TUESDAY MARCH 31, 2015
Black Press C O M M U N I T Y
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A SOLUTION FOR WASTE
COUNTRY STARS COME TO NANOOSE
Local company provides alternative to K-cups
Rising star Jess Moskaluke and former hockey player Chad Brownlee scheduled
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A27
POPULATION ESTIMATES
Flat or dipping
B.C. Stats director says it’s mostly about employment CANDACE WU news@pqbnews.com
The population in Parksville and the surrounding rural areas increased slightly, by 0.6 and 0.9 per cent respectively, while the population in Qualicum Beach dipped by 0.5 per cent. As of 2014 Parksville’s population was 12,227, Qualicum Beach came in at 8,500 and the surrounding areas cumulatively recorded a population of 39,085 which includes Deep Bay/Bowser, Coombs/Errington, Nanoose Bay, French Creek, Cedar and Pleasant Valley. The numbers come from B.C. Statistics 2014 Sub-Provincial Population Estimates, a report that came out in January stating the province grew as a whole by 1.1 per cent or 49,000 people. B.C. Statistics director Jackie Storen said the two biggest factors affecting population booms and dips are natural change (birth and death rate) and migration. “Rural communities seem to be getting smaller while metropolitan areas are getting larger,” said Storen. “People want better access to education, jobs and healthcare.” According to the report, neighbouring city Nanaimo grew by 1.5 per cent reaching a population of 88,869. Storen explains B.C. Statistics’ population estimates are based on hydro connections and health client registry. “Within Canada it’s really the job and where you can find work which will push people to go and live somewhere.” Parksville Mayor Marc Lefebvre echoed Storen’s comments that population is intimately linked to the economic cycle. See MAYOR SEEKING, page A9
JESSICA SKELTON PHOTO:
FESTIVAL FUN: From left, Tim, Angel and Brooke Delange pose for a picture on the old tractor at Morningstar Farm during the Little Qualicum Cheeseworks’ Calving Festival this past weekend. Aside from the opportunity to view some baby pigs, lambs, calves and chicks, the festival also had a colouring contest for kids with great prizes.
PARKSVILLE BUDGET DELIBERATIONS
Curling club gets a break JOHN HARDING
editor@pqbnews.com
The Parksville Curling Club will get a grant to cover its tax bill this year, city councillors decided last week. The city will lose money on the deal, providing the curling club with a $3,000 grant-in-aid that will cover the club’s total tax bill this year. However, about half of that grant money will
go to other taxing authorities like the school district, while the city will get back about $1,500 in tax revenue. It’s not likely a scenario the city envisioned when it looked to increase revenue by changing the tax exempt status of the curling club from 100 per cent to 50 per cent last year. The club has lobbied the city hard, saying the new policy would jeopardize its
operations. The club also challenged its assessed value with the provincial authority, which brought its tax bill down from $16,000 to $6,000. Coun. Al Greir, a member of the committee that came up with the 50 per cent solution last year, was opposed to the grant when council voted 6-1 in favour of the motion on Thursday night.
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