Tag Archives: Gov of BC

SRD against new ambulance service initiative for Rural Areas

The Strathcona Regional District Board is against a new ambulance service initiative that threatens the ability of rural communities like Cortes Island, Sayward, Tahsis and Zeballos to respond when there is an emergency. 

BC Emergency Health Services has sent out a letter stating they intend to create 170 new ambulance service positions across the province. 

What they did not say is they are cutting the pay for paramedics on standby back to $2 an hour. 

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More arrests and protests: Fairy Creek

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

RCMP unexpectedly arrested a number of old-growth activists with the Fairy Creek blockades inside the control zone near the Caycuse Camp early Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, downtown Victoria was plagued by stalled traffic, placards and orange smoke plumes as a large demonstration to support blockaders and protect ancient forests broke out later the same morning.

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Campbell River opposes implementing the Old-Growth Strategic Review

On March 29th, the city of Nanaimo passed a resolution calling on the provincial government “to immediately defer logging in all high productivity, rare, oldest, and most intact old-growth forests as recommended by the Old-Growth Strategic Review, until all 14 of the panel’s recommendations have been implemented.” This issue was hotly contested. Four of the nine councillors present, include Mayor Leonard Krog whose signature is at the bottom of the letter that subsequently went out, were opposed. Never-the less at least eight other municipal governments, and the Comox Valley Regional District, have passed similar resolutions calling implementation of the recommendations of province’s Old-Growth Strategic Review. In response, Campbell River passed an opposing resolution, calling for “an elevated direct response of support for Forest operations based on fact and science” at their April 26th Board Meeting.

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Seaweed Days: Celebrating cultivation on Canada’s West Coast

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

There’s a surge of excitement around seaweed cultivation on the West Coast if the heavy-hitters on the speakers’ list of an upcoming inaugural conference on the topic is any measure of interest.

Federal Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan, B.C. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham, and federal and provincial Green Party politicians Elizabeth May and Adam Olsen are all on board to open the week-long Seaweed Days being debuted by Cascadia Seaweed on Monday.

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How BC can expand in the escalating global green economy

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

B.C. can leverage competitive advantages to grow its cleantech industry and take advantage of a reinvigorated and rapidly escalating global green economy, according to pundits.

But to do so, the province must increase investments in clean energy, address gaps, and be more aggressive about meeting its own climate targets to trigger more innovation and growth in the sector.

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