Tag Archives: Powell River

Rivers & Oceans

More Killer Whales and Humpback Whales in Our Waters

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There have been a lot more killer whales and Humpback whales in our waters lately. According to a new study from UBC, the inside waters off Vancouver Island are critical habitat for West Coast Transient, or Bigg’s killer whales. The return of Humpback whales has been heralded as a success story, and there are now also reports of gray whale sightings. Last week, Cortes Currents interviewed two of the scientists involved in this research.

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Community

Folk U: Life on Read and Sonora Islands (Part 2)

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(Interview by Manda Aufochs Gillespie; written version by Roy L Hales)

In the conclusion of a two part story, Manda Aufochs Gillespie interviewed Renate Harvey and Renée Desautel from Sonora Island, as well as Sheila Hollanders from Read Island, about life on their islands. In Part 1 they talked about their daily lives, the seasons and community life. This segment deals with community support and future sustainability— the Surge Narrows Community Association and funding, land access/emergency preparedness, relationships with Homalco First Nation, youth and schooling challenges, and hopes for the next decade. 

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Energy

BC Hydro work continues on Cortes Island this week

The two 12-hour power outages on May 24 and June 7 were part of BC Hydro’s ongoing Jervis Inlet and Agamemnon Channel Power Line Replacement Project. Crews took advantage of this to replace poles and aging equipment, as well as trim trees that were too close to power lines on Cortes Island.

Precision Tree Service was brought in to trim trees. The company is based in Comox, and they worked two 16-hour days, leaving home at 6 a.m. and returning at about 10 p.m. Their work is now complete.

BC Hydro crews will continue to replace poles and aging equipment this week. Some residences have received outage notices specific to their street/area. A worklist copied from the BC Hydro planned outage map follows below. 

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Indigenous Nations History

Hots Docs to screen film documenting endeavour to change “horrific” city name

By Sam Laskaris, Windspeaker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A documentary about a First Nation’s request to have the name of Powell River, B.C. changed will have its world debut at Toronto’s Hot Docs Festival this month.

The film, titled təm kʷaθ nan – Namesake, features interviews with members of the Tla’amin Nation, who have spent years attempting to get the name of its neighbouring city altered. According to Tla’amin belief, as stated in the film’s trailer, names carry history, teachings and responsibilities. Powell River gets its name from Israel Wood Powell, who served as B.C.’s superintendent of Indian Affairs for 17 years from 1872 to 1889.

Powell played a key role in the establishment of Indian residential schools. He also had a role in banning the potlach and in the theft of portions of Tla’amin Nation lands.

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Health

BC Halts Construction of Seven Long-Term Care Facilities

By Michelle Gamage, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

British Columbia is pausing construction on seven long-term care facilities as it searches for a way to reduce building costs.

The pause was announced as B.C. released its annual budget on Tuesday. During question period on Wednesday, Health Minister Josie Osborne said construction was being stopped while the province searched for ways to build the beds for less than $1.8 million each, which is what it currently costs. 

Seven long-term care facilities in Abbotsford, Campbell River, Chilliwack, Delta, Fort St. John, Kelowna and Squamish have been put on hold indefinitely. Osborne said the projects are not cancelled. 

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