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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2015
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Paramedicine in Houston By Jackie Lieuwen Houston Today
ROYAL Representative
Jackie Lieuwen/Houston Today
The Honourable Judith Guichon, Lieutenant Governor of BC views some of Houston on her way to the Leisure Centre. She was accompanied by her Private Secretary Colonel James Hammond (left) and Houston Mayor Shane Brienen, and led by the Honorary Aide-de-Camp Inspector Dana Hart, and RCMP Driver Corporal Mark Alexander. Her Honour visited Houston residents at a Seniors Tea and Mayors Dinner last Wednesday. See page 6 for more.
BC Emergency Health Services (EHS) will start implementing a pilot paramedicine program in three or four communities starting in April. Preet Grewal, Communications Officer for BC EHS, says they are still discussing potential communities for the pilot program, which will be implemented in phases over fouryears. Community paramedicine is a program that increases access to basic health services by involving A m b u l a n c e paramedics in nonurgent, primary care. The services carried out by paramedics would be in patients’ homes or in the community, and done in partnership with local health care providers, Grewal
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Potential communities being considered for pilot program to start April 1.
said. In 2014, the Province committed to create at least 80 new full-time positions for this paramedicine program, which will be implemented April 2015 to March 2019. The North West Regional Hospital District Executive and Board sent a letter in February requesting an update on the program. See EHS on Page 2
RDBN Director says pipeline timber should be utilized By Jackie Lieuwen Houston Today
The Regional District wants Coastal GasLink to utilize the timber they clear. Rob Newell, Regional District Director for Area G, says he wants them to set a standard by
utilizing the maximal amount of timber cleared from the pipeline right of way. “I want them to set a standard… that they log everything that’s usable and chip what’s left of it. “They should have a minimal amount that they actually burn,” Newell said.
He adds that they should deliver timber to logging companies, rather then stockpile it like BC Hydro has done. “That’s part of the social licence,” Newell said, adding that it would be a minor expense for them. The proposed Coastal Gaslink
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pipeline is a 650-kilometre, natural gas pipeline planned to run from Dawson Creek to Kitimat. It runs 23 kilometres south of Houston and has a proposed work camp near Goosly Lake and Buck Falls. Their target schedule is to finalize
plans this year, make a final investment decision in early-2016 and if it goes forward start building work camps and clearing the pipeline route summer-2016. Construction is tentatively set for early-2017. The Regional District of Bulkley-
Nechako (RDBN) is the governing body over development outside of municipalities or reserves. The proposed Goosly Lake work camp is on a site zoned RR1 or Rural Resource, said Newell. Jason Llewellyn,
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Director of Planning, says the RDBN “has the authority to regulate land use in the area.” Newell adds that they “have control over all of the permitting.” His main concerns about the camp are waste and road access. See PIPE on Page 3
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