S TANDARD TERRACE
1.30
$
$1.24 PLUS 6¢ GST
VOL. 26 NO. 34
www.terracestandard.com
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
City of Terrace inks deal with China By JOSH MASSEY THE CITY of Terrace and the Kitselas First Nation say they’ve signed a memorandum of understanding with the Qinhuangdao Economic and Technological Development Zone located in Qinhuangdao, a city on the north coast of China. The memorandum could lead to the purchase by Chinese industrial and manufacturing interests of land at the city’s Skeena Industrial Development Park located just south of the Northwest Regional Airport. Located on Kitselas traditional territory, the city and the Kitselas have a cost and
profit sharing arrangement regarding the sales of industrial park lands. A delegation of eight city of Terrace and Kitselas officials returned Nov. 23 from a one week business trip to Qinhuangdao where they met with representatives from manufacturing companies. The city declined to release the names of the companies they visited, citing confidentiality. The memorandum is an initial step in “exploring a promising economic development partnership with potential investors in Qinhuangdao, China,” says a news release from the city.
The Chinese business group first contacted City of Terrace staff through the Major Investments Office of the provincial government. A spokesperson from the ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training, under which the investments office operates, said that “the Qinhuangdao Economic and Technological Development Zone approached the province to assist them with an investment opportunity to buy land that was zoned for ‘heavy industrial’ use.” And the city’s release states that representatives from the Qinhuangdao Economic and Technological Development Zone will be
coming to Terrace in May or June of 2014. The Chinese delegation will include “potential investors from a number of manufacturing companies from Qinhuangdao,” according to the release. Chinese investors could be interested in manufacturing products in B.C. that would then be sold to North American markets, the city delegation told council on Nov.25. Pernarowski said that resource-based products using aluminium or other resources from the Terrace region is a possibility, as is power generation and forestry operations of a manufacting nature.
Cont’d Page B15
No longer a buyer’s market
JOSH MASSEY PHOTO
■■ A cornucopia of potential gifts THE SPORTSPLEX was bustling with shoppers on Nov.30 for the Cristmas Craft Sale. Here we have Jesse Hanna who is looking at a box designed by local artist Rick Goyette (behind). Goyette was displaying the carved faces he is famous for, similar to the ones he carved into the cottonwoods on Ferry Island. There were many local artistans selling their stuff at the annual sale.
THE AVAILABILITY of single family housing has shrunk dramatically in the area, says a local realtor. If no additional homes were to come on the market, the Multiple Listing Service would run out of single family listings in nearly four months, says John Evans from Remax. “That’s compared to Jan. 1, 2012 when there was a supply of 6.1 months,” said Evans of local sales activities. The situation is now at the point where there may be only 16 single family homes on the market nowadays, he added. “That doesn’t include mobile [homes], apartments, condos, units like that,” said Evans. And as the number of single family dwellings available for sale declines, the average selling price increases. In January the average selling price was $218,858, climbing to $236,783 in August and $246,060 as of October. Just one year ago, October 2012, the average selling price was $216,132. “What we’re seeing is definitely a sellers’ market. It isn’t a buyers’ market,” said Evans. The situation has Evans predicting an increase in subdivision zoning applications being filed with the city. “There is going to be a need for more supply,” he said. Evans also believes that more home construction will ease a growing shortage of rental accommodation. That’s because there are people now renting who will want to move on up to a single family dwelling.
Another winner
Recycling signed
Golden girls
As of last week, there’s one more lotto millionaire living in Terrace \COMMUNITY B4
City finalizes a deal that will bring curbside pickup this spring \NEWS A3
The Terrace Girls Midget Rep team is a serious provincial contender \SPORTS B13