Regional News

KAST/FortisBC Kootenay Contraption Contest winners

by The Nelson Daily Staff on Tuesday January 18 2022

The Grand Prize Educator’s category winner from the Kootenay Area Girl Guides in Nelson is Anne Simonen with her contraption The Convertible Play Yard that allows for play time during hot or smoke filled conditions. — Submitted

Girl Guides from the Nelson area earned top marks in the recent 2021 Kootenay Contraption Contest, bringing home the Grand Prize Educator’s category.

The contest, hosted by Kootenay Association for Science & Technology (KAST), its youth program, GLOWS (Growing & Learning Opportunities With STEAM) and sponsor FortisBC, turned to the minds of students and educators in to think about the very real demand for climate change adaptation faced during the past year.

RDCK returns to online engagement as CBT Community Initiatives and Affected Areas program opens

by Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on Tuesday January 18 2022

The Columbia Basin Trust’s Community Initiatives and Affected Areas Program opened for grant applications earlier this month and — after a regional district board motion — adjudication will remain online.

One of the more popular community engagement events in the Columbia Basin will remain online for the third straight year.

The Columbia Basin Trust’s Community Initiatives and Affected Areas Program opened for grant applications earlier this month and — after a regional district board motion — adjudication will remain online.

NextRide Coming to soon to West Kootenay Transit

by Lone Sheep Publishing on Monday January 17 2022

BC Transit said the Kootenay region, including West Kootenay Transit, Creston Valley, Columbia Valley, Elk Valley, Kimberley and Cranbrook, is expected to see the program installed during the summer of 2022. — The Nelson Daily photo

Riders of West Kootenay Transit, including Nelson, Trail, Castlegar, Balfour, Kaslo and the Slocan Valley areas, will be excited about the announcement that the NextRide program is coming this summer.

In a recent announcement, BC Transit said it has completed a successful Negotiated Request for Proposals process and has signed a contract with Consat for the next phase of the NextRide program.

The new program will enhance customer experience and increase ridership throughout the province.

Nod given to increasing cost for curbside waste management service

by Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on Monday January 17 2022

City council passed third reading on the bylaw to bump the cost for curbside waste recovery in 2022 by $25 to fund the organics diversion program.

The management of waste in the city is going up again.

City council passed third reading on the bylaw to bump the cost for curbside waste recovery in 2022 by $25 to fund the organics diversion program.

That means the estimated cost per household for curbside service (including organics) in 2022 will be $100 (not including the capital costs), said city chief financial officer Colin McClure.

BC Games organizers pull plug on Vernon event

by Contributor on Sunday January 16 2022

BC Winter Games Society have made the difficult decision not to stage the BC Winter Games next month in Vernon.

The BC Games Society and the Greater Vernon 2022 BC Winter Games Society have made the difficult decision not to stage the BC Winter Games next month.

However, Games organizers and stakeholders will explore options to see if the region can deliver this multi-sport event in 2023.

Greater Vernon made every effort to stage these Games, however the ongoing pandemic, coupled with external factors such as wildfires and floods in many parts of our province this past year, have made it impossible to stage a safe and memorable Games this winter.

Bridging rural homelessness project clears one hurdle toward realization

by Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on Saturday January 15 2022

Called Bridging Rural Homelessness and Well-Being Project, it builds off of the social innovation project, Rural Homelessness and COVID-19, where street outreach services, provided by Selkirk nursing students, were delivered in Nelson, Trail and Castlegar — city council meeting screenshot.

A concern over individual community’s contribution to a regional homelessness problem was not enough to derail support for a Selkirk College-led project designed for the streets.

Called Bridging Rural Homelessness and Well-Being Project, it builds off of the social innovation project, Rural Homelessness and COVID-19, where street outreach services, provided by Selkirk nursing students, were delivered in Nelson, Trail and Castlegar.

Not Extinct - A Sinixt Virtual Exhibit: keepingthesinixtway.ca

by Contributor on Friday January 14 2022

Screenshot Image of the keepingthesinixtway.ca home page

2022 brings the launch of Not Extinct - A Sinixt Virtual Exhibit, an interactive website based on the book, Not Extinct: Keeping the Sinixt Way by Marilyn James and Taress Alexis that features traditional and contemporary Sinixt stories. Each story illuminates the Sinixt relationship with the upper Columbia River watershed and the Sinixt quest to reclaim their rights and responsibilities in their x̌aʔx̌aʔ təmxʷúlaʔxʷ, their sacred homeland.

Increase in violent incidents, harassment toward RDCK staff prompts preparation of new bylaw

by Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on Friday January 14 2022

Human resources advisor Lindsay Gaschnitz said preparation of a new respectful behaviour bylaw — at the direction of the RDCK board of directors — has begun for all regional district places of work, covering staff on private property and at public meetings.

There has been an increase in the number of violent incidents and harassment toward regional district staff over the last 20 months, says the RDCK’s human resources advisor.

Lindsay Gaschnitz said preparation of a new respectful behaviour bylaw — at the direction of the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) board of directors — has begun for all RDCK places of work, covering regional district staff on private property and at public meetings.

RDCK considers distribution of COVID re-start funds

by Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on Thursday January 13 2022

When the Regional District of Central Kootenay board of directors had to allocate the remaining re-start funds before the end of 2021 one director spoke up for the money to be used for shortfalls in rural services.

The raw wound of unequal distribution of COVID-19 federal/provincial re-start money could not be soothed for some at the regional district level.

When the Regional District of Central Kootenay board of directors had to allocate the remaining re-start funds before the end of 2021 one director spoke up for the money to be used for shortfalls in rural services.

Canada, U.S. continue Columbia River Treaty talks

by Province of British Columbia on Wednesday January 12 2022

Canada and the U.S. met for the 12th round of negotiations to modernize the Columbia River Treaty on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022.

Building on discussions during the previous round in December 2021, the one-day virtual session focused on evolving concepts for post-2024 flood risk management, Canada’s desire for more operational flexibility and mechanisms for achieving ecosystem objectives.

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