Special Features - N2K - November 2014

NOVEMBER 2014 • VOL. 1, ISSUE 8

Business Boom How companies can reap benefits of LNG development

Top Training Hawkair preparing female leaders of tomorrow

Bulkley Power Telkwa company lights up the North

Sweet Honey A look inside a Vanderhoof bee farm

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The BG Canada team and I are delighted to announce that we moved into new offices in Prince Rupert and Vancouver

Publisher Todd Hamilton Editor-in-Chief Shaun Thomas Prince Rupert Ed Evans, Sales Lisa Thomas, Sales Martina Perry, reporter Terrace Rod Link, Editor Brian Lindenbach, Sales Bert Husband, Sales Erin Bowker, Sales Kitimat Louisa Genzale, Sales Cameron Orr, Editor Smithers Grant Harris, Sales Nick Briere, Sales Chris Gareau, Editor Kendra Wong, Reporter Houston Mary-Anne Ruiter, Sales Jackie Lieuwen, Reporter Burns Lake Laura Blackwell, Sales Flavio Neinow, Editor Fort St. James/ Vanderhoof Pam Berger, Sales Jessie Cole, Reporter Rebecca Watson, Reporter Haida Gwaii Jennifer Bailey, Sales Laura Bishop, Reporter N2K CONTACT INFO:

Vanderhoof Fort St. James Burns Lake Houston Smithers Terrace Kitimat Prince Rupert Haida Gwaii

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N2K is a Black Press publication mailed or delivered by carrier to 33,500 homes and businesses throughout Northwest B.C. Our Head Office is located at: 737 Fraser Street, Prince Rupert, B.C., V8J 1R1 250-624-8088 Fax: 250-624-8085

N

ot so very long ago, the forest industry was dealt repeated and crushing blows. The demise of Northwest B.C.’s longtime economic lifeblood was forecasted.

But through innovation and technology, our forest industry is making a resurgence of major proportions.

In this issue of N2K, Haida Gwaii’s Laura Bishop details the sustainable, forward-thinking operations of Taan Forest Products and its deep traditional values while Rebecca Watson in Vanderhoof profiles the success of a small-scale salvage operation keeping Northwest B.C.’s forest industry not only alive, but thriving.

Smithers’ Kendra Wong outlines how technology is fundamentally changing the forest industry and we also take a look at why B.C. leads the way on forest sustainability. And in the wake of this forestry resurgence, Prince Rupert’s Martina Perry features a west coast company who is expanding to meet that demand.

Although forestry has been the longstanding industry of record throughout Northwest B.C., the map is changing in big ways and small.

N2K editor-in-chief Shaun Thomas features one of the biggest — LNG. Most interesting of the comments made by LNG-Buy BC Advocate Gordon Wilson in Prince Rupert recently was about the timeline for LNG development. In Mr. Wilson’s eyes, LNG development is already here and Northwest B.C. businesses would be well advised to quickly come to that realization or miss out on what could be a sustainable economic boom for years to come.

But while the big headlines often go to the big players, at N2K, we are proud to also feature the smaller operations that are as integral to Northwest B.C. as the multi-billion dollar operations.

Vanderhoof/Fort St. James reporter Jessie Cole presents a wonderful first-person account of a small honey farmer in a corner of the world not exactly synonymous with apiculture.

These are but a few of the articles and features in this issue of N2K highlighting the ever-improving and always evolving industry sector of Northwest B.C. We hope you enjoy.

Todd Hamilton N2K Publisher publisher@thenorthernview.com

Out-of-area subscriptions now available e-mail: circulation@thenorthernview.com View our e-version for free at: www.thenorthernview.com/eeditions

Volume 1 • Issue 8

November 2014

FEEDBACK HEARD Terminal changes 26 BULKLEY POWER Building hydro 28

BUSINESS BOOM How you can prepare for LNG 6

RESOURCE LEADER Timber trade moves B.C. to the front 9

HAIDA FORESTRY TAAN Forest puts culture first 10

SMALL SALVAGE Forestry isn’t all about going big 12

GETTING STARTED Civeo ready to explore Port Ed 15

COVE COMMITTED Kitimat LNG 30 TRAINING FOCUS Burns Lake CNC 32 WORKING TOGETHER LNG Alliance 34 PORT PRAIRIE Grain trade

NEW METHODS Forestry changes with high tech 16

COAST CONNECTION West Coast Tug and Barge 18

BUZZING BEES Inside a Vanderhoof honey bee farm 20

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Want your share of Cameron Orr photo Justin Schnieder photo

How business can get the most from development

By Shaun Thomas

T

he economic boom associated with potential liquefied natural gas development in the Northwest could be the biggest opportunity businesses in the region have ever seen before or will ever see again.

While no final investment decision has been made and no shovels are in the ground, LNG-Buy BC Advocate Gordon Wilson said companies who wait for that to happen may be waiting too long.

If businesses in the Northwest, and indeed the province, are to benefit than Wilson said there are some things owners and managers need to know.

Industry holds the cards The first thing business leaders need to be aware of, said Wilson, is that they need to tailor their product or service to the needs of terminal developers and not the other way around.

“I think it is important for us to understand at this point, because they have large supply chains, that those supply chains are going to be activated. We have to figure out how we are going to engage and at what level

6

“The strength of B.C. business in this industry is going to be our capacity to work together.”

- Gordon Wilson we can engage with those supply chains ... we have to understand that their supply chains aren’t going to be tailored to meet our needs. We need to get prepared and positioned to take advantage of those chains when they arrive,” he said.

“We cannot, as businesses, say, ‘OK, if you are coming into town here are our conditions and they are the conditions that you have to meet’ ... they are not going to be blackmailed by saying you’re not going to come here if you’re not going to put the money up because, frankly, there are a lot of other places in the world they can go.”

See Page 7

“We, as British Columbia business, really need to make sure we look after our own companies.”

- Gordon Wilson But, Wilson stressed, offering something industry needs is not simply enough to be successful. To fully benefit, companies need to meet the stringent certification required when building a multi-billion dollar terminal.

“We need to prequalify. We need to be out there figuring out what we need to do to prequalify to get into the bidding process. There is no point in just sending out cold calls because that has never gotten anyone anywhere. We have to be smart enough to do that,” he said.

Along with products and services, the type of employees that these major industrial players rely on is something out of the hands of local companies.

And in some cases, Wilson said temporary foreign workers should not only be necessary but welcomed by northwest business.

“We’re not saying to the major proponents, ‘you have to employ A, B, C or D company’ because they are not going to do it and, frankly, we do not want them to do it. I have heard people ask about the foreign workers and the people that are coming in and my response to that is that we should demand it,” he said.

“We should demand that the people that know how to build these and the people that build the very best in the world of these plants do it here, because Canadians deserve nothing less than the very best in terms of what is being built. There are people who have skills and who have honed those skills over a number years building plants all over the world who will come to British Columbia and, from those workers, we will engage at a number of levels with our workers. Our businesses are going to learn, they are going to connect and we are going to understand through that learning and those connections that our businesses are going to expand.”

Positive partnering While a lot of companies choose to go it alone when it comes to industry, Wilson said that may not be the best choice given the scope of terminal construction.

“The scope of the work is massive, so at the subcontractor and sub-subcontractor level there will be opportunities for us. It may mean that we have to get smart with partnering with our neighbours. Rather

Province of B.C. photo than one British Columbia company fighting with another British Columbia company to compete for business, sometimes it becomes better for us to work together,” he said.

“I think the strength of B.C. business in this industry is going to be our capacity to work together and get smarter to go out there and say, ‘you have these sets of strengths in your company, I have these sets of strengths in my company, why don’t we bring our companies together and we can start to bid’. British Columbia businesses have proven that when we do that, we can compete with the best in the world and we can succeed.”

Partnerships between existing companies may be more likely to succeed, but Wilson said those that incorporate First Nations will be looked upon even more positively by LNG export developers.

“Companies when they come in, and they will make it very clear, will let you know First Nations business trumps all other because they want to make sure First Nations are properly engaged in this process. I think that is only proper and only correct,” he said.

See Page 8

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“To the people that say ‘are we there yet?’, the answer is yes. ” - Gordon Wilson

“The days when First Nations are not included in decision making are long gone and I think properly so, and the First Nations I have spoken with are keen to have proper partnerships and business relationships.”

Financing the future Regardless of what a business has done in the past or how large it may be, companies hoping to benefit from the LNG boom will need to have available funding — and lots of it.

“We need to know how we’re going to finance that project from beginning to end because you don’t always get paid on time. Sometimes you will carry 90 to 120 days, that is not uncommon and it could be longer. If you can’t make payroll, if you’re in the middle of this process and are not properly financed then you will have issues,” he said.

While some may get caught up in the hype of what is to come, Wilson warned that way of thinking could prove fatal to Northwest businesses.

“These companies are talking about investing billions of dollars and they are not going to do it until all the ducks are in a row. They need to know that when they make that final investment decision, it is something that is going to yield profit ... these decisions will be made when the time is right for these decisions to be made,” he said.

“We, as British Columbia businesses, really need to make sure that we look after our own companies with respect to the financing position that we are in. Don’t buy thinking of hope ... understand the cyclical nature of the boom and bust. Don’t get caught in it. Don’t go out there and get so extended thinking these projects are going to be done in the next three to five months so you’re going to borrow a whole bunch of money and buy a whole bunch of equipment to be ready to go only to find that instead of three to five months it is going to take one-and-a-half years – then you’re out of business because you can’t meet your bills. Those are the kinds of things we need to be smart about.”

As well, Wilson said some developers will look for proof of financing when awarding contracts to ensure the project is carried out to completion.

8

Cameron Orr photo

A worthwhile effort While getting your foot in the LNG door won’t be easy, Wilson said it is well worth it. With billions of dollars of investment associated with the construction of a single terminal, it’s an industry that could be very lucrative.

And, Wilson said, it’s an industry that is just around the corner.

“To people that say, ‘are we there yet?’ the answer is yes. And guess what — we’re engaged in industry. How long are we going to be engaged in the larger game I’m not sure, but will it happen? Almost certainly,” he said.

To help businesses connect with LNG opportunities, the province launched an online tool on LNG-Buy BC that will allow users to keep track of bids that arise and take the steps needed to get the most from the burgeoning industry.

“It will connect you not only to subcontractors and contractors and others engaged in the industry, but more importantly it will connect you to other businesses who are equally engaged in this kind of project,” explained Wilson.

Steps such as forging partnerships, securing financing and prequalifying, can make a world of difference for businesses in the region and could be the difference between experiencing a booming expansion or simply maintaining the status quo.

B.C. a leader in the

WOOD TRADE Prince Rupert Port Authority photo

By the Prince Rupert Port Authority

B

ritish Columbia is Canada’s most ecologically diverse province, with more than half of its 95 million hectares covered in forest.

More than 80 per cent of these forests are coniferous. They range from the dry ponderosa pine forests in the south to the spruce and pine boreal forest along the Yukon border.

These vast forests and the softwood products derived from them continue to be a major driver of the B.C. economy.

In fact, more than 40 per cent of regional economies in the province are forestry-based, supporting over 55,000 direct jobs in 7,300 businesses. Despite the industry’s status as a key employer and revenue stream, B.C.’s entire annual harvest comes from less than 200,000 hectares—less than one per cent of the working forest.

Sustainability is a central priority. All harvested areas are reforested, with more than 200 million seedlings planted each year to supplement natural regrowth.

Approximately 90 per cent of B.C.’s forests are publicly owned, and the province takes a co-operative approach to land use planning. British Columbians participate in processes that decide which areas should be protected. The public is able to review and comment on forestry plans before any harvesting activities commence. Professional foresters, biologists, and engineers help make decisions about best practices. Audits by independent agencies like the Forest Practices Board are conducted regularly with government and licence holders.

In 2009, B.C. scaled nearly 49 million cubic metres of

timber. Coastal forests provided approximately 30 per cent of the harvest, with the remaining 70 per cent coming from the Interior.

The primary species harvested is lodgepole pine, accounting for 51 per cent, with spruce and hemlock making up 14 per cent and nine per cent respectively. Douglas fir, balsam, cedar and other species round out the rest. Softwood products produced include lumber, pulp, newsprint, paper products and shingles.

The majority of B.C.’s forest product is manufactured into lumber at dozens of mills across the province.

Lumber accounts for more than 35 per cent of exported forest products, and is in experiencing new demand from expanding Asian markets, particularly China.

With the crash of the United States housing market in 2007, B.C. lumber export volumes fell 59 per cent, leading to lumber production in the province dropping by more than 40 per cent by 2009. Fortunately, Chinese imports of softwood lumber nearly doubled each year since 2006. By 2011, China lumber imports rose to 3.1 billion board feet, 25 per cent of B.C.’s total production.

Responding to this shift, BC forest companies are transforming their operations to meet new demands for softwood lumber in Asia. This transformation includes producing a strategic combination of traditional lumber products, new building systems, value-added wood products and other bio-products, which maximize the value of harvested timber and further supports local economies.

9

Merging forestry with Taan Forest photo

Taan Forest looks beyond the bottom line

By Laura Bishop

T

aan Forest harvests and plants enough timber on Haida Gwaii to operate a viable and ever-growing business. What sets it apart is its commitment to protecting the environment, reflecting Haida cultural values and hiring locally.

Shaped by the Haida Nation under the Haida Enterprise Corporation (HaiCo), Taan Forest has its sights set on the future of forestry on Haida Gwaii, ensuring a strong industry for generations to come.

When Taan began logging in 2011, it cut 80,000 cubic metres and progressively increased its harvest to 180,000 the following year and 300,000 last year, said planning manager Jeff Mosher.

This year it’s expected the company will log approximately 350,000 cubic metres of forest, inching closer to the company’s annual allowable cut of 460,000.

“This year, we’re happy to be at around three quarters of our AAC,” said Mosher, “We’re building our capacity. Going from around 100,000 cubic metres at the start to 460,000 is a huge jump.”

With more cutting comes more planting and Mosher said Taan is gearing up for a busy planting and silviculture maintenance season.

“We’re planting 280,000 trees, of which 180,000 will be cedar. We’ve also got numerous cedar protector maintenance and removal projects and some alder control projects,” he said.

10

“We’re planting 280,000 trees, of which 180,000 will be cedar.”

- Jeff Mosher To increase its production, Taan has had to increase its person-power and has maintained a commitment to hiring local as much as possible, he said. What started out as a three-person operation based in Juskatla in 2010 has turned into 28 people in a bustling Skidegate office.

Eighty-eight per cent of Taan’s current staff are islanders and around half of those people are Haida. And, Mosher says, Taan is hiring more people all the time.

“When we award contracts for silviculture or harvesting there is a lot of weight on local and Haida involvement.

Fifty per cent of the value of how we award a contract goes toward local and Haida employment,” he said.

Amidst its steady growth, Taan has managed to maintain a strong commitment to the Haida Gwaii Land Use Objectives Order, he said, adding that it has been making it work fairly well.

See Page 11

“What’s really neat about Taan is that we weren’t in business before the Land Use Order. We built the business with the order in mind. We grew with it,” Mosher said.

The province and the Haida Nation agreed on the Order on Dec. 17, 2010, which creates legal standards all forestry companies on Haida Gwaii must follow. It includes considerations for cultural feature identification, aquatic habitats, ecological communities, fauna species habitat, culturally significant plants and more.

“When it comes to the Land Use Order, what it has done to forestry in general is it gets planners and engineers to really think about how they’re going to layout and engineer the block,” Mosher said.

“I think it’s a great opportunity. It enables us to protect the features and the resources that other people rely on.”

Taan Forest goes above and beyond protecting the features and resources laid out in the Order by increasing islanders’ access to non-timber forest products such as cedar bark and mushrooms.

“We got an email from a mushroom picker from the Cowichan Valley who was up on Haida Gwaii harvesting.

He said he’d never seen any collaboration like this with any other timber licence holder before,” said Mosher.

“We’ve tried to involve mushroom pickers, to make them aware of our operations and the operators aware of them. They’re just out there trying to make a living too.

We want to make sure they’re safe and have access.”

The company’s communication with mushroom pickers and cedar bark harvesters is just one of the ways Taan is

Taan Forest photo increasing its public presence, said Mosher. It has been highly active, offering more open houses, information sessions, forest tours, junior forestry staff positions, high school presentations and outdoor education programs in partnership with island schools and camps.

Developed by the Haida and based on Haida Gwaii, Taan Forest has an interest in giving back to the environment, culture and community in which it operates.

Taan isn’t just harvesting a resource, it’s plotting a course for the future of forestry in B.C.

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Small-scale

Salvage

Rebecca Watson photo

Two people make one big difference

By Rebecca Watson

S

ome like to go big or go home while others like to keep it subdued.

For Marcel Mueller, a small-scale salvager in Fraser Lake who runs a two-man operation, choosing the latter proves to be both simple and very tough at the same time.

“If you do something wrong you can get hurt very easily,” said Mueller as he walks through scattered brush of various density.

“It keeps me fit but it’s dangerous, which is what also makes it exciting.”

Working independently as a small scale salvager for over 25 years, Mueller started harvesting wood on slopes of the Swiss Alps in Switzerland. He continues to harvest today in British Columbia’s Fraser Lake Valley, selling most of his gathered wood to the West Fraser sawmill.

“I love the independence of being my own boss and when I look around me, it’s the best place in the world to work,” said Mueller while opening his arms to the mountain side.

As one of the smallest tree-harvesting crews in the

12

“I love working outside and for myself. There is nothing better.”

- Marcel Mueller Vanderhoof Forest District, Mueller and his partner Mark Gensemeyer go where larger operations won’t or simply can’t. Steep mountain sides and heavily brushed terrain are a normality on their every day jobsite and, although the views are spectacular, Mueller said one thing you can’t do is daydream.

“You have to be fully aware because tripping hazards are everywhere. You get used to lifting your legs and still sometimes you trip and fall,” he said.

Most larger logging operations use a grapple skidder but these two work a bit differently.

See Page 13

Rebecca Watson photo Mueller uses a handheld chainsaw to fall the trees while Gensemeyer lassos the wood using the line skidder.

Instead of a grapple, it has a winch and cable — ‘old school stuff ’ that can take nine or 10 trees at once. After pulling the bundle in they use chainsaws to de-limb the trees. One then drives the wood up to the skid-wood pile while the other continues to fall. “We work all-year-round, even if a snowstorm comes in or heavy wind, so you have to be aware of what’s around you. There are so many different aspects to keep in mind as well, such as the lay of the wood. The more deteriorated it gets the more dangerous it is to cut,� said Mueller.

A requirement of small-scale salvagers is to harvest at

least 70 per cent dead wood, which is typically caused by wildfire or beetle attack. The other 30 per cent is scattered green timber that leaves harvesters facing a variety of compositions.

Nathan Voth, field operations supervisor for the Ministry of Forests Lands and Natural Resource Operations in Vanderhoof and Fort St. James, says its getting harder for small-scale salvagers to find good patches. “We’ve picked at the dead pine already so it’s becoming harder to find volume that meets the criteria. Plus it takes a lot of legwork to find these patches,� said Voth.

See Page 14

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Rebecca Watson photo Small-scale salvagers are limited to cutting licences of no more than 2,000 cubic metres with volume between 2,000 and 5,000 cubic metres sometimes available for bid.

Vanderhoof and Fort St. James are limited to allocating no more than 80,000 cubic metres to small-scale salvagers each year.

“It’s good to still have opportunity for us small businesses to have a niche and stay in business. Even if there’s not much hand falling left with less and less skilled fallers,” said Mueller.

To run a small-scale operation you don’t have to work in the logging industry, but a ministry requirement is to have at least one year of logging experience within the last five years. This is because there are not only safety concerns but

financial dangers of working independently. Stumpage rates are fixed for the term of a licence, generally between two and five years, and the price of lumber could drop at any time.

“Ten years ago we were making money, but [the price of wood plummeted] about seven years ago. Lots of people lost a lot of money. Now we’re in a cycle where lumber prices are fairly good again. Silviculture costs are increasing, but we’re still in a profit margin,” said Voth.

Although Mueller felt the wrath of the crashing market 10 years ago, he is glad to have overcome it and even happier that he gets to continue doing what he loves.

“It’s a lot of physical work but it’s worth it,” said Mueller.

“I love working outside and for myself. There is nothing better.”

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Old school meets

Kendra Wong photo

How technology is changing Northwest forestry

By Kendra Wong

P

eter Tweedie remembers a time when he used to go out into the bush with just a notebook, compass, ruler, map and hip chain to gather and track data collected from the surrounding environment.

Now, he brings more advanced technologies and his compass and measuring tool have been replaced with a GPS and tablet to complete the same work.

“Now we’re putting all of our information into a handheld data collector, our surveys are done with GPS or with laser instruments and we’re carrying our maps in a handheld GPS machine and now you can load almost all of those functions onto a tablet,” said Tweedie.

“Our world has gone from measuring everything to the nearest hectare to hectares to three decimal places because the machine can provide it. But it doesn’t make it real, it doesn’t mean that it’s actually real to three decimal places.”

Tweedie is a professional forester and co-owner of Tyhee Forestry Consultants Ltd., a diverse consulting company in Smithers that provides a broad range of

16

“They have to be able to use technology, but still have those ‘old school’ skill sets. ” - Peter Tweedie services such as GIS mapping, timber development and surveys to the forestry and natural resource sectors primarily in the north west.

After working in the industry — both out in the bush and in an office — for roughly 20 years, he has noticed a shift in the technologies companies use to collect data.

“People often ask me ‘I bet you you don’t use a compass anymore’ and they’re surprised we even go to the bush because they think we know everything from a satellite image,” he said.

See Page 17

Light Detection and Ranging methods, or LIDAR, is a new technology that uses a pulsed laser to measure ranges that provides users with higher-resolution typography information.

However, Tweedie believes there are limits to such technology. “In the end, all of that is taken from the sky and really only had a bird’s eye view.

But until someone goes on the ground and looks at the finer points underneath the tree canopy, whether it’s the wood quality, the terrain or the canopy,� he said. “There still needs people out there on the ground,� he said.

While Tweedie emphasized that technology has helped make storing data easier, he enjoys being out in the wilderness more than sitting at a desk. “Ultimately, after all the technology, we still need people to go out to the hard places to do the hard things and they still have to go out and get wet and be eaten by bugs, fall down, get poked by sticks and get their boots wet,� he said. “But now they have to bring technology into that. They have to be able use technology, but still have those ‘old school’ skill sets.

Kendra Wong photo

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Connecting the West Coast Tug and Barge photo

West Coast Tug and Barge expanding to meet demand

By Martina Perry

W

est Coast Tug and Barge has been a vital link for industry on B.C.’s coast for nearly 40 years, with business in the north taking up more and more of the company’s time recently.

West Coast Tug and Barge (WCTB), located in Campbell River on Vancouver Island, services industries in the Pacific Northwest corridor. The company offers a range of marine transportation services, catering to an array of industries in an innovative and cost effective manner.

Originally focused on contract log towing, West Coast Tug and Barge has expanded the services it provides in its last 38 years of operation. Today the company offers log and equipment barging, bulk freight movements, general towing and has the ability to take on any marine project required on the coast.

“Our company has experienced extensive growth in the last five years, in excess of 300 per cent and we anticipate this trend to continue as long as the current economic trends remain stable,” said Lukas Olsen, general manager of West Coast Tug and Barge Ltd. Lukas said WCTB has been so successful because of the company’s ability to invest in capital assets to expand its fleet’s capacity.

“Having a diverse range of assets to service all the

18

“Our company has experienced extensive growth ... in excess of 300 per cent.”

- Lukas Olsen industries that require marine transportation has been a recipe to our success,” Olsen said, adding “the cherry on top” is the company’s dedicated and certified employees.

“A key to the company’s success is our employees’ understanding of the bigger picture.”

Right now between 25 and 30 per cent of West Coast Tug and Barge’s business comes from the North Coast, and Olsen anticipates this will increase to 40 or 45 per cent by 2016.

WCTB once had permanently positioned assets in Prince Rupert, but removed them during the economic downturn in 2008. Olsen said this could soon change with the increase in economic activity in the north and the hope of new industrial development.

See Page 19

West Coast Tug and Barge photo “WCTB anticipates the positioning of two tugs and barges into the North Coast to service the local Prince Rupert market.

“It’s an area showing growth potential and adding additional capacity for activity will help stabilize the market conditions,” he said, adding the company’s management team is aggressively pursuing the viability and will make investment decisions in 2015.

Incorporated by WCTB President Thomas Olsen back in 1976, the company focused on contract log towing until the mid-’80s, first with a single wooden tug, then with a newly constructed steel twin screw tug.

West Coast Tug and Barge would expand its services throughout the 1980s and 1990s to offer freight transportation and ship berthing, after purchasing and constructing additional steel tugs and a fleet of steel ramp barges.

And WCTB’s capacity has steadily grown in the years since, with the company currently having four tugs and seven barges in its fleet. The company’s management team has also expanded, with Thomas bringing his sons Lukas and Layne into the business, and they in turn added sales capacity by adding Graeme McNeill to the WCTB team.

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Jesse Cole photo

Bee industry abuzz with opportunity

By Jesse Cole

J

on Aebischer pulls up to the curb outside my office in downtown Vanderhoof B.C. He’s driving a beige sedan that smells of bonfire smoke and hums as a dozen bees buzz desperately against the glass of the windows.

Aebischer is a beekeeper and he’s here to take me to see his honey operation some 20 minutes outside of town.

Tall and thin, Aebischer is an unassuming man with glasses and a moustache. The father of three children, Aebischer is also father to thousands of bees.

We drive down a long dirt road to Aebischer’s honey operation, which he has aptly named Sweet Nechako Honey. Set up in an idyllic field of orange-gold flora, Aebischer’s location seems like the embodiment of the

20

honeybee.

We pull up to the fenced-off field and Aebischer hands me a bee suit, it’s a new experience for me and as I struggle to put the suit on Aebischer is already suited up and busy lighting a fire inside the small, metal bee smoker.

He leads me down to a portion of the field peppered with white, blue and red boxes all of which contain thousands of honeybees.

Aebischer’s operation is on the smaller side of the B.C. beekeeping industry, due in part to his operation being relatively new — three years old to be exact.

It’s fall and Aebischer is getting ready to winter his bees, a tricky process involving insulating the hives,

ensuring there is ample food and judging the health of each hive, which will be inaccessible throughout the winter. Despite the frigid northern B.C. temperatures the bees will keep their hive a toasty 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius) according to Aebischer.

Wintering the bees is important given the decline of bee populations worldwide. In the winter of 2014, approximately 25 per cent of beehives died throughout Canada. Aebischer tells me that the beehives that survive the winter will become the basis for next year’s hives.

Aebischer and I walk through his hives as he opens boxes and shows me the jittery mass of bees in each hive.

Around us hundreds of bees swarm, but do not sting.

Aebischer opens a hive box and reveals to me a bee

“There are different microclimates and they respond differently in different areas.”

- Jon Aebischer with a green dot inked onto her back. A queen bee, he tells me.

See Page 22

21

Jesse Cole photo

Bee industry abuzz with opportunity

By Jesse Cole

J

on Aebischer pulls up to the curb outside my office in downtown Vanderhoof B.C. He’s driving a beige sedan that smells of bonfire smoke and hums as a dozen bees buzz desperately against the glass of the windows.

Aebischer is a beekeeper and he’s here to take me to see his honey operation some 20 minutes outside of town.

Tall and thin, Aebischer is an unassuming man with glasses and a moustache. The father of three children, Aebischer is also father to thousands of bees.

We drive down a long dirt road to Aebischer’s honey operation, which he has aptly named Sweet Nechako Honey. Set up in an idyllic field of orange-gold flora, Aebischer’s location seems like the embodiment of the

20

honeybee.

We pull up to the fenced-off field and Aebischer hands me a bee suit, it’s a new experience for me and as I struggle to put the suit on Aebischer is already suited up and busy lighting a fire inside the small, metal bee smoker.

He leads me down to a portion of the field peppered with white, blue and red boxes all of which contain thousands of honeybees.

Aebischer’s operation is on the smaller side of the B.C. beekeeping industry, due in part to his operation being relatively new — three years old to be exact.

It’s fall and Aebischer is getting ready to winter his bees, a tricky process involving insulating the hives,

ensuring there is ample food and judging the health of each hive, which will be inaccessible throughout the winter. Despite the frigid northern B.C. temperatures the bees will keep their hive a toasty 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius) according to Aebischer.

Wintering the bees is important given the decline of bee populations worldwide. In the winter of 2014, approximately 25 per cent of beehives died throughout Canada. Aebischer tells me that the beehives that survive the winter will become the basis for next year’s hives.

Aebischer and I walk through his hives as he opens boxes and shows me the jittery mass of bees in each hive.

Around us hundreds of bees swarm, but do not sting.

Aebischer opens a hive box and reveals to me a bee

“There are different microclimates and they respond differently in different areas.”

- Jon Aebischer with a green dot inked onto her back. A queen bee, he tells me.

See Page 22

21

Jesse Cole photo Aebischer picks her up gently between his thumb and index finger. I’m surprised, knowing nothing about bees this kind of behaviour took me a moment to analyze, but Aebischer assures me that bees only sting when threatened.

When you touch them a certain way, they are actually quite calm.

Holding the green-painted queen in his hands, Aebischer tells me about one of the other branches of his operation: breeding queens.

Queen bees are the engine behind a honey operation: They produce new bees and are the driving factor for the production of honey. Without them, a beehive dies.

Aebsicher and others like him have taken to breeding and selling queen bees to supplement their honey income. A standard queen can sell for anywhere from $20 to $30 and custom, specially-bred queens can go for sums as large as $200 or more. Aebischer’s queen mother, from whom the rest of his hives and queens were generated, came from Saskatchewan and cost the beekeeper $200.

“You can use any queen,” Aebischer tells me.

“You don’t have to spend big money, but somebody has to invest their time and energy into her and that is what you’re paying for.”

Aebischer breeds new queens using what he calls the cloak method. Essentially he cloaks the smell of the queen using a piece of metal that separates her and her scent from the rest of the colony, tricking the hive into believing that they have lost their queen and thus producing new ones.

New queens are taken from the hive and incubated in a separate space until hatching time when they can be packed

22

into “cages”, small plastic cases used to ship queens to the buyer.

Breeding bees is an art form and a science; with the great disparity between microclimates in Canada, breeding bees that are suited to your operation is a must.

“There are different microclimates and they respond differently in different areas, so here you want to breed a bee that is hardy for the north,” Aebischer tells me.

Aebischer and I watch as hundreds of bees buzz about creating a hum over the field and he tells me of the importance of bees to all levels of agriculture.

Aebischer explains that bees are vital to all agriculture in Canada, so much so that produce growing companies will rent beekeepers’ hives from them to pollinate their crops.

Hives can go for as much as $100, each. Given that the average British Columbia beekeeper operating commercially has around 600 hives, there is some serious money to be made in renting out your bees.

Canada, and particularly northern British Columbia, may not seem like the ideal place to raise bees but while the industry is relatively small, northern British Columbia and Alberta (the Peace River area) are among the most productive honey-producing regions in the world.

With bee populations declining by nearly 30 per cent each year, it’s beekeepers like Aebischer who are offsetting the losses by breeding and raising new hives. While it may not be as lucrative as logging or mining, the honey industry is one that is about far more than natural sweeteners and one that punches far above its weight in terms of its necessity to our way of life.

An increased Jackie Lieuwen photo Enbridge representative Peter Hansen describes the Smart PIG (Pipeline Inspection Gauge) — a 20-foot-long gauge sent through a pipeline to take readings about the condition of a pipe to find dents or corrosion for repair — to Houston residents during an open house last month. The company is currently reviewing the need for a public information office in the community.

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Female leaders of

Tomorrow Rod Link photo

Hawkair preparing women to be future executives

By Rod Link

I

n an industry long dominated by men, northwestern B.C. air carrier Hawkair has embarked on a plan to change that.

Late last year the company unveiled its Women in Leadership Executive Development Program and recently announced a third entrant is undertaking the 24-month program designed to expand a participant’s overall knowledge of the company.

Hawkair president Jay Dilley, who began designing the program soon after joining the company in mid-July 2013, describes each participant’s course of studies as a “flight plan”.

Participants not only continue their regular assignments but are then exposed to Hawkair’s various departments outside of their normal working environment.

“It’s a rigorous program, with a lot of development not only spent during working hours, but also spent outside of work with industry events, mentoring and education,” he said.

“The biggest benefit for us has been unlocking the tremendous untapped potential. A tremendous amount of excitement is palpable when talking to our team members. The more they see the success of others the more it inspires them to be open to new opportunities.”

Jocelyn Lebell of Terrace was the first person to sign on at the beginning of the year.

A graduate of BCIT, Lebell comes from the marketing

24

“The biggest benefit has been unlocking the tremendous untapped potential.”

- Jay Dilley end of the company and has been a Hawkair employee for 11 years.

As part of the development program, she now has oversight of the airline’s corporate services department.

“It’s taken me into the human resources area of the company and into its financial accounting – participating in analyzing quarterly results, looking at trends and what we can expect,” said Lebell.

While taking that on has been a challenge, Lebell said she’s had the benefit of having others share their knowledge.

Adding to Lebell’s already busy work life is her pursuit of a certified management accountant degree, something she’ll finish off early next summer.

“I am finding that they complement each other,” she said.

See Page 25

“It’s helped ... what I’m learning in real life and what I’m learning at work is helping me with the degree program.�

Karolina Bulvova, the second of three participants in the Hawkair executive development stream, is the airline’s chief flight attendant, responsible for the ongoing training and supervision of 30 people, a good portion of the approximately 135 people who work for the airline.

She’s now adding to that responsibility by tackling first the role of managing support services for the airline’s various divisions and then managing support services for its aviation arm. “This is offering me the chance to broaden my aviation education, everything from fueling and safety processes to grooming the aircraft, and that includes the washrooms,� said Bulvova. “It’s a great opportunity for me and it’s something I felt I always wanted to do.�

Bulvova’s a relative newcomer to Hawkair – she moved over from a position as base supervisor in Vancouver with Canjet just last year.

Her aviation experience with four airlines has taken her to many places and she says Hawkair has the right touch. “There’s a small family feel and I can say, for flight attendants, the best training is here at Hawkair,� Bulvova continued.

The third entrant to the program, Taryn Acheson, is the airline’s safety systems manager who Dilley calls the “architect� of the company’s safety system. “One of the key elements of our safety management system is our reporting system where employees report any safety hazards and events in order for the management team to conduct risk management and preventative actions,� Acheson said.

Her two-year development program, which began in April, will include stints involving strategy, finance, human resources, operations and representing the company at safety and regulatory conferences.

Acheson’s first assignment was to develop a cargo security

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plan as required by new federal cargo security regulations. It was completed in July.

Acheson is now working on a safety certification designation from the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals. “In order to become certified I would need to pass an examination and interview process. It is a very rigorous process, however it would be a great personal achievement for me,� said Acheson.

And at the end of the two years, Acheson sees herself undertaking a role that carries more responsibility. “I would like a position where I can use my knowledge gained from the Women in Leadership program with my current knowledge and experience,� she said.

Dilley said the development program recognizes the strengths employees bring to Hawkair. “In every business there are countless projects and initiatives we all wish we had time for. This program actually allows us to achieve more by providing high potentials with the opportunity to learn and grow,� he said.

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Listening and then Pacific NorthWest LNG rendering

How Pacific NorthWest LNG continues to adapt

By Shaun Thomas

T

he people of the North Coast spoke and Pacific NorthWest LNG listened, unveiling major design changes to its proposed liquefied natural gas export terminal on Lelu Island in Port Edward.

The biggest change to the terminal is one that will address concerns surrounding dredging near Flora Bank, a prime habitat for juvenile salmon. The changes go beyond simply minimizing the impacts of dredging — they eliminate the need for dredging completely.

“Based on the feedback we heard from the local communities, First Nations and stakeholders, we are proposing to redesign the marine infrastructure associated with our project to eliminate the need for dredging at the marine terminal and significantly minimize the infrastructure immediately next to Flora Bank,” explained senior corporate affairs advisor Spencer Sproule.

“We are proposing a combined suspension bridge and trestle. The suspension bridge would not require any piling on Flora Bank and would connect to a trestle that would extend to the marine terminal. The marine terminal could be approximately 2.7 kilometres west of Lelu Island in naturally deep water in Chatham Sound.

The proposed suspension bridge would provide at least 11.3 metres of clearance at high tide, allowing enough

26

“We are very pleased to see our design mitigations are being positively received.”

- Tessa Gill room for all current fishing vessel traffic to continue their traditional marine use and travel under the suspension bridge to access Porpoise Channel.”

Also gone from the project is an on-site work camp that would have required complete utility hook-ups.

Any camp that is needed on Lelu Island will now be self-sufficient and much smaller in nature. The elimination of an on-island camp will also create more opportunity for service providers in the region.

“We will be working with our to-be-selected construction contractor and third party-owned and operated accommodation service providers to secure accommodations for our construction workforce,” said Sproule, pointing to a worker accommodation site in Port Edward.

See Page 27

While the changes were only submitted to the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office in September, the company wasted no time in bringing the redesigned terminal to the public through open houses held in Port Edward on Oct. 7 and in Prince Rupert on Oct. 8. “Overall, I think it has been positive. We are very pleased to see our design mitigations are being positively received,� said spokesperson Tessa Gill at the Prince Rupert event. “We have made a lot of effort to listen to the community and First Nations in terms of their concerns about the project and, as you can see, we have put quite a few measures in place to overcome those concerns ... it is important for the community that they

“We have made a lot of effort to listen to the community and First Nations.�

- Tessa Gill are being heard. We are taking considerable effort to demonstrate that and seriously consider their concerns and mitigations.�

Despite the changes, Sproule said Pacific NorthWest LNG remains on track for a final investment decision by the end of 2014.

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Power of the Bulkley Valley Electric photo

Telkwa company brings power to the North

By Chris Gareau

T

he company has been all over British Columbia and Canada powering industrial-scale projects that keep the lights on in work camps and thousands of homes, but Telkwa’s BV Electric still hooks up individual houses in the very community that president and founder Gary Huxtable was raised in.

“We grew up in the Bulkley Valley, and it’s just an area we really enjoy. We enjoy skiing, we enjoy the outdoors and we enjoy the community,” said Huxtable, who founded the company eight years ago.

“With our business we could be anywhere because we work so vastly throughout Canada, but this is where we choose to live.”

Bulkley Valley electricians joined a 100-person workforce that BV Electric brought to the 195-megawatt Forest Kerr run-of-the-river hydroelectric project.

Huxtable said by the time the project is completed in six to eight months, BV Electric would have been there for five years.

Clean Energy BC (CEBC) recently recognized the billion-dollar AtlaGas project with a Project Excellence

28

“With our business we could be anywhere ... but this is where we choose to live.”

- Gary Huxtable Award, one of two award-winning projects BV Electric was involved in this year.

“Wind, hydroelectric, and solar are all considered clean power, and the run-of-the-river is the cleanest power with the hydroelectric portion of it because it doesn’t store the water. It uses the water and distributes it immediately back into the river system,” explained Huxtable.

Forest Kerr feeds enough clean energy through BC Hydro’s new Northwest Transmission Line to supply up to 70,000 homes.

See Page 29

“This would be, by far, the biggest project we’ve had.”

- Gary Huxtable “This would be, by far, the biggest (project) we’ve had in the eight years since we started,” said Huxtable.

The other project that took home an award from CEBC in October that BV Electric was involved in was the District of Stewart’s Community of the Year award, won in large part due to the 31-megawatt Long Lake hydroelectric project. The generating station provides power for another 13,000 B.C. homes. The project was a joint venture between Regional Power and Premier Power Corporation, with cooperation from local First Nation groups.

Helping hook up power to thousands of homes through large projects has not stopped BV Electric from working on local residential and First Nation projects with local workers.

“We’ve got local electricians here that have been with us right from the day we started, so when the bigger projects slow down or we’re in between projects we like to be able to keep our people employed,” said Huxtable.

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Bulkley Valley Electric photo

A commitment to

Cameron Orr photo

Chevron continues preparations for Kitimat LNG

By Cameron Orr

E

ven with dramatic changes in the profile, Kitimat LNG is a proposal that remains quite real for Chevron.

Earlier this year it was announced their 50/50 partner Apache Canada would sell their stake in the Kitimat LNG project. The news was taken as a cautionary note for Kitimat’s LNG industry, but Chevron is continuing to beat the drum of the Kitimat LNG project and sees no brake lights on their efforts.

“We wanted to clearly state, categorically, that Chevron is committed to the project and will continue to move the project forward,” said Dave Molinkski, policy and external affairs lead for Chevron.

They’re not paddling with one oar, as Apache is still contributing to the project. In fact it’s Apache themselves responsible for selling off their stake in the project.

“Apache is still working...they’re still doing the drilling, still doing the well development, still spending

30

“Chevron is committed to that project and will continue to move the project forward.”

- Dave Molinkski the money,” said Marc Douglas, who is Chevron’s senior government and stakeholder affairs advisor.

Molinksi adds that Chevron and Apache are still in good standing and partners moving the project forward.

So that brings us to the project itself.

One of the major early work projects for Kitimat LNG has been the upgrading of the forest service road which leads toward their proposed site.

See Page 31

“We’ve been investing significant resources in to upgrading the road,” said Molinksi.

“The road was in a very rough state when Apache first started getting working on the road.”

The road is closed to the public today as work is undertaken, but the company anticipates it will re-open sometime in 2015. Before re-opening the road will also be paved. The road, also known as the West Side Road, is a crucial piece of infrastructure for developments along the west side of the Douglas Channel.

Getting the project from its state today to a final investment decision, the moment we’ll all know if the project will be constructed or not, comes down to dealing with five key issues.

“Essentially what we need to understand is how are we going to build it, how much is it going to cost and what’s the execution plan on being able to do that,” said Molinksi.

There’s a fiscal certainty required, which includes a tax framework from the provincial government, but the company also needs certainties on royalties on gas extraction, carbon taxes and all sorts of other issues.

“It’s important for us to understand what that entire fiscal portion that goes to the provincial and federal governments look like,” he said.

First Nations support is also crucial. Commercial partnerships have already been agreed to by 15 First Nations along the Pacific Trail Pipeline route — the pipe that will supply the Kitimat LNG facility — and the company hopes to have agreements with the 16th First Nation soon.

On the sales side, Kitimat LNG needs to have between 60

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to 70 per cent of their production capacity pre-sold before going forward.

Kitimat LNG is anticipating a work force in Kitimat of between 4,000 to 5,000 people. The company is already housing, on average, 300 people in their work camp built just outside the former Eurocan Pulp and Paper mill site, but they have a camp capacity of nearly 600 beds.

A focus on training Flavio Neinow photo

College of New Caledonia puts trades at the forefront

By Flavio Neinow

T

he College of New Caledonia’s Lakes District campus in Burns Lake has made its trades programs a priority to reflect the needs of the community.

Michelle Culberson, programs coordinator at the Lakes District campus, recognizes the importance of training skilled trades people in the area.

“With the increasing demand for skilled trades people, we work hard to bring trades programs to the community that reflect the needs of our collective communities and industry,” she said.

The College of New Caledonia (CNC) has worked alongside the Aboriginal Steering Committee, the Community Advisory Committee and local industry to determine which programs are relevant to today’s economy, industry and community. These organizations have identified several trades programs as “high demand,” making recommendations to the college on how to meet these market needs and, at the same time, keep an eye on future trends.

“Our campus is offering trades reported to be in high demand through the next 10-plus years,” said Culberson.

“Our goal is to train students not only for a better education today but also for a better future for the

32

“Our campus is offering trades ... in high demand through the next 10-plus years.”

- Michelle Culberson collective communities and families.”

Current offerings for the 2014-15 academic year include the Industrial Mechanic/Machinist Foundation-Level, Heavy Equipment Operator and Level 2 Carpentry Apprentice. This academic year has also had a new addition: the Pipe Trade Foundation-Level program.

This new program allows students to experiment with four different trades before deciding upon which apprenticeship to pursue. The four trades include steamfitter/pipefitter, sprinkler installer, plumber and gasfitter. Culberson said this program provides students with time and opportunity to make “the best choice for their future.”

See Page 33

Flavio Neinow photo The Lakes District campus also makes sure students have access to quality education by offering state-of-the-art equipment. Students in the trades programs have access to 12 heavy haul truck and front end loader simulators, as well as 10 excavator and harvester processor simulators.

“Focusing on trades is more than just a reflection of this community, it is a reflection of our province,” said Culberson.

“As the skilled trades work force is aging, we are seeing more and more available positions and fewer trained folks available to fill those positions.”

The college also tries to accommodate the needs of the community by making sure that all groups are heard.

“If we have a group that is looking for training in a specific

area, even if it is something we have never offered, we endeavour to make it happen, fast,” said Culberson.

The Lakes District Campus has served the community since 1976, covering a region of approximately 20,000 kilometres and a population of over 8,000 people.

“The CNC’s Lakes District campus believes in the future of our community,” said Culberson.

“From our family programs and daycare to our trades training and university transfer courses, CNC Lakes strives to provide meaningful, relevant education and training.

We are thankful for the continued support of our many programs and look forward to not only continue but to increase the training provided with multiple entry points.”

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Better working BC LNG Alliance photo

BC LNG Alliance brings industry together

By Rod Link

M

ultinational liquefied natural gas companies may be competitors when selling the product around the world, but they have enough in common to lobby for mutually beneficial causes.

And topping that list is a tax regime in B.C. that’s acceptable to the companies who make up the newlyformed B.C. LNG Alliance, said its president last month.

“What we’re looking for is good fiscal policy; a clear, stable and competitive fiscal regime,” said David Keane during the launch of the alliance at an event held in Terrace Oct. 7.

If the alliance, made up of companies involved in six planned LNG projects, is concerned about provincial issues such as taxation, it’s also concentrating on exactly who will build the multi-billion dollar projects.

Keane, who has been involved with a provincial body examining skills development and training, said the direction is to first train B.C. residents for direct and indirect LNG employment.

“Our goal is to hire in B.C. first, Canada second and then outside of Canada if needed,” said Keane.

With some projects requiring as many as 4,000 workers if they proceed, and with some of those needing to have specific skills, the prospect of needing to look outside the country raises the issue of

34

“Our goal is to hire in B.C. first, Canada second and then outside Canada if needed.”

- David Keane temporary foreign workers.

“If we can’t find those skills, then clearly we’ll have to look outside [the country],” said Keane.

In a way, Keane himself is a form of a temporary foreign worker. An American from Connecticut, Keane has been in the energy business for more than 30 years and has been living in Vancouver for the past four years.

“I can tell you that I am applying for permanent residency status,” said Keane.

Keane took on the job as president of the BC LNG Alliance earlier this year following his retirement from the BG Group, another of the multi-national LNG companies with plans to build a plant on Ridley Island in Prince Rupert.

See Page 35

“What we’re looking for is a good fiscal policy; a sound fiscal regime.”

- David Keane The Terrace event was attended by members of the alliance, local and regional government representatives, people representing business groups and individual businesses. Keane and other alliance members followed up the Terrace event by speaking the next day to several business audiences in Vancouver.

He said it was important for the alliance to have its first official event in the Northwest to show that its members wish longstanding business and other relationships with the region’s residents.

“There’s not a more beautiful place in the world,” said Keane.

Kitimat LNG, which is a partnership between Chevron Canada and Apache Canada, LNG Canada, whose partners are Shell Canada, PetroChina, KOGAS from Korea and Mitsubishi from Japan and who wants to build a plant at Kitimat, Pacific Northwest LNG, which is led by Petronas but also includes Japex from Japan, Indian Oil Corporation, Sinopec from China and PetroleumBrunei, and Prince Rupert LNG, which

is owned by BG Canada, are the first four projects to join the alliance.

Two other projects have joined the alliance recently: Woodfibre LNG, which is being proposed for a location near Squamish, and Triton LNG, which is looking at locations near Prince Rupert and Kitimat and whose partners are AltaGas from Calgary and Japanese-owned Idemitsu Canada”.

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Port sustains

Prairies Prince Rupert Port Authority photo

By the Prince Rupert Port Authority

T

he county of Grande Prairie, Alberta is within the northernmost farming region in North America, and is home to some of the richest soil in Canada.

Because of this, Grande Prairie is one of the few places in Canada where land is still being cleared for agricultural development.

Its farmers are currently celebrating a grain harvest that may go down in history as one of Canada’s largest.

Greg Sears’ family was one of the first to farm in Grande Prairie. His grandfather built a log cabin and began clearing his land over a century ago.

Today, the Sears family farm is a modest 2,400 acres and is worked primarily by Greg, his father, father-in-law, and two farmhands.

Compared to other farms in the area that can be as large as 10,000 acres, it is a manageable size for the tight-knit crew.

They produce roughly 3,600 tonnes of grain each year.

The farms grows a mix of wheat, barley and canola, the latter of which accounts for close to half their crop.

A significant amount of crop production from farms like the Sears’ travels by rail to the Port of Prince Rupert, since Grande Prairie’s location allows it to take advantage of CN Rail’s BC North Line to the Prince Rupert Grain export terminal.

Harry Shudlow is another Grande Prairie farmer with 3,000 acres in the community of Sexsmith. He is very optimistic about crop yields this year.

36

He’s also pleased that the end of the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly has given Canadian farmers newfound freedom to market their own product.

“Being able to market all grains in the open market, we can improve our equipment, storage, and purchase more land for our children with our profit,” said Harry.

“In the past, you were spinning to pay the bills. I now market my own grain and I’m happy for doing it. I never get the best price, but I’m lucky to get the average price.”

With their crop sold for the best price they can get, farmers have little influence over where their product is shipped.

But farmers like Greg and Harry have an appreciation for the advantages offered by an uncongested northern rail line and an efficient marine export terminal with capacity for growth.

“Prince Rupert is the closest port to us, and that’s good for us,” said Greg.

“When you realize how much volume we export as a country, it’s a massive quantity of grain and the logistics required to get it from my farm to the port is kind of amazing. It’s important to us that every part of that supply chain and network is running seamlessly so the whole system doesn’t get bottlenecked. As farmers, it’s not something we think about every day, but we’re certainly very proud of the industry we’re in, and we realize that our part is only one of many that drives the agricultural economy.”

November 2014

NOVEMBER 2014

School District No. 91 (Nechako Lakes) P.O. Box 129, Vanderhoof, B.C. V0J 3A0 Telephone: (250) 567-2284 • FAX: (250) 567-4639

BUS MECHANIC TQ (10 MONTH) - Burns Lake

• MILLWRIGHTS • SUPERVISORS • WELDERS • FABRICATORS

Monster Industries is recruiting in Mackenzie, BC for the above career opportunities. We service the, Forestry, Energy and Mining industry. Shifts are 14 days on and 7 days off or 7 days on and 7 days off. 10 to 12hr days.

Excellent compensation packages available.

Please call: (1) 250.845.3240 or email: ofƂce@monsterindustries.ca or apply online: www.monsterindustries.ca As an engineer or skilled technician, you are ready to challenge yourself every day and pioneer our modernization project. You see yourself leading colleagues toward our vision to create the mining industry for the future. Come live in Kitimat to materialize this opportunity and benefit from a very generous total compensation.

Our smelter is currently undergoing a modernization project, totalling US$3.3 billion.

Over the next four years, it will be transformed to use the most advanced version of AP40 technology in the world. Projects like this continue to make us a global leader in the mining and metals sector, and an employer of choice for you. Join us now!

OPERATIONS SUPERVISOR - HR0265942 What you will need for this role • Technical degree/High School diploma or engineering diploma (preferred) with track record of leadership or supervisory role.

• Experience in a relevant industry ex. Heavy industry, manufacturing, coal, oil & gas, smelting, pulp and paper, fishing/yard deck, mining etc.

• Military veterans are welcome.

• Working knowledge of PCs, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Outlook.

• Adventurous spirit and strong ability to adapt to a changing work environment.

• Communicate clearly and concisely in English, both orally and in writing.

MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL ENGINEER – HR0279525 & HR0297297

KNOWLEDGE • Completion of Grade 12 (Dogwood Certiŵcate) • Valid B.C. Trades Certiŵcation in Commercial Vehicle Transport or Heavy Duty Mechanic • Propane Certiŵcation and Commercial Vehicle Inspection Certiŵcation • Valid B.C. Driver’s License – Class 5 Full Privileged with an exemplary driving record as demonstrated by a current driver’s abstract EXPERIENCE • Experience gained through Trades Qualiŵcation apprenticeship program inclusive of three years industry related experience • Basic welding experience • WHMIS Certiŵcate and familiarity with Work Safe BC (WCB) safety procedures For complete duties and responsibilities of this position, please contact

Lynn Maksymchak at 250-567-2284 or lmaksymchak@sd91.bc.ca

Quesnel Sawmill Division

2014

Quesnel Sawmill, a division of West Fraser Mills Ltd., is a non-union operation and has an opening for the following position:

CERTIFIED ELECTRICIAN

The successful candidate will be responsible for all electrical and process control equipment on site. This includes PLC programming, preventative maintenance, installation, trouble shooting and repairs of all equipment. Individuals are expected to work in a safe manner with limited supervision. Rotating shifts will be required.

Allen Bradley PLC, Mitsubishi VFD experience and knowledge of lumber manufacturing would be an asset.

Interested applicants should, before November 8, 2014, forward a resume to: quesresumes@westfraser.com

Attention: Mike Moody – Head Electrician 1250 Brownmiller Road Quesnel, BC V2J 6P5

School District No. 91 (Nechako Lakes)

What you will need for these roles • Bachelors’ degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering • 5-8 years or more relevant industry experience • Eligibility for P. Eng registration (advantageous) • Experience working in a start-up (Advantageous) • Training in Lean and Six Sigma or any other Business Improvement tools or methodologies (preferred)

Apply online: www.jobs.riotinto.ca Rio Tinto Internal Candidates must advise their managers of their application prior to progressing to the interview stage.

P.O. Box 129, Vanderhoof, B.C. V0J 3A0 Telephone: (250) 567-2284 • FAX: (250) 567-4639

SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS Required Immediately in the Vanderhoof, Fort St. James, Fraser Lake and Burns Lake areas Work early in the morning and afternoon with the midday off. When the kids are out of school, you are too.

The starting wage is $24.36 per hour as per the current CUPE Collective Agreement.

Qualiŵcations: • Completion of Grade 12 (Dogwood Certiŵcate) • Valid Class II Driver’s License with Air Endorsement • If you have a Class 5 – we will assist in acquiring your Class 2 • Exemplary driving record as demonstrated by driver’s abstract • Clean Criminal Record Check • Excellent interpersonal skills with students in Grades K to 12 • Physical capability to perform the job duties Please mail, fax or email resumes to: Lynn Maksymchak, District Principal – Human Resources/Leadership Development School District No. 91 (Nechako Lakes) P.O. Box 129 Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A0 • Fax: (250) 567-4639 • Email: cupejobs@sd91.bc.ca

Having trouble hiring?

Pick the BEST! for your Business

Call a Recruitment Specialist

1.855.678.7833

November 2014

NOVEMBER 2014

MECHANIC

Required for Westline Ford, in beautiful Vanderhoof, BC... where you can afford to live in comfort.

Vanderhoof is a welcoming and inclusive community. We are known for our friendly residents and we have a reputation for being a great place to live, raise a family and do business.

Seeking CLASS 1 DRIVERS Prince Rupert Trucking Company looking for qualified Class 1 drivers for local and long haul driving.

QUALIFICATION: • Valid Class 1 drivers license • Clean driving record • Flat deck experience • Knowledge of Hours of Service regulations and driver’s log book.

• Must be reliable and able to work independently

We offer competitive wages & beneƂts.

Apply in person at: 1473 Highway 16 Vanderhoof, BC Or email resume to: tammy@westlineford.com

NEED STAFF? YOU NEED NEED TO KNOW CALL US TO ASSIST YOU

P.O. Box 201, Port Edward, BC V0V 1G0 Fax: (250) 628-9282 admin@kristofftransport.com

IN YOUR RECRUITING EFFORTS

1•855•678•7833

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Ensuring a sustainable supply of timber

FOR OUT-OF-AREA SUBSCRIPTIONS OR SALES INFORMATION CALL 250-624-8088

Good omens in Oman

Pictured above are Jason Majore, Tracey Ross and deptuy Chief Councillor Taylor Cross from the Haisla Nation.

It’s nestled near the water, opening up opportunities for fishermen and naturelovers.

It’s a place that gives great importance to the natural environment and has long been a destination of sea-faring trade.

It may sound like Kitimat, or any of the other northwestern B.C. communities, but in this case we’re talking about Oman, a country on the Persian Gulf.

Although the two communities are worlds apart in terms of distance, they do share one distinct similarity: a liquefied natural gas export facility is in operation there, just as is being considered in Kitimat.

The reason this matters is that LNG Canada took a trip to Oman with a few members of their team, individuals representing the Haisla and Gitga’at First Nations, and members of the Kitimat community, so that people can get a firsthand look at what an LNG facility means to a community, and more importantly how a place like Kitimat can

plan for the project.

“I didn’t want any false information, just tell me what it is, give it to me straight up, what are we dealing with?” said Kitimat Fire Chief Trent Bossence, who was on the trip to Oman with a number of others.

In providing an answer, he said “LNG Canada went one step further,” in arranging the trip.

Among others who joined him was his colleague at the District of Kitimat, Economic Development Office, Rose Klukas.

“My role as economic development officer is broad,” she said on the value of her going on this trip.

Beyond representing the community she is also on the working group for the LNG Canada Environmental Assessment process.

“Having good information is important for that,” she said, saying firsthand knowledge will translate to a more valuable Environmental Assessment review.

LNG Canada says this trip will support discussions on the project and validate statements about LNG safety.

Being fire chief, Bossence said knowing how to prepare for the project was a key interest for him in going to Oman.

“If there’s a risk, if there’s a worstcase scenario, it’s going to be the same wherever it is. It’s just a matter of determining what that is, having them show me what the worstcase scenario is, and how are they preparing for it.”

That will translate to his own emergency planning in Kitimat,

Pictured below representatives for Kitimat tour Oman with LNG Canada.

This space is a collaborative promotional venture by LNG Canada and N2K Editor Cameron Orr

including how to become prepared.

Klukas said she used the trip as an opportunity to hear from people who live in the surrounding communities to the LNG facility to understand how day-to-day life was affected by their own nearby development.

As for the more subtle benefits of this trip, Bossence says this is a milestone in developing the relationship with LNG Canada and Kitimat.

“This trip showed me that LNG Canada realizes we’re asking for all this information about LNG, so they stepped up in a sense, saying the best way to learn something is to see it, touch it, feel it,” he said. “It definitely starts our relationship off on the right foot.”

Pictured below is the Oman LNG facility.

Trade connects us.

These workers—and men and women like them—are building the Port of Prince Rupert’s Road, Rail, and Utility Corridor. Once the two-year construction project is complete, our gateway will move more cargo to overseas markets. That means jobs and prosperity for people in northern BC. Our terminals may be located in Prince Rupert, but we’re building connections clear across Canada—and the globe. Learn about the value of trade at www.rupertport.com.