Champ stops in to spar at local boxing gym A28
SEPTEMBER 11, 2013
$1.30 includes GST
Voters go for tax hike
Two sections, 48 pages
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Carole Rooney Free Press
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The preliminary results of the two Sept. 7 referendums show voters who turned out to the polls opting for tax increases to support expanded recreation-and-cultural, and search-and-rescue funding. There were 571 votes in favour and 318 against making the change when asked if they support South Cariboo Recreation changes to bring more arts, culture and sports activities under the Cariboo Regional District (CRD) function (including the District of 100 Mile House). The overall recreation area tax for next year is expected to increase by about $20 per $100,000, moving the current total rate to about $62 per $100,000 assessed property value next year. The South Cariboo Search and Rescue (SCSAR) referendum had an even more overwhelming success with 943 votes in support of the change and just 121 in opposition, but it involves a much smaller tax impact of less than a dollar per $100,000 (based on 2013 assessments). 100 Mile House Mayor Mitch Campsall says he is “very happy” with the results of both referendums. Continued on A4
Monika Paterson photo
Things got a little messy at the South Cariboo Community Fall Fair at the South Cariboo Rec. Centre in 100 Mile House, Sept. 6-8. 100 Mile House Fire-Rescue fire chief Darrel Blades was one of many community celebrities who volunteered as targets for a pie-throwing event to help the Hun City Hunnies’ raise money for community improvement projects.
Nashville company to purchase Ainsworth Carole Rooney Free Press
After 63 years in operation that began with a single sawmill in 100 Mile House, Ainsworth Lumber Co. Ltd. is being sold to United States forestry giant LouisianaPacific Corporation (LP) for $1.1 billion US. Ainsworth president and CEO Jim Lake says he understands, and expects, it will be “business as usual” with “definitely no significant change” to its operations or employees. “We think it is all going to be very positive for the people. In general, the company has a bigger platform – it’s very strategically focused in the field we play in. So, long term, it’s going to give a better financial strength to manage this through the cyclical markets that [the industry]
Louisiana-Pacific CEO assures sale is ‘best’ for 100 Mile OSB plant tends to be in.” The local facility is one of its two plants with unique technology suited to serving the Japanese market, which Lake notes is an important distinction. “We believe the deal is very good for all of the operations in the company, but specifically for 100 Mile, because LP is very interested in the Asian markets and 100 Mile is a significant supplier to Asia.” The Grande Prairie plant also ships to Asia, but he says “the bulk of it” comes from 100 Mile House, as well as several other speciality items. “100 Mile is also very strategic with
some of our other value-added products, specifically the products that we sell into the engineered wood business. And, that is all part of why LP likes us – they like our mix of products and our geographic channels that we go [in] to the markets. “I’m sure they have no intentions of changing that; if anything, they are going to want to grow from where they are.” Founded by David Ainsworth in 100 Mile House in 1950, the forest company expanded by leaps and bounds until it went public in 1993, and built its first oriented strand board (OSB) plant just off Exeter Station Road. Today, Ainsworth is a leading manufacturer and supplier of oriented strand board in Canada, with four manufacturing plants across British Columbia, Alberta, Continued on A4