TRAINER TALK
Fitness instructor prepares for TEDx event PAGE 9
AHL APPEARANCE
Keaton Mastrodonato makes most of call-up PAGE 14 SPONSORED
Founder takes on leadership role
Powell River Gymnastics Club is leaning on familiar experience and a renewed focus on recreation as it works to rebuild programming and membership in the qathet region.
Founder Joyce Percey is back in a leadership role after an 11-year break from dayto-day gym life. She returned after being approached to help with administrative duties, and the rebuild has become an unexpected draw.
“I never had coming back to the gym on my radar,” says Percey, describing the chance to support the club’s transition as more exciting than she anticipated. She also pointed to what she missed most: the families, the fun, the moment a child lands a new skill, and the excitement that ripples through the gym.
The club’s mission is to “inspire and empower individuals of all ages and abilities through the art and discipline of gymnastics,” with an emphasis on a safe, inclusive and supportive environment that helps athletes build confidence, resilience and physi-
cal excellence.
In the early stages of her return, Percey expects to work about 15 to 25 hours per week while she observes classes and identifies gaps in service delivery. She indicated that the club is also reaching out to members to better understand what families want from programming and what they hope the club can become. Her role includes marketing the club and its programs, building community partnerships, developing a strategic plan and growing membership.
A major focus, explains Percey, is supporting the coaches.
“My goal is to develop coaches in the club, to assist them wherever needed, in order to raise the level of coaching and therefore the skill level of all participants.”
She also framed recreational programming as the club’s foundation, noting that young children often have an instinctive love of rolling, jumping, swinging and bouncing.
“One lesson I still carry
with me is that a gymnastics club’s foundation is its recreational programs.”
Those fundamentals can translate beyond the gym, she adds, including
scribe a landscape that has changed significantly over the past decade. Percey pointed to shifting expectations around risk management, the influence of Safe Sport guidelines, impacts of COVID-19 and provincial changes in coach certification. She also notes financial pressures on families, saying households are looking for quality programs and want their dollars to count.
leading certification courses for new coaches.
Bailey, who has been in the head coach role since February, connects the changes to a broader cultural shift in youth sport. Coaching certification has been restructured and now includes mandatory courses focused on athlete-directed development.
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Bailey says the management team is aligned on growing the gym “in a positive and inclusive manner,” and describes Percey’s return as a major boost and sees her as a mentor and community connector.
Feedback is part of the plan. Bailey says the club recently sent a survey to members, and that parents and athletes are welcome to bring questions and input outside of class time.
improved coordination, strength and flexibility, and safer landings when kids are playing outdoors.
Both Percey and head coach Trystinna Bailey de-
Bailey was a competitive gymnast for 14 years and is certified in recreational gymnastics, trampoline, artistic men’s and women’s competitive gymnastics and parkour. Percey spent 30 years coaching, teaching and evaluating. She was recognized by Gymnastics BC in 2014 as a Member of Distinction and for years of
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For newcomers, Percey framed the message as an open invitation. Families can try a drop-in class, book a birthday party or explore options such as adult dropins. She also encourages former gymnasts to stop by and reconnect, including those who may be interested in coaching.
“We will try to ensure you have fun, get some exercise and learn a trick or two,” says Percey.
For more information, go to prgymnastics.ca, email office@prgymnastics.ca or call 604.485.0520.
Powell River Gymnastics founder Joyce Percey [left] and head coach Trystinna Bailey.
Discover Magazine Community Photo Call
We’re coming up on the print deadline for our annual Discover Tourism Magazine, and we’re inviting the community to help us showcase the very best of our region.
Do
you have a photo that captures why people love it here?
We’re looking for high-quality images of everything that makes this place special, including (but not limited to):
• Biking and trail adventures
• Fishing and boating
• Hiking and coastal views
• Sunsets and seascapes
• Whales and marine life
• Sailing, kayaking and canoeing
• Diving and underwater scenes
• Festivals, markets and community events
…and those magical, hard-to-describe moments that just feel like home.
How to submit:
Email your images to publisher@prpeak.com
Include the photographer’s name, location, and a brief description of the photo
High-resolution images only, please
Selected images may be featured in the magazine, with photo credit included.
Bonus: We’re considering a special thank-you prize for the photographer whose image is selected for the cover — details to be announced.
Deadline: February 11, 2026
Let’s show the world what makes our region unforgettable.
By submitting, photographers grant permission for one-time use in the Discover Magazine and related promotional materials, with credit provided.
Reports of scams, fraud and cybercrimes on the rise
Gift-card scams, fake texts and impersonation are common occurrences
TANYA
HILL
thill@prpeak.com
Online fraud, identity theft and cyber scams are increasing in communities across Canada, including the qathet region.
According to the Canadian AntiFraud Centre, which ironically had fraudsters recently impersonate its representatives, stated that as of September 30, 2025, there were 23,113 victims of fraud and $544 million dollars lost to fraud in Canada this year.
Although those statistics are down from last year, it may mean Canadians are becoming more savvy when it comes to online scams, and/ or people are not reporting the scam because they are such a common occurrence.
Powell River RCMP constable Paula Perry gave a seminar at Powell River Public Library last month to address types of scams that are prevalent right now, and how best to protect oneself.
“$544 million lost, which is huge, and that’s just what’s been reported,” said Perry, to a full house of concerned community members. “So you can imagine it’s probably at least 10 times more than that.”
Folks who do encounter what they believe to be a fraud or scam can report to the anti-fraud centre, which collects information on fraud and identity theft.
“I personally got two emails this morning, and I just deleted them,” said Perry. “But, if you have a chance to report them to this website, that way they can keep the stats and keep it up to date.”
Perry said people can go to the anti-fraud centre website and look up scams by an A to Z index.
“That will tell you all the scams that have been reported that are going on right now,” said Perry. “That’s what this website does, it collects data, and then it puts it out there for
Canadians to use, so that Canadians are aware.”
She said the anti-fraud centre is not an investigational tool, but more of a resource and information sharing tool.
According to the Powell River RCMP fraud awareness document, many scams arrive by email and text message; more and more people are receiving unsolicited messages and emails, known as phishing, which contain a link or request personal details.
“One of the biggest ones [scams] right now, and has been for the past year, are with gift card products,” said Perry. “You’ll get a text, an email or a phone call requesting you to buy gift cards, scratch off the number on the back of the gift card and provide them with that number.”
Perry explained that as soon as a person scratches a gift card and gives someone else the number, it’s like they’ve handed the fraudsters money.
“That’s why it’s so successful, because it’s like you’re handing them cash,” said Perry. “Then they can use it wherever; they can use it anywhere, because everyone takes those gift cards.”
Typical types of gift cards that can be used anywhere are, for example, Apple or Amazon.
This type of scam is called an emergency scam and typically targets grandparents or elderly folks, taking advantage of their emotions to defraud them out of money. Perry said
fraudsters who put time pressure on someone, use threats of danger to a loved one or threats of losing money, are a huge red flag.
“A lot of [frauds] are on dating apps, like romance scams; it’s a huge one right now,” said Perry. “They’ll start a chat with you, and you’ll have interest, and they’ll pretend they’re whoever you’re interested in, and then they’ll start asking for money.”
Perry said it may sound ridiculous, but people fall for it all the time.
“I had a phone call today about somebody who’s worried about their elderly parent who is sending money [to someone],” said Perry. “Now, [fraudsters] send a Facebook message, it will look like it came from your friend, and maybe they say, ‘hey, if you’re going over to Costco this weekend, can you buy me a gift card?’”
Perry said there are ways for people to protect themselves, such as taking time to verify the story being told, ending a phone call, closing an email and ignoring a text. Google the number and don’t ever click a link or reply to an unknown email, she added.
Perry said police or RCMP will never call someone and ask for money or to withhold care.
“There’s always time to call whoever you need to call to confirm,” she added. If you don’t have anyone to call to confirm, call us.”
She said RCMP members are available 24 hours per day, seven days a week, and they have a nonemergency line people can call. Phone scams
Lakefront site
A historic fishing lodge on Powell Lake has had $2.5 million dropped from its selling price. Rainbow Lodge was originally established in 1930 as an exclusive site for customers who purchased newsprint from the local mill.
Later, it was sold and became the privately run Rainbow Recovery Retreat. The retreat has since closed and the 105-acre property is for sale, currently listed at $12.5 million.
There are no roads to the area. Boats are the primary way to access the site.
are also becoming more sophisticated because of the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
“Most of these people [conducting scams] aren’t sitting in Canada,” said Perry. “Most of the time, if your money’s gone, your money’s gone, unless it’s a local scam.”
She said online scams are highly sophisticated and hard for local law enforcement to act on.
“There are local scams, but they’re not coming from robots, they’re not coming from AI; you can usually tell right away when it’s something local, and we do investigate those.”
Facebook marketplace is one such venue where local scams do occur.
One of the most common is a rental scam, where someone will ask a person to transfer a deposit before seeing the rental in-person.
“We had one a few years ago, they were selling brand new puppies,” said Perry. “They sent a deposit for the puppy; there were no puppies, and that we investigated.”
She said [RCMP] found out the fraudster was in Alberta and managed to get the money back.
Powell River RCMP emphasize that if community members in qathet are the victim of identity theft, scam, fraud or cyber crime contact the nonemergency line is 604.485.6255.
Whether someone has been scammed or targeted by a fraudster, the incident can be reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. To file a report, go to antifraudcentre.ca, or call 1.888.495.8501.
Remote and off the grid, the lodge offers up 1.7 kilometres of lakefront property with a variety of buildings. While the lodge was established in 1930, the main building was built in 2023 as part of the retreat.
Along with the main structure, there’s also an owner’s cabin, two guest cabins and a bunkhouse. The site also includes a studio, events space and storage sheds.
Situated in a small cove, the lodge is a private area and could be used for a commercial or residential space.
EOC exercises
qathet Regional District’s finance committee has recommended endorsement of an application to Union of British Columbia Municipalities for 2026 emergency operations centre (EOC) and training funding from the community emergency preparedness fund, which will provide up to $30,000 per approved application. The current qRD proposal will deliver a program of workshops and exercises for EOC staff.
RCMP constable Paula Perry recently hosted a seminar at Powell River Public Library about how to better protect oneself from fraud, scams and identity theft. TANYA HILL PHOTO
DON’T MISS THIS WEEK
TUESDAY JANUARY 29
CROSS CANADA JOURNEY
Retired social worker Paul Jenkinson shares wacky and delightful stories about his 23,000 kilometre coastto-coast journey and 700-plus conversations with complete strangers. You Are Not Alone, I Will Listen begins at 4pm in Powell River Public Library. For more information, email Mark at mmerlino@prpl.ca.
Directors recommend borrowing term
Regional district board will consider amortizing remaining resource recovery centre spending over 10 years
PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com
Kindergarten Registration
AGE (Kindergarten)
Children born in 2021
APPLY ONLINE THROUGH MyEd
Opens Feb 1st
Instructions available at sd47.bc.ca
PRIORITY DEADLINES
Elementary Schools for ‘in catchment’ enrollment March 31
Elementary Schools for ‘out of catchment’ enrollment March 31
Subject to availability, spot to be confirmed no later than May 31st.
*French Immersion priority will be given to those who register before February 27, 2026
*Students in ANY catchment can register Go
qathet Regional District’s board will consider a recommendation from the finance committee to pay off the remaining $2,208,000 owing on the resource recovery centre and waste transfer station over a 10-year term. That amount is currently in short-term debt but must be converted to long-term borrowing.
At the January 13 qRD finance committee meeting, directors were provided a recommendation that the board enter into an agreement with the Municipal Finance Authority of BC to secure long-term debt of $2,208,000, to be paid back over a 20-year term.
Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne said the question directors had to ask is how long of a term does the regional district want to take out on the money owing.
qRD general manager of financial administration Linda Greenan said the money has been spent and the borrowing is already approved. She said the committee had to determine what it wanted to recommend for the borrowing term.
Gisborne said it was his understanding that a 10year term would have the least overall impact on the
A total of $2,208,000 is remaining to be borrowed to pay for the resource recovery centre and waste transfer station. qathet Regional District’s finance committee is recommending that the long-term debt be paid out over 10 years to save interest costs. PEAK
taxpayers, in that it will only be $2.8 million the regional district will need to provide over the 10-year period, as opposed to more than $4 million on a 25-year term.
“If we want to spend the least amount of money from our taxpayers, it’s the 10year term, but it just means we have to pay more per year for those 10 years,” said Gisborne.
Greenan said that was correct.
Electoral Area E director and finance committee chair Andrew Fall said the interest rates are not the kinds of interest rates that people have on their mortgages. He said the interest would not change from year to year, unlike a standard mortgage.
Greenan said with the Municipal Finance Authority’s amortization schedule, the interest is calculated on the original principal and remains calculated on that throughout the term of the loan. She said over time, as long as the interest rate stays the same, the principal and interest payments stay the same, rather than a mortgage, where the interest charges are high at the beginning of the term
and reduce as the term goes longer.
Fall said he was not averse to a 10-year term, but he liked 15 years over 20. He said he could be convinced to vote for a 10-year term if that is what the finance committee wanted.
City of Powell River director Cindy Elliott said she didn’t like interest, and the projected interest rate of the 10-year borrowing was lower.
“I’m leaning toward 10 years,” said Elliott.
Electoral Area A director Jason Lennox made a motion for a 10-year term.
“I do not want to burden future folks any more than we have to,” added Lennox.
Gisborne said he was leaning toward the 10-year term.
“Taking a look at our draft financial plan, by increasing tipping fees at the resource recovery centre to get full cost recovery, we are looking at a roughly 18 per cent increase in the annual requisition from solid waste management from 2025 to 2026,” added Gisborne.
“Going with the 10-year term is going to be a higher annual requisition to try to pay down that debt, but
because we have done cost recovery for solid waste, I don’t think we will see a huge increase when this is plugged into draft two of our financial plan. I’m very comfortable with 10 years. The savings are tangible.”
The committee voted to recommend that the board enter into an agreement with the Municipal Finance Authority to secure longterm debt of $2,208,000, to be paid back over a 10-year period.
According to a staff report, the interest rate projected for a 10-year term would be 4.02 per cent, with principal payments of $191,436 and interest payments of $89,658, for a total payment each year of $281,094. Interest on the short-term lending is a floating rate, according to Greenan, which was at 3.07 per cent on average last year.
In terms of tax per average household for the 10-year term, in the city, it would be $18.30, in Electoral Area A, $16.46, Electoral Area B, $20, Electoral Area C, $21.66, Electoral Area D, $12.86, and Electoral Area E, $18.85.
ARCHIVE PHOTO
Amendments made to fees bylaw
Changes made to charges for three regional district services
PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com
qathet Regional District has amended its fees and charges bylaw to make changes to fees collected for three services.
At the most recent finance committee meeting, directors were presented with a recommendation to collect additional fees for writing correspondence, for freedom of information requests, and for establishing a fee for the use of electric charging stations.
The first item was the increase of the fee for the planning department to write comfort letters, which,
according to qRD general manager of planning services Laura Roddan, is something the planning department prepares frequently.
“It comes at the request of property owners and financial institutions,” said Roddan. “When people are applying for a mortgage or a business loan, they often use a letter that gives assurance that what they are building or developing is in line with local government bylaws.”
The rate before the bylaw amendment was $7.50 per quarter hour, going up to $50 per hour after the amendment.
In terms of freedom of information requests, a staff report indicated that public bodies are allowed to charge a $10 fee per request for freedom of information under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Staff recom-
mended that this fee be added to the bylaw.
The third item was establishing the amount of a fee per hour for use of the electric vehicle charging stations at Kla Ah Men Lund Gazebo Park or Shelter Point Park.
Electoral Area A director
Jason Lennox said he was a proponent of fees covering all the costs so they don’t need to be subsidized. There were staff proposals for charging $2.50 per hour and $3.25 per hour for use of the service. Staff projected 400 hours of use at Kla A Men Lund Gazebo Park and 600 hours at Shelter Point, and that staff, after the first year of operation, would assess the usage and propose adjustments if necessary.
Manager of asset management and capital projects Mik Drosdovech said fees range from $2 an hour, which is what City of Powell River charges, up to $5 in
other locations.
“There is quite a range,” said Drosdovech. “What we have looked at is $3.25 covering the cost, but it is an estimate.”
Drosdovech said the city’s electric vehicle charging stations run about 800 hours per year, and with the $2 rate, they are able to cover costs, realizing a bit of revenue.
“We really don’t know and we are taking a shot in the dark for projected usage,” said Drosdovech. “We are trying to establish something to start off and after a year we’ll be able to see what our usage is.”
Electoral Area C director and regional board chair Clay Brander said he has been driving an electric vehicle for nine years and the 75-cent-an-hour differential between $2.50 an hour and $3.25 an hour is not going to make any difference for
Clients seeking correspondence from qathet Regional District, and for freedom of information requests, will see adjustments to fees and charges levied by the regional district. Additionally, the regional district board has set a fee of $3.25 an hour for use of electric vehicle charging stations in regional district areas.
motorists.
“If staff is projecting that $3.25 is going to cover expenses, that is what I support,” said Brander.
Electoral Area E director and finance committee chair Andrew Fall said ideally, the service pays for itself and is not being subsidized by taxpayers.
The finance committee voted for the $3.25 an hour fee for electric vehicle charging stations. Amendments to the regional district fees and charges bylaw were sent from the finance committee to the January 13 regional board meeting, where they were passed unanimously.
Fire department realigns responses
Firefighters will now only respond to certain types of emergency calls from ambulance service
PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com
Powell River Fire Rescue will be downscaling its responses to BC Emergency Health Services ambulance calls to only the most serious of medical incidents.
At the city council meeting in December, fire chief Martin Drakeley appeared before councillors to present information regarding current service levels of fire department responses to medical call requests from BC Ambulance Service.
Drakeley said his written report to council was supplemental to information contained in the city’s fire protection master plan, which was presented to council in November.
Drakeley said in 1989, the provincial government created the first responder program in response to recommendations from the chief coroner. He said the primary objective was to
enhance continuity of patient care throughout the province during pre-hospital emergencies.
“This was in response to calls where patients had died or there were negative outcomes due to delayed or inconsistent BC Ambulance Service and inconsistent fire department training,” said Drakeley. “Over the past several years, structural changes to the provincial ambulance service have resulted in a substantial shift in workload onto the fire service and this report speaks to a proposed new level of service for responses by Powell River Fire Rescue to BC Emergency Health Service-dispatched events.”
Drakeley said several other BC fire departments have transitioned away from full medical response models to ensure efficient and sustainable fire department service delivery. He said there is a province-wide trend toward prioritizing high acuity calls for the fire department and reducing involvement for the low acuity calls.
“This approach aligns with the fire protection master plan’s recommendations and focuses resources on life-saving interventions as well as minimizing operational strain and financial burden on the municipality,” said Drakeley. “Powell River
Fire Rescue is actively engaging with BC Ambulance regional staff and regional managers. We’ve had several meetings over the last month with regard to use of the fire department on calls.”
According to Drakeley’s report to council, there are four colour-coded priority levels, with purple being the highest acuity, followed by red, orange and yellow/ green. Purple involves lifethreatening emergencies such as cardiac arrest or airway obstruction, requiring immediate response from all available resources. Red involves serious medical conditions that are not immediately life-threatening but require rapid intervention. Drakeley recommends responding to purple and red calls, but not orange and yellow/green. His report stated that in 2025 year-to-date, there have been 88 purple calls, 566 red calls, 121 orange calls and 67 lift assists. There have been 857 total medical aid calls, with that number amounting to 60.75 per cent of total fire department calls.
City councillor Jim Palm asked when an injured individual is taken to hospital, at what point are first responders required to stay with that individual. He asked if that applied to RCMP or am-
bulance staff.
Drakeley said when ambulance crews bring patients into the hospital, they are required to do a handover, and if hospital staff members are busy, that is where the ambulance gets held up.
Councillor Rob Southcott said he supported the initiative. He said the dispatch centre that dispatches ambulance calls has existed for decades.
“The current system was developed about 35 years ago, called the medical priority dispatch system,” said Southcott. “One of the critical things about dispatching is that any call can be upgraded. If there is any doubt in a dispatcher’s mind, they
will flag a call and call back in a predetermined amount of time. At that point, a call would be reassessed and could be upgraded.
“If a call was upgraded from orange to red, a fire truck would be dispatched if an ambulance wasn’t available. It’s extremely complex but very efficient. I have real faith in that system.”
Southcott said about four years ago, there was a significant change in ambulance staffing levels. He said there were four full-time people and about a dozen casual workers who were highly dedicated. Now, the ambulance station has 16 fulltimers and two fully staffed 24/7 ambulances, and a
Public hearing to examine police conduct
Myles Gray died in 2015 following altercation with VPD officers
JORDAN COPP Coast Reporter
A public hearing into actions of seven Vancouver Police Department officers involved in the death of Myles Gray more than 10 years ago began on January 19 in Vancouver.
The 10-week hearing will be pre-
sided over by retired BC Supreme Court justice Elizabeth ArnoldBailey. It will examine whether the officers “intentionally or recklessly used unnecessary physical force” during an altercation with Gray, who was making a delivery for his Sechelt-based plant business in Burnaby on Aug. 13, 2015.
Gray, who grew up in Powell River, lost consciousness and died at the scene. He was 33. The adjudicator will also consider whether the officers followed their obligations to make and preserve notes and statements promptly.
The public hearing was first an-
nounced in December 2024, two months after a police-led disciplinary review concluded that there was no misconduct but noted “discrepancies and inconsistencies in member statements” and limitations in the Police Act framework. Unlike that process, the public hearing will allow for cross-examination and testing of evidence.
“This hearing is necessary in order to allow for the testing of all relevant evidence and fully understand what occurred on that tragic day,” stated Prabhu Rajan, BC Police Complaint Commissioner, in a media release. “While I recog-
nize that the length of time these matters have been ongoing has had a significant toll on all concerned, I have determined that doing so is necessary to search for truth and fulfill the purposes of the Police Act.”
A 2023 coroner’s inquest concluded Myles Thomas Gray’s death was a homicide.
Presiding coroner Larry Marzinzik’s report, after an inquest with a jury, said Gray died from a heart attack which complicated an arrest, during which he endured pepper spray, multiple blunt force injuries, neck compres-
third responding on pagers.
“It should be very safe for this change in dispatch,” said Southcott. “This is only a decrease of about 20 per cent in responses by the fire department.”
Council unanimously endorsed a lengthy motion to endorse development and implementation of a high-acuity, red and purple only, medical response level of service. Commencing December 19, Powell River Fire Rescue was directed to limit its medical service responses to purple- and red-coded BC Emergency Health Services dispatched events as defined in the BC Ambulance clinical response model.
sion, being handcuffed behind his back and forced prone positioning.
Marzinzik stressed that homicide was a neutral term not implying blame.
The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner oversees public hearings, which are among the most comprehensive accountability measures under the Police Act. The hearing is expected to be one of the largest in terms of the number of officers and legal counsel involved.
This story was made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
Ambulance calls are coded with four different colours and Powell River Fire Rescue is now only responding to the most serious of ambulance calls, purple and red, which include lifethreatening emergencies, and serious medical conditions that require rapid intervention. PEAK
ARCHIVE PHOTO
BioSearch project aims to protect bluffs
More than 400 organisms, including a rough-skinned newt, now recorded to iNaturalist catalogue
TANYA HILL thill@prpeak.com
For decades, Stillwater Bluffs has been considered an important natural space to many folks living and visiting the qathet region, due to its unique granite rock shoreline, pockets of oldgrowth forest, grassy bluffs and lichen ecosystems.
Yet the area, technically called District Lot 3040 and owned by a logging company, has no protection status. That's why Friends of Stillwater Bluffs Association (FOSBA) board member
Jason Addy is reminding people that the group has a project that's still rolling, called Stillwater Bluffs Bioresearch on iNaturalist.
"Feel free to use iNaturalist to view any of the over 400 organisms that have been recorded, or add to the catalogue by recording your own observation," explained Addy. "It's easy to do. Anything recorded on iNaturalist at Stillwater Bluffs automatically gets put into this project. Go out in nature and help us, the friends of the Stillwater Bluffs, to preserve this wonderful place."
Back in 2010, the qathet community listed Stillwater Bluffs as one of qathet Regional District's (qRD) top six sites for protection in the 2010 parks and greens-
pace plan. In a more recent survey, included in the qRD parks and trails strategy 2023 to 2033, when people were asked where they wanted to see new regional parks and trails, one of the most frequently mentioned locations by online respondents was Stillwater Bluffs.
"I used to live at Stillwater Bluffs," said Addy. "I went out there five days a week or so. There's a piece of [Stillwater] that's classified as a sensitive ecosystem, but it's mostly a lichen and moss ecosystem."
He said one species at risk in the area is the red-legged frog, and a visiting botanist found a rare plant there.
"Part of the overall reason why Stillwater Bluffs is so special is its rocky foreshore; you have the forest behind it, but then you have these rocky bluffs extend down into the water," said Addy.
More than 20 years ago the
ment established the Private Managed Forest Land Program, creating worry among conservationists that the land would eventually be sold to a developer, which is why FOSBA was eventually formed.
Currently, Mosaic Forest Management owns the land where Stillwater Bluffs sit.
"Our group's main focus is to raise awareness, so people know that it's not a protected piece of land, that it's actually just a piece of real estate," said Addy. "We want there to be enough public pressure that when [Mosaic] goes to sell it, that they will basically only sell it to become what it already is, which is a park."
Land acquisition by groups such as BC Parks Foundation, Nature Trust BC and Savary Island Nature Trust have all been successful crowdsourcing funds to buy private land in order to
Go out in nature and help us, the friends of the Stillwater Bluffs, to preserve this wonderful place.
JASON ADDY
FRIENDS OF STILLWATER BLUFFS ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBER
bluffs were identified by the provincial government as a sensitive herbaceous ecosystem, and are included in its Sunshine Coast Sensitive Ecosystems Inventory, a project undertaken to identify rare and fragile terrestrial ecosystems.
But the area has been owned by various logging companies over the years; people can observe an active log boom from the shoreline bluffs.
In 2003, the BC govern-
the December 11, 2025, regional board meeting, the board passed the following resolution: That qathet Regional District set a target to acquire at least an additional 21.3 hectares of regional parkland by the year
2031 in order to maintain current regional parks service levels as the population increases.”
To view the parkland acquisition target and policy, go to qathetrd.civicweb.net/ document/180989.
MARCH
qathet international
6 –14
To catalogue species of flora and fauna found at Stillwater Bluffs, type iNaturalist Stillwater Bluffs BioSearch into an online search engine. To support FOSBA, go to osba.org/ team-1.
keep it as public greenspace.
"The [iNaturalist] project gets people out there to see what's there," said Addy. "But then it's also raising awareness; the more things we document that are there, the more special the area will be to people."
The Peak reached out to qRD about its park acquisition strategy and if it plans to expand greenspace in the region soon.
A qRD representative sent the following message: “At
Friends of Stillwater Bluffs is inviting the public to help create an inventory of plants and animals found at the bluffs, using iNaturalist. TANYA HILL PHOTO
22.2026
Better public transit is a matter of fairness
Options presented to City of Powell River Council, valiantly grappling with the loss of the ex-paper mill’s tax revenues, unfortunately emphasize cuts more than new revenues. But one option should be ruled out: cutbacks to bus service and to potential improvements.
I’m a frequent driver and walker, but only rarely a bus passenger. Nevertheless, I willingly pay taxes for better public transit. It’s a matter of fairness, freedom, community, environment and affordability.
Cars impose significant economic costs on us all, including people who don’t have one but still pay taxes to subsidize them. According to the business magazine Forbes (February 2022), mass motoring’s social costs include “carbon emissions from burning petrol and diesel, congestion, noise, deaths and injuries from crashes, road damage and costs to health systems from sloth” from too much driving, not enough walking. Cars and trucks generate about 16 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, according to Scientific American (March 2024) magazine. Add to that, local air pollution, depletion
LETTERS »
Growing inequality
The latest reporting from the Peak on our community's failure to find safe, warm shelter for people with nowhere to go is a cruel comment on our society in general and our community in particular [“Facilities for homeless recommended,” January 15].
We have somehow become used to stepping over homeless people as we peer down at our phones – ignoring the needs of human beings for the basic dignity of safe, warm housing and healthy food to eat. We like to think of ourselves as caring people and in many ways I'm sure most of us are. But on a different level – at a level of social organization and political/economic choices – we clearly don't care enough. For those who simplistically blame people with-
CLIMATE CROSSROADS
By Robert Hackett
of finite resources in auto manufacturing, excessive paving of valuable land and injuries to pedestrians. Before crossing Alberni Street between Joyce and Marine avenues, check your life insurance.
Insufficient public transit often socially isolates those who can’t afford cars. We sometimes give lifts to friends in Wildwood and Cranberry. EVs can reduce pollution and fuel costs.
Paddy le Flufy of qathet Climate Alliance is setting up a ride-sharing service, but nothing beats regular reliable bus service. South of town, where qathet Regional District shares transit responsibility with the city, a friend notes that the last bus available to return home is at 5:30 pm from the mall (which means no evening events) and there's no bus on holidays, Sundays and Thursdays. Perceptions of car owners are shifting. From being a sign of freedom, they’re increasingly seen as a financial burden – high
out housing for their predicament, they are ignoring the obscenity of rapidly growing inequality in our society and its causes.
Surely politicians in senior levels of governments – where the decisions are made that yield the cruel outcomes on the streets of every town and city in the country –bear a great deal of responsibility for the new normal (where 25 per cent of British Columbians live with food insecurity et cetera). But it is not only politicians who are to blame. We are all to blame.
We are all complicit in what has happened to our society. Only by demanding far better in voices so loud and persistent as to be impossible to ignore can we hope to fundamentally alter the tragic reality in our community and in our country.
John Young, Wildwood
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sticker prices, depreciation, fuel, maintenance, tariffs and insurance aren’t getting cheaper. A Canada-wide survey by Leger last spring showed that since 2024, average car ownership costs have increased nine per cent, from $5,025 to $5,497.
Local Council of Canadians’ member Tim Larson notes that other industry sources estimate upward of $1,000 per month. Fortyone per cent of Leger’s respondents wished for better transportation options to avoid needing a car altogether.
Similar numbers emerge in other countries. Germany: $414,000 US hit to car owners’ wallets over 50 years, with a further $275,000 paid by society. In the US: $750,000 over a lifetime.
It’s about values, not just dollars. Inadequate investment in public transit, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure makes car ownership often less a choice and more a necessity, according to HealthBridge, a nonprofit in Ohio. That “undermines consumer autonomy and perpetuates economic inequality.”
Inequality? Car owners like me scored an-
other subsidy when the carbon tax and associated rebates for low-income folks were removed, costing the province $1.5 billion or more. Besides reversing climate action, this effectively transferred income upward to carbon-spewing affluent consumers. Who should pay for better public transit?
The fossil fuel industry and senior governments have done much to accelerate the climate crisis. They should pay more to deal with its causes and consequences. Decent public transit is one way to do that.
Municipal government revenue-raising scope is limited, and small-town transit won’t rival its metropolitan counterparts. But persistent advocacy to Victoria, along with paid parking, fines and permits, are within its purview.
Better public transit doesn’t mean forcing people out of their cars. It’s about more freedom of choice for everyone.
Robert Hackett is a member of qathet Climate Alliance and the Council of Canadians qathet chapter.
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Fitness trainer prepares for TEDx
12 speakers will take stage to inspire a shift in thinking
TANYA HILL thill@prpeak.com
Vegan fitness trainer, author and nutrition coach
Karina Inkster is an accomplished and busy person on any given day, and the past few months are no exception.
Inkster has been diligently practicing and preparing as a speaker and participant at an upcoming TEDxSurrey event taking place on January 24, at the Bell Performing Arts Centre. TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) began in 1984 as a one-off conference about technology, entertainment and design, but has grown into a global powerhouse platform that has given thousands of innovators and thinkers a place to share their ideas.
The spin-off of TED, TEDx, involves local communitybased events that are independently organized with the hope of bringing people together, and generating a shift in people’s thinking.
Inkster was chosen out of close to 100 applicants to participate and speak about her passion for animals, health and veganism through personal storytelling.
The Peak spoke with Inkster after a rehearsal of her TEDx talk in front of an audience at qathet Academy of Music and Art.
"This has not been like a bucket list item," said Inkster. "It wasn't something that I was seeking out, necessarily, but a former business coach of mine contacted me and said, 'have you ever thought about giving a TEDx talk?'"
Inkster said she had never pondered the idea, but out of curiosity she decided to submit an application.
"Twenty-five of us made the short list, where we had to audition in person in Surrey, and then 12 of those people got chosen to be speakers," she added.
Since Inkster was chosen, she's been thrown fullsteam-ahead into the TEDx machine. She has been workshopping, memorizing, practicing and working with a speaker coach.
"The first six weeks of work was just script work and we didn't worry about memorization," said Inkster. "And because it is such a short talk, every word matters; there was one week where I worked on this thing, probably for 15 hours on top of my regular work."
Inkster has also travelled to the Lower Mainland in order to meet the other 11 speakers to go through each other's talks and give feedback.
"There are delivery specialists who work on posture, voice and presentation, and then there's also speaker coaches who work with everyone," said Inkster. The overall theme is: A Shift in Thinking. Inkster's specific theme for her talk is: Eating in Line with our Values.
Letters to the Editor/Viewpoint
"To me, that's veganism," said Inkster. "I talk about my own story of coming to veganism when I was 16, and the talk also touches on cognitive dissonance, where there's a gap between what we believe and how we act."
Inkster will be speaking in front of an audience of 1,000, most of whom have probably never thought about veganism.
"I'm used to speaking to audiences of vegans who are already basically my tribe, if you will," said Inkster. "So, on one hand, I feel like the talk is pretty basic, but on the other hand, it has to be accessible to an audience who is coming to see 12 talks on all sorts of different topics."
Some of the other TEDx Surrey speakers are also accomplished, including doctor Brenda Lau, an anesthesiologist and pioneer in pain medicine, and Lei Wang, a former finance professional who has climbed the highest peak on every continent and has skied to both the north and south poles.
"These are amazing humans, and [sometimes] I feel like an imposter," said Inkster. "They all are top of their field, if they're professionals, and then there's an 18 year-old who just graduated who runs a nonprofit music organization."
To live stream the event, go to tedxsurrey.simpletix. ca.
CROSSWORD
Fitness trainer and longtime vegan Karina Inkster was chosen as a participant in a TEDxSurrey event this coming January.
RAY SHUM PHOTO
December real estate sales down
Year-end statistics show substantial increase in 2025 compared to 2024
PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com
Real estate sales in the Powell River Sunshine Coast Real Estate Board district declined in December 2025 compared to December 2024, but year-end figures showed an increase.
Real estate board president Curtis Yungen said for the month of December, the dollar value of total sales went down 16.7 per cent compared to December 2024, and 31.6 per cent compared to November 2025.
“Total units sold were also down for the month, from 30 in November 2025 to 23 in December 2025, and down from December 2024, which had 25,” said Yungen. “The average price of a single-family home price in December 2025 went down 16.7 per cent compared to December 2024 and also went down 11.8 per cent compared to November 2025.”
In the single-family homes category, in December 2025, there were 17 units sold, valued at $10,282,200, compared to 18 units sold in December 2024, valued at $13,017,900.
In the mobile and manufactured home category, there were two sales in December 2025, valued at $444,999, compared to three sales in December 2024, valued at $547,000. There were three sales of condos, apartments and duplexes in December 2025, valued at $1,122,000, compared to three sales in December 2024, valued at $1,254,900.
Total residential sales in December 2025 were 22, valued at $11,849,199, compared to 24 sales in December 2024, valued at $14,819,800.
In the nonresidential category, there was one parcel of vacant land sold in December 2025, valued at $670,000, compared to one sale in December 2024, valued at $225,000.
Grand total for all sales for December 2025 was 23, valued at $12,519,199, compared to 25 sales in December 2024, valued at $15,044,800.
The average selling price in December 2025 was $604,835, with an average of 120
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days on the market, compared to $723,217 in December 2024, with an average of 78 days on the market.
Median selling price in December 2025 was $610,000, compared to $654,000 in December 2024.
In terms of new listings, there were 30 residential and five nonresidential in December 2025, for a total of 35. There were 152 active residential listings at the end of December 2025, and 68 nonresidential listings, for a total of 220.
Yungen said for 2025 year-end statistics, total dollar value was up 19.4 per cent compared to 2024.
“Total units sold was up 8.7 per cent in 2025 over 2024, the average price for a single-family home was up 5.1 per cent and the median price stayed the same at $625,000,” said Yungen.
In 2025, there were 279 sales of singlefamily homes, valued at $198,064,099, compared to 238 sales in 2024, valued at $160,905,549.
There were 27 sales of mobile and manufactured homes in 2025, valued at $6,061,287, compared to 29 sales in 2024, valued at $6,879,400. In the condos, apartments and
duplexes category, there were 47 sales in 2025, valued at $21,823,136, compared to 36 sales in 2024, valued at $15,749,500.
Total residential sales were 353 units sold in 2025, valued at $225,823,136, compared to 303 units sold in 2024, valued at $183,534,449.
In the nonresidential category, there were 26 sales of vacant land in 2025, valued at $7,436,900, compared to 41 sales in 2024, valued at $9,629,000. There were eight sales in the industrial, commercial and institutional category in 2025, valued at $2,191,078, compared to nine sales in 2024, valued at $3,102,865.
Total sales for nonresidential were 32 units in 2025, valued at $9,627,978, compared to 51 units in 2024, valued at $12,731,865.
Grand total for 2025 was 385 units sold, valued at $235,451,114, compared to 354 units sold in 2024, valued at $196,266,314.
Average selling price for a single-family home in 2025 was $709,907, with an average of 79 days on the market, compared to $675,776 in 2024, with an average of 69 days on the market. In terms of new listings, there were 737 residential and 157 nonresidential in 2025, for a total of 894.
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Regals split home and home series
Penalties contribute to loss in first
SHANE CARLSON editor@prpeak.com
Nanaimo Steelmen visited Hap Parker Arena on January 10, and left with two points after doubling Powell River Regals by a score of 6-3.
It was the first West Coast Senior Hockey League game for the home team in 2026 and, according to coach Tod English, the holiday break in December was a factor in how his team performed.
“It was a turkey skate for sure,” said English. “Our first period was good, but in the second we took too many penalties.”
Chad Niddery, Mason Windsor and Tyler Durant scored for the Regals. Windsor, whose second period goal was unassisted, also combined with Bryson Cecconi to set up Niddery’s first period marker, which tied the score 1-1 through 20 minutes.
Nanaimo outscored Powell River 3-2 in the middle frame to lead 4-3, then added an insurance goal 27 seconds into period three, and another into an empty net with under two minutes to play.
Kyle English was credited with an assist on Durant’s goal late in the second period. Laszlo Tamasik was the goaltender of record for Powell River. Shot totals were not provided.
The two teams met for a rematch in Parksville one week later (January 17), and the Regals responded with a convincing 8-1 win.
Cecconi, with two, Brett
Kinley (penalty shot) and Cohen Mastrodonato scored first period goals for Powell River. After second period goals by Windsor, Nic Porchetta and Niddery, Cecconi added his hat-trick goal and final tally of the game.
English complimented goaltender Nic Peters’ performance, noting he “moved the puck like a third defenceman,” and the forward line of Cecconi, Niddery and Logan Kurki, which combined for 10 points and “dominated play.”
Assists were credited to Kurki (three), Niddery (two), Peters, Windsor, Tynan Peakcock, Cecconi and Brock Sawyer (two).
“It took us a while to get out of our funk, but that was a statement game on road,” said English.
Another road game is scheduled for January 31 in Lake Cowichan. The two teams meet again in Powell River on February 6.
Regals sit last in league standings behind Hope Icebreakers, Nanaimo and Lake Cowichan Appollos, but English emphasizes the importance of working on systems over and above final placement in the standings.
“All four teams qualify for the playoffs,” explained English. “Our goal is to work toward that first series to make sure our special teams and intensity are where they need to be.”
Hawkins pots five goals
Will Hawkins, assistant captain for Powell River U13 Kings, scored five goals to lead his team to an 8-3 victory over Campbell River Tyees at home on January 11. Three of his goals were unassisted while the other two were set up by Grace Calderone and Ozzy Sullivan.
Captain Tobin LeBlanc scored a hattrick to complete the goal scoring. Kyle Van Diemen, Claire Statham, Jordan Burroughs and Connor Gustafson contributed assists.
One day earlier, the Kings built up a 3-0 lead against Peninsula Eagles before the visitors scored four unanswered goals to pick up the two points. Kings’ goals came off the sticks of Molly Culos, Van Diemen and Nadia Larson. Collecting assists were Statham, Van Diemen and Burroughs.
Powell River Regals’ forward Riley Billy waits for a shot toward Nanaimo’s net during a West Coast Senior Hockey League game at Hap Parker Arena. JOYCE CARLSON PHOTO
Mastrondonato receives call-up to AHL
Former Powell River hockey product gets point in first game with Ontario Reign
PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com
Former Powell River Minor Hockey product Keaton Mastrodonato has been criss-crossing the continent in his professional hockey career this season.
Mastrodonato, who has spent most of the season with the ECHL Greenville Swamp Rabbits in South Carolina, was
SUDOKU
recently called up to the Ontario Reign of the AHL, in California, where he notched his first point with the Reign, recording an assist in a 5-4 shootout win. The Reign is the AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings.
“I was recalled for the second time this season,” said Mastrodonato. “I have been playing with Greenville, which is the ECHL affiliate of the Ontario Reign. I was fortunate enough to get into my first game action with the Reign. I was called as an extra forward due to some injuries at the NHL and AHL level.”
Mastrodonato’s opposition in the game was the Henderson Silver Knights, which is the AHL farm team for the Vegas Golden Knights.
“It had been a year since I had played at that level and it was exciting,” said Mastrodonato. “I had a little bit of nerves getting back in and playing at that level, but I was fortunate enough to contribute.”
Mastrodonato is back in Greenville, due to some Ontario team members getting healthy again.
“I’ve been across the country and back three times now in the last two weeks, but it is all part of the business, and part of what you sign up for as a minor league professional,” said Mastrodonato. I’ve been very fortunate to be a part of such a good organization.”
Mastrodonato, 25, is the team leader in points in Greenville, and said the organization wants him to play big minutes in the ECHL, staying active on the ice and contributing to his team’s success.
Playing in Greenville has been an adjustment for Mastrodonato, who played in the ECHL Mountain Division in Utah last sea-
son. He said it has been good to find his game and find success offensively in Greenville, and work on the things that will get him to the next level in the AHL.
“This is my third year of professional hockey and I have learned a lot over the last couple of years,” said Mastrodonato. “Going into this season, I knew what to expect and what was expected of me, trying to hone in on those details and habits at the pro level that allow me to get called up and be successful when I do get a chance to play with the Reign.
“The end goal is to make it to the next level and you do whatever it takes and what is asked of you. It’s important to be coachable and play to your strengths and identity as a player, allowing you to move up the ranks and be successful.”
Mastrodonato said Greenville is just a few points out of a playoff spot, and there are six divisional games in a row coming up, so he is entering an important stretch.
“It’s important to get us over the edge, back into a playoff spot,” said Mastrodonato. “I’m excited to play in the moment and in the present. I’ve always been a firm believer that you help contribute to the success of the team that you are playing for in the present moment and the rest will kind of fall into place.”
Mastrodonato said Greenville is a great city and a great place to play.
“The fans are amazing here and it’s a great organization,” said Mastrodonato. “I’ve been super fortunate to play in a place like Greenville. Me and my family have been super happy with everything that’s come at me this year and everything I’ve been through so far. It has been a lot of fun.”
Keaton Mastrodonato, who has been playing hockey in the ECHL in Greenville, South Carolina, was called up to the Ontario Reign team in California, where he was able to resume playing in the American Hockey League. MEGAN
Mastrodonato said the Reign are in first place in the Pacific Division and they have a good group of players, coaching staff and management.
“Their development staff does a good job with all the players,” said Mastrodonato. “I’m looking to continue to help them whenever I can.”
He said he strives every single day, on and off the ice, to have a permanent placement in the AHL.
“I’ve just got to do everything asked of me and continue to hone in on those habits and details at this level, and wait for the next call,” said Mastrodonato.
He said he is happy with his progress as a professional player.
“The coaching staff at both levels have been great with me,” said Mastrodonato. “I’m honing in on those little details of the game that separate me from other players and allow me to find success in my game. It’s a matter of waiting for that next call, that next opportunity, and always being ready.”
Mastrodonato said it’s the best job in the world, being able to play a sport and
do something he has had a strong passion for ever since he was a young kid. He currently leads Greenville with 21 points (nine goals and 12 assists). He has collected four goals in 34 career AHL games, while accumulating 106 points (50 goals and 56 assists) in 124 ECHL contests. He was under an AHL contract with Colorado last season, playing 13 games for the Eagles, while tallying 49 points (19 goals and 30 assists) in 53 games with Utah in the ECHL.
During his rookie campaign in 2023/2024, Mastrodonato was on an AHL contract with Texas, scoring four goals in 19 games with the Stars, while registering 42 points (24 goals and 18 assists) in 48 ECHL games with Idaho.
Prior to professional hockey, Mastrodonato played four seasons at Canisius College, from 2019 to 2023, totalling 97 points (46 goals and 51 assists) in 123 career games. He played parts of three seasons in the BCHL with Alberni Valley Bulldogs, where he was named to the BCHL All-Rookie Team in 2017/2018.
SANDERS/ ONTARIO REIGN PHOTO
your health
Learning to care for myself after the unimaginable
BY ARIEL TURCOTTE
When you are a bereaved parent, prioritizing your health might look like brushing your teeth, feeding yourself, taking a shower or getting dressed in the early days after your child has died. According to grief expert David Kessler, the early days can be the first two years.
Our only son, Hayden, died just over six and a half years ago in a car crash with his girlfriend, Madeline. In the early days, I did not struggle with getting out of bed, leaving the house or why not me? Instead, I went straight to gratitude for the first four-ish years.
I was grateful that Hayden met the love of his life; he had just received his Red Seal as a heavy duty mechanic; and that I spoke to him less than an hour before he
died. I was grateful that we shared a weekend in Desolation Sound with Hayden and Maddy just two weeks before their deaths. These memories, our friends and The Compassionate Friends helped me survive the unimaginable. But that was just it — I was only surviving.
People would say, “You are so strong,” or “You are doing so well.” And I believed them.
I cried. I talked. I shared about Hayden all the time. I felt like I was processing and accepting that he was gone. I even started a local chapter of The Compassionate Friends and held monthly meetings, supporting other bereaved parents. I thought I was doing just fine — until I wasn’t.
It was during a Zoom call in David Kessler’s Tender Hearts group; he asked me one simple question: “Have you ever
gone to a grief support group for yourself?” The answer was no. That question changed everything.
It was the moment I realized I needed to truly prioritize my own health, which meant honouring my grief and diving into the depths of the pain as I was now ready. I began learning how to listen — not just to my mind, but to my body. I had to slow down and really hear what I was saying to myself.
When I was in pain, I had to ask what my body needed: more rest, healthier food, time outside, more laughter. I had to learn how to honour my grief and in general be okay with what I was feeling even in the “eck” and “yuckiness.”
It meant being kind to myself. If I was sad, I cried; I let the tears flow. If I was angry, I had to find ways to release
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the anger: throw rocks into the ocean, hit a punching bag, grab a pool noodle and whack the couch.
Feeling our emotions is hard for humans in general, but they are exponentially harder for families suffering the loss of a child.
We often think prioritizing our health means eating well, exercising and sleeping eight hours a night. But it is so much more than that. It may be the hardest job we will ever have: learning how to love and care for ourselves.
I have learned that we don’t have to carry these feelings alone. The Compassionate Friends exists so that no bereaved parent has to walk this journey without understanding and support. We are here for you. Being in a room — or on a screen — with other parents who truly understand the loss of a child has been lifesaving. There is something deeply healing about being seen without explanation, about hearing “me too,” and about knowing you are not alone in this grief.
I still run monthly Compassionate Friends meetings, and they continue to inspire and support my healing. They bring hope and meaning to my life, knowing that other parents are finding ways to care for themselves on their grief journeys. Most importantly, we are a group of parents who understand the unimaginable loss of a child and can truly be there for one another.
We are a group of parents who understand the unimaginable loss of a child and can truly be there for one another.
If we could learn, as a society, to let our emotions simply be—to share them with others and truly feel them—and find connection with those who understand our particular loss, we would once again make space for moments of joy and laughter. There is only one way to process grief, and that is to feel it. We must walk through the darkness to reach the light on the other side. And we must love ourselves enough to allow all the uncomfortable feelings to exist, without judgment.
Ariel Turcotte is the founder and president of The Powell River Compassionate Friends Society.
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Neck Checkpain? out these tips to get relief
Muscle tension, trauma, poor posture and certain degenerative disorders can all cause neck pain, which often extends to the shoulders and shoulder blades. This discomfort can lead to headaches and numbness in the hands, making daily activities difficult. If you’re experiencing neck pain, try these tips to find relief.
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• Stretch your neck and arms regularly to reduce tension and improve mobility. Performing strengthening exercises for your neck muscles can also help.
• Apply alternating heat and cold to painful areas. Heat relaxes your muscles, and cold helps reduce inflammation.
• Practice self-massage using your fingers or massage balls to relax your muscles and promote better blood circulation.
• Pay attention to your posture and improve your workstation ergonomics. Position your screen at eye level, keep your feet flat on the floor, relax your shoulders and maintain a straight back. Remember to take breaks every hour to stand up and move your arms.
• Avoid sleeping on your stomach and choose a pillow that supports your neck appropriately based on
your body type and sleeping position.
Finally, don’t hesitate to consult a professional if your pain persists. Over time, neck pain can significantly affect your quality of life. Physicians, massage therapists, physiotherapists, chiropractors and osteopaths can help identify the cause of your discomfort and help you find effective relief strategies.
Working together to create new possibilities from old experiences
Rick Berghauser and his associates, Arnold Mulder and Laura Chan, master degree clinical counsellors, are available to see families and individuals both online and in person
In
Nurturing skin through the gut
BY DR. SHAWN PETERS
In naturopathic medicine, skin health isn’t treated in isolation — it’s often supported alongside our internal physiology, particularly the gut-skin axis (a bidirectional network linking gut health with skin function).
This connection is supported by emerging evidence showing that the composition and activity of the gut microbiome can influence systemic immunity, inflammation and skin homeostasis.
At the core of the gut-skin axis are the trillions of microbes residing in the gut. These microbes digest fibre to produce beneficial compounds, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) (butyrate, acetate, propionate), which enter the bloodstream
and can regulate immune responses and the health of distant tissues, including the skin.
SCFAs also support the integrity of the intestinal barrier and help regulate inflammatory signals that, when balanced, contribute to healthy skin barrier function and reduced skin inflammation.
Dysbiosis — an imbalance
in the gut microbial community — can disrupt these beneficial processes. When harmful bacteria proliferate and beneficial species decline, the gut lining can become more permeable (leaky gut), allowing microbial by-products and endotoxins like lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to enter systemic circulation. This can trigger increased inflammatory signals, which may exacerbate chronic inflammatory skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, rosacea and atopic dermatitis.
From a naturopathic standpoint, restoring gut balance can therefore support skin health by reducing systemic inflammation and strengthening barrier functions both in the gut and on the skin.
Nutrition strategies
include:
Probiotic and fermented foods: Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and miso contain live bacteria that can enhance microbial diversity and support immune regulation.
Prebiotic-rich fiber: Foods such as garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, bananas and whole grains feed beneficial bacteria and promote SCFA production.
Anti-inflammatory nutrients: Omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish, flaxseeds and walnuts can lower systemic inflammation, and antioxidants from berries and leafy greens combat oxidative stress.
Antioxidant-rich plants: Colorful fruits and vegetables provide polyphenol compounds that nurture microbial diversity and may support both gut
and skin health.
Minimize ultra-processed foods, refined sugars and alcohol to support both gut barrier integrity and skin barrier resilience. By addressing the gut-skin axis holistically, everyday strategies can encourage a foun-
dation for sustainable skin health from the inside out.
Dr. Shawn Peters, ND, is a naturopathic doctor practicing in the qathet region and Courtenay. For more information, go to drshawnpeters.com
Dr. Shawn Peters
Lessening people’s suffering benefits everyone
BY ROBERT SKENDER
While living with ongoing mental health or addiction challenges, it’s almost impossible to gauge the severity of the problem on your own, or even acknowledge you have a problem at all. When you are within the pathology, you cannot pull yourself out because the pathology itself is muddying the self-awareness and healthy brain function needed to acknowledge and fix what is behaviourally broken.
We need friends, family, counsellors, the health-care professional and the community in general to be an integral part of the solution.
Even as a stranger we can alter the trajectory of someone’s day and, sometimes, life. A kind random act to a stranger needing a helping hand could forever change a life for the better. Now that I have some inner clarity, I found the help-
ing side of things is a situation that strengthens my mind and widens my world. Giving is not a selfish act, nonetheless, it can almost feel like it is on occasion.
We humans are social creatures. We want, we need, not only to be included in a group, but also to have a role to fulfill in the group. It has been ingrained deep into our bones and woven into our spirit by centuries folded upon centuries of evolution.
In the absence of a more traditional family or group, we will search for any group of people we can find acceptance and that secure, inclusive feeling.
Violent street gangs find it
easy to recruit in neighbourhoods with social and family breakdown because of generational poverty, addiction or whatever the complicated reason. The notorious gangs provide the intimate inclusion of kindred spirits with basic worldly needs like shelter and clothes. Further to that, criminal gangs also purposely have rituals and ceremonies, which is part of satisfying the human needs of the spirit.
In the situation of addiction or cognitive unwellness, family can be replicated with alcoholic or drug abusing peers. Sometimes, on the street, everyone’s situation is dire in its own way. It is hard to extend a help-
ing hand when coming from a place of cognitive chaos and disorder. Still, a sense of tribe or family is found in the rituals of acquiring substances, places to use them and all the actions in that particular culture.
I am one of the lucky ones. My psychiatrist once called me an outlier because people with my level of addiction, isolation and mental unwellness usually don’t live to talk about the experience with a clear voice. I am overflowing with gratitude and, at 56, I often feel like I am just starting out in life, and that is a great feeling.
I can’t help having the weight of sadness in my heart that I should be an outlier.
Why can’t the mainstream occurrence be people getting past addiction and negative problems linked with mental illness, and living long, dynamic, love-filled lives?
We have made huge positive progress in bringing mental illness out of the dark corners of society and into the light of day. Much work has been done destigmatizing mental illness and addiction. Still, there has to be an abundance of intelligence, understanding and love to lessen suffering and make addiction the outlier behaviour.
Robert Skender is a qathet region freelance writer and health commentator.
Robert Skender
SCENE
AROUNDTOWN
Scenic
setting
Powell River Parks and Recreation’s team spent three days setting up Winter Wonderland on the rink at Powell River Recreation Complex. Staff members helped decorate, including setting up the logs and putting up the trees, which were delivered by the Junior Forest Wardens. Snow from the ice surfaces was used to fill between the logs and boards. Winter Wonderland was open from December 6 to 29.
ANDREW BRADLEY PHOTOS
UPTOWN
January 20, 1943 – January 17, 2016
Till a’ the seas gang dry my dear, And the rocks melt wi’ the sun, And I will luve thee still my dear, While the sands o life shall run.
Sorely missed by Iain, Brian, Julie, Beth, Cody, Jordie, Scott, James and Jackson
We think of you every day
Richard Stanley Vanier
Richard Stanley Vanier, 84, passed away peacefully December 29, 2025, in Kelowna, BC. He was born in Iroquois Falls, Ontario.
He is survived by his son Rick (Karen), his daughter Pamela, stepson Barry (Marina), stepdaughter Sheri, six grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, sisters Marilyn, Betty-Anne and Andrea (Lenny), and his brothers Larry (Maryon) and Gord. Richard (Dick) was predeceased by his wife Tina, his son Mark, father Victor, mother Blanche, brother Mickey and sister Peggy.
In 1960, he married Gail and had three children. In 1970, he moved the family from Northern Ontario to Powell River for work at the papermill. Dick completed an apprenticeship as a steamfitter/gasfitter and was fiercely passionate about training, working as an instructor at the Pacific Vocational Institute (now BCIT) and for the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters, where he became director of training. After retiring from the Operating Engineers, he started his own consulting company.
On his 40th birthday, he received the Gift of Sobriety and felt that it was divine intervention by God. He spent the rest of his life helping others through the AA program. In lieu of flowers, please donate to your local AA office.
In 1999, he married Tina and welcomed her children Barry and Sheri as his own. He loved the ocean and convinced Tina to move to Powell River in 2004 and enjoy retirement together. In 2025, he moved to Kelowna, to be close to family.
A celebration of life will be held on February 21 from 1 to 4 pm at Guildford Golf and Country Club, 7929 152nd Street, Surrey, BC.
Robert Joseph
Garfield Irwin
April 17, 1956December 29, 2025
Robert Joseph Garfield Irwin passed away peacefully at home at the age of 69.
Robert was predeceased by his father Bob Irwin and his sister Sherry Morrissay. He is lovingly survived by his wife of 52 years Sherri Galligos; his children Jason Galligos (Jasmin), Robert Jr. Irwin and Blake Irwin (Candice); his parents John and Josie Morrissay and his brother Richie Morrissay.
If you didn’t see Rob driving around town with his grandson Jaxon in his orange Challenger, you would likely find him at the Bucket — the Cranberry Pub — enjoying a refreshment, talking and laughing with the bartenders and fellow regulars.
Service details:
A wake and viewing will be held at Tla’amin Salish Centre on Thursday, January 22, from 4 to 9 pm.
A memorial service will take place at Tla’amin Salish Centre on Friday, January 23, at 10:30 am.
A celebration of life will follow at the Cranberry Pub from 2 to 6 pm.
Faircrest
Sundays from 1 to 5 pm
All ages and abilities, free to attend.
In Memoriam
CHESS CLUB AT POWELL RIVER LIBRARY
LUXO Personality plus male kitten, welcomes visitors!
EINSTEIN
Gorgeous, litter-trained, English Lop bunny!
SUPER SARAH
Super cute tripod grey female kitten
GRAYSON
Stunning, young, female cat seeking a new loving family
MISS CHARLIE
Wow, stunning blue-eyed charmer
LEXI
Super smart, pretty, female German Shepherd mix
BRIAN & BRUCE
Super cute kittens. Wow, worth a visit!
CACHE & HOPPER
Double the sweetness, gentle, affectionate lil male kittens
SAILOR
Pretty, young, female cat with super silky fur
AMELIE, MYSTIQUE, MOONPIE, MERLIN, MORTY, & MORTICIA
Take one, take two, hard to choose
LEXINGTON
Wow, stunning Shepherd mix. Five-year-old female dog with brains and personality
SIREN
Super sweet senior lady, Formosan Mountain dog mix
HARVIE
Super handsome grey and white, male feline, also the king of loafing
JEB
Super senior feline seeking his matching human!
BOO-BOO
Green eyed, mature, pretty, friendly, black cat, welcomes visitors
FRA NK SINATRA & ELVIS
Sweet n’ playful, cute overload, Corso/Mastiff mix puppies
CITY OF POWELL RIVER
NOTICE
Permanent Closure and Removal of Highway Dedication Bylaw 2760, 2024
Pursuant to Section 40 of the Community Charter Council may, by bylaw, close a portion of a highway and remove the dedication of the highway provided Council gives notice of its intention to do so. Notice is hereby given under Section 94 of the Community Charter of Council’s intention to consider adoption of City of Powell River Permanent Closure and Removal of Highway Dedication Bylaw 2760, 2024, at the Council meeting to be held on February 5, 2026, in Council Chambers of City Hall, 6910 Duncan Street, Powell River, BC.
The intent of proposed Bylaw 2760, 2024, is to close and remove the dedication of a portion of Complex Way adjacent to 5000 Joyce Avenue outlined in black on the map below. This would support a proposal from BC Housing to develop a supportive housing and shelter facility over a portion of these lands directly adjacent to Joyce Avenue.
A copy of the proposed bylaw and any relevant background documents may be inspected at the Planning Services offices of City Hall during the hours of 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday from January 22 to February 5, 2026. Pursuant to Section 40(3)(b) of the Community Charter any party who feels their interests may be affected by the proposed bylaw may make written submission to Council. Submissions may be emailed to info@powellriver.ca or mailed or delivered in person to 6910 Duncan Street, Powell River, BC, V8A 1V4. All submissions are published and, if received by 5 pm, seven business days before the meeting, will be included in the agenda package. Submissions received after this time, up to 2 pm on the date of the meeting, will be distributed to Council directly in advance of the meeting or on table at the meeting.
Peter DeJong Corporate Officer
TERMS
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OPEN HOUSE TOUR
SATURDAY, january 24
