THURSDAYMARCH 19, 2015
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WOODSTOVES IN PARKSVILLE
Backing off a total ban Council considering bylaw to allow wood burning JOHN HARDING editor@pqbnews.com
Any wood-burning appliance installed in Parksville will have to be certified by the Canadian Standards Association, if the bylaw council gave three readings Monday night is eventually adopted. Council debated the issue at length, with Coun. Sue Powell suggesting it does not go far enough. She wanted a total ban on future installations and may introduce that provision into the bylaw in future readings. For that reason, she voted against the three readings, which passed in a 5-1 vote. “I don’t think we understand the health impact it (wood smoke) has,” said Powell. Coun. Leanne Salter spoke in favour of wood burning in general, raising the issue of costs for financially-challenged residents who cannot afford other sources of heat like hydro or fossil fuels. She also said wood is a renewable resource and “fossil fuels are not renewable.” The bylaw, in its current form, has a host of restrictions related to the burning of solid fuel like wood. In addition to the provisions around standards (CSA or EPA) for future installations, the bylaw states that all new construction that includes a solid fuel burning appliance shall also contain another form of space heating, such as natural gas, propane, electric or solar. The bylaw also prohibits the burning of unseasoned or wet wood and any kind of burning when an air quality advisory has been issued in Parksville or adjacent electoral areas. Anyone who contravenes any provisions of the bylaw could face a fine of up to $10,000. See ENFORCEMENT, page A7
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CANDACE WU PHOTO
Central Vancouver Island Traffic Services Cpl. Mike Elston inconspicuously dressed in highway maintenance gear on Tuesday in an effort to crack down on distracted driving.
DISTRACTED DRIVING CAMPAIGN
Police sting 100 drivers CANDACE WU
news@pqbnews.com
Police officers gave out something other than lucky charms on St. Patricks’ Day. Mounties issued 100 violation tickets during an annual undercover distracted driving campaign set up in Nanoose Bay — the efforts are part of a province-wide campaign to curb texting and talking on the phone while behind the wheel. Central Vancouver Island Traffic Services (CVITS) Cpl.
Mike Elston was clad in highway maintenance threads perched on an EMCON dump truck (another officer was in a back hoe) near the intersection of Northwest Bay Road and Highway 19. Elston — equipped with binoculars, a note pad and radio — was looking for distracted drivers. “The use of those vehicles allowed the police to stay hidden in plain view and provided a view inside of vehicles from an elevated position which allowed us to see people using devices
held low and out of sight,” he explained. “There was no shortage of people seen texting, talking or using a handheld device, most of the time with the device held low so that they thought they weren’t being seen.” Elston, and other undercover officers, then radioed down to their in-uniform counterparts who waited at northbound and southbound check points just around the corner, one at Kinghorn Road and one at the Arlington Inn, respectively. See DRUGS, page A9
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