R /Q?
TRANSPORTATION REFERENDUM
Will road pricing or new bridge tolls also come? Read next referendum Q&A: see A17 and tricitynews.com
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THINGS-TO-DO GUIDE: A19
Ballet, barbecue and Blue Dot Day SCHOOL DISTRICT 43
Due to cuts, kids wait for support More mental health crises, say school workers DiAne StrAnDberg The Tri-CiTy News
School District 43’s plan for a status quo budget for the next school year has drawn fire from staff who work with vulnerable students. They told trustees at a public meeting Tuesday they want to see staffing restored rather than last year’s cuts continued. Dozens of teachers, support staff, librarians and parents turned out for the only face-to-face opportunity to provide input to the 2015/’16 budget, and even school principals pointed out that “status quo” might not be enough to ensure student success. “On average, there are about five students wait-listed
TC
NEB map tracks pipeline trouble / Referendum ballot count is now up to 15%
FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2015 Your community. Your stories.
TRI-CITY
NEWS
THE ANNUAL COMO LAKE RELAYS
in each elementary [school], six to eight in middle school and 60 at the secondary level,” said Reiner Kuppers, a school psychologist who does assessments for students who need extra supports. “Our wait lists for assessments continue to grow.” Trustees, most of whom were not on the board when last year’s cuts were made, also heard complaints about a lack of services for children with speech and language problems, cuts to library services, lack of school secretaries, stressed counsellors and youth workers dealing with too many student mental health crises (especially among younger students), administrators with no time to manage, fewer career resources for graduating high school students and a reduction in school maintenance and cleaning. see CTA ASKING, page A3
BURKE MOUNTAIN
Purchase process was competitive: wesbild DiAne StrAnDberg The Tri-CiTy News
The company that bought 370 acres of land on Burke Mountain from the province last year says it paid fair market value for the property and stands by the integrity of the purchase process.
In a statement to the media Wednesday, Wesbild responded to public criticism that the province rushed the sale of the land to raise funds to balance its budget, selling the property at below market value.
see MONEY FROM, page A16
GARY MCKENNA/thE tRi-CitY NEwS
More than 2,000 Grade 4 and 5 students from elementary schools across the Tri-Cities competed in the 37th annual Como Lake Relays on Wednesday and Thursday. The event is held to encourage young people to take up running and live active lives. More photos, page A36.
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