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MARCH 1, 2016 Vol. 121, $ 05 Issue 33
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Teck hit with $3.4 million fine
TOUCHY-FEELY
SHERI REGNIER Trail Times
Sheri Regnier photo
Lillian Schmutz used to be an avid Tuesday Morning Quilter herself, having learned the art from her mother. Now a Poplar Ridge resident, she was on hand to admire the quality work the volunteer group put into seven touchy-feely quilts they donated to the facility. Various textures of tactile quilts can be very calming and comforting to the residents.
Final decision on hospital cap looming Regional district agrees to lobby for KBRH SHERI REGNIER Trail Times
There are two sides to every story especially when it comes to collecting tax dollars. That is why the decision to raise the cap for future hospital renovations higher than $10 million still sits
on the shoulders of municipal and regional officials. A final vote on whether to maintain or build tax reserves won’t come back to the WKBRHD (West KootenayBoundary Regional Hospital District) until later this month, but the topic did raise healthy debate during the Feb. 24 board meeting in Castlegar. “A lengthy and robust discussion occurred, and I was absolutely delighted this got to the table and got so
many of the board members engaged,” says Trail Mayor Mike Martin, the city’s board representative. “Because it is a critical issue for us in the fact that we are continuing to accumulate a reserve without a definitive plan.” Therein lies the controversy of whether the board should up the reserves, which currently amount to $9.3 million. Martin voices concern about amassing tax dollars, but concedes
his point of view is offset by other perspectives “One of the points I raised was, we are collecting taxes from current taxpayers and there is no plan against which to contribute those funds,” he added. “So the taxpayers are being imposed with a tax from which there is no benefit they are likely to realize in the short term.” The flip side of reasoning centres CONTINUED ON A3
Teck Trail Operations was penalized $3.4 million in Rossland Provincial Court on Monday. The fine relates to 13 accidental discharges that occurred between November 2013 and February 2015, according to the company’s news release. Effluent with elevated levels of substances including copper, zinc, ammonia, chlorine and cadmium were released by outfall into the Columbia River, leading to five charges under the Fisheries and Environmental Management Acts. A portion of the penalty will be designated for local environmental conservation funds. In relation to the federal Fisheries Act charges, $3 million of the fine will be directed to the Environmental Damages Fund, confirmed Catherine Adair, Teck community relations leader. “The judge recommended that these funds be directed to conservation and protection of fish habitat in the Lower Columbia region,” said Adair. “Which includes the CONTINUED ON A16 Contact the Times:
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