AHN August 10, 2023

Fort St. John RCMP respond to shots fired

Wednesday morning Aug.

2 at 6:18 am, local police responded to multiple reports of shots being fired in a residential area close to 113th Avenue in Fort St John.

RCMP arrived on the scene and saw evidence supporting the reports and were quickly able to identify the residence of interest. Several homes in the surrounding area were instructed to shelter in place for public safety.

Multiple people have been arrested and currently remain

in custody thanks to the Emergency Response Team and the Police Dog Services, and there have been no reported injuries. There is no further risk to the public according to officials.

A police presence will be in the area while investigation continues and RCMP gather evidence.

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tbuck@ahnfsj.ca

Site C milestone reached - earthfill dam complete

BC Hydro has reached a major milestone on the Site C project last week.

The earthfill dam stands about 60 metres tall (the height of a 20-story building), stretches more than one kilometre across the Peace River and is about 500 metres wide at its base.

The Site C project is being built and designed in accordance with international and Canadian safety practices to withstand a major (one in 10,000 year) earthquake.

The placement of material for the Site C earthfill dam began in 2021. In total, about 16 million cubic metres of earthfill material was placed. Most of the material for the earthfill dam was taken directly from the dam site, while other material was sourced locally offsite and transported to the dam on a five-kilometre-long conveyor belt.

Completion of the earthfill dam is one of the essential milestones required before filling the Site C reservoir. While BC Hydro is targeting to begin reservoir filling in fall 2023, there are still a number of key project areas that need to be completed. These areas include the approach channel, spillways, tailrace area, dam intake structures and certain

components of the powerhouse, says Site C officials this week in a statement.

Another key component for reservoir filling is the conversion of one of the tunnels that currently divert the Peace River around the project site. This process requires the installation of constrictions (or large ringshaped devices) inside one of the tunnels to restrict the flow of

water. This work is now underway. More information on tunnel conversion and reservoir filling can be found here.

Construction on the Site C project began on July 27, 2015. The project remains ontrack to have all six generating units in-service by 2025.

Once complete, Site C will provide the equivalent amount of energy needed to reliably power about 450,000 homes or 1.7 million electric vehicles per year in British Columbia.

editor@dcdn.ca

Remembering and preserving the Chetwynd Echo

Tom Summer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Archival efforts are underway by the Chetwynd Public Library Association to preserve the town’s newspaper, which sadly closed its doors in 2016 - a publication responsible for chronicling 57 years of local history.

Plans have been made to create a digital archive of The Echo online, allowing everyone to access the pages from virtually anywhere, with the ability to search keywords - making the paper and the history inside its pages even more accessible.

Former Echo publisher and editor, Naomi Larsen, said it was a sad day for the Chetwynd community when they closed, but she was proud to have been at the helm of the homegrown newspaper.

“I definitely, definitely miss that whole environment, and I miss being able to go out in the community as much as I did,” Larsen said, but also enjoys liaising in her role as the executive director for the local

chamber of commerce.

It was the chamber who started the newspaper back in 1959, she explained. Covering local beats and treating them with equal importance was essential to her role.

“The seniors holding a spaghetti dinner to raise funds was just as important to have as the construction of the new municipal building or the kids doing fundraising at schools or their Christmas concerts,” Larsen said. “All that equal importance within our task, because it’s such a small town and everybody knows everybody.”

The last issue was in January of 2016 and was a send-off to both the paper and the community, noted Larsen.

“It was basically a farewell to community type of issue, where we had letters from community members, we had memories and flashbacks,” she said. “We kind of kept it like the normal issue of the week, but also the final issue of the last 60 years.”

Larsen said she’s happy to

see the newspaper being preserved through the public library, a natural fit for The Echo.

“I hear a lot from seniors and I hear a lot from people, they miss the newspaper,” Larsen said, who gets frequent questions about whether she’d be interested in starting another local paper.

Larsen got her start in journalism at the Dryden Express in her home province of Ontario, before coming to The Echo as a reporter in 1996.

She then moved on to work for newspapers in Creston, Sparwood, and Fernie, but returned in 2006 and shortly became both editor and publisher, holding those roles until the closure in 2016.

Mike Carter was the last reporter to come through their doors, said Larsen, with the publication unexpectedly closing not long after. Carter wrote an article for the Alaska Highway News in 2016 about the closure and impact it would leave.

The Chetwynd Public Library

Firefighter passes on during duty north of city

He was transported by helicopter to the Fort St. John Airport, but succumbed to injuries en route.

The wildland firefighter was from Ontario and contracted by a private BC company. The events surrounding his death are being actively investigated by the RCMP, BC Coroners Service, WorkSafeBC and the BC Wildfire Service.

has been safekeeping the massive 49,089-page collection since the paper closed, ensuring its immense social value is available for the public to browse.

Both the hospital foundation and the local figure skating club are celebrating 50 years, and are two of many organizations wanting to explore the town’s past through the newspaper, noted Library Director Melissa Millsap, with residents often coming to browse the pages for family connections, important historical events, and more.

Looking after the materials and getting ready to have them archived has been a team effort, added Millsap, with Assistant Director Kyla MacDonald very involved with the initiative.

MacDonald says the archived papers are well-loved by the community, and an opportunity to socialize.

“We have long-time community members that just come to just have a peek, and if not, they’re sitting there and catching up. They are getting looked

at all the time,” she said.

The newspapers will be shipped to an archival service, as there’s no local facilities with scanning tools suitable to meet the needs of the materials being scanned. They’ll be sent to the World Archives to be processed, which will host them on their website in addition to the library’s.

“We thought at first we could just scan them, but that was very difficult, time-consuming, there was potential for pages to get lost,” said Millsap.

Grant funding for the archival work has been requested through the Peace River Regional District, asking for $26,218.56, which Area E has agreed to fund. Another half is expected to come from the District of Chetwynd - the total cost to create the digital archive is $53,113.13.

Tom Summer, Alaska Highway News, Local Journalism Initiative. Have a story idea or opinion? Email tsummer@ ahnfsj.ca

Hudson’s Hope releases official byelection results

On Friday a firefighter lost his life working north of Fort St. John.

RCMP report a 25-year wild land firefighter was working in a remote area approximately 150 kms north of Fort St. John when the UTV he was riding on rolled over a steep drop on a gravel road.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of this young man, as well as to his fellow firefighters,” say BC RCMP in a statement. editor@dcdn.ca

NoticeofPublicHearing

ZoningAmendmentBylawNO.2526,2023

When: Monday,August14, 2023at6:00pm

Where: CharlieLake CommunityHall

12717CharlieHallAve CharlieLake,B.C

ForMore Information:

Contact: Development Services 250-784-3200

TollFree: 1-800-670-7773

Email: planning@prrd.bc.ca

Viewapplicationsat: www.prrd.bc.ca

CharlieLakeArea

FILENO.23-007ZN

LOT1SECTION25TOWNSHIP84RANGE20WEST OFTHEMERIDIANPEACERIVERDISTRICTPLANPGP47460

ThePeaceRiverRegionalDistrictishostingameetingto discusstheproposedZoningAmendment.

Proposal:

Torezonethepropertyfroma17.04ha(42.11acre)parcel fromSmallAgriculturalHoldingZone(A-1)toResidential5 Zone(R-5),tofacilitatea4lotsubdivision

Tom Summer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Travous Quibell will be the new mayor for Hudson’s Hope, and was declared elected today with the highest number of valid votes.

The District of Hudson’s Hope made the announcement on social media. A judicial recount has been requested for the councillor position with candidates KK Charlesworth and Jeanette McDougall tied at 113 votes each.

Under Section 148 of the Local Government Act, a tie vote is required to be referred

to a judge for a review of the byelection materials and a potential recount of ballots.

If the court is unable to break the tie, a determination will be made by lot - using two new ballots, one marked for each candidate, folded uniformly, placed in a container to be shaken, with an unbiased individual choosing a winner at random.

Tom Summer, Alaska Highway News, Local JournalismInitiative. Have a story idea or opinion? Email tsummer@ahnfsj.ca

Hwy 29 - single lane

expected for August

Writtencommentsorconcernsaccepteduntil4:00pm August14,2023.DocumentsmaybeviewedMonday-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pmat1981AlaskaAvenueDawsonCreek, BCV1G4H8 ThispublichearinghasbeendelegatedtotheDirectorof ElectoralAreaC.

The

Northern Rockies installs new accessible communication board

The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality (NRRM) has installed an accessible communication board at Art Fraser Park, intended to help residents and visitors with non-verbal communication.

The large board holds a display featuring symbols, pictures, and photos that the public can point to in assisting nonverbal communication.

Completed on July 19, the board is part of the NRRM’s accessibility and inclusivity strategy.

“The NRRM is working towards improved accessibility and inclusivity, and the installation of this tool is a great step towards supporting people with speech and language barriers,” wrote the municipality on their website.

Future enhancements for functionality, quality, and safety are also proposed to enhance local recreation, notes the post.

Tom Summer, Alaska Highway News, Local JournalismInitiative. Have a story idea or opinion? Email tsummer@ahnfsj.ca

College rodeo seeking support

The Northern Lights College Foundation has requested financial support from the Peace River Regional District in the amount of $5,000.

The funds would be used to support the 2023 NLC intercollegiate rodeo, which runs this fall from September 30 to October 1. It’s the second year the event has been held, and will take place at the Lakota Agriplex in Dawson Creek.

The PRRD has previously supported the rodeo, authorizing fair share grant funding for $5,000 from Electoral Area D and $2,500 from Electoral Area E for a total of 7,500. According PRRD

agendas, the rodeo cost $124,885.87 to host.

The foundation is a registered nonprofit society and the PRRD has also helped the college by funding healthcare scholarship programs. The grant request is expected to be discussed and voted on by PRRD directors this week at their August 3 Rural Budgets Administration Committee meeting.

Photos from NLC’s first hosted intercollegiate rodeo last fall. Brown Tom Summer, Alaska Highway News, Local JournalismInitiative. Have a story idea or opinion? Email tsummer@ahnfsj.ca

Tom Summer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Tom Summer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Series of grant requests to be reviewed by PRRD

Tom Summer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Peace River Regional District has a packed agenda this week at their Rural Budgets Administration Committee Meeting on August 3, with a series of grant requests to review from local clubs and associations.

The Charlie Lake Community Club is requesting a $5,000 grant from a COVID-19 reserve fund to assist with shortfalls caused by pandemic restrictions on public events. The club has long hosted community meetings, gatherings, dances, funeral services, and more - using rental fees to fund the local non-profit.

The grant funding would be used for 2023 operational funding, as rental revenue was decreased in 2020 and 2021.

Elsewhere in Northeast BC, the Peace River Cattlemen’s Association is requesting $200,000 in grant funding to be used for their Livestock Protection Program. The objective of the program is to combat economic impacts to producers from predators.

Local producers are able to apply for assistance through the association to remove targeted predators and receive compensation for their losses. Program eligibility includes all farmers raising livestock in the BC Peace agricultural zone.

One potential voting option for PRRD directors is to authorize equal fair share funds of $50,000 from Electoral Areas B, C, D, and E, and establish a service function for the funding. The alternative option is to deny the grant request.

NoticeofPublicHearing

ZoningAmendmentBylawNO.2524,2023

When: Monday,August14, 2023at6:00pm

Where: CharlieLake CommunityHall

12717CharlieHallAve CharlieLake,B.C

ForMore Information:

Contact:

Development Services 250-784-3200

TollFree: 1-800-670-7773

Email: planning@prrd.bc.ca

Viewapplicationsat: www.prrd.bc.ca

CharlieLakeArea

The South Peace District Crime Prevention Association is also asking for $5,000 to assist with shortfalls caused by pandemic restrictions on public events. The non-profit has explained to the PRRD that they were unable to host their usual yearly fundraisers due to COVID-19, including lobster fest and Christmas gift wrap, losing out on $6,365 in revenue.

The primary mission of the association is public safety, providing services such as Rural Crime Watch, Citizens on Patrol, and Crime Stoppers in Electoral Areas D and E, and the City of Dawson Creek.

The Chetwynd Public Library Association has requested $52,437.13 grant to help digitize the historical Chetwynd Echo newspaper articles. The

Echo has been shut down since 2016, and all of the published editions dating back to 1960 have been moved to the public library for safekeeping.

Approximately 49,089 pages need to be scanned and digitized, but the public library is moving to a new building this fall, putting the physical collections at risk. According to PRRD report notes, Electoral Area E has already agreed to fund the project, contingent on half of the funding coming from the District of Chetwynd.

One recommendation option suggests that $26,218.56 could come from fair share funding from Electoral Area E to cover their half.

The PRRD is also expected to look at returning $15,000 in unused grant funds commit-

ted to the Peace Region Internet Society (PRIS) for a fibre optic internet project in Rolla, as the project has been cancelled. Funds were previously authorized for the project through the Community Works Gas Tax.

Further to these items, PRRD directors will also review minor funding commitments for fire extinguishers purchased in 2022 and critical repairs at the community halls of Moberly Lake, Cache Creek, Jackfish Lake, Golata Creek, and Upper Halfway.

Tom Summer, Alaska Highway News, Local JournalismInitiative.

Have a story idea or opinion? Email tsummer@ahnfsj.ca

Site C contractor fined $1.1 million for illegal dumping

FILENO.23-006ZN

LOT2SECTION25TOWNSHIP84RANGE20WESTOF THEMERIDIANPeaceRiverDistrictPlanEPP74992

ThePeaceRiverRegionalDistrictishostingameeting todiscusstheproposedZoningAmendment.

Proposal: Torezonea±4.35hapfa±28.43ha propertyfromLargeAgriculturalHoldingsZone(A-2) toResidential2Zone(R-2)tofacilitateaproposed 8lot(0.51haeach)residentialsubdivision.

Site C contractor Peace River Hydro Partners will pay a $1.1 million fine after pleading guilty in Fort St. John Provincial Court on July 31 to one charge of depositing a deleterious substance into water frequented by fish.

In direct contravention of the federal Fisheries Act, the charge stems from an investigation led by Environment and Climate Change Canada enforcement officers into the discharge of 3,300 cubic metres of contaminated drainage water into the Peace River on September 9 and 10 in 2018.

They discovered that during a high rainfall event, water management infrastructure at Site C had insufficient capacity to treat additional drainage, with the contractor deciding to release a mix of treated and untreated drainage into the river.

The contaminated drainage had a high concentration of metals and low pH acidity, but after a sample of drainage water was taken on September 9, 2018, it was determined it contained lethal amounts of aluminum for fish.

Writtencommentsorconcernsaccepteduntil4:00pm August14,2023.DocumentsmaybeviewedMonday-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pmat1981AlaskaAvenueDawsonCreek, BCV1G4H8 ThispublichearinghasbeendelegatedtotheDirectorof ElectoralAreaC.

The $1.1 million will be directed to the Government of Canada’s Environmental Damages Fund to support positive

environmental projects, and Peace River Hydro Partners will be added to the Environmental Offenders Registry.

The registry is a record of corporations convicted for offences committed under certain federal environmental laws.

The Peace River is home to 33 species of fish, including Rainbow Trout, Walleye, Bull Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Mountain Whitefish, Sculpin, Red side Shiner, Spot tail Shiner, and more.

West-slope Cutthroat Trout and Bull Trout are considered species of special concern by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada and provincially bluelisted as a species of special concern. Furthermore, Spot tail Shiner are provincially red-listed as endangered and threatened by extinction.

Tom Summer, Alaska Highway News, Local Journalism Initiative. Have a story idea or opinion? Email tsummer@ ahnfsj.ca

Tom Summer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Trial dates set for peaceful ‘Freedom

Convoy’ organizers

Waterlevelswillriseforfourmonths,uptotwometresaday.The riverwillwidenbytwotothreetimes,onaverage.Duringfillingand foroneyearafter,allboatlauncheswillbeclosed.

Pleaseuseextremecautionduringthistime:

•Stayoffthewater.Therecouldbestrongcurrents,waves, submergedhazards,andfloatingwoodydebris.

Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, two of the primary organizers for the ‘Freedom Convoy’ are expected to stand trial in September.

The pair will face charges in relation to the peaceful protest that gridlocked downtown Ottawa in 2022. Trucks and trailers, along with multiple other vehicles were responsible for blocking the roads and causing a complete traffic gridlock.

Hundreds of police officers in tactical gear were dispatched to remove the protesters from the Parliament Hill February 18, 2022, a day after Lich and Barber had been arrested.

Lich and Barber have been co-accused of mischief, counselling others to

commit mischief and intimidation, and police obstruction. Their court case is expected to start on September 5, and last about 16 days.

The pair are currently on bail and are to have no contact with each other or other convoy organizers, unless under supervision by their lawyers.

Pat King, another influential organizer of the ‘Freedom Convoy’ has been scheduled to stand trial, which is scheduled to begin November 27.

Top image courtesy of Eagle Vision. Get news delivered to your inbox six days a week, subscribe to our newsletter. tbuck@ahnfsj.ca

FSJ RCMP investigate pair of indecent exposure incidents

Police advise they look for information as an investigation into indecent exposure continues.

Fort St John RCMP hope the public can help identify a man allegedly engaged in indecent acts in public.

The RCMP have received two reports of a man, described as in his 50’s, wearing a ball cap and a blue medical mask, driving a grey Honda Accord exposing himself to young girls. The man was seen driving in Kin Park area and in

school zones.

Police are actively investigating the reports of indecent exposure and encourage members of the public to report any suspicious occurrences to Fort St John RCMP.

If you have any information contact the Fort St John RCMP at (250) 787-8100.

editor@dcdn.ca

Sentencing date delayed for vet facing sexual offences

Tom Summer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A sentence hearing has been delayed again for a Fort St. John veterinarian facing charges of sexual assault, unlawfully recording intimate images, and voyeurism.

The matter was expected to be sent to the judicial case manager on July 27 to set a new date for sentencing, but

has been moved to August 16, confirmed the Fort St. John law courts.

Testimony was given against Justin Sewell in Fort St. John Provincial Court last month, with defence initiating adjournment on July 13. The matter had been expected to conclude.

It’s alleged the offences took place in Charlie Lake in 2007, over a decade and a half ago. Sewell pled guilty

to the offences last November. Details remain under a publication ban to protect victims and witnesses from being identified.

Tom Summer, Alaska Highway News, Local JournalismInitiative.

Have a story idea or opinion? Email tsummer@ahnfsj.ca

Shaping anti-racism legislation

Kiskatinaw River Bridge update

The Kiskatinaw River Bridge debris is safely being cleared away from the bridge piersand is expected to finish sometime during this summer.

eers regularly monitor the area for any movement.

Multiple organizations received money in the form of grants, to engage with different community members on the development of new antiracism legislation. $5000 was the maximum grant amount with the government allocating $308,000, which is to be divided between the successful organizations.

“Too many people in B.C. experience systemic racism every day,” said Mable Elmore, Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives.

“Part of how we will become an anti-racist society is by centring the lived experiences of those who have been marginalized by the harms of racism when we try to address it. These grants will give front-line organizations the opportunity to

amplify the voices of the communities that will be most affected by our new anti-racism legislation.”

Racialized communities are being asked by the government for their input, to make sure that the anti-racism legislation can make the most meaningful difference for people lives in all communities. Engagements will be running between July and the end of September.

“I want Indigenous and racialized people to know that we’re listening, and together we can work to address systemic racism,” says Niki Sharma, Attorney General. “These community-led engagement sessions are part of the codevelopment model we are using to ensure that future government services are delivered

fairly and equitably to all British Columbians.”

Organizations that receive funding from these grants provide anti-racism awareness and education, social services and support for newcomers, and promote diversity through arts and culture.

“This grant will be a catalyst for positive change within the Black community,” said Brian Seremba of the BC Community Alliance. “It will help us create safe spaces for open dialogue, amplify Black voices and foster a more inclusive and equitable future for our community.”

Get news delivered to your inbox six days a week, subscribe to our newsletter.

tbuck@ahnfsj.ca

During the spring of 2021, a slide took place at the Kiskatinaw River Bridge, which had impacted the bridge’s structure according to Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. In the summer of 2021, slope monitoring systems were installed and the ministry geotechnical engin-

The continued closure of the Bridge is due to the slide remaining active, and the ministry is still monitoring and collecting data.

There is still no date on when it will re-open to the public according to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

tbuck@ahnfsj.ca

*Includes30FullColourMapsforyour

*Includes30FullColourMapsforyour distribution.FrontCoverpositioning.Only 4spotsavailable.Specificpositioning soldona“FirstCome,FirstServe”basis.

Contracted crews have started work on the 89 Ave construction project, which is taking place between 78a Street and 81a Street and will have the road closed till early fall according to officials.

The projects aim is to replace the underground utilities, road reconstruction, and to have sidewalks and street lighting installed along 89 Avenue between 78a Street and 86 Street over multiple phases.

The project, which has been given a budget of $2.245 million is funded through the nonproperty tax revenues including the Peace River Agreement and

water and sewer reserves.

Fort St John is responsible for investing over $375 million in PRA funding since 1994 in the attempt to increase vibrancy and livability of the city according to officials.

Detour routes have been set up using 93 Avenue and 78a Street, and officials are asking that people obey all traffic control personnel and signage.

Get news delivered to your inbox six days a week, subscribe to our newsletter.

tbuck@ahnfsj.ca

You’regoingtoloseaccesstolocal newsonFacebookandGoogle.

Dearreaders,

Youraccesstolocal,provincialandnationalnewsisgoingtoberevoked onGoogle,FacebookandInstagram.

Andit’snotbecauseofanythingwe’vedone.

Recently,CanadapassedtheOnlineNewsAct,alsoknownasBillC-18, whichhasledtoastandoffbetweenthegovernment,GoogleandMeta —theparentcompanybehindFacebookandInstagram.

BothGoogleandMetahavesaidtheyplantocuttieswiththe news industryinCanadaasaresult.

ThismeansMetawillblockthepostingandsharingofournewsarticles onFacebookandInstagram.Googlewillalsoremovelinkstooursites andarticlesinGoogleNews,Discoverandsearchresults.They’llalso cancelsignificantcontentlicensingagreementsalreadyinplacewith ourparentcompany,GlacierMedia.

Undoubtedly,thiswillhaveahugeimpactnotsolelyonusbut,more importantly,onpeoplelikeyourselfwhomayusethesep latformsto discoverwhat’shappeninginyourcommunityandtogetcontextto eventshappeninginyourownbackyard.

We’renotplanningongoinganywhere,buthere’showyoucanhelp:

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Withyourhelp,morepeoplewillbeabletogettheirlocalnewsfroma trustedsource.Intoday’sageofmisinformation,that’smoreimportant thanever.

Thankyou.Weappreciateyou.

Sincerely,

TheAlaskaHighwayNewsteam

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LEAH GRACE WIEBE

June27,2023

Length: 20inches

Weight: 8lbs2oz

Time: 8:49pm

Local governments looking to be more inclusive

Tom Summer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Peace River Regional District, the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, and the City of Fort St. John are taking part in a shared accessibility strategy for Northeast BC. The strategy is intended to identify barriers for those with disabilities and ensure everyone can participate in their community.

Members of the public are needed to form an accessibility committee who will meet quarterly over the next two years to identify current barriers and make suggestions to make the region more inclusive.

Everyone is welcome to apply to take part in the committee, but preference is

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being given to those who have a disability or organization which serves individuals with disabilities to ensure the committee includes personal and firsthand experience.

Successful applicants will act as ambassadors for strategy and advisors for the project team. The deadline to apply is August 13 by midnight, by following the link here. If assistance or support is needed to complete the application, they can call 778-844-0616.

Tom Summer, Alaska Highway News, Local JournalismInitiative. Have a story idea or opinion? Email tsummer@ahnfsj.ca

Site C June 2023 employment highlights

The following numbers are the total workforce numbers and include workers working off the dam site area, workers working from home and/or workers who may have been on site at any one time in that month, who may have been on days off for other periods of time. Not all workers listed below were on site or in camp at one time.

The latest employment statistics show that there were 6,069 total workers on the Site C project in June 2023. • Of the total workers, 3,947 were from British Columbia, or 65%.

There were 977 workers on site from the Peace River Regional District — that’s 19% of the construction and nonconstruction contractor’s workforce.

As with any construction project, the number of workers — and the proportion from any particular location — will vary month-to-month and also reflects the seasonal nature of construction work.

Apprentices As with any construction project, the number of apprentices will vary depending on the type work being performed. As construction progresses, there will be additional opportunities for apprentices on the project.

The number of apprentices employed on the project changed from 323 in May

2023, to 310 during the month of June 2023. International workers For some of the major project components of Site C, BC Hydro has contracted with companies who have substantial global expertise. During the month of June 2023, there were no workers in specialized positions working for Site C construction and non-construction contractors, who were subject to the Labour Market Impact Assessment process under the federal Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Additionally, there were 56 management and professionals working for Site C construction and non-construction contractors through the federal International Mobility Program.

There were 539 Indigenous people working for Site C. The number of Indigenous people was provided by onsite construction and non-construction contractors that have a contractual requirement to report on Indigenous inclusion in their workforce. Workers voluntarily self-declare their Indigenous status to their employer.

There were 595 women working for Site C construction and non-construction contractors. The number of women was provided by on-site construction and non-construction contractors that have a contractual requirement to report on the number of women in their workforce.

editor@dcdn.ca

Bear Flat Dispatch: packrats and confusing signs

Ken Boon Columnist

August 1, 2023

SIGNS. Construction on the new Bear Flat segment of Highway 29 is wrapping up, and what looks to be the final highway signs are up too. Technically, I believe that the highway between Mile 54 of the Alaska Highway to Hudson’s Hope and then on to Chetwynd is actually called Highway 29 North. Then from Chetwynd to Tumbler Ridge is called Highway 29 South.

In fact, our mailing address is given as “HWY 29 N”. However, most people just call this Highway 29. Whenever we are giving folks direction to our place, we always tell them to either go west from Mile 54, or go east from Hudson’s Hope, on Highway 29. Sure, the

road isn’t exactly running west and east, but that is the closest thing to reality. However, apparently the Ministry of Transportation has other ideas.

I don’t normally pay attention to highway signs until I am somewhere unfamiliar and/or getting lost, but we did notice that the signs near our place are very confusing and make no sense. From our place going west, the first sign you see is “29 NORTH”, and then about a mile further west you run into “29 SOUTH”. What are they trying to tell us?

My favorite new sign is at the ends of the new bridges where they warn about the expansion joints with a classic cartoon type illustration of a cyclist going over top of the handle bars. No confusion there.

PACKRATS. A packrat moved into our garden shed the other day so I had to trap him. Late summer and fall is when they normally show up down here looking for a new home before winter.

On a rare year none will show up, but normally there is a couple or few, and then some years we are over-run. We try to live in harmony with most creatures that live around here, but not packrats. I think it is fair to say that packrats and humans cannot live together, and if you have had experience with packrats, you know why that is the case.

Some years ago, we had a fall where we trapped over 30 in various outbuildings. Bill Tompkins at the Halfway River was also overrun that same year, so we lent him a couple

traps and he caught close to 40. With the potential flooding of the Site C reservoir due to happen later this fall, we expect to see a record number of packrats show up here as they try to avoid drowning.

Perhaps we should live-trap and deliver them to BC Hydro and let them figure out how to mitigate that problem.

Shaw: Trudeau cabinet shuffle raises questions about reforms sought by Eby

Rob Shaw Columnist

Like the rest of us, the B.C. government isn’t sure what to make of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s enormous cabinet shuffle Wednesday that saw him remove several key faces that provincial New Democrats had been relying upon for important reforms.

Trudeau pulled the rug out on the housing, justice and public safety files at a time when Premier David Eby’s government felt it was starting to make inroads convincing those ministers to move in alignment with B.C.’s priorities.

Law professor David Lametti was sacked as Attorney General by Trudeau and replaced in the justice ministry by Toronto MP Arif Virani, a human rights lawyer.

It’s not clear what Lametti’s departure means for bail reform legislation he introduced in the spring session of Parliament but failed to pass before the house adjourned for the summer.

Eby and his Attorney General Niki Sharma had spent significant time trying to convince Lametti of the merits of the move to crack down on prolific offenders. They’d travelled to Ottawa several times, raised the issue with Trudeau directly and rallied other provinces to the cause, finally pushing Lametti to act.

Now, all of that is in doubt, as is Eby’s ability to claim progress on fixing the public safety

issues that have plagued the province.

“British Columbia expects the federal government to expedite the legislation on repeat offenders,” Sharma said in a statement Wednesday in which she also congratulated Virani.

“Our government led the charge for these changes to improve safety on our streets and in our neighbourhoods. The federal government and all parties in parliament should be united in passing this legislation as soon as possible.”

Still, though, there is unease at the abrupt change.

A similar situation played out on the housing file, as Trudeau replaced Ahmed Hussen with Sean Fraser.

Fraser was most recently the immigration minister who presided over a massive influx of new residents to the country, which experts say is one of the main pressures driving up prices on homes due to the limited supply.

Fraser immediately made waves by telling the media that labour shortages, not immigration, were to blame for housing affordability woes, and that immigration would be part of the solution, not the problem.

“The answer is, at least in part, to continue to build more stock,” Fraser told reporters, according to CBC.

“But I would urge caution to anyone who believes the answer to our housing challenges is to close the door on newcomers.”

The Eby government had tried to cajole more action out of Hussen on housing, including better aligning federal programs with B.C. funding, freeing up federal land for building projects and helping incentivize municipal councils to speed up development permits. Little has happened.

There is hope that Trudeau’s decision to merge the housing ministry and the infrastructure ministry together will give Fraser more power to put significant dollars behind his housing proposals. Eby recently met with deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland where he pitched a series of tax, economic and policy ideas to boost housing supply.

Another major question mark that emerged from Wednesday’s cabinet shuffle was the removal of Marco Mendicino from the public safety ministry. Trudeau replaced him with New Brunswick MP and

Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who will retain that portfolio also.

Mendicino’s demotion comes in the middle of a review he was supposed to be conducting into the future of the RCMP’s contract policing model. B.C. had been pushing hard behind-the-scenes for better consultation on the RCMP, after Mendicino’s office claimed the province had already been consulted on its views of the future of the Mounties while B.C. Solicitor General Mike Farnworth disagreed.

Eby, meanwhile, had been urging Mendicino and Trudeau to speed up the review and tell the provinces definitively if the RCMP would be remaining as a contract police force.

Mendicino’s departure throws that whole review in doubt, and casts even more confusion over the future of the RCMP and whether B.C. should be planning to move to a provincial police force.

B.C. does retain four members in Trudeau’s cabinet: Vancouver South’s Harjit Sajjan,

who was moved to Minister of Emergency Preparedness; Delta’s Carla Qualtrough, who remains Minister of Sport and Physical Activity; North Vancouver’s Jonathan Wilkinson, who remains as Minister of Energy and Natural Resources; and Burnaby North-Seymour’s Terry Beech, who was promoted from the backbench to Minister of Citizens’ Services.

Rob Shaw has spent more than 15 years covering B.C. politics, now reporting for CHEK News and writing for Glacier Media. He is the coauthor of the national bestselling book A Matter of Confidence, host of the weekly podcast Political Capital, and a regular guest on CBC Radio. rob@robshawnews.com

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BC United has fundraising momentum, closing NDP donation gap

Bob Mackin

Kevin Falcon’s rebranded Opposition party finished 2023’s second quarter with an embarrassing fourth-place finish in a Vancouver Island by-election.

But BC United does have fundraising momentum, with just over a year until the next scheduled provincial election.

On Wednesday, Elections BC released campaign finance returns for the April-to-June period, showing BC United raised $768,091.62, for a half-year total of almost $1.4 million in donations from individuals.

Premier David Eby’s party raised $1.02 million in the quarter and the NDP’s halfyear total is $1.78 million. That is a $380,000 advantage over BC United, which was known

up until April 12 as the BC Liberals.

But, year-over-year, the NDP is only $52,200 ahead of 2022’s January-to-June total. BC United grew by $404,000.

The BC Greens reported almost $300,000 in secondquarter donations for

$500,000 after six months of 2023, $29,000 better than 2022. The BC Conservatives went from $52,400 in the first half of 2022 to $91,200 in the first half of 2023. Former BC Liberal MLA John Rustad was acclaimed as the new Conservative leader on March 31.

The parties also received

their half-year, taxpayerfunded allowances on July 15, based on vote totals in the 2020 election: NDP ($786,086); BC United ($556,629.50); Greens ($248,632.12) and BC Conservatives ($31,414.25).

In the June 24 LangfordJuan de Fuca by-election, NDP rookie Ravi Parmar succeeded retired ex-premier John Horgan with more than 53 per cent of the popular vote. Conservative Mike Harris edged Green candidate Camille Currie by almost 300 votes. BC United’s Elena Lawson, with 1,173 votes, would have finished last, had it not been for the Communist Party of B.C. candidate who garnered 74 votes.

On the same day in Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, the NDP’s Joan Phillip succeeded

ex-cabinet minister Melanie Mark by winning 68 per cent of the popular vote in the NDP stronghold.

BC United’s Jackie Lee finished a distant second, with 1,101 votes.

Parmar and Phillip were sworn-in during a July 28 ceremony at the B.C. legislature.

The BC United report to Elections BC said the party transferred $59,573.35 to Lawson’s campaign and $49,925.89 to Lee’s campaign.

The next election is scheduled for Oct. 24, 2024. Eby has repeatedly denied that he is considering a snap election prior to that date.

twitter.com/bobmackin

PG woman banned from owning dogs following deadly attack

Mark Nielsen Reporter

A Prince George woman is no longer allowed to be a dog owner after she was found responsible for a fatal attack by her two pit bulls on another dog.

The verdict against Alyssa Dionne, issued Wednesday, stems from a July 20, 2022 attack in which a neighbour’s much smaller dog was killed after Freya and Nixon escaped from her 1400-block Nation Crescent home.

Dionne was not home at the time - they escaped when her father, Joseph Dionne, opened the home’s front door - but Provincial Court Judge Cassandra Malfair found Alysssa Dionne was the “day-to-day caregiver” and responsible for the dogs’ behaviour that led to

the outcome, described as an “unprovoked and fatal attack.”

It was the second time in less than five years that Dionne has been found guilty of owning dangerous dogs.

In December 2017, a judge ordered that two other pit bulls Dionne owned at the time be destroyed after finding them responsible for a series of attacks on other dogs and of menacing people while being allowed to run loose.

That verdict was issued after a multi-day trial. This time, Dionne showed up belatedly on the first day the matter was before the court. It was put off for six months to give Dionne a chance to put together a case but she did not appear and has not attended any of the proceedings since.

In addition to noting Dionne’s history of owning dangerous dogs, the judge said Dionne failed to properly train Freya and Nixon to mitigate their aggression and ensure they were secure at all times including in her absence.

“They were not licensed, Freya was not spayed and was in estrous at the time of the attack,” Malfair added and noted that when police entered

the home to retrieve the dogs, they pulled out their Tasers and pepper spray and were ready to shoot the dogs as they snarled and lunged while being held back by the home’s occupants.

Citing testimony from an expert witness on canine behaviour, Malfair also found the dogs beyond rehabilitation, noting their aggressiveness towards people and especially

towards other dogs. Putting them in a home with children is out of the question and they would have to be muzzled and require professional support in any other setting, the judge found, and ordered they be destroyed. However, she suspended the order for 30 days to give Dionne a chance to appeal the decision.

Also still to be decided is how much each of the Dionnes be fined. Crown is recommending levies adding up to $2,400 for Alyssa Dionne and $1,200 for Joseph Dionne. Arrest warrants were issued for the two in order to bring them before the court at a later date to answer to the proposals.

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BC broker fined $50K over phoney mortgage applications

Graeme Wood

The B.C. Financial Services Authority has ordered a former submortgage broker to pay a $50,000 administrative fine for falsifying five mortgage applications for her clients.

Ravinder Biln, also known as Ravinder Kaur, admitted to the regulator that she falsified income and employment information for her clients, in order to obtain mortgages for them.

“Between September 2017 and June 2018, Ms. Biln created income documents in support of mortgage applications when she knew that the information contained in the documents was inaccurate and misleading,” stated the July 14, 2023 consent order published online Aug. 2.

Biln created fake pay stubs, letters of employment and tax documents such as T4, and then submitted them to Scotiabank and Coast Capital Sav -

ings Credit Union.

At the time of the violations, Biln worked for Architects Kraft Mortgages Canada in Surrey.

Biln had been registered as a submortgage broker — in B.C., an individual employed by a mortgage broker — since 2012 but has been unlicensed since March 3, 2020. The consent order said she has no intention to return to the industry.

gwood@glaciermedia.ca

Receiver to apply to have mortgage broker held in contempt

Andrew A. Duffy

The receiver overseeing the bankruptcy of Victoria mortgage broker Greg Martel’s company My Mortgage Auction intends to petition the court to have Martel held in contempt.

PricewaterhouseCoopers, which says it has been stymied by Martel in its investigation of the company’s finances as it searches for more than $226 million investors entrusted to him, intends to bring the application in a court date set for Sept. 11.

If the contempt motion is ap-

proved, Martel could face fines or jail if and when he returns to Canada. His current whereabouts are unknown, though the court has heard he has been in Thailand.

The two-day hearing in September will also be a chance for Martel’s legal counsel to petition the court to have the receiver’s third, fourth and fifth reports sealed.

Martel’s legal counsel has argued information he had been compelled to provide to the receiver should be sealed over concerns it could place him in jeopardy and incriminate him in U.S. legal proceedings.

Last week, Justice Shelley Fitzpatrick refused to seal the receiver’s reports, noting the information had already been made public for months.

In her verbal ruling July 26, Fitzpatrick dismissed as “mere speculation” any concern Martel might have about the information he provided being used in future criminal proceedings in the U.S., saying there was no evidence authorities were investigating him.

Fitzpatrick said Martel’s counsel was welcome to bring a new application in September, but warned the evidence

needed to be more compelling than the arguments made in July.

The receiver continues to investigate what Martel and My Mortgage Auction did with investor funds.

About 1,200 investors claim to have sunk more than $226 million into Martel’s company My Mortgage Auction Corp. to fund short-term bridge loans for commercial and residential real estate deals.

The money was to be repaid with high interest.

Many of the investors claim they have been waiting months for repayment.

The investors have been told very little money was found in the first two months of the receiver’s inquiries.

The receiver has said in its reports to the court that Martel has not co-operated fully with the receiver’s investigation and has been evasive when it comes to answering direct questions about where the money was invested.

aduffy@timescolonist.com

BC lawyer suspended after moving $9.5M through trust accounts

“substantial admissions” following the investigation.

Kates “admitted to discipline violations concerning all allegations in the citation, and consented to a two-month suspension.”

Law society also suspends lawyer for working while suspended

Graeme Wood

The Law Society of BC has suspended Vancouver lawyer Justin G. Kates after finding he moved millions of dollars through his trust account for a client.

Lawyer trust accounts are exempt from federal money laundering and terrorist financing reporting obligations set out by FINTRAC (Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada), which helps monitor financial transactions at a macro level. This is so to preserve attorney-client

confidentiality, a right affirmed by the Supreme Court of Canada but one that’s produced longstanding and ongoing questions as to how lawyers should be regulated.

“The Law Society’s citation alleged that Kates permitted nearly $9.5 million to be paid into and withdrawn from his firm’s trust accounts without providing legal services directly related to the trust transactions, and without making reasonable inquiries about the circumstances of the trust transactions or making a record of the results of any inquiries

made,” stated the society on its website July 27.

The hearing panel’s reasons are pending and will be available “in due course,” the society stated.

“The Law Society citation further alleged that Kates circumvented, or helped his client to circumvent, a bank’s refusal to permit approximately USD$6.4 million to be transferred from the client’s bank account to the United States, when Kates ought to have

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known there were questions or concerns about the transfer of the funds,” the society stated.

Kates also “failed to take reasonable steps to verify client identities or obtain and record the requisite client identification information.

“Finally, the citation alleged that Kates provided responses to a Law Society auditor that he ought to have known could be misleading or incomplete,” stated the society.

Kates is said to have made

The society handed a threemonth suspension to Kamloops lawyer Nickolaus Harold MacDonald Weiser after Weiser “engaged in the practice of law while suspended” and “failed to provide full and substantive responses to questions and/ or statements contained in correspondence from the Law Society.”

“Practising law while under a suspension is misconduct of a serious nature,” as it degardes the public’s trust in the legal industry’s regulatory and disciplinary process, a hearing panel wrote in its July 25 decision to further suspend Weiser. gwood@glaciermedia.ca

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Police look to identify assault suspect

Prince George RCMP is turning to the public for help in identifying the suspect in an assault back in May.

The investigation began just after 7pm on May 30, 2023, when police received a report a man had been stabbed outside of a retail establishment on the 1500-block of 12 Avenue. When police arrived, they located the victim suffering from a non-life-threatening injury. He was transported to hospital for treatment.

“Police have processed the video surveillance obtained from the surrounding area and are looking for the public’s help in identifying the suspect,” says Cp. Jennifer

The suspect is described as a caucasian male, short buzz cut, no facial hair, last seen wearing camouflage pants, runners, black sweatshirt, with a grey baseball hat.

If you have any information about this or any other criminal offence, please contact the Prince George RCMP at (250)561-3300 or anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1(800)2228477 or online at www. northernbccrimestoppers.ca editor@dcdn.ca

ORANGE POWDER: toxic drug alert for Dawson Creek

Northern Health officials note there has been an increase in overdoses in Dawson Creek linked to a bright orange/red powder as well as a blue substance sold as crystal meth. The Health Authority is warning of possibly other coloured substances causing sudden overdoses, and requiring hospitalization and lengthy monitoring.

“Please take care, drugs move throughout the north,” say officials Tuesday afternoon.

For your safety Northern Health reminds users:

Get overdose prevention, recognition, and response training; carry naloxone

Try not to use alone. Make a plan and tell a buddy who can call for help if needed

If you plan to use alone, use the Lifeguard or BeSafe app available free on the app store

or on Toward the Heart website (https://towardtheheart.com)

Know your tolerance. If you are sick or had a time of abstinence or reduced use, use much less

When possible, avoid mixing drugs or mixing drugs with alcohol

Test a small amount first, start low and go slow

Use in an Overdose Prevention Site (OPS) if possible

Call 911 or your local emergency number right away if someone overdoses

Local Overdose Prevention Sites (OPS)

• Dawson Creek: Call 250219-4355 from 9 am to 9 pm

editor@dcdn.ca

Kirk

LaPointe: Meta does to news what Ottawa thought it wouldn’t

Kirk LaPointe

The federal government still would like us to think Meta and Google are bluffing about cutting news from their platforms.

The federal government still would like us to think Canada can “lead the world” in standing up to the tech titans.

The federal government still would like us to think its Bill C-18 will save local journalism.

Stubbornly fixated on these myths, the Trudeau administration found itself outflanked this week as Meta did what it had promised all along but the government just wouldn’t believe.

Hour by hour, for weeks to come, news accounts on Facebook and Instagram will gradually shutter and traffic will disappear. Negotiated payments to publishers are on notice to cease. First Meta, then Google will not let Canada set the precedent – “lead the world,” if you will – by taxing each news link they carry and, in legislating so, encouraging other countries to follow suit.

That scheme, that dream, stops here and now.

Over decades, Meta and Google disrupted journalism’s best-laid digital plans by commandeering through their technology stacks the lion’s share of advertising once the preserve of traditional media. News is today only a slender part of how they deliver advertising –a good vehicle, but not necessary for their platforms to thrive.

Rather than pay a tax with no ceiling on the amount, Meta and Google have concluded they can simply scrap news in Canada on their platforms and skirt a big headache. And they have a point the government won’t acknowledge, must less accept: that, far from threatening journalism, they have helped it find a digital audi-

ence it would not have otherwise through search engine results or in their feeds.

It has proven relative peanuts to them, but the main course to media.

In crafting C-18, the Trudeau government naively thought it had uniquely found a financial solution for digital journalism. If publishers needed a boost, it thought, taxing the behemoths posed the solution. It assumed Meta and Google had no choice but to capitulate.

Instead, as Meta walks away and Google seems ready to follow, it is time the government realizes it has crafted the worst of all worlds – the end of existing agreements between dozens of publishers and the tech giants and the suffocation of the majority of digital consumption that finances journalism.

The result would be as if journalism’s business model were set back three decades to an era of newbie websites with small audiences – only this time with a wounded newspaper business. If Meta and Google scrap news, it will be necessary to build an audience and a sustainable revenue stream all over again. Bookmarking will come back.

Without a trace of chagrin, government has pledged – but is vague about how – it will make media whole if the tech firms make good on the threat.

This brinksmanship does nothing to help an uncertain Canadian local news environment. Bell Media wants the federal regulator to quash its local news requirements; if it succeeds, get ready for a broadcast stampede. Conservatives sound serious under Pierre Poilievre about a true reboot of CBC if elected; the idea is certainly helping their fundraising.

As if the bill’s passage weren’t menacing enough on

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journalism, last week Trudeau shuffled his cabinet just as sensible conversations were emerging. It appeared Meta and Google were working through their concerns with the government, with a likely outcome of a much larger fund for journalism organizations – but no tax. It may not have been of assistance that Pascale St-Onge, a former media union leader moved into the heritage minister’s job, vowed to continue the fight against the titans as the local news saviour.

It’s unclear if Meta’s move is a bargaining stunt or, more likely, part of a larger effort to get out of the news field worldwide for Instagram and its three billion Facebook users. Google seemingly has more interest in keeping news part of its search engine’s authority but it, too, will not accept the tax.

Why would they? If they capitulate here, there are dozens of countries clamoring for their own C-18s. The tech behemoths want to make a point, first with Canada and by extension the world, that they have little to lose when news goes missing.

For the time being, though, the Trudeau government thinks it has framed the issue as Big Bad Tech getting its Justin desserts. Won’t happen. This isn’t the fix on the runaway powers of the platforms.

Canada is speaking loudly and carrying a small stick.

Kirk LaPointe is publisher and executive editor of Business in Vancouver and vicepresident, editorial, of Glacier Media.n

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B.C. unemployment rate drops to 5.4% in July

Unemployment in B.C. fell to 5.4 per cent in July, according to data released by Statistics Canada Friday morning.

This represents a 20-basis-point decrease over June. After Quebec (4.5 per cent), Manitoba (4.9 per cent) and Saskatchewan (5.1 per cent), B.C. has the lowest unemployment rate in Canada.

Unlike B.C., all three provinces noted above saw unemployment increase on a month-to-month basis.

British Columbia’s labour force contracted by 0.3 per cent from June to July. It expanded by less than two per cent year over year.

In both instances, full-time employment rose as part-time employment fell.

On a monthly basis, full-time em-

ployment in B.C. edged higher (up 0.2 per cent over June) and part-time employment fell by one per cent.

B.C.’s 1.7-per-cent year-overyear increase in employment was driven by full-time work, up 1.2 per cent since July 2022. Part-time employment decreased by 0.7 per cent.

“Despite signs that the slowing economy is starting to weigh on the labour market,” wrote the Conference Board of Canada in a note published Friday, “layoffs in Canada have thus far remained remarkably stable.”

Across industries, employment dropped by 0.1 per cent from June to July, and rose by 0.8 per cent on a yearly basis.

On the services side, the biggest year-over-year movers concerned

employment in: Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing (up 14.3); accommodation and food services (up nine per cent); other services (up 9.4 per cent); and public administration (up 7.9 per cent).

Information, culture and recreation (down 12.1 per cent) saw the largest decline in employment among services sectors. The category would include jobs in creative industries impacted by ongoing U.S. film and television job action.

Among goods-producing sectors, utilities (up 21.1 per cent) saw the biggest one-year gain in employment. Construction (down 10.2 per cent) and manufacturing (down 5.6 per cent) saw the biggest declines.

- BIV Staf

New Telus Corp. announced Friday it is cutting 6,000 jobs as it seeks to adapt to a “rapidly transforming industry,” saying issues such as regulation and competition have prompted the need to reduce its payroll.

The Vancouver-based telecommunications company said the reduction includes 4,000 workers at its main Telus business, half of which are being laid off. The other portion is made up of those who would be offered early retirement and voluntary departure packages, along with vacancies that will not be refilled.

The remaining 2,000 cuts are at Telus International, which provides IT services and customer service to global clients.

“It was a very difficult decision,” said Telus chief financial officer Doug French in an interview.

“The industry keeps changing and from a competitive perspective, we always want to prepare ourselves for the future. We see more digitization, we see prices are coming down in our industry, which customers are looking for. And so preparing to ensure we continue to be very competitive in the market, we need to align our cost structure to what that looks like.”

Earlier this year, federal Industry Minister FrancoisPhilippe Champagne detailed a new mandate for the CRTC, requiring the federal telecommunications regulator to implement new rules to bolster consumer rights, affordability, competition and universal access.

The directive rescinded a 2006 policy direction for the agency to rely on market forces in making decisions.

But French said the federal government should “let the market compete.”

“We’re one of the few countries in the world that still has four national competitors. There’s been consolidation everywhere else,” he said.

“We obviously would prefer to just have straight competition and regulation. I believe the competitive environment in Canada is very, very strong.”

He added major telecommunications providers such as Telus pay among the highest spectrum costs globally given Canada’s size and relatively small population.

“It’s very, very expensive to do that,” he said.

“To keep investment going, you have to have a return.”

French said the cuts also reflect a shift toward increased digitization in the sector, as customers “want more self-serve” options, along with the finalization of recent mergers and acquisitions by the company.

Last month, Telus revised its annual guidance for 2023 downward, citing demand pressures affecting Telus International in particular as the technology sector looks to reduce costs. The company said it was targeting consolidated operating revenue growth of 9.5 to 11.5 per cent, down from 11 to 14 per cent.

“Part of the announcement today is also a rightsizing within Telus International to align their supply of labour, let’s say, to the revenue stream that they see,” said French on Friday.

Telus had 108,500 workers at the end of last year, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv. French said cuts would affect employees across “all areas of our business” and be complete by the end of the year, with most done by the start of the fourth quarter.

The restructuring will cost the company $475 million in 2023 and lead to annual savings of more than $325 million, Telus said.

Its plans to reduce its workforce were announced at the same time as the company revealed its second-quarter net income fell almost 61 per cent from the same period last year to $196 million.

The company’s net income amounted to 14 cents per share for the quarter ended June 30 compared with 34 cents per share in the same quarter a year earlier.

Other telecommunications businesses have also sought to streamline their operations this year as they grapple with regulatory action amid soaring interest rates and stubbornly high inflation.

Fellow telecommunications giant BCE Inc. said in mid-June that it would slash 1,300 positions, including six per cent of its media arm. It blamed the job cuts on a challenging public

policy and regulatory environment, raising specific concerns about Bill C-11, the Online Streaming Act, and Bill C-18, the Online News Act.

The Online Streaming Act aims to regulate streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+ and require them to contribute to the creation and promotion of Canadian content. The Online News Act, which passed this year, forced Google and Meta to pay news publishers for content they link to on their platforms.

Meanwhile, Rogers Communications Inc. told staff in a memo last month that it would offer voluntary departure packages as it worked to eliminate duplication in its businesses following the closure of its deal to buy Shaw Communications Inc.

When the memo was sent, the company did not say how many employees would be affected by the voluntary departure program, but confirmed “a small percentage” left involuntarily since the combination with Shaw.

French did not rule out further job reductions at Telus beyond those announced Friday.

“When we make a decision like this, it is not easy and we’d prefer not to continue to do more in the future,” he said.

“That being said, depending on market conditions … that would be more determined on what that looks like, including regulation.”

Telus’ adjusted net earnings for the second quarter totalled $273 million, or 19 cents per share, compared with $422 million, or 32 cents per share, a year prior. Analysts on average had expected an adjusted profit of 22 cents per share for the period ended June 30, according to estimates compiled by Refinitiv.

Operating revenue and other income ticked up to $4.95 billion from $4.40 billion a year earlier.

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Elizabeth Jane Richards 1935 - 2023

O Fortunate Heaven

Set out a pretty teaRaspberry scones and lemony sweets. The softest white linens, a bright painted tablecloth. Blossom teacups and delicate spoons. A dainty centre of fresh meadow flowers And tree branches, opening to bloom. Place the best silver, a Tewkesbury sugar. Then open the door to a soft breeze With eternal summer on its fingertips.

O Fortunate Heaven, you are, To welcome her light today.

We are very sad to announce that our beloved mother and grandmother Elizabeth Jane Richards (nee Gardam) has passed away on July 29, 2023. She is sorely missed by Laurence, her husband of 67 years, and her children Sally, Penny (Ken), David (Denise), Janet, Jennifer and Sandy and grandchildren Sarah, Meaghan, Shea and Rowan. She was predeceased by sons-in-law Greg (Sally) and Bob (Jennifer).

A large extended family and dear friends join us in our loss. Elizabeth was a teacher and librarian who inspired others with her passion for learning, reading, and gardening. She tended family moments in the kitchen with love and patience and encouraged us all to ask questions, try new things and to celebrate life’s precious moments. She loved us completely. We will be celebrating her life on Saturday, August 26, 2023 in Mill Bay. We ask those who wish to send flowers to please consider a donation instead to the Canadian Cancer Society for whom Elizabeth was a dedicated volunteer for many years.

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Maxine Lorraine Kjos

August 16, 1938July 26, 2023

It is with great sadness that the family of Maxine Lorraine Kjos (nee Christopher) announce that she went home to join her sweetheart of 68 years on July 26, 2023. She passed away peacefully at home in Fort St. John.

Maxine was born on August 16, 1938 in Hanna, AB and was pre-deceased by parents Randall and Lorraine Christopher and brother Jerry.

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She is survived by son Marty (Miriam) and daughter Jackie, grandchildren Bobbi-Lee (Brian), Delano (Megan) and Saige (Colby) and great grandchildren Abi, Weston, Roland and Theo. She is also survived by sisters Wendy (Burt) and Gail, brother Reid and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. In accordance with her wishes, there will be no service. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that those wishing to do so could donate in her name to the Fort St. John Hospital Foundation or to a cancer foundation of their choice.

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