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AUGUST 2013
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GETTING THERE
Roads, rails, and runways A look at transportation and logistics in northern B.C. Allan WISHART/Free Press The Antonov-124 comes in for a landing at the Prince George Airport last year over the seven helicopters that would be loaded onto it before it continued on its flight to Angola. The Antonov-124, the third-largest plane in the world, made full use of the new long runway at the airport.
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Prince George Free Press - AUGUST 2013
Special Edition: The Northern Report
Going private good for CN Delynda Pilon newsroom@pgfreepress.com In the long run, morphing from a Crown corporation to a private company improved customer service and the bottom line for CN Rail. Mike Cory, the company’s senior vice-president for the western region, was a keynote speaker at the B.C. Natural Resources Forum in Prince George about the history of the company and where it is today thanks to a lot of hard work and innovation. “It’s a mature company in a mature industry,” he said. “It has seen a lot of change in the last 30 years.” Beginning as a crown corporation, it was not driven by business decisions nor cost incentives. That changed when it was privatized, beginning with a lot of job cuts. “There was a lot of changes. We didn’t understand what our core business was,” he said. In the late 90s the recession ended and CN decided to be the most efficient railway in North America. “We were positioned as truly the only North
Free Press File Photo CN senior vice-president for the western region Mike Cory at the Natural Resources Forum in Prince George.
American rail road to reach all three coasts,” he said. However it became apparent the company wanted more, adding customer satisfaction to its list of desires as well as joint ventures, making them a supply chain enabler for customers. The company continues to keep those goals in sight. Now the rail traverses eight provinces and 16 states, reaching the eastern and western coast as well as the Gulf of Mexico. “The length of haul is second to none,” Cory said. He said about $10 billion has been invested in the railroad since privatization, allowing it to upgrade some old railroads while acquiring new ones, improving efficiency. They acquired Wisconsin Central to provide a link to the prairies, giving the rail company seamless access transporting goods. Later they acquired BC Rail. In 2006 they secured the running rights through Duluth as well as the railroad, allowing access to the Great Lakes, as well as shipping to the coal terminal in northern Ohio. In 2007 they re-acquired the Mackenzie North railroad. In 2008, they acquired a railroad from Edmonton to Fort McMurray, allowing access to the oil fields. In 2009, they acquired a rail linking Quebec with Gaspe. In 2010 they became the only Class 1 railroad with a route in Chicago. Other rails, themselves included before the acquisition, pay tolls and can be held up for periods of time before traversing the area. “That was a key requirement for our customers import and export needs,” Cory said. The company has enjoyed a double-digit growth in container traffic. The result of all the decisions is an efficient railroad that provides excellent customer service. “We spend millions to enhance our network. We support growth and are reliable for our key customers.” In-house precision engineering has helped develop systems to fix problems in-house before they occur, leading the way in safety consciousness with the philosophy that even one injury is one too many. “CN is a major player in Canadian trade and prosperity,” Cory said. “At the beginning of this journey we created the backstop for future success.”
Special Edition: The Northern Report
Prince George Free Press - AUGUST 2013
What’s Inside 2013 6 Going private good for CN........................................2 Prince George Mayor Shari Green ...........................4 IPG works on transportation issues..........................5 Plane talk about Prince George Airport...........6-7
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Keep on Truckin’ with Carbon Offset .................8 NDIT helps with Burns Lake airport..........................9 Hydro upgrades will be costly ...........................12
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Hydro projects are underway in the North ..............13 Five steps to getting a Class 1 licence ...................14 Boundary Road work nearing completion ..............15 Purolator gets new digs in Prince George........16
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Transportation key, says MLA ............................... 17 Air cargo terminal at Prince Rupert...................18 GeoBC offers digital map ......................................19 Broadband expands in the North .........................20 Work is continuing on the Cariboo Connector, four-laning Highway 97 from Prince George to Cache Creek.
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Special Edition: The Northern Report
Prince George Free Press - AUGUST 2013
Transforming P.G. into the North’s transportation hub Delynda Pilon Northern Report Planes, trains and automobiles - Prince George is an expert in shipping out to points as varied as the compass, intent on getting goods to market. With the billions in investment flooding the northern part of the province, the ‘hub of the north’ is seeing an increase in all forms of traffic. Though the increase is welcome, it provides its own challenges to municipal leaders who have a responsibility to keep the roads and highways accessible and in good repair. “In general it feels like there is an increase in traffic within the city, and we’re seeing that across our transportation network,” Mayor Shari Green said. The increase is felt along the provincial corridors while semis supply needed goods to the natural resource sector, and it is also impacting city traffic. “As people living within a municipality, we are definitely seeing the impact of that. We are seeing a greater volume of people on the roads,” she added. “This has its pros and cons. “It’s great for the local economy. We know we have lots of services and folks who are benefiting from seeing an increase in traffic. If you are a mechanic, run an automotive shop, sell tires, anything like that, more vehicles on the road provides an opportunity to take advantage of the increase in business.” But more traffic doesn’t equal more tax dollars for the city even though the increase in traffic will equate an increase in road repairs. “From a municipal point of view, we don’t see revenue from that,” Green said. “We have a
property tax system.” She said municipalities across the north are facing the same issue, meaning all of them were keenly interested in a promise made by Premier Christy Clark, who committed to looking at how the resource sector is impacting northern communities, considering whether or not there is a revenuesharing opportunity for municipalities who do incur a cost, whether in transportation or socially, during what many are describing as an economic boom, something happening all around the city but not within the borders of the municipality. Green said the issue is something Coun. Cameron Stolz, head of the city’s finance and audit committee, is examining. “Prince George has a resolution about this that Coun. Stolz brought forMayor Shari Green ward to the UBCM (Union of B.C. Municipalities) about a year ago. We’ll talk about it at the UBCM in September.” She pointed out the Peace district has an agreement in place that speaks to the issue. “I don’t know if this would look the same as theirs, but the general idea is to assist municipalities who have a cost and impact with an industry which is out of the municipal boundary, but in its backyard,” she said. “Prince George is interested in seeing we get our fair share, but want to see it be a fair and balanced agreement across northern communities.” Transportation in Prince George is about more than roads, however. Green said she is pleased with the growth at the CN facility, as well as their contributions to the community. “We have the CN Intermodel facility,” she said. “There is a ton of container trafficyou can see stacked along First Avenue. They are becoming more and more engaged with the communities they are involved in, and we are thankful for the landscaping they’ve done along First Avenue, very thankful for that.” However, there are also pros and cons with an increase in rail traffic. “People in Miworth are sitting quite some time at the rail crossing waiting to get into town,” she said. She added city officials were cognizant of the recent rail accident in Eastern Canada, prompting them to look at local disaster plans. When it comes to the increased flights at the airport, she added she’s happy about the new flight to Calgary, however she’s hoping that will soon be expanded to Edmonton as well, since she has family there. “I am hopeful if it’s very successful, we will see Edmonton added as well. I have family in Edmonton.” One complaint passed her way about the new Calgary flight is it arrives at 5 p.m., and the complainant wanted to experience the city when more venues were open. “I said no, no, no – we bring people to Prince George in the morning. We should be scheduling how we get people to Prince, not out,” she said with a smile.
There is a ton of container traffic you can see stacked along First Avenue. - Mayor Shari Green
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IPG continues to work on transportation opportunities Initiatives Prince George (IPG), the economic arm of the city, has long recognized the importance of the area as a hub of a transportation wheel, driving goods and services to points north and beyond. “Prince George is the main transportation hub for one of the fastest growing regions of country,” Heather Oland, CEO of IPG, said. “We have fabulous infrastructure that enables us to take advantage of the growth happening in northern B.C.” Since time immemorial when First Nations settlements nestled at the junction of the Nechako and Fraser rivers, the area has been a base for trade. After European settlers came, the fur trade was established, opening a new market. However, it wasn’t until the Grand Trunk Railway announced the rails would pass by the settlement, called Fort George at the time, that the importance of the area became apparent to the new settlers. Now rail traffic is steady and the two rivers have become negligible when it comes to moving goods, however instead the two major highways that converge in the city, highways 97 and 16, and air flights have become increasingly important, particularly after a 11,450-foot long and 150-foot wide runway, the third longest commercial runway in Canada, was built. “We have an international airport with the ability to land the largest cargo carriers, a fuelling station soon to be completed, fabulous highway transportation in terms of traffic travelling north, south, east and west, new investment with Boundary Road, which connects Highway 16 to 97 and provides a dangerous goods route and which will service a future light industrial land base for the city,” Oland explained. “CN has made incredible investments in its intermodel facility, plus they’ve hired a large number of employees and made investments all along their northern lines, from Prince Rupert to Prince George, Edmonton - and beyond.
All of those factors, in addition to our central location, as well as our affordable well-planned light industrial land base, makes us an important transport hub.” Ensuring the ability to move goods and services remains important to the city, she said. “I know the Ministry of Transportation has planned capital upgrades for the highway infrastructure,” she said. “The Cariboo connector is a part of that.
It is important to invest where growth is happening - Heather Oland “Increased traffic on the highway will come with transportation improvements along some of the stretches of highway that is single-laned.” She added there have been vast improvements to a system that already functioned well, especially noticeable where the province has invested in the highways, giving freighters the ability to move necessary goods more quickly and to more areas. “The Pine Pass is a good example of that,” Oland said. “It is important to invest where growth is happening, and make sure the transportation infrastructure can enable that
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free flow of trade.” IPG is at work on many projects to help not only with the flow of goods and services in the region but also to promote local products. The benefit of that when it comes to cargo flights means the Prince George airport becomes a viable fuelling stop since a plane can leave with a load of goods on a return trip to Asia, which offsets the Nav Can fees being charged. “One of our competitive advantages is the opportunity to put cargo back on flights going back to Asia,” Oland said. She pointed out currently the planes that stop in Anchorage to refuel aren’t going back anywhere near fully loaded. “One advantage is our central location and proximity to West Coast seafood, Okanagan tree fruit, agricultural products grown and harvested in the Cariboo. Peace and Central Interior. We have a good opportunity to use the Prince George airport as an export airport for goods going back to china,” Oland said. “Look at the need and market for good clean food in Asia, That is a good competitive advantage we have. In its early stages, IPG is working with local producers while the airport works to ensure the final process of transporting B.C. produce to China, is smooth. “There’s opportunities and challenges with it right now. It’s early days, and there are some policy and federal jurisdiction kind of limitations the airport is working with the federal government on. We are working with the provincial government on establishing markets and getting barriers to trade out of the way, and building the market here to potentially supply some of that demand in the Asian market,” Oland said. With the need for produce the province can easily provide “insatiable”, according to Oland, the city is likely to expand far beyond its general area when it comes to export.
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Special Edition: The Northern Report
Prince George Free Press - AUGUST 2013
PLANE TALK
about Prince George AIRPORT Delynda Pilon Northern Report Air travel cuts down on time, adding convenience to a businessperson’s day, and now with new connections from areas north of the city, through operations at the Prince George Airport, not only are movers and shakers able to get where they need to be, but the the seeds of a local air cargo operation have been sown as well. “This year we’ve been fortunate that Air Canada put the Q400 into operation,” John Gibson, chair of the Prince George Airport Authority, said. “That gives us 23 per cent more seats from Air Canada, and a nicer product with the Q400.” He added schedule adjustments have made the flight more passenger friendly with more acceptable times and a good spread in frequency. Gibson said they now offer five flights each business day plus three flights on the weekend. “CMA (Central Mountain Air) has been a pleasant
surprise,” Gibson said. “They started operating Calgary five times a week in June, and now they’re up to six flights, so I assume their loads are doing pretty well to increase frequency.” He added the daily seats to Terrace have been doubled and in the fall a Fort Nelson flight will be added as well. “CMA has really come to the mark to service the expansion we’re seeing in the north, from mining to gas to all the development in northern B.C. and its particular link to Calgary, so CMA has been really great,” he said. Gibson added WestJet has retained its three 737 jet flights each day, however he does not expect them to continue with the jet, but rather replace all or some of them with the Q400. Thus far there’s been no update as to when that will occur. Gibson said the next scheduled flight change is November. Changes may come then, or perhaps with the spring schedule. He added, all in all, the airport is doing very well with its passenger service.
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“The loads are up marginally from last year, about a percent year over year,” he said. “It’s not super robust, but it is a good-news story.” The airport has had its fair share of challenges when it comes to increasing its ability to move cargo through the facility. Gibson said there are three basic issues. “We know our runway was completed in 2009, but we’ve seen very little in terms of what would be large cargo aircraft associated with the longer runway,” he said. “There are three major hurdles we are working on.” The first is the need for expanded fuel capacity. The project to bring that to the airport is a couple of weeks behind schedule, and was expected to be done and operable by the end of July or early August. “It’s really key to get the fuel prices down,” Gibson said. The second is the need for a cargo facility. “We are in discussions with a second developer right now to build a cargo facility,” Gibson said. “We need it to transfer freight. The facility is not needed from a tech stop stand-
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YXS has economic impact FROM PAGE A6 point, but from a cargo movement standpoint. We are anticipating a late year end completion on this, but it will be a few weeks before we know for sure. In the meantime we do have what we can use as an interim cargo facility. The new Northern Thunderbird hanger was completed last year. If we need to we can use that for a cargo build facility since it’s not 100 per cent utilized right now with aircraft maintenance, so we will be able to do build in there,” he said, adding this means filling cargo containers to take to the airport. The third issue is the real stickler, the cost Nav Canada charges planes to stop. “Nav Canada costs are quite a bit higher than their U.S. counterparts,” Gibson said. With non-commercial flights (tech stops with no cargo value, a plane that stops, refuels and goes), the cost of the actual operation is more critical than anything else, Gibson said. But one tech stop flight per day would amount to $1 million per year more than at a U.S. airport because of Nav Can fees. “We are doing a lot of work on it and a lot of lobbying, but we’re not sure we can get that over top,” Gibson said. However, if a flight is carrying commercial goods, sale of the cargo will off-set the charges, making it economically feasible for flights to stop for refueling. “We conducted a study to analyse commercial traffic in B.C.,” Gibson said. They looked at a variety of industries, from fisheries and livestock to mineral applications. “If we can get between 20 to 30 tonnes of freight, a flight will stop here on its way back to Asia, because then Nav fees are offset by the commercial value of the shipment. So we are working with IPG to get development on northern products.” Boundary Road will also play an important part in the future of the airport. “Once Boundary Road is open, logistics people will have access to about 3,000 acres of land with fairly good services.” Gibson said.
Jim Blake, right, the chairman of the Prince George Airport Authority, is presented with a clock by vicechair Les Waldie and PGAA president and CEO John Gibson. The presentation came during a celebration of 10 years since the PGAA assumed control of the airport. Blake had been the chairman of the board for the full period, but stepped down at the end of May.
He added they are working with the global logistic park people, the B.C. government and IPG on logistic park development on areas which have direct contact with the airport. He said the park is expected to be a bit longer term when it comes to development, within the next one to three years. “We have had some overseas investors here on a number of different trade missions, right up to last week,” Gibson said. “When you get them returning to Prince George.
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That’s a good sign.” Besides its importance as a transportation hub, the airport has a substantial economic impact on a community. In Prince George, it provides 490 direct jobs in the region as well as about 390 indirect or induced jobs. “So the airport in total has an impact of about 880 jobs on the Prince George region right now, so it is a pretty important employer, a pretty important economic generator,” Gibson said.
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Special Edition: The Northern Report
Prince George Free Press - AUGUST 2013
KEEP ON TRUCKIN’
Free Press File Photo Enviroment Minister Terry Lake announces the provincial govrenment will be providing $2 million in funding over the next two years to the Carbon Offset Aggregation Cooperative in Prince George, much to the delight of COAC chairperson MaryAnne Arcand.
Allan Wishart Northern Report Saving fuel when you’re driving a big rig is a good way to save money. And if you can make money while you’re saving money, that’s even better. That’s what the Carbon Offset Aggregation Cooperative (COAC) is offering truck drivers across the province – and it’s based in Prince George. The cooperative provides financing to member companies to modify vehicles which use fossil fuels. Drivers also receive training in ways to reduce fuel use and emissions. The reductions in greenhouse gases are tracked and recorded as carbon offsets, which are then sold, transferred or traded by COAC. The proceeds of the sales then return to the members as dividends. In 2012, the provincial government announced $2 million in funding over two years for COAC. In making the announcement, Environment Minister Terry Lake noted the importance of the program to the Prince George region. “As we are here in the Prince George Railway and For-
estry Museum, it’s not difficult to be reminded of the impact of forestry on the region. “We also can’t ignore the impact some of these vehicles have in the environment.” Mel Gulbranson of Gulbranson Logging in Vanderhoof was one of those in attendance at the announcement, and said his company was already taking part in COAC, had installed the tracking units on 27 vehicles so far and planned to do the rest of them at breakup. “We use about 3.5 million litres of fuel in the company every year. If we can save 10 per cent of that, that’s 350,000 litres. “At the price of fuel these days, that’s a lot of money.” Logging is a very competitive industry, he reminded the others there, and any advantage helps. “We’ll know more next year when we get the first set of results, but it sounds good.” He said his first meeting with COAC CEO George Stedeford was probably similar to most of those present. “I didn’t understand all the figures George had with him, but he said the idea would work and it would save us money.” COAC chairperson MaryAnne Arcand remembered the
first meeting she had with Lake about the initiative. “I was right behind someone who wanted to create a new park or something, and their meeting went long. I went from having 20 minutes to having 10 minutes to having about five minutes. “It was the fastest sell job I’ve ever done, but it obviously worked.” Stedeford said one thing the companies needed to realize was that the impact on the environment didn’t necessarily end with their vehicles. “The operators can make changes in their driving habits when they’re behind the controls of the heavy equipment, but they may drive their own vehicle differently as well. “They see how our ideas can save money, and they pass those ideas on to their family and friends.” He thanked Lake for the support, and said it would help COAC immensely. “This support will allow us to build and roll out the program on a long-term basis. The cost savings we as a group realize from this will allow you to re-invest in your company and your equipment.” According to the COAC website (www.carbonoffsetcooperative.org), one truck operating 250 days a year and using 300 litres of fuel a day emits about 320 tonnes of carbon each year. E WE OFFER ABOV & S TE RA E AVERAG . TS FI BENE
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NDIT helps with airport People flying into Burns Lake are welcomed at a new airport terminal that is bringing workers, tourists, and families home to the Lakes District region. In the four years prior to the upgrade in 2008, the Baker Airport in Burns Lake had an increase of 300 per cent in airport traffic. The terminal was built at the right time to facilitate the growing amount of airport users and to help stimulate regional economic growth. The airport previously had a small terminal, before it was replaced, that was not well equipped to meet facility demand and needs of both air carriers and the public. With the new terminal at the Baker Airport, local residents will have better emergency services as the airport is now used for medi-vac service. Lakes District Air Services Ltd. is a principal commercial user of the improved airport, offering aircraft charter services and fly-in only wilderness adventures and getaway packages to the region. The replacement terminal is a 2,560 square foot single floor building that includes a number of new and improved features including an emergency equipment storage room, freight handling area, central meeting room, new washrooms that include showers and handicap access, a new administration area that includes computerized mapping and weather equipment, a new kitchen and public eating area, an improved resting area that includes a bed for pilots that can be used on bad weather stay overs and long hauls. “Our airport terminal project continues to have positive economic influence on the valley from the hiring of local contractors during the construction phase to the hiring of employees for day-to-day operations. The airport society’s vision is for continued expansion of operations as the facility is attracting repeat industrial us-
ers,� said Gordon Douglas, Vice President, Lakes District Airport Society. “A total of 53 medevac flights flew out from the Baker Airport one year, 19 in another year ... even if it is just one flight a year, saving one life makes it all worthwhile,� said Reg Blackwell, President, Lakes District Airport Society. In the past 12 months, commercial operators have worked out of the area due to the two kitchenette suites, which allow aircraft operators and crew to stay over on site. “Funding received from Northern Development Initiative Trust was vital to the completion of our project,� said Douglas. The new Baker Airport terminal provides direct positive economic and social benefits to the Lakes District communities including Burns Lake and its surrounding rural areas. The new terminal operation jobs have been created following completion of the infrastructure project have directly benefitted families in the area. The airport has added a new full-time permanent cafeteria position, a new full-time fuel sales position, and has increased the number of positions for training instructors at the flight school. The airport is becoming a destination for refueling and jet fuel sales in northwest British Columbia for local traffic and United States flights to Alaska. The new terminal at the Baker Airport is assisting with the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako’s and the Village of Burns Lake’s new business attraction and expansion initiatives by improving local transportation and shipping capabilities in the area. The terminal continues to provide a fully functional facility for business travellers arriving by air.
DeLynda PILON/Free Press Crews have been hard at work all summer at the south end of the city, widening the highway to four lanes. It will take several years to complete,but the hope is the Carriboo Connector will be completed in 2016 and will extend to Cache Creek.
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Engineering the great cities of Northern BC
Free Press File Photo Mary-Anne Arcand had her granddaughter, Emma, plant the first Carbon Offset Aggregation Cooperative seedling at the Central B.C. Railway and Forestry Museum. The tree commemorates a new way of approaching silviculture in the province, which includes replanting Crown land, paying for it with carbon offsets, a project headed by COAC. The 7,000,000,000th seedling was planted during the same ceremony.
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Special Edition: The Northern Report
Prince George Free Press - AUGUST 2013
Hydro upgrades costly Tom Fletcher Northern Report VICTORIA – Costly upgrades to old dams are not enough to prepare BC Hydro for a major earthquake, and electricity rates will continue to rise as upgrades and expansion continue. Energy Minister Bill Bennett acknowledged recently that further rate increases will be needed to finance improvements to the vast hydroelectric network and pay debt on works already completed or underway. “My job will be to restrain the increases, but there’s no way we can continue to sell power to customers, whether they’re commercial or industrial or residential, at the rates that we’re selling it right now,� Bennett told reporters at the legislature. NDP critics focused on a disaster preparedness audit commissioned by BC Hydro last year. The PricewaterhouseCoopers audit reported in December that BC Hydro is at high risk of a prolonged power outage after a major earthquake because of a lack of coordinated emergency plans. “BC Hydro is not adequately prepared to react, respond and recover from a widespread catastrophic event such as an earthquake as there is not a mature or integrated preparedness program,� the audit states. Bennett said BC Hydro has enough staff to improve disaster planning, so that shouldn’t represent a big cost. On that point at least, NDP energy critic John Horgan agreed. “What the report says is that BC Hydro is not prepared,� Horgan said. “They don’t have any continuity plan for their business to continue. It’s not about money, it’s about being ready.� BC Hydro spokesperson Simi Heer said the corporation is responding to the audit by accelerating its province-wide emergency response strategy, improving staff training and participating in emergency exercises. Regional emergency operations centres are planned in locations including Port
Ph o to co ur te s y o f BC Hy d ro
With the northern Rockies in the background, BC Hydro conducted a spill of water at the W.A.C. Bennett dam. Hydro conducted 16-day spills at both the Bennett and Peace River dams in 2011. Alberni, Campbell River, Nanaimo, Victoria, Burnaby, Maple Ridge, Prince George and Vernon. BC Hydro is spending about $2 billion on seismic refits of two of its oldest dams, the John Hart dam at Campbell River and the Ruskin dam on the Mission-Maple Ridge border. Its current expansion project, the Northwest Transmission Line from Terrace to Iskut, was revealed last week to be $140 million over budget. In April 2012, the B.C. Utilities Commission imposed an extra 2.5 per cent rate increase, bringing the rate increase
for the year to seven per cent. That followed a cost-cutting review of BC Hydro that eliminated 700 jobs in an effort to keep the rate increase below four per cent. The BCUC intervened after former auditor general John Doyle found $2.2 billion of deferred debt, and forecast that would grow to $5 billion by 2017. Doyle said one reason the utility was piling up debt was to pay an annual dividend to the B.C. government. In 2011 that dividend was $463 million.
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Special Edition: The Northern Report
Prince George Free Press - AUGUST 2013
13
Free Press File Photo Construction is continuing on the new BC Hydro offices on 22nd Avenue. The exterior looks close to finished, with work still to be done inside and on the grounds.
Hydro projects underway BC Hydro is currently working on a number of projects in the northern region. G.M. Shrum dam was operational in 1968 and currently generates 2,790 megawatts.
TURBINE REPLACEMENT The first turbine unit was operational in November 2012, and work on the other four units will continue sequentially until all five units are in service by mid 2015. The fabrication of components for the first unit is complete. Installation activities began on March 22, 2012. Manufacturing of components for the second unit is well underway. The turbine components are being manufactured in Canada, Brazil, China, Romania and Italy. The new units will produce an additional 177 gigawatt hours each year, enough to power more than 15,000 homes each year. Total investment of $262 million. G.M. Shrum (GMS)Units six to eight will be refurbished to increase the plant capacity by 90 megawatts by replacing the generator circuit breakers and iso-phase bus. This increase in capacity is allowable within the current water licence. Work started in 2009 and is expected to be com-
pleted by the fall of 2013. Two units are now complete and in service. Total investment of $46 million. The rotor poles on GMS Units one to four require rehabilitation to ensure reliability. Manufacturing of the first new set of rotor poles for unit 4 has been completed and the new set was delivered to GMS in April 2012. Work has been completed on the new set of rotor poles on the GMS Unit 4 rotor. Total investment of $22 million.
and conservation measures. It will also consolidate staff and operations from three sites in order to improve work flows. The 85,000 square foot design includes pine beetle wood products and will have a life expectancy of 75 years and will be ready for occupation by the spring of 2014.
NEW PRINCE GEORGE NORTHERN REGIONAL OFFICE
The Peace Canyon Dam and Generating Station (PCN) was completed in 1980. The facility has four generating units producing a maximum capacity of 694 megawatts, using the same amount of water as the G.M. Shrum Generating Station, 23 km upstream at the WAC Bennett Dam. The project supplied one new large 500,000 volt power transformer to the plant in the spring of 2012, as a serviceable spare for the facility. The unit was brought in with a special low-bed multiaxle truck and trailer in late March. The transformer is 9.4 metres tall at its highest point and it weighs 157 tonnes—or as much as some locomotive engines! Total investment of $4.4 million.
Construction of BC Hydro’s new Northern Regional Office in Prince George is underway. Located on the same site as the existing facility, the field office will support 200 staff with the majority comprising technical, design and field staff that are directly involved in the maintenance and expansion of our distribution and transmission systems. The new building will meet the post-disaster requirements of an Emergency Operation Centre and will be able to function in the aftermath of a major earthquake. The building will have several sustainability features with energy efficient
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Special Edition: The Northern Report
Prince George Free Press - AUGUST 2013
Want to be a trucker? Five steps towards a Class 1 licence So you want to be a trucker? Here are five steps to a Class 1 licence. This is how a few of TranBC’s trucking Twitter tweeps (say that five times fast) responded when asked what they like about hauling goods around the province. Many people love trucks and have the drive to explore B.C.’s diverse landscapes while helping the economy move. Do you? If so, here’s how to get started. Step 1: Be sure you qualify You fit the bill if you have a Class 5 or 6 driver’s licence, which are the full privilege licences that allow you to drive a standard passenger vehicle or motorcycle. You also must be at least 19 years of age. Step 2: Hit the books Knowledge is horsepower. Before getting behind the wheel, you’ll need to fill your head with all kinds of trucking know-how, from heavy vehicle braking to identifying signs, signals and road markings. ICBC publishes Driving Commercial Vehicles, a study guide for current and aspiring professional drivers. Give it a solid read (or two) and have a friend quiz you on the content. Step 3: Put what you’ve learned to the written test Drop by your local driver licensing office to spill the knowledge you’ve learned on paper by taking the commercial vehicle knowledge test. No need for an appointment, but you’ll need to arrive an hour before the office closes. Hopefully you studied hard because you must answer 28 of the 35 multiple choice questions correctly to receive your Learner’s licence. You can also take your air brake knowledge test during the same visit; that way, you pay only one fee and can practise with air brake equipped vehicles. Before writing the air brake knowledge test, you must pass an air brake course or prove that you already have adequate air
brake experience. Step 4: Get behind the wheel and practice, practice, practice Now that you have your Learner’s licence, you can start building firsthand experience behind the wheel. There is no provincial standard for truck driving training prior to taking the commercial road test, but you will be better prepared for success after taking a truck driving school program. There are many schools in B.C., varying in terms of course length and hours in classroom, in-cab and on the road. Some schools offer mentorship programs, so best to do your research to choose which school is right for you. Step 5: Put what you’ve learned to the road test You’ve booked your commercial driver road test at your local driver licensing office and filled out all the paperwork. Now it’s go time. The road test actually includes two tests: the pre-trip inspection test, including air brakes, and the on-road test. During the pre-trip inspection test, you will show how to inspect the vehicle and complete a written report. During the road test, you will demonstrate all the trucking skills you’ve learned – everything from starting/ stopping, shifting gears, turning, backing up, parking, merging on highways and coupling/uncoupling a tractor unit
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from a trailer. Now that you’ve earned your Class 1 commercial driver’s licence, you’re ready to roll. But you’ve got some decisions to make. For instance, do you want to be a long-haul driver (typically travelling outside a 160 km radius of home terminal) or short-haul driver (travelling inside 160 km radius)? You likely already made some valuable contacts from your truck school days, particularly if you completed a mentorship program. The road is wide open … is it your time to take the first step?
Special Edition: The Northern Report
Prince George Free Press - AUGUST 2013
15
Boundary Rd. nears completion The Boundary Road Connector should be complete later this year. The Boundary Road Connector will establish a direct route between Highway 16 East and Highway 97 South. The connector will be a key transportation link for the future development of the Airport Logistics Park. Lots in the Logistics Park are already selling in anticipation of the road’s completion. Since the 1970s the Boundary Road Connector has been identified as part of the Prince George Major Street Network Plan that was confirmed with two major transportation planning studies completed in 1993 and 2001. The Boundary Road Connector construction is supported by grants from the Building Canada Fund Communities Component. The total budget for the project is $28 million, which includes $7.5 million in federal funding, $7.5 million in provincial funding, $6.5 million in City of Prince George funding, and $6.5 million in private developer funding. “This is a very exciting project for our community that will open up many economic doors for our region,â€? said Henry Rempel of Prince George Global Logistics Park, when the project was announced two years ago. “I am pleased to be a part of this great partnership moving forward.â€? Construction for this project entails: • Detail design prepared by professional engineering consultant. • 6.8km of undivided two-lane arterial roadway including bicycle lane. • Pedestrian sidewalk complete with street lighting along the entire length. • Installation of storm, sanitary, and watermains to facilitate future development on adjacent lands. • Newly constructed intersections at Highway 16 East and Highway 97 South. • Roundabout intersection at current Boeing/Gunn Rd intersection. • Once completed, Boundary Road will be a dangerous-goods route, provide intermodal connectivity to both rail yards, decrease network travel time, reducing congestion and air pollution and improve traffic safety on the city’s existing urban highways.
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Special Edition: The Northern Report
Prince George Free Press - AUGUST 2013
NEW DIGS IN P.G.
Purolator expands operations Delynda Pilon Northern Report Describing its Prince George location as its gateway to the north, accessing all the rural communities along the route, Purolator announced in June it moved to a larger office in the city to accommodate its growing business, a 10,480 square foot office space including 27 dock doors on a 4.33 acre lot. “Its an important strategic location for us,” Paul Merrick, general manager Western Canada Purolator, said. Merrick added he used to live in Prince George and ran the old building. “It’s always been important as a gateway to the north,” he said. The Prince George office, however, has 14 subfacilities attached to it, blanketing the district for areas radiating in all directions, like Whitehorse and the Yukon, Fort Nelson and Dawson Creek, Terrace and Smithers and south to 100 Mile House. “Its geographic reach means about 75 per cent of the province is served out of the district,” he said. “Though we don’t have the density in shipment volume like a major urban area, we cover an awful lot of territory, and connect a lot of rural markets.” He added growth over last 10 years has been steady. He said the company connects all types of businesses,
from government offices, business to business transactions, and business to consumer. Merrick pointed out the Internet has really changed consumerism for rural customers. Though someone living in a large urban centre can likely find any of the goods wanted locally, now a rural customer can order anything, with Purolator acting as the middle-man, acquiring the order then delivering it right to the door. “In rural communities now, when there is no access to the types of goods and services enjoyed in urban areas, there is nothing that can’t be accessed through Internet,” Merrick said. “We get a lot of online purchases. We see a lot of retail movement, e-commerce, which means taking a package purchased online, sourcing it to a distribution centre and delivering it to the door. That’s been a big part of our growth Paul Merrick as well.” does full loads through specialized services, moving things Another part includes emergency parts replenishment like aircraft components that require specialized trucking. and replacement. They also do a lot of retail distribution, servicing malls and “It is definitely a big part of our business, the smaller replenishing inventory. parts, the equipment maintenance, we do a lot of automo“Envelope and small packages are a small component of a tive parts replenishment on orders for cars, equipment and much larger picture,” Merrick said. “Now the Prince George machinery,” he said. “There’s not much we can’t move, but facility has much greater capabilities than what it had. It the core of our business in terms of small packages is parts gives us more space for the LTL business. We used a partner replenishment. to do many of those deliveries for us, but now we have the “Our business is very much distribution and a full suite of physical dock space to do them. logistic services.” “It’s a big network delivering close to a million packages a Purolator has an LTL (less than truckload) division, and day, so we are certainly poised for growth.”
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Special Edition: The Northern Report
Prince George Free Press - AUGUST 2013
17
Transportation key: MLA Delynda Pilon newsroom@pgfreepress.com Prince George - Mackenzie MLA Mike Morris agrees that Prince George is the transportation hub of northern B.C., and adds its central location makes it integral to the whole province. “It is a key factor for economic development for the whole province,” he said. “It’s a service and supply centre for just about all the resource development we have in three quarters of the province.” The Ministry of Transportation has several long and short-term projects in the works for the highways and byways utilized to export goods and services to numerous areas, particularly to the north. According to an e-mail document, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure recognizes the Prince George area as both a regional transportation hub for the North and a key link in the transportation network connecting the southern portion of the province to the North. Over the last number of years northern B.C. has continued to be a priority for the Province and key improvements in the Prince George area transportation network have included four-lane sections, passing lanes, intersection upgrades and re-alignment improvements on both the Highway 97 and 16 corridors. Work has continued on Phase 2 of the Highway 97, Cariboo Connector Program, with construction of Old Cariboo to Sintich Road, four-laning, as well as the design work for Stone Creek to Williams Road, four-laning. Morris said though the project is dragging on longer than most people living in the area would like, he has noticed progress. “I’ve noticed more passing lanes,” he said. “It’s getting better all the time, though we are still five years away from what we’d like to see.” Long term, the hope is the highway will be a four laned highway from Cache Creek to Prince George. He added,
right now, about one third of it is done. Phase 1, at a cost of $250 million, has been completed. At about $200 million, phase 2 is expected to be done around 2016. The document goes on to say construction also continues on several paving projects around the Prince George area, including Highway 16W Mapes passing lane, and Highway 16E Upper Fraser Road passing lane. “In addition to our major projects we continue to invest in other areas of our local roads including road rehabilitations, and safety enhancements projects, such as lighting, crosswalks, guardrail and signage upgrades,” the e-mail says. For the longer-term vision, the ministry is looking at
opportunities to expand the highway capacity west and south, to safely accommodate the increasing traffic volumes, and are looking at opportunities to improve safety and the efficient movement of industrial loads to the north and east. The ministry will announce specific projects as they are funded. Morris pointed out highway improvements allowed greater use in the Pine Pass. “There was a couple of rail overpasses a bit low for higher loads,”he said, adding the improvements were spurred on by investment. He added investment in infrastructure is important to ensure resource development projects get off the ground.
DeLynda PILON/Free Press The railway bridge has long been a landmark in Prince George, spanning the river near the conjunction of the Nechako and Fraser. Once an important trading route, through the years the rivers have carried many types of trader, from canoes flush with beaver pelts to ferries bringing in goods for stores. However, the importance of what was then Fort George superceded that of other cities in the region after the Grand Trunk Railway chose its route. Shortly thereafter Fort George became Prince George, and the railway remains distinclty important to the city’s present and future.
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Special Edition: The Northern Report
Prince George Free Press - AUGUST 2013
Prince Rupert air cargo The City of Prince Rupert and the Prince Rupert Port Authority have recognized a growing market demand for expedited movement of highly urgent shipments through the Port to final destinations throughout North America from their origins in Asia. These shipments are primarily part of larger consignments arriving by sea and destined to Memphis, Ohio, Toronto, and Montreal. The types of shipments that are the primary candidates for this service include just-in-time inventory, short shelf life products, and any goods that are aggressively managed in terms of inventory control. To address the growing demand for expedited shipments, the Port Authority sees an opportunity to further diversify Prince Rupert’s transportation industry with a new air cargo service, as the community’s transportation infrastructure currently only enables ship, highway, and rail service. A detailed analysis was conducted in 2010 in an effort to determine the feasibility of air cargo service in Prince Rupert and to assess the market demand for decreased transport times with the products that are currently transported through the Port of Prince Rupert. By studying the current demand for air transport out of Prince Rupert and the current capacity at Prince Rupert Regional Airport to transport the proposed air cargo goods, the city is seeking to determine specific infrastructure development and facility upgrade requirements that could increase capacity at the airport. “As the inbound shipments through the Prince Rupert Container Terminal continue
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to grow there is opportunity to support and enhance our transportation industry by introducing an air cargo service at the Prince Rupert Airport,� said Derek Baker, Economic Development Officer, Prince Rupert & Port Edward Economic Development Corporation. At current time shipments through the Port are either put on rail or truck to reach their destination. By examining the opportunity of air cargo we hope that we can build the case for air movements that will accommodate the expedited movement of time sensitive products that pass through our Port.�
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Special Edition: The Northern Report
Prince George Free Press - AUGUST 2013
19
Don’t fold your map, GeoBC offers maps for your mobile Recreationalists and resource professionals looking for an easier way to explore B.C.’s wilderness can now leave their fold-out maps at home. GeoBC has created a series of free, high-resolution topographical maps specifically designed for viewing on mobile devices. GeoBC’s popular Terrain Resource Information Management (TRIM) base map series has been redesigned to enable the GPS georeferencing functionality associated with mobile devices and allow users to zoom into small areas of the new maps without compromising detail. More than 7,000 free maps covering the entire province of British Columbia (at a scale of 1:20,000) are now available as downloadable PDF files through GeoBC’s Base Map Online Store or through its popular KML viewer (with TIFF versions coming soon). The attractive and easy-to-use maps feature elevation contours, roads, railways, airports, transmission lines, population centres, built-up areas, municipal and regional boundaries, lakes, waterways, wetlands, wooded areas, trails, campgrounds, coastlines, parks, protected areas, place names and local landmarks. This new generation of TRIM maps is optimized for use on mobile devices, including iPhones, iPads and Android tablets and smartphones. The maps are “spatially aware”, so they show the user’s current location if the mobile device has GPS capability. When users open a downloaded PDF map for their current location, their starting position is automatically marked and they can track their movements on the map as they explore the area. This feature is not only useful for hikers, campers, anglers, hunters and snowmobilers, but also for researchers, engineers, biologists, archaeologists, geologists, miners, search and rescue crews, foresters and community planners. Field professionals can save time and increase productivity by plotting points of interest on the downloaded PDF and then add notes, diagrams, drawings or other annotations on separate layers using a standard PDF reader. With more and more British Columbians viewing digital maps on mobile devices, GeoBC has responded by developing new methods of delivering maps to resource professionals and the general public. GeoBC creates and manages a wide variety of geospatial information, including base maps, imagery, spatial data and other information related to natural resources and environmental stewardship in B.C. GeoBC primarily provides consultation services to government departments in B.C. and elsewhere in Canada, but its base mapping products are available to everyone.
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Special Edition: The Northern Report
Prince George Free Press - AUGUST 2013
Broad world shrinking thanks to more broadband access Xplornet Communications Inc. has been selected by the B.C. government to help deliver the British Columbia Broadband Satellite Initiative (BCBSI). First announced in November 2012, the BCBSI is part of the government’s commitment to 100 per cent connectivity by 2021. It will help bring affordable, high-speed satellite Internet to people living in the most rural and remote parts of the province. Over the next four years, government will invest up to $2 million in the BCBSI to help reduce the cost of bringing satellite broadband Internet service to areas where traditional Internet connections are difficult to install either because of challenging geography or where high telecommunications infrastructure costs are an issue. Xplornet will work with government to provide the latest in satellite technology as an affordable high-speed service option to these locations. “We’re very excited to be working with Network BC in bringing affordable satellite broadband service to British Columbians living in remote or rural locations,” said Bill Macdonald, senior vice-president, strategic business development, Xplornet Communications Inc. We’ve seen firsthand the benefits of bringing connectivity to rural areas, and we are looking forward to delivering this innovative solution wherever it’s needed.” The BCBSI, which will officially launch this summer, will provide funding assistance for both installation and set-up costs of satellite Internet connections to citizens who qualify for the program. Further details will be announced when the program is launched. Xplornet is a leader in providing rural broadband Internet service through satellite technology. They were selected, pending contract finalization, through an open and transparent government procurement process that was posted on the BCBid website.
Today, 93 per cent of British Columbians have access to high-speed Internet. The remaining seven per cent of the population live in the outskirts of connected communities or in rural and remote areas. In time, it is anticipated that four per cent of the population will gain access through existing programs, bringing
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land-based connectivity to their communities. For the remaining three per cent living in remote locations, the challenges of distance, difficult terrain and small markets all contribute in making it extremely challenging to deliver broadband Internet through land-based solutions. This means satellite technology offers the only viable option for the foreseeable future.