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Wednesday, March 11, 2015
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Early years centre coming to Smithers
SPORTS/A8 By Kendra Wong Smithers/Interior News
MILESTONE YEAR Local celebrates 30 years of flying.
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An early childhood learning centre will open at Columbia Drive in Smithers next month despite controversy last year over its new location in a residential neighbourhood. The Smithers B.C. Early Years Centre, which will be run by the Bulkley Valley Child Development Centre (CDC), will provide a range of services to children between the ages of 0-6. Services include communitybased play groups, a toy and resource lending library, consultation services and referrals for early child development services and resources. “People are very excited about our new location and that it will be more accessible to the community,” said Kerri Bassett, executive director of the CDC. “I think that location will be ideal for families to just come on by and come and participate in play groups or take some resources out of the lending library or if they have other questions about the community. We will be that kind of hub of information for early childhood development services.” The centre is part of a pilot project with the Ministry of Children and Family Development and will receive $52,000 this year as part of $5.5 million allocated to the project over three years. Currently, the CDC has two locations. The first on Fourth Avenue houses drop-in programs and the Child Care Resource and Referral program. The second location is situated between Smithers and Telkwa on a facility at the Old Experimental Farm. See CDC on A3
ONE HILL OF A SPORT Jenny Burgess takes a corner during the annual Wetzin’Kwa Loppet at the Bulkley Valley Nordic Centre Saturday. Burgess came first in the 18 kilometre women’s race finishing in 56:17. For more photos and results, see Pg. A9 or visit www.interior-news.com. Kendra Wong photo
Hunters, guides unimpressed by new wildlife allocations By Alicia Bridges Smithers/Interior News
Northern B.C. hunters opposed to changes to big game allocations are rallying public support, claiming the new policy favours guides and outfitters. Under provincial policy, resident hunters and commercial guides receive a percentage split of the total number of animals allowed to be hunted in B.C., which are categorized by species and region. For example, resident hunters might be allocated 75 per cent of moose allowed to be hunted in the north Skeena Region, while outfitters would receive 25 per cent. On Feb. 6, Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Minister Steve Thomson announced a revised version of an allocations policy implemented in December. The revision came in response to outcry from resident hunters across the province, who said the percentage of animals given to commercial guides was too high. The updated policy claims to transfer a total 60 animals across the province to outfitters, less than the December
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policy which would have given them more than 100. But the change did little to reassure concerned resident hunters like Mike O’Neill, who believes the decision is part of a shift towards commercializing the sport. The Smithers-based member of the Skeena Hunters’ Advisory Committee fears younger generations will not have the opportunities to hunt that he did growing up. If the total number of animals allowed to be hunted in B.C. was reduced for conservation reasons, he said, the percentages in the policy might not be enough for noncommercial hunters. For that reason, he said the government’s claim that the policy gives outfitters an additional 60 animals is incorrect. “Some people will say, ‘well this isn’t going to affect you next year’,” said O’Neill. “Well that doesn’t matter, if it’s going to affect us five years from now or 10 years from now and it’s legislated, now’s the time for us to stand up and say no this is not fair.” O’Neill believes the ministry should revert to a policy it implemented in 2007 based on negotiations that started in 2003. See SPLIT on A5
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