The Northern View, May 06, 2015

Page 1

PRINCE RUPERT VOL. 10 NO. 18

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

FREE

Lax Kw’alaams offered LNG benefits worth $1.14 billion

STRIKING GOLD Feature Heart of our city: Karen Cruz Page A5

BY SHAUN THOMAS PRINCE RUPERT / The Northern View

Community Students tackle table building Page A11 Martina Perry / The Northern View

Sera Stevens, a Grade 5 student from Lax Kxeen, took people back to the gold mining boom at Barkeville during the Northwest Heritage Fair on Friday afternoon, a display that won her the Lieutenant-Governor Historical Literacy Award. For more on the fair, see Page A12.

The Lax Kw’alaams Band could receive more than 2,000 hectares of Crown land around Prince Rupert and Port Edward from the provincial government if it agrees to the construction and operation of the Pacific NorthWest LNG terminal and Prince Rupert Gas Transmission project. The land is just one of the benefits being offered according to a Lax Kw’alaams member update obtained by the Northern View and it would be granted to the band at various milestones in the projects. A draft map entitled “Lax Kw’alaams Pacific NorthWest LNG Benefits Term Sheet Map 1” created for the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation outlines four points at which Crown land would change hands. Upon signing the benefits agreement, a 40 hectare parcel of land across from the garbage dump could be transferred to the band. See LNG on Page A2

Church rezoning approved after heated debate Business Province, industry fund training Page A14

Sports Rapids host regional swim meet Page A15

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BY SHAUN THOMAS PRINCE RUPERT / The Northern View

Prince Rupert city council approved the rezoning of the former Baptist Church on India Avenue to allow for the creation of a multiunit executive housing development, but the decision was not without objection and concern from councillors and one nearby resident. Plans from Greenwell Asset Management call for the church to be converted to 17 single occupancy suites aimed at housing executives related to industrial development. But that number of new accommodations in a residential area did not sit well with resident Tony Ferreira or Coun. Wade Niesh. “Seventeen apartments is too much and we don’t need that in Prince Rupert ... It is going to be built for rich people, not poor people and we need someone to build something for low income people,” said Ferreira. “I like people to look at it from the perspective

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“Seventeen apartments is too much and we don’t need that.” - Tony Ferreira of it being the size of three residential lots, so it would be like if we took the three homes across the street, combined them and put 18 people in them. That is too many people ... given the size of three average lots, with a restriction of two units per residence, that would be a maximum of six units and he wants 17,” said Niesh. Coun. Joy Thorkelson and Coun. Blair Mirau countered that the number was not only realistic but fit within the city’s plans for growth. “We actually have six 25-foot lots at that location ... we have been trying to develop housing options for 25-foot lot starter homes and if you had six starter homes with young families, you could easily have four people per

household. That is more than the 17 people this would house,” said Thorkelson. “The Official Community Plan calls for us to build within our own footprint ... this would increase densification, and I know that is a concern to some, but it is within our community plan,” added Mirau. The rezoning also found support from Prince Rupert realtor Emily Kawaguchi. “There was great consideration by the applicant for the use of this property, which was a vacant church and will never be a church again ... as a realtor, given the layout of the building and parking lot, my opinion is that this is the best use for the site,” she said. Another objection of both Niesh and Ferreira was trusting that the units could be used by seniors. While Ferreira noted the rent would be too much for seniors to afford, Niesh said he didn’t believe the sincerity of the developer. See VOTE on Page A2

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