Trail shelter opens  November 16

The Salvation Army and the United Church in the area partnered last year to establish a shelter, housed by the Salvation Army.  Last year it ran over 40 days. Thanks to some funding from BC Housing, they’ll be open from November 16th through March 30th, so opening won’t just be triggered by extreme weather.

Selkirk College hosts a conversation on BC Forests

Selkirk College and its School of Environment and Geomatics invite the public to attend a community dialogue on B.C. forest management as part of the Healthy Forests- Healthy Communities initiative to be held on December 1, 2011.  To learn more about the Healthy Forests – Healthy Communities initiative and the views of a local community forest expert as well as a panel discussion from different stakeholders visit A Conversation on BC Forests or direct inquires to info@bcforestconversation.com.

Canada Post trims local service

Nelson residents could be facing longer line-ups at the post office this holiday season.  Postal workers and concerned members of the public rallied at the Vernon Street location on November 15 in hopes of preventing the elimination of a full-time shift.  The reason for the cut is unclear as even Canada Post admitted that the Vernon Street post office is the busiest in the Kootenays.

Open house sheds light on Treaty

Do you know what the Columbia River Treaty is?   The 1964 Columbia River Treaty (CRT) is an international agreement between Canada and the United States to coordinate flood control and optimize hydroelectric energy production on both sides of the border.

Do you know why it should matter to you?
The year 2024 is the earliest date either Canada or the United States may terminate the CRT, provided 10-year advance notice is given in 2014. It’s possible either country may wish to renegotiate parts or all of the CRT, or terminate it entirely. Now is the time to find out how this 1964 international agreement relates to dams and reservoirs in the Columbia Basin and why it matters to your community, the Columbia Basin and all of BC. Learn more about the Treaty at the Columbia Basin Trust website.

Trail Mayor pleased with latest Teck announcement

The mayor of Trail says the latest $125 million investment by Teck at Trail Operations is a sign the city’s largest employer is here to stay.  Teck will install a new acid plant beginning next April.  It  is hopeful the 150 construction jobs, along with the earlier announcement of a new e-waste facility and ongoing work at the Waneta Dam expansion will boost greater Trail’s population back into the 22,000 range.  Teck says the new acid plant is expected to go into service in late 2013.

Chinese firms bet big on BC coal

Premier Christy Clark made the announcement of $1.36 billion in investments by Chinese companies to develop two new coal mines in northeast B.C.  Three Chinese companies formed a partnership called the Canadian Kailuan Dehua Mines Co. Ltd. to develop the Gething mine situated 25 km south of Hudson’s Hope. The partnership announced an investment of $860 million.The investors estimate the Gething project will create 773 long-term direct jobs.  Clark said the second project is also in the Peace region, but investors have not yet announced the exact location. Another group of Chinese companies has announced it will invest $500 million in that mine.

BC government’s plan to construct three LNG plants counters CO2 reduction efforts

Premier Clark plans to construct three massive liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants in Northern BC.   This won’t only create jobs.   Extracting shale gas and operating these plants will release enough global warming gases to undo BC’s other efforts to cut emissions.

Harper promises to commit to green energy production

Leaders from APEC’s 21 member economies vowed Sunday to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies and promote green growth across the region.

Canada to strike new trans-Pacific free trade deal

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Sunday Canada will apply to join a new free trade agreement with the United States and the Asia-Pacific region, and suggested that Canada’s farm supply management systems could be on the table for negotiation.

Canada needs to start thinking long term when engaging Asia

Canada has a reputation in Asia of showing up but not being serious about establishing long-term relationships, according to a new report that pushes the need for a strategic roadmap to engage the Far East.

Sales tax back on Alberta’s agenda

Finance Minister Ron Liepert says the prospect of a provincial sales tax to help balance Alberta’s books was raised many times during recent consultations with taxpayers.  Liepert says the idea of a new provincial sales tax — long considered a politically toxic subject in Alberta — came up repeatedly during recent roundtable consultations with taxpayers.

Construction sector to see ‘steady trajectory’ of growth in 2012

A TD Economics report said Canadian construction activity was a major contributor to economic growth over the last decade, and would continue at a slower pace. Although the report was a national outlook, it noted that the leading provinces for construction were B.C., Saskatchewan and Manitoba, which are underpinned by a robust resource sector.

Shortage of caregivers ‘a major cause of concern’

While the number of elderly Canadians requiring assistance is expected to double in the next 30 years, researchers say a shortage of adult children and health-care workers could mean the baby boomers won’t get the care they need.

TransCanada may begin work on southern Keystone section

TransCanada Corp. said Wednesday it could start building the portion of its planned Keystone XL pipeline that runs from Cushing, Oklahoma, to the Gulf of Mexico, even as it awaits U.S. approval for the project as a whole.  The company said its customers are eager for a way to move oil from the glutted Cushing storage hub to the Gulf Coast, where refineries are paying a premium for crude.

Changes are coming for seniors paying into the CPP

With more and more Canadians working past the traditional retirement age of 65, the Canada Pension Plan is making changes.

After 28-year pay-equity fight, female postal workers awarded $150-million

The Supreme Court of Canada settled Thursday an epic pay-equity battle, reinstating a $150-million award for thousands of women employed at Canada Post.  The case, which has dragged on for 28 years, was finally resolved when the court upheld a 2005 decision of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal that found a wage gap for women working in clerical jobs and awarded them $150-million.

British outlook darkens as youth jobless tops a million

Britain’s economic outlook darkened after data showing one million youngsters out of work for the first time and as the Bank of England slashed its growth forecasts fearing more eurozone woe.

Older women fastest growing labour force

Statistics Canada has reported employment among women 55 and older grew by 29,000 in April.

Women’s participation in mining and mineral exploration examined

On paper, recruiting women into British Columbia’s booming mineral exploration and mining industry is considered a critical step in the strategy to keep pace with projected job growth in the province over the next five years.
In reality, however, women continue to be vastly underrepresented in the industry, with few companies making it a priority to attract and retain more women into the workforce.

Kootenay News is a regular feature of Kootenay Career Development Society.