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Northern
Volume 61 No. 49
Enbridge taking their time Cameron Orr The CEO of Enbridge said in an investor conference call that a decision on whether the company will move forward on a final investment decision to build the Northern Gateway pipeline could come in the late half of 2016. Al Monaco said the company is putting their efforts on consulting with First Nations, adding there are 28 equity agreements signed with First Nations along the pipeline route. Monaco also responded to questions on how the federal government’s planned crude oil tanker ban will impact the project but he deflected the concerns. “We’ve heard the Prime Minister and the minister of natural resources are open to listen,” he said, which suggests wiggle room to gain support from the government, but Monaco said it is too early to speculate on the impacts of that but the company is “looking forward” to engaging the federal government. “Hopefully we’ll have good discussions with all levels of government.” Enbridge’s current pipeline capacity will keep the supplies at acceptable levels with lower commodity prices right now, he added. “The timing isn’t too concerning to us,” Enbridge was given the government approval to build the pipeline in June 2014, issued after the Joint Review Panel endorsed the conclusion. The National Energy Board gave the thumbs up subject to 209 conditions being met by the company.
LNG Canada starts site work.
/page 3 Kitimat’s newest grocery store opens.
/page 8 PM477761
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Wednesday, December 9, 2015
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Ho ho ho! Santa was here! Saint Nick rode to the Light Up Kitimat festival in style, in a District of Kitimat fire truck. His arrival marked the beginning of the second Light Up festival, which includes choirs, free treats and plenty of festive lights.
Attention back on Radley erosion Cameron Orr Kitimat Council is going to spend $50,000 on a consultant that will spearhead the creation of an action plan to address erosion at Radley Park. Radley Park has been an area of concern but has seen relatively little action relating to loss of land to the river, aside from a number of studies done over the years. A river migration study was undertaken in 2007, then in 2011 a consultant was hired to prepare conceptual ideas to retrofit the park, according to staff’s report to council. In 2012 a hydraulic consultant reviewed the river’s migration again, then in 2014 there was a survey done at Radley Park. In 2012, the report reminds the coun-
cil, there was approval to sue $800,000 in reserve funds to go towards riverbank armouring an site development. That money has been earmarked for a number of projects, but none currently for riverbank armouring. The council in 2008 had also set aside a $475,000 budget for park protection. Mario Feldhoff reminded the council at the November 30 meeting that the money set aside in 2008 was eventually dispersed to other projects, a result of the town losing revenues due to the closure of the Eurocan Pulp and Paper Mill. Since 2005 staff say 15 campsites have been lost to the erosion at the park. Mario Feldhoff endorsed the staff recommendation to hire a new consultant
to look at the park, but urged concrete action to take place at the park, saying it’s time to get work done. Some on council didn’t want to rush in to hiring a consultant. Claire Rattée said that a better first step would be to seek comment from stakeholders such as the Haisla, to spare any conflicts on how to address the river in the future. Other councillors agreed but it was determined that consultation with the Haisla and Department of Fisheries and Oceans would be an aspect of a consultant’s work. Mary Murphy backed hiring the consultant, saying that waiting any longer is not the answer. Edwin Empinado and Larry Walker were the two opposed.