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VOL 116 NO. 41 VOL 116 NO. 41
When B.C. Auditor When B.C. Auditor General John Doyle General John Doyle delivered a damning delivered a damning report last March on the report last March on the province’s controversial province’s controversial carbon trading system carbon trading system and the Crown corporaand the Crown corporation Pacific Carbon Trust tion Pacific Carbon Trust (PCT), elected officials (PCT), elected officials
across the regional disacross the regional district had to pay attentrict had to pay attention. tion. The carbon trading The carbon trading system involves transsystem involves transferring public money ferring public money from institutions like from institutions like hospitals and schools to hospitals and schools to the private sector so the the private sector so the government can fulfill government can fulfill its goal of declaring the its goal of declaring the public sector to be carpublic sector to be car-
bon-neutral. Doyle’s bon-neutral. Doyle’s report concluded the report concluded the government did not government did not reach its goal of carbon reach its goal of carbon neutrality in 2010, the neutrality in 2010, the year under examination, year under examination, because the carbon offbecause the carbon offsets it purchased that sets it purchased that year were not credible. year were not credible. One of the projects One of the projects created to receive public created to receive public and private funds was and private funds was
the Darkwoods project the Darkwoods project sponsored by the Nature sponsored by the Nature Conservancy. Conservancy. This project, designed This project, designed to conserve a large area to conserve a large area of environmentally sigof environmentally significant land in the nificant land in the Rockies, seemed to be a Rockies, seemed to be a good place for the RDKB good place for the RDKB to purchase carbon offto purchase carbon offsets. sets. • See CLIMATE, Page 9 • See CLIMATE, Page 9
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Players Playersfrom fromGrand GrandForks Forks(black) (black)and and Castlegar Castlegar bantam bantam teams teams watch watch the the flflying ying puck puck in in the the fifirst rst period period of of Saturday’s Saturday’s game at the Grand Forks Arena. Grand Forks came out on top 5-2. game at the Grand Forks Arena. Grand Forks came out on top 5-2.
Adjudication proposal takes it to higher court JIM JIM HOLTZ HOLTZ
Grand Grand Forks Forks Gazette Gazette
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Remembering Jack Jack Remembering Page 33 Page
A A new new approach approach for for carbon carbon credits credits Minister Minister Grand Forks Gazette
Brian Thate
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER OCTOBER 9, 2013 WEDNESDAY, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 99,, 2013
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Bylaw Bylaw enforcement enforcement throughthroughout the regional out the regional district district may may be be about about to to get get some some teeth. teeth. At At the the moment, moment, in in many many municipalities municipalities in in the the Regional Regional District District of of Kootenay Kootenay Boundary Boundary (RDKB), (RDKB), the the only only recourse recourse for for enforcing enforcingfines finesimposed imposed for for bylaw bylaw
infractions infractions is is to to go go to to court, court, an an expensive and time-consuming expensive and time-consuming process. process. Under Under the the new new system—recsystem—recommended in a ommended in a staff staff report report to to the the RDKB—although a fine could RDKB—although a fine could be be disputed, disputed, ifif upheld, upheld, it it could could not not be be ignored ignored as as failure failure to to pay pay it it would result in the debt would result in the debt being being registered registered as as aa lien lien against against the the disputant’s disputant’s property. property.
According According to to RDKB RDKB chief chief administrative officer administrative officer John John MacLean, MacLean, the the program program is is aa lot lot easier easier to to deal deal with. with. “You “You don’t don’t have have to to access access the the courts; you don’t have courts; you don’t have to to ask ask the the chief chief justice justice to to sign sign off off on on things,” things,” he he said. said. “It “It is is just just aa little little easier easier for for us us to to administer.” administer.” •• See See BYLAW, BYLAW, Page Page 99
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issues order issues order on BC Hydro Hydro on BC meter fees
TOM FLETCHER TOM FLETCHER Black Press Black Press
Energy Minister Bill Bennett has Energy Minister Bill Bennett has issued a cabinet order to the B.C. issued a cabinet order to the B.C. Utilities Commission to make sure it Utilities Commission to make sure it approves fees high enough cover the approves fees high enough cover the costs of customers opting out of BC costs of customers opting out of BC Hydro’s smart meter program. Hydro’s smart meter program. The order in council, signed by The order in council, signed by Bennett and Environment Minister Bennett and Environment Minister Mary Polak, instructs the indepenMary Polak, instructs the independent regulator to approve extra fees dent regulator to approve extra fees sufficient to meet the cost of manusufficient to meet the cost of manually reading mechanical mechanical electricity electricity ally reading meters that remain in use, or collectmeters that remain in use, or collecting readings from digital meters that ing readings from digital meters that have their radio transmitter turned have their radio transmitter turned off request of of the the customer. customer. off on on request The order also directs the BCUC BCUC The order also directs the to approve fees to cover the costs of to approve fees to cover the costs of “failed installations,” either because “failed installations,” either because the refused or or because because an an the customer customer refused obstacle was placed in the way of the obstacle was placed in the way of the installer. installer. A spokesman for for Bennett Bennett conconA spokesman firmed that the the BCUC BCUC may may still still firmed that decide to lower the opt-out fees prodecide to lower the opt-out fees proposed by BC BC Hydro, Hydro, or or it it may may posed by increase them if costs warrant. increase them if costs warrant. BC Hydro sent sent letters letters in in September September BC Hydro to about 60,000 residential customers to about 60,000 residential customers who have refused wireless meters, who have refused wireless meters, giving them until until December December to to giving them choose. If customers customers insist insist on on keepkeepchoose. If ing old meter, meter, aa $35 $35 monthly monthly fee fee ing their their old applies effective Dec. 1. applies effective Dec. 1. If they accept accept aa smart smart meter meter with with If they the off,” aa $100 $100 setup setup fee fee is is the “radio “radio off,” proposed, followed by $20 a month proposed, followed by $20 a month to readings starting starting April April 1. 1. to collect collect readings If customers do do not not register register aa If customers choice by Dec. Dec. 1, 1, their their meter meter will will be be choice by left as is and the $35 monthly fee will left as is and the $35 monthly fee will be to their their bill. bill. be added added to As it does does with with rate rate increases, increases, BC BC As it Hydro will start start charging charging its its proproHydro will posed fees as as it it prepares prepares to to defend defend posed fees them before the the BCUC. BCUC. If If the the comcomthem before mission orders changes, changes, bills bills would would mission orders be accordingly, with with refunds refunds be adjusted adjusted accordingly, or extra charges added. or extra charges added.
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