Castlegar Businesses on the Road to Recovery
The road to COVID-19 recovery has been challenging for local businesses - having to close, reopen, pivot and adapt has been incredibly trying. To support our businesses, the City of Castlegar, RDCK Areas I and J Directors, Destination Castlegar, the Castlegar & District Chamber of Commerce, and a cross section of business...
Opinion: Want to farm? Need Land? Check out this resource.
Some people have land that can grow crops, but they don’t want to farm; others want to farm and can’t find land. The solution – a program that matches people who want to farm with those who have land available to lease, and want it to stay in production or start producing crops. It's called the BC Land Matching Program (BCLMP)....
COLUMN: From the Hill -- Greener Hydrogen?
My role as Natural Resources critic for the NDP covers forestry, mining and energy—and the big issue these days in that trio is energy. The pandemic has intensified calls for a national energy strategy that will direct federal investments to help us recover from the economic impacts of the crisis and put us on a good footing...
Virtual Connection Day - Free One on One Meeting with a Technology Expert
KAST is once again partnering with the BC Tech Association and the Basin Business Advisors program to offer a program that will be of benefit to your chamber members. The goal is to help non-tech companies adopt technology to survive and thrive during these uncertain economic times. We are co-hosting a second Virtual Connection...
New Report finds problems with BC's assisted living
While COVID-19 has focused attention on problems in long-term care, a new study raises concerns about assisted living and concludes it’s time for BC’s Seniors Advocate to review the sector. On Wednesday, June 17, 2020, the BC Health Coalition released The Place of Assisted Living in BC’s Seniors Care System: Assessing the...
Letter: Let's not lose more wilderness to development
To The Editor: The BC Government Mountain Resorts Branch has recently received an expression of interest (EOI) for a new ski resort development (Zincton Expression of Interest) from Brent Harley and Associates Inc. and are requesting feedback from the public. The British Columbia Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BCBHA) have...
Mercer announces 30 days downtime at its Celgar mill
In a press release Friday, Mercer indicated there will be a month of downtime this summer, over an above its annual shutdown. The press release reads as follows: "Mercer International Inc. (“Mercer”) (Nasdaq: MERC) reports that its Celgar mill, in addition to regularly planned maintenance downtime of five days, will be taking...
In-depth: Wildfires, deforestation and flooding
Water-repellent forest floors, soil erosion and a lack of tree cover all influence how snowpack melts in the spring By Natalia Balcerzak, Local Journalism Initiative reporter for The Narwhal The arrival of spring brought a surge of warm weather to Williams Lake, in the Cariboo region of B.C., and with it a rush of...
Time to end profit-making in seniors’ care
By Andrew Longhurst and Kendra Strauss, from “Policy Notes” via the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives The coronavirus pandemic has shone a light on serious problems in Canada’s seniors’ care system, as nursing homes quickly became the epicenters of the outbreak. These problems are not only due to the greater vulnerability...
New COVID-19 supports for businesses, local governments
The Province is providing enhanced relief for businesses by reducing most commercial property tax bills by an average of 25%, along with new measures to support local governments facing temporary revenue shortfalls as a result of COVID-19. “We know that B.C. communities and businesses are suffering from the economic impacts...
