Regional News

Lake levels lower than ‘historical’ values, international commission notes

by Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on Tuesday Sep 28 2021

The Kootenay Lake level is sitting nearly three feet below its normal height, said Merrell-Ann Phare, Canadian commissioner with the International Kootenay Lake board of control — TND file photo.

If you were thinking Kootenay Lake right now looked lower than it has ever been, your analysis would be correct.

The lake level is sitting nearly three feet below its normal height, said Merrell-Ann Phare, Canadian commissioner with the International Kootenay Lake board of control.

“Kootenay Lake remains below its historical minimum values, and the B.C. drought notifications are still classifying it as very dry in the East Kootenay and extremely dry in the West Kootenay,” she said during the latest board public meeting on Sept. 22.

RDKB starts moving on Green Corridor

by RDKB on Tuesday Sep 28 2021

The funds will lead to the development of the Lower Columbia Rolling Green Ribbon, a biking/walking corridor that will link the downtown cores of Rossland, Warfield, Trail, Montrose and Fruitvale, as well as Electoral Areas A and B. — Submitted

Transportation will get greener in the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) thanks to a $50,000 Active Transportation Network Planning Grant from the Province of BC.

The funds, combined with a $50,000 contribution from the RDKB, will lead to the development of the Lower Columbia Rolling Green Ribbon (see image), a biking/walking corridor that will link the downtown cores of Rossland, Warfield, Trail, Montrose and Fruitvale, as well as Electoral Areas A and B.

Letter: Green Party candidate lobbies for real change

by Letters to the editor on Tuesday Sep 28 2021

An open letter to SOWK residents:

Thank you to everyone that participated and voted in the 2021 Federal Election. Turnout across the country was lower than average so I thank you for taking the time to engage.

Obviously, this election did not turn out how I wanted and I am disappointed and dismayed by the results. I am concerned about the rising hate and division seen in this riding and the country.

New climate action team prepares to enact the vision of Nelson Next

by Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on Tuesday Sep 28 2021

The city has promoted Carmen Procter — from the EcoSave Program — to a new role as climate and energy manager, and brought in Cecilia Jaques (pictured) as the new climate and energy advisor. — Submitted photo

A new team has been created to tackle climate change in Nelson.

The city has promoted Carmen Procter — from the EcoSave Program — to a new role as climate and energy manager, and brought in Cecilia Jaques as the new climate and energy advisor.

Together, they will begin implementation of the plan to reverse climate change — entitled Nelson Next — by achieving some of the “highest emission reduction targets in the world,” according to a city news release.

Nelson joins Global Day of Action to raise awareness in fight against climate change

by The Nelson Daily Staff on Monday Sep 27 2021

Protesters tied up traffic at the corner of Josephine and Baker Streets Saturday as part of the Global Day of Action rally. — Submitted photo

The Global Day of Action didn’t attract the crowds of past years, but that didn’t stop a small group of activists from delivering a message outside City Hall in Nelson that the world is gripped in a crisis during climate strike over the weekend in Nelson.

Organized by Fridays for Future, a global youth movement for climate and environment, and the local chapter of Extinction Rebellion, the climate strike was part of world-wide strike demanding urgent action to tackle the ecological crisis.

Kokanee begin the uphill swim from record low levels in Kootenay Lake

by Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on Sunday Sep 26 2021

Eight years ago the kokanee salmon population in the lake collapsed, from an average of about a million to “unprecedented low numbers,” averaging between a record low of 12,000 in 2017 to about 90,000 in 2020 — TND photo.

The ravages of 2014 are still affecting current populations of Kootenay Lake salmon and are keeping their numbers low, but the land-locked fish’s future is looking much different.

Eight years ago the kokanee salmon population in the lake collapsed, from an average of about a million to “unprecedented low numbers,” averaging between a record low of 12,000 in 2017 to about 90,000 in 2020.

B.C. Vaccine Card makes its presence known in Heritage City

by Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on Saturday Sep 25 2021

Within the first week of the B.C. Vaccine Card implementation in Nelson many businesses indicated that their business was down — likely because even the vaccinated hadn’t had a chance to download the QR code app — but there was no trouble reported and no “real problems” arose.

Although the people on the frontlines in the Nelson service industry have braced and borne the burden of the dirty work in enforcing the B.C. Vaccine Card since it was required earlier this month, the transition so far has been without incident, noted the city’s chamber executive director.

Regional unemployment figures rise, but improve overall

by Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on Thursday Sep 23 2021

Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey for August 2021 revealed that the Kootenay region — including Nelson, Castlegar, Trail and the Slocan Valley — improved its unemployment rate from a high of 15.8 per cent in June, 2020 at the height of the pandemic to a recent figure of 6.7 per cent.

The Kootenay region went from one of the hardest hit areas for unemployment one year ago to dropping to nearly one third of that rate, according to recent labour force statistics.

Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey for August 2021 revealed that the Kootenay region — including Nelson, Castlegar, Trail and the Slocan Valley — improved its unemployment rate from a high of 15.8 per cent in June, 2020 at the height of the pandemic to a recent figure of 6.7 per cent.

New housing project looks to lift rental market temperatures from sub-zero climate

by Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on Tuesday Sep 21 2021

The pastor of Kootenay Christian Fellowship (KCF) watched the door slowly shut on available rental accommodations and affordability in Nelson for working class people as the housing market transitioned traditional rental units to short-term offerings over the last 10 years.

A nearly zero per cent rental availability rate in Nelson had troubled Jim Reimer for years.

The pastor of Kootenay Christian Fellowship (KCF) watched the door slowly shut on available rental accommodations and affordability in Nelson for working class people as the housing market transitioned traditional rental units to short-term offerings over the last 10 years.

Canadian voters see red but Kootenay-Columbia gets the blues in 2021 federal election

by Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on Tuesday Sep 21 2021

Fast forward two years and one pandemic later and the same results of 2019 transpired in the 2021 federal election Monday night, with a Liberal win and Conservative Rob Morrison heading back to Ottawa for the Kootenay-Columbia.

Two years later the song remains the same.

In the 2019 federal election the Liberals won a minority government — being declared before polls closed in B.C. — and Conservative candidate Rob Morrison edged NDP candidate Wayne Stetski for the Kootenay-Columbia seat.

Fast forward two years and one pandemic later and the same results transpired in the 2021 federal election Monday night, with a Liberal win and Morrison heading back to Ottawa.

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