PIPELINE COULD NEED NEW LAND: MP
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TANKER DEBATE SINKS TO NEW LOW
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BURNABY FARMERS MARKET RETURNS
as we WEDNESDAY
MAY 9 2012
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Wednesday,
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May 9, 201
2 NewsLe ader A17
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Watch for the As We Age seniors section in today’s newspaper.
PHOTO CON TRIBUTED
The Popp y Residen ts at the Rhododen dron Fest Seniors from The Poppy ival Residence Festival. The boarded the weather co-o Pop
listened to py Bus and perated and a variety set off to they were of musical enjoy the stopped at able to enj entertainer annual Rho oy a picn their table s including dodendron to say hell the ever fam ic box lunch outside o and speak Some of the as they ous Pipe Ban to the sen seniors spe d. Local pol iors. nt their tim spring day itians e walking , while oth aro ers browse und the Áowe d the various ring garden garden con s and enjoyin cessions and g a perfect tables disp laying pot tery.
Inside: • Cross word • Prot ect yo a consu urself as mer • Adju stin withou g to life t a car • Find ing an agin support for g paren t G
SFSS approves men’s centre Wanda Chow wchow@burnabynewsleader.com
MARIO BARTEL/NEWSLEADER
Federal NDP leader Thomas Mulcair, speaks at a gathering of the BC NDP caucus, Saturday at the Burnaby FireÀghter’s Club.
Council sticks with 3.98% tax hike Wanda Chow wchow@burnabynewsleader.com
Burnaby taxpayers can expect to see a 3.98 per cent tax rate increase this year, after the city’s ¿nancial plan stuck with the ¿gure originally proposed last December. Burnaby council was expected to approve the budget Monday after the NewsLeader’s deadline. Total expenditures in 2012 are expected to increase by $18.6 million compared to 2011 due to contracted wage and salary increases for city staff and RCMP, the increased cost of garbage disposal passed on from
Metro Vancouver and increased depreciation, the ¿nancial plan said. The maintenance and replacement of aging infrastructure, additional costs of expanded use of computer software systems and enhanced technology for the ¿re department are also factored into the increased costs. The 2012 operating plan includes $575,000 in start-up and operating costs for the new Edmonds Community Centre slated to open late this year. “The total tax levy increase for all residents is offset by tax levy revenue projections from new development of
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$1.4 million,” the plan said. The ¿nancial plan allows for $173.6 million in capital spending in 2012, including $30.1 million for the Edmonds community centre and pool, $3.8 million for a new track and ¿eld facility at Burnaby Central secondary, $16 million in waterworks projects, $14.9 million in sewer upgrades, $1 million for new bus shelters, and $5.8 million for pavement overlay on city roads. The tax rate increase is in addition to the six per cent hikes in both water and sewer rates were announced last fall. Burnaby’s budget factors in an
fresh fish daily
annual yield of ¿ve per cent from its investment portfolio, which earned just over $34 million in 2011. In 2012, city hall is expecting similar returns of 5.05 per cent and $34.5 million in investment income, despite the fact market yields remain at near historic lows. “Sound investment practices have provided the City with steady income over the last decade, ensuring liquidity when needed and growth to help offset increases in our operating budget and new capital projects,” said Mayor Derek Corrigan in the ¿nancial plan document.
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The Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) has approved $30,000 in its next budget to start a men’s centre at Simon Fraser University’s Burnaby campus. The funding is equivalent to that received by the SFU Women’s Centre for programming, said proponent and former SFSS treasurer Keenan Midgley. The women’s centre receives an additional $65,000 for a paid staff person, while the men’s centre will start out as a volunteer-run facility. Midgley, an accounting student, proposed the centre to provide peer support for men in areas such as relationships, health issues and mental health that often don’t get talked about. “Men have that social pressure to be that strong man and not really show their emotions and I think that kind of leads to further problems for mental health down the road when they don’t feel comfortable talking about their issues,” he said. In addition to peer support, the centre would serve as a referral service to health and counselling at SFU. Please see ‘I THINK’, A3