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Founded in 1897
Year 117 No. 10 - DRYDEN, ONTARIO - WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2014
Council approves water rate increase
InSIdE
By Samantha Hawkins
Exploring the backyard See pg. 12 DRHC cancer care See pg. 3 Dash for Cash See pg. 14
A&E
Four-year-old Chayse Lupien enjoys some time with the 100 plus cats at Second Chance Pet Network’s new pet shelter. Everyone is invited to come and visit, volunteer or donate. They currently have over 100 cats/kittens, seven puppies and two mature puggles looking for their forever homes. For more information on how you can become involved call Anne at 223-3335, and be sure to visit their facebook page for updates. (See more on page 16) Photo by Samantha Hawkins
Treasury Metals digging deeper in 2014 By Chris Marchand
The Real Deal with Marc Mcnay See pg. 13 Bringing the wild home See pg. 6
SPORTS
Ice Dogs
See pg. 10
Yout bowling provincials See pg. 11
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Prospective area gold miners Treasury Metals have managed to stay busier than most mineral exploration companies in the region during the extended downturn in commodity prices to which activity in the industry is tied. Goliath Gold Project manager Norm Bush says the next six to eight months will see progress that should lead to a decision on whether it is feasible to mine the company's land holdings near Wabigoon by the end of the year With fresh cash in hand, thanks to a recent deal struck with RMB Resources Inc. and another flowthrough share offering, Bush says the company hopes to complete and submit its Environmental Impact Study to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) by June or July. "We were able to put together a little over $9 million to allow us to continue the work we had started in 2013 in completing our environmental impact statement,” said Bush. “Although we had done quite a bit of work on it we didn't have the funding necessary to complete a lot of the technical reviews that we'd have to hire experts to perform for us. So this funding now allows us to do that technical work in support of our Environmental Permitting process." Bush adds that a full feasibility study should be underway by August and is expected to be completed by year's end. In January, the company also announced an additional 10,000 metre drilling program, now underway in what Bush says has been very difficult winter conditions "We all admire these drillers that are out there," said Bush. "Trying to get the drills going and the water flowing to lubricate the drills when it's thirty-below, or colder — it's a real challenge. It
puts a lot of strain on the equipment and on the drillers themselves." Bush says the company will be engaging frequently with the public and up to eight Aboriginal organizations as the company completes their Environmental Impact Study. He adds there should be better, more detailed answers for those who have expressed concerns about various aspects of the plan in last year's community consultations. "We're going to be increasing our level of discussion once we get some of the technical information back from the studies that we're currently conducting. That'll put us in a much stronger position to answer some the questions that people have posed to us in the past that we
weren't in a position to answer." There was some good new for the struggling junior mining industry in the federal budget as a 15 per cent Mineral Exploration Tax Credit was renewed in the 2014 budget. Bush says targeted incentives like that tax credits are very important to his industry. "It's really been helpful in discovering minerals and in getting people to invest in a business that can be pretty speculative at the best times," said Bush. " In a business where you need to raise capital for exploration and you don't have any revenue, it gives people an opportunity to buy into your company with flow through shares and write those expenses off against their taxes."
As of April 1, 2014 water and sewage users in the City of Dryden will notice an increase on their monthly bill. Fixed rates, which ensure the city has enough money to run the water plant, will see an increase of 5.7 percent. The volumetric rates will increase from $3.06 per cubic meter to $4.08 per cubic meter resulting in a monthly increase of about $15 for the average residential consumer. These increases come after much debate and after having been put off for three years CAO André Larabie says it is time to make the hard decision now for the future. “We need to clean up from previous years, catch up and look at the future.” This new plan will also eventually see any revenue from water and sewer being set aside in a separate bank account to service upcoming water and sewer infrastructure needs such as replacing the water mains under Duke St. and preparing for the future needs of the industry once the bi-law is passed. To build the latest water plant the city had to receive debentures to cover the cost as the water and sewer surplus was never set aside as is required by the Water and Sewage Act (4537). Larabie says that this can’t happen again in the future. “The credit cards are maxed.” The current increase amount is set below that recommended by BMA Consulting in September of 2012 and then again in May of 2013. Both of which council declined at the time. Councilor Collins praised the safety of Dryden’s water system and says it is a mistake to compare Dryden’s rates to those of other cities as there have been minimal boil water advisories and no cars stuck in ice from water main breaks, as is the case elsewhere. “This is Dryden, this is what it costs.” Councilor Trist agreed that the safety of Dryden’s water is valuable and does come at a cost, but worries that those that will feel the squeeze the most will be young families. “I often think that this is unfair, but in a way it is a good thing people are conserving water,” she said, “Water should be conserved globally.” The fact that people are conserving more water has increased the risk of freezing lines as there is less water flowing through and Blake Poole head of the city’s public works department recommends that if you leave for the weekend, having someone flush your toilet a couple of times for you to avoid any issues. Councilor Wintle requested an open vote on the increase with all but him voting in favour. “I’m not in favour of any increase at all… I know we have serious financial problems but the water users shouldn’t be the ones paying for the serious problem.”
Diamond drillers work on a the latest 10,000 metre drilling program on the Treasury Metals property near Wabigoon. Photo submitted
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