S TANDARD TERRACE
1.30
$
$1.24 PLUS 6¢ GST
VOL. 27 NO. 38
www.terracestandard.com
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
MLA urges affordable transit ANY PLAN to increase transit services connecting northwestern communities must ensure it is affordable for users, says Skeena NDP MLA Robin Austin. “That’s really No. 1,” said Austin in commenting on the provincial government’s commitment made last year to spend $3 million over the next three years to better connect communities
along Hwy16. Of that amount, up to $1.6 million is to be spent over two years to either increase service on existing routes or on new ones. That could mean, for example, more service along an existing BC Transit route connecting Kitamaat Village/Kitimat with Terrace or on new routes connecting Terrace with points east.
The key to success, however, is ensuring there’s a level of subsidy that makes expanded or new services affordable, said Austin. And that would follow along what already exists on the Lower Mainland and in other more populated areas, he said. “Just because there’s a low population here doesn’t mean people are entitled
to the same rights as elsewhere,” said Austin. That $1.6 million for more transit represents twothirds of the operating costs of the increased service and 100 per cent of the capital costs of buses. Overall, Austin was relatively satisfied with the broad provincial plan which includes establishing community transportation ser-
vices and driver education programs in smaller First Nations communities, more webcams on highways and transit shelters and broadening the use of existing services such as the Northern Health Authority’s medical bus service to other passenger classifications. “This is going in the right direction but it’s something communities have been
asking for since 2006,” he noted. The call for better transportation connections along Hwy16 began growing in response to the number of missing and murdered women along the route and the need to provide alternatives to high risk activities such as hitchhiking.
Cont’d Page A4
City aims for zero tax hike By JOSH MASSEY THE CITY is aiming to leverage tax money from new construction to put forward a zero per cent tax hike for the second year in a row despite overall assessment values in the city dropping. After their first budget meeting held a week before Christmas, mayor Carol Leclerc says that the city’s finances looked like they could allow for another zero increase year. “At that time, it didn’t look like we needed to raise taxes and we are hoping that we don’t have to. But it’s only our first meeting,” she said. The zero tax increase is contained within city deliberations after approving a provisional budget as it works toward a final document this spring. Leclerc points to aspects of the city budget where costs are rising laid against the challenge of keeping taxes down. One new spending item would see an additional RCMP officer assigned to the detachment as part of the city-financed complement. “We want to bump up the RCMP a little bit because we should be at 25 but we have been at 24 [members] just to bring us up to where we need to be. We have always shaved that off when we’ve been tight on dollars,” said Leclerc. This additional RCMP officer would join the force halfway through this year. Like last year, those whose properties experienced an average rise in assessed value will not see any increase in tax, but those whose houses came in over the assessed average or under will see a rise or fall in the amount of property tax they must pay. The city’s provisional budget has money for new projects including a redesigned city website, a new sanitization system in the whirlpool at the aquatic centre and conducting a feasibility study leading to an anti-train whistling bylaw at the Frank St. rail crossing.
ANGIE HEALEY PHOTO
■■ Carving corners THAYNA HEALEY carves down the snowy slope of the Bunny Hill at the Mini Rippers races on Shames Mountain on Jan. 3-4. The races drew 53 young skiers and two snowboarders and is the first in a series of Mini Rippers races to be held this winter. See page 22 for results of the races and information on the holidays at Shames Mountain.
Cont’d Page A5
First of the year
Grant money
Upward glide
Terrace’s New Year’s baby given unique name with ‘the force’ behind it \COMMUNITY A14
Community foundation seeking applicants with local projects to finance \NEWS A9
Cross country ski club boasts jackrabbits record and climbing membership \SPORTS A22