Weekly newsletter from MLA/Minister Conroy
On National Indigenous Peoples Day, we celebrate the many ways the diversity, achievements and resilience of Indigenous Peoples have shaped BC for the better. Today is an opportunity to listen, learn and honour Indigenous cultures, traditions, languages and histories. Here are four ways you can celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day: • Go to a public […]
Trending up: West Kootenay snowpack percentage pedals upward as provincial prospects plummet
Cool and wet weather this spring has been able to reverse the doom and drought forecasts for the region on the snowpack front. The West Kootenay regional snowpack has risen — according the June 1 Snow Survey and Water Supply Bulletin — to 79 per cent, jumping up from a concerning 66 per cent of […]
Obituary: Luke Ferraro, Sept. 5, 1976 to May 31, 2024
Our beloved Luke Micheal Ferraro was born in Prince Rupert, B.C., September 5th, 1976. Luke was our guiding light, our North Star. On May 31st, 2024, Luke was taken from us. We mourn the great loss of him, our anchor and cornerstone. Luke was a hard working family man of authenticity and unwavering loyalty. His […]
Kootenay drivers urged to be on alert to prevent wildlife collisions
As BC enters a peak period for wildlife activity, Road Safety at Work urges drivers in the Kootenays to be on alert for animals on highways. Every year in B.C. some 9,900 vehicle collisions with wildlife are reported, according to ICBC. The actual numbers may be much higher due to under-reporting. Collisions with deer often increase […]
B.C. improves access to supports for youth, young adults experiencing psychosis
More young people who are experiencing early signs of psychosis are benefiting from expanded supports throughout the province. In 2021, the Province announced the expansion of the early psychosis intervention (EPI) program. B.C. now has more than 50 locations where people can get assessed and connected to care. The Province has funded the hiring of […]
Wildsight mounts fight for endangered mountain caribou habitat in Seymour River watershed
Residents are being asked to help protect endangered mountain caribou habitat and old growth forests at risk of logging north of Salmon Arm, as part of a new Wildsight-organized campaign. Stella Jones and Pacific Woodtech’s proposed clearcuts would result in the combined destruction of 608 hectares of core caribou habitat and mature and old-growth stands […]
Reviving the Columbia: Indigenous Efforts to Restore Salmon
Nestled in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, the Columbia River, once hailed as the greatest salmon-producing river in the world, hasn’t seen a significant spawn in its upper portion for 85 years. However, Indigenous-led salmon restoration efforts are currently underway to try to change that. Since the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam in […]
MLA Conroy says funding will support training for in-demand careers at Selkirk College
BC NDP MLA Katrine Conroy says that people will benefit from tuition-free programs to help train for high-demand post-secondary programs and meet their career goals at Selkirk College “Helping people upgrade their skills for in-demand training courses means more British Columbians will be able to pursue fulfilling careers,” said Katrine Conroy, MLA for Kootenay West. “Selkirk College is […]
Bystander lends a hand - and foot - to help officer capture a wanted Trail man
On Wednesday, June 12, at 2:30 p.m., a frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officer was conducting a routine patrol when he spotted a 36-year-old Trail man with outstanding arrest warrants riding his bicycle on McQuarrie Street, in Trail, acoridng to RCMP Sgt. Mike Wicentowich. “The officer activated his emergency lights and sirens in an […]
Homelessness Response Summit Takes Small Steps Towards Larger Goals
A community approach to addressing the homelessness crisis in rural British Columbia through meaningful building blocks, continued to make headway at the second annual West Kootenay Homelessness Response Summit. Held in Trail in late-April, the two-day summit included 220 diverse participants who came together to listen, learn, share, discuss and develop achievable goals towards solutions. […]