Kyuquot fi nds solar solutions

New community centre planned for construction in 2022 will have a roof covered in power-generating panels

By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter

Houpsitas, BC – With a growing community relying on aging infrastructure, Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’ leaders are forced to look for alternate power sources to serve residents. Kyuquot’s electricity comes from a privately-owned company that purchases power from the BC Hydro grid and resells it to Kyuquot. There is a single cable feeding the electricity to the village and it is at capacity. “The old line is maxed out. It is a singlephase line and we need a three-phase line,” said Cynthia Blackstone, KCFN chief administrative offi cer. Residents of Kyuquot don’t get BC Hydro bills like most people in the province. Instead, the entire village of about 200 people is a single BC Hydro customer. KCFN charges each home a fl at monthly rate that may be reduced if the homeowner has power-saving features like a woodstove. “The people pay $60 to $100 per month for electricity,” said Blackstone, while the nation pays $300,000 per year for electricity. The fl at monthly rates do not cover the First Nation’s entire electricity bill. But even if they did, the current infrastructure does not support the electricity demand. Because upgrades to the current power supply won’t be happening anytime soon, Blackstone says her administration must look at alternatives. Presently, the community school is outfi tted with solar panels. The panels collect energy from the sun and converts it to electricity. “On good days almost all of the electricity for the school comes from solar power,” said Blackstone. She noted that the panels generate power even on cloudy days or on a bright, full moon. The school building is owned by the school district, who covered the cost of solar panels at the school. KCFN is planning for more solar panels on their public buildings, starting with a new community centre they plan to build. Blackstone told Ha-Shilth-Sa that the existing community centre, located near the shoreline, is now being used as a food storage facility since the pandemic began. Built in the 1980s, the center started out as a workshop but wound up becoming the community hall. According to Blackstone, the old facility, which holds an estimated 60 to 70 people, will soon be demolished. In its

Photo by Eric Marks The Kyuquot community school is outfi tted with solar panels. The panels collect energy from the sun and converts it to electricity. place will be a small gymnasium that will also serve as a community centre. And the entire roof will be fi tted with solar panels. “We’re pretty excited about that,” said Blackstone. She anticipates that when the centre is built, its solar panel system will create surplus energy that will be redistributed throughout the community, saving KCFN electricity costs. They are hoping to have more solar panels installed on the clinic and KCFN administration buildings to further ease the burden on the old power line. The cost of the new centre is being covered by a private donor to the tune of $3 million. The funds were initially donated through a foundation to be used for Kyuquot’s planned big house. Recognizing the community’s need for a gathering place, they agreed to have the funds redirected to the community center, according to Blackstone. While Blackstone doesn’t yet know what the electricity cost savings will be, she is certain that after the return on investment, there will be substantial savings. “The cost of electricity here is high,” she said. Construction on the new centre is expected to start in 2022. “We’re excited to get a new community centre, bigger than what we have,” said Blackstone.

TSESHAHT MARKET

GATEWAY TO THE PACIFIC RIM

Hours of operation - 7:00 am - 10:30 pm Phone: 724-3944 E-mail: claudine@tseshahtmarket.ca Find us on Facebook

Photo by Eric Plummer By mid August the dry Somass River could almost be walked across at low tide. Drought remains, but fi re ban lifted in north island

By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor

Vancouver Island, BC - Wildfi re conditions are improving, leading the province to lift its campfi re ban for the north half of Vancouver Island on Friday. This notice came from the province’s Coastal Fire Centre today, despite the fact that all of Vancouver Island remains under Level 5 drought conditions, the most severe rating issued by B.C.’s Water Management Branch. Currently most of Vancouver Island also remains under the “extreme” fi re danger rating. But these conditions are expected to soon change, which is why the campfi re prohibition will be lifted at noon on Sept. 3. The bottom half of Vancouver Island will remain under a campfi re ban, extending south of Nootka Sound, Strathcona Provincial Park and the Comox Valley. After months of very little rain and temperatures that reached 40 C on some days, cooler and drier conditions are coming, said Julia Caranci, a fi re information offi cer with the Coastal Fire Centre. “We are expecting a signifi cant amount of rain this weekend, starting on Saturday,” she said. “We are now in a fall-like weather pattern where we’re having shorter days, we’re having average to low temperatures and we’re having better recoveries overnight as well.” The Coastal Fire Centre also expects to see changes to the Vancouver Island portion of the fi re danger rating map next week. This would entail less combustible fuel in the island’s forests. “Defi nitely conditions are starting to change,” said Caranci. “The weather is not going to go back to that heat dome, the hot and dry temperatures that we were seeing up until a few weeks ago.” While campfi res will remain prohibited in the southern half of Vancouver Island, a ban is also still in place for Category 2 and 3 fi res. These pertain to fi reworks and burn piles larger than half a metre and two metres high, respectively. This order is set to remain in place until Oct. 15. This year’s fi re season has proven to be more severe than most. Nearly 900,000 hectares burned across B.C., more than double the average area over the last decade. The Coastal Fire Centre, which includes Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast and central coast, saw over 7,000 hectares burned since the spring, more than last year and 2019. All evacuation orders and alerts have since been removed for the Coast Fire Centre.

Health Corner

Shingles and the Shingrix Vaccine

Shingles is a painful blistering rash caused by a re-ac va on of the varicellazoster virus (the same virus that causes chicken pox). The pain of shingles can persist aÅ er the rash has healed – for weeks, months or even longer. Shingles can occur in anyone who has had chicken pox, however it is more common – and more likely to cause complica ons and long-term eff ects – in older people.

What are the symptoms? Shingles symptoms happen in stages. At fi rst you may have a headache or be sensi ve to light. You may also feel like you have the fl u. Later, you may feel itching, ngling, or pain in a certain area. That’s where a band, strip, or small area of rash may occur a few days later. The rash turns into clusters of blisters. The blisters fi ll with fl uid and then crust over. It takes two to four weeks for the blisters to heal, and they may leave scars. Some people only get a mild rash. And some do not get a rash at all.

It’s possible that you could also feel dizzy or weak. Or you could have pain or a rash on your face, changes in your vision, changes in how well you can think, or a rash that spreads. A rash or blisters on your face, especially near an eye or on the tip of your nose, can be a warning of eye problems.

Shingrix Vaccine Coverage

Coverage is for eligible Health Benefi ts clients who are 65 years old and older The 65-year-old and above age group was selected for the benefi t coverage because the vaccine has a high impact on these seniors People in this age group are more likely to get shingles and have a higher rate of hospitalization from it. The vaccine may be administered by a pharmacist, Community Health Nurse (CHN) or physician.

It requires two doses to be fully eff ective.

Source: https://www.fnha.ca/Documents/FNHA-Health Benefi ts-Shingles-Fact-Sheet.pdf https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics

Shingrix Vaccine Access At this me a doctor’s prescrip on is required to access the Shingrix vaccine through your pharmacist. If you would like the vaccine administered by an NTC nurse, you will need to bring a cooler (like a lunch bag for instance) with an ice pack to the pharmacy in order to:

#1 Transport your vaccine to the NTC Community Health Nurse if you have booked a clinic visit the same day you pick-up your vaccine. OR

#2 Transport the vaccine to your home and store it in your fridge un l the day of your clinic visit. Be aware that if you do not bring a cooler, the pharmacist is unlikely to give you the vaccine. To book a clinic visit with one of our NTC Community Health Nurses please call our main offi ce at 250.724.5757 and ask to speak with Marion or Victoria.

Kleko kleko

I’d like to say Tlay coe to the Ahousaht fi shermen for getting the fi sh for our Ahousaht people. Thank you Nate Charlie, for delivering the fi sh. We’re going to be busy all day today canning and freezing the fi sh.

-From Corby George and Lorraine Williams.

2021 Port Alberni Friendship Center Annual General Meeting September 28 2021 at 5pm

The Port Alberni Friendship Center invites existing members to our Annual General Meeting to be held in our gym at 3555 4th Avenue at 5pm on September 28. This is a limited seat event for existing members and registration will be required to attend. To register to attend the in person event, please contact Roxy at 250-723-8281 on or before September 15, 2021. COVID protocols will be in place and wearing masks and proof of 1st vaccination will be required. More information to be provided upon Registration.

Non-Insured Health Benefi ts - NIHB Coverage – Travelling Out Side Of Country

General Principles

1. Prior approval is required.

2. The client must: a. Be eligible for the NIHB Program; and b. Be currently enrolled or eligible to be enrolled in a provincial or territorial health insurance plan and continue to meet residency requirements for provincial/territorial health coverage.

3. For Transportation to Medical Services: For transportation to medical services outside of the country the client must be referred for provincially/territorially insured medical services by a provincial or territorial health care plan for treatment Shaganappi Plaza: wage change for Building Maintenance and Superintendent Windspeaker.com http://www.windspeaker.com/news/sweetgrass-news/building-maintenanceand-superintendent/ ammsa.com http://www.ammsa.com/content/careers/shaganappi-plaza-ltd-calgary outside of Canada.

4. For Supplemental Health Insurance Premiums: Full-time students enrolled in a post-secondary institution to study outside of Canada must provide a letter of confi rmation that tuition, which is not an eligible benefi t under the NIHB Program, has been paid.

What is covered?

For Supplemental Health Insurance Premiums: -

The cost of privately acquired health insurance premiums for approved students or migrant workers and their legal dependents will be reimbursed.

For Transportation to Medical Services: -

Transportation benefi ts when eligible clients are medically referred and approved for treatment outside of Canada by a provincial or territorial health care plan.

For further information on coverage outside of Country you are encouraged to call First Nations & Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB), Vancouver BC toll free @ 1-800-317-7878

What You Should Know- “Before” Leaving British Columbia

If you are leaving the province, you should be aware that your coverage may not pay all health care costs.

Health services provided outside Canada often cost more than the amount paid by the Ministry of Health Services. Sometimes the diff erence is substantial; for example, the amount we pay for emergency inpatient hospital care will not exceed $75 (Canadian) a day for United States of exceeds $1,000 (US) per day and can be as high as $10,000 a day for intensive care.

In addition, some items/services that may be a benefi t in BC are not covered outside the province; for example, prescription drugs and optometric services. Further, the Ministry does not subsidize fees charged for ambulance service obtained outside BC.

We advise you to buy additional health insurance to supplement your basic coverage before you leave the province, regardless of whether you’ll be in another part of Canada or outside the country – even if your company or travel agency can advise you about extra coverage to pay for any diff erence in fees and to provide benefi ts not covered by the Ministry. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you must mention this when purchasing additional insurance as most policies will not cover treatment of that condition outside the province.

In some cases you may purchase an insurance policy where the insurance company has a signed agreement with the Ministry. This permits the company to pay physician and hospital claims and receive reimbursement on your behalf thus eliminating the need for you to handle your own claims.

NOTE: Ambulance – If you require ambulance service while in another province or outside Canada, you will need to obtain service from an ambulance company in that jurisdiction and will be charged the fee established by the-out-of-province service provider. Fees range from several hundred to several thousand dollars.

When purchasing additional out-of-province health insurance you are advised to obtain insurance that will cover emergency transportation while you are away and, if necessary the cost of transportation back to BC.