S TANDARD TERRACE
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VOL. 25 NO. 51
www.terracestandard.com
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Contractors dig in at log yard By ANNA KILLEN Logs destined for export and the machines used to sort them remained fenced in and unmoving at a local log yard going into the weekend, while the company that owns the logs faced pressure to sort out a dispute with one of its contractors. The contractor, Bryco Enterprises, blocked the entrances to the Yaorun Wood yard with heavy equipment earlier this month to prevent Yaorun from moving any wood until the dispute was settled. And to passersby, the blockade
appeared to look more permanent at the end of last week, with the addition of a chain and lock at one entrance and at least half a dozen heavy equipment machines lined up facing out towards Keith Ave. Yaorun leased the property from the city in February for 10 years. It once served as the log yard for Skeena Cellulose. The Chinese-owned company owns a number of timber sales in the northwest area, a parcel of land in New Hazelton, and has also done operations in Burns Lake. Bryco was hired by Yaorun to clean and level the leased-site
which had become overgrown by young trees and all was going well until Yaorun declined to pay Bryco invoices. In the meantime, city officials have confirmed that Yaorun is paying an agreed upon lease rate of $10,000 a month to use the 20-acre parcel on Keith Ave. “The city has a lease agreement for land with this company that has provisions in place should the issue of non-payment arise,” added Terrace mayor Dave Pernarowski. He did rule out any attempt at intervening to find a way to end the dispute.
“It’s not the city’s responsibility to be a mediator in any business dispute,” he said. “I’m hopeful that the companies are able to continue operating their respective businesses at full capacity as soon as possible,” he said. “That would be the best scenario for our community.” Meanwhile, a hand-made sign was put up earlier this week at the Ebony’s Hidden Treasures store on Kalum Ave. warning contractors entering into business with the company that late payment or no payment could be expected. Long-time forestry contractor
No quick fix for closed recycling depot
Doug Suttis, who erected the sign in his wife’s storefront window after working for Yaorun since the summer, said Yaorun risks burning its bridges in the close-knit forestry sector. “The area drastically needs these projects, but at the same time we don’t need people not paying,” he said, noting it causes a domino effect in the community when people aren’t paid. He says that while Yaorun eventually paid him enough money to pay his employees, the company still owes him tens of thousands of dollars.
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By JOSH MASSEY TERRACE city council didn’t come up with any immediate solution to losing a free recycling service at its March 25 meeting. But it did resolve to implement a “comprehensive recycling strategy” that will include opportunities for public engagement after councillor Brian Downie put forth a motion to do “a recycling study for the city of Terrace and invite the citizens of Terrace to engage.” Waste Management closed down its self-serve depot March 31, citing costs. The company did not charge for the service and was not getting any other financial assistance. The company offered the service for nearly a year, placing bins at its facilities here in Terrace. Before that, the city had been operating its own service, a pilot project set up at the old Co-op property using two local companies, Geier Waste and DoYour-Part, until Waste Management said it would take on the task at no charge. Several councillors also said they discussed the issue at recent conferences and committee meetings, and are searching for solutions to Terrace’s unique challenges being a smaller population far from recycling plants in the south. Meanwhile, the city’s sustainability coordinator Tara Irwin said that the B.C. government plans to table legislation next spring that will overhaul the province’s recycling system, implementing “extended producer responsibility (EPR)”, forcing companies to pay for recycling programs based on the amount of packaging they produce. “This will incentivize industry to reduce their packaging,” said Irwin.
Margaret Speirs PHOTO
■■ Touching moment eva henry celebrates her 100th birthday with friends and family members, including her great-greatgrandaughter Chloe Pritchard above, at Terraceview Lodge March 28.
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More medals
Colourful
After you...
Four more locals awarded a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal \COMMUNITY A16
Local author and great grandmother Tess Tessier passes away \NEWS A13
The cage takes centre stage at the Terrace Sportsplex on April 13 \SPORTS A26