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Northern
www.northernsentinel.com
Volume 61 No. 29
Town may set rental standards
Cameron Orr A well-intentioned rental accommodation maintenance bylaw has been given a green light to be developed, even as some on council could see possible unintended consequences. The maintenance bylaw is another offshoot from recommendations within the Kitimat Housing Action Plan, an outline on ways the town could address housing pressures in the community. Some councillors worried about the potential for tenants rights to be violated through the bylaw. Claire Rattée said she was particularly concerned with a section that allows town inspectors to enter homes, without notice, that may be subject of investigations under this bylaw. “That’s really infringing on people’s rights,” she said. The model of a potential bylaw presented to councillors would allow building inspectors to enter a rental property “at all reasonable hours”. But Director of Planning and Community Development Gwen Sewell points out that refers to investigations conducted under the proposed bylaw, which is to say all investigations are tenant initiated. So no one would be entering someone’s rental home unless tenants actually requested the processs to be undertaken. The City of Terrace has a similar bylaw on their books, which includes such a provision. Being that this is a tenant initiated process it wouldn’t cover general community-wide complaints about unsightly properties. Councillor Larry Walker had inquired about the ability for citizens to make complaints about unsightly homes but was told this specific bylaw wouldn’t address a process like that. Continued on page 2
Kildala Peace Pole gets a polish.
/page 7 Big name gives workshop for youth soccer. /page 12 PM477761
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
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1.30 INCLUDES TAX
Steampunked Shakespeare Tina Watchorn in the foreground and Lis Stannus in the background flank the cast of Kitimat Arts For Youth’s steampunk inspired rendition of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. The timeless stage play has been given the steampunk treatment in this version, which is described as a mix of science fiction and fantasy using 19thcentury inspired designs. Cameron Orr
Black still backs refinery A proposed oil refinery for the Kitimat Valley is still on the tracks with the proponent David Black seeking to sit down with area First Nations. Black, who is the chairman of Black Press which owns, among others, this newspaper, said it will be a minimum of two years before there could possibly be any construction on the project, as it still has to clear the usual regulatory hurdles, and he’ll have to ink deals with area First Nations, including the Haisla and the Kitselas. It’s a long process but he still sees the business case making a lot of sense for a refinery which he said would result in 3,000 direct jobs for the region. Despite early skepticism he says even oil sands producers are warming up to the idea and may be beginning to see a benefit to a refinery service on the coast. Black said he has sub-
refinery could mitted a project use a toll system description to with oil producthe provincial ers — that is, the government, a producer of the preliminary step oil would own to starting the enthe oil coming to vironmental asthe refinery and sessment project. coming out of it, He said he’s a common payawaiting provinment structure in cial feedback on the industry, he the submission at says. the moment. David Black The ecoOverall his nomics played plans keep moving forward but he notes it’s out favourably for everyone. “If we were to charge that a long haul. “We’re making headway [toll] and if these companies but it isn’t very quick,” he would pay the transportation from Edmonton to Kitimat, said. At the close of last week and then pay the transportawith the price of a barrel of tion of the diesel and gasooil still under $60, questions line from Kitimat over to can be raised about the vi- China and pay us our toll.. ability of developing an oil on average they would have made [over 10 years] an extra refinery. Black considers the busi- $6.40 a barrel,” said Black. ness case still strong, in fact “That’s a fortune for these stronger with a lower cost of guys...These days that’s the oil. He said he had an analysis difference between profit and done on the process where the loss. It’s quite compelling
for them.” There is still doubt though. “They’re waiting for me to put a bow on it, all wrapped up.” So the process, he’s certain, really starts with getting agreements established with affected First Nations. “I hope that in fairly short order we’ll have an agreement. A qualified agreement,” he said. The quickest he could see any shovels hitting the ground is at least two years just on the fact of how the regulatory process works. He said if he can get First Nations’ support, then he’s sure the province will back the project. The federal government, he says, are already supportive of the project. Black does still hope to get financial partners too. “It just takes time,” says Black about advancing the project.