16
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
FREE
Four suitors for Grassy Point LNG site
WHITE WINS Feature
Major players express interest in another new LNG facility
Why Prince Rupert relays for life. Page A6
BY SHAUN THOMAS PRINCE RUPERT / The Northern View
“Proposals are currently under review.”
Business Doleman reports on credit union’s health. Page A9
Shaun Thomas / The Northern View
A cheer goes up in the Dark Forest as the king (Corbin Parnell) banishes the evil queen (Kelsey Casavant) from the kingdom during Missoula Children’s Theatre production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on Saturday at the Lester Centre. For more on the production, see Page A14.
Sports The skating grace of Candyland Page A11
An additional four companies are looking to locate LNG terminals near Prince Rupert, the B.C. Ministry of Energy announced on Wednesday. According to the Ministry, the government released an Expression of Interest for development on Crown land at Grassy Point near the entrance to Work Channel. Those interested had to show the financial capacity to develop a terminal, experience in the development of LNG facilities and ownership of a source of LNG. The province also asked for the companies to include a project description, a plan for First Nations and community consultation and potential partnerships. See LNG on Page 2
Prince Rupert is not going bankrupt Media reports of impending doom misleading BY SHAUN THOMAS PRINCE RUPERT / The Northern View
Haida Gwaii New jobs in Port Clements. Page B1
New
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Listin
604 Pilsbury Ave $295,000
The City is not going bankrupt. Despite repeated media reports of impending bankruptcy in 13 months, the City is not heading over a financial cliff — at least, not yet. Prince Rupert Mayor Jack Mussallem has said if the deal with Watson Island Development Corporation (WatCo), a group of potential buyers for Watson Island, had not been done for WatCo to take over maintenance costs, the City would then, and only then,
“It’s hard to deal with.” - Mayor Jack Mussallem have been in a financial predicament that could lead to bankruptcy. When Prince Rupert seized the site from Sun Wave Forest Products in 2009 for unpaid taxes, the City had to pay monthly maintenance fees on the site. But when WatCo came
forward as a potential purchaser for the site that changed. As part of the purchase deal outlined by the company, WatCo is providing “a monthly payment to allow Prince Rupert to maintain the site”. Chief Financial Officer Dan
Rodin said the company has been giving the City money since October 2011 and currently the company pays $90,000 per month. That is up from the $55,000 “in holding and maintenance costs while the transaction is pending” claimed by the Lax Kw’alaams band in a Nov. 4 court filing A Nov. 9, 2012 court filing from the City of Prince Rupert put the cost of maintenance around $80,000 per month with the City spending $400,000 since taking over the site in 2009. See WATSON ISLAND on Page 2
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