S TANDARD TERRACE
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VOL. 26 NO. 12
www.terracestandard.com
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Power line cost stuns gov’t
THE PROVINCIAL cabinet minister in charge of BC Hydro says he's going to find out why the Northwest Transmission Line project cost has ballooned to $736 million. “I will be meeting often, quickly, with B.C. Hydro to determine how this happens. Our government does not support this way of managing capital projects, and we will get to the bottom of it,” energy minister Bill Bennett told the legislature June 27 when pressed in Question Period for an explanation. Just last year the project to run a power line 344km north of the
Skeena Substation near Terrace to Bob Quinn on Hwy37 North was pegged at $561 million. That cost was revised to a range of between $561 million and $617 million this spring and then revised again to $736 million in budget documents released yesterday. First estimates in 2007 placed the cost at $404 million, a figure that's been rising steadily since. NDP opposition leader Adrian Dix, in questioning Bennett, wondered why the cost grew so much in the time before the May 14 provincial election to now. “They said it was $561 mil-
lion before the election, and now suddenly, magically, he discovers another $170 million in cost overruns now to tell the people of British Columbia about. Can he give any explanation to ratepayers and taxpayers for this, frankly, outright incompetence on the part of the government?” Dix asked. Bennett said the cost increase wasn't known by the government until after the election, adding he was in “dismay” over the new figure. Despite the cost increase, Bennett defended the transmission line as “nation-building,” saying devel-
opments that will stem from it will create jobs and revenue. “[The] Red Chris mine will employ 350 people. Many of those people will be First Nations people. There'll be Nisga'a. There'll be Tahltan. There'll be other First Nations people. They're excited about this opportunity, and this opportunity does not exist unless we have electricity up that highway,” said Bennett. The energy minister listed off a series of reasons the project cost has kept climbing. He said a slow construction start was blamed on the need to first sign impact benefit
agreements with First Nations affected by the line. “Those economic benefit agreements have been negotiated. The First Nations along the line are actually quite supportive. In fact, First Nations are involved, actually, in the construction of this power line,” added Bennett. “That delayed the start point of the construction, and I'm advised – I'm telling you what B.C. Hydro has told me – that in fact that slow start caused them to put additional resources in at the front end of construction, which ended up costing them more money,” said Bennett.
City gets power to fine landlords
Anna Killen PHOTO
■■ Need wood? Monica Watson, program coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Terrace holds up one of 100 bundles of firewood that will be sold at Furlong by Northwest Escapes Ltd. as a fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Volunteers spent Friday, June 28 chopping cedar logs donated by Northwest Community College at the Terrace and District Community Services Society Core Store, which also celebrated its first anniversary July 2.
THE CITY of Terrace has taken on the authority to check on the living conditions of rented dwellings without first informing the landlord and to punish with fines. “We want to ensure that nobody’s in mould, in the cold, without lights,” councillor Bruce Bidgood said as city council formally adopted its Standards of Maintenance for Residential Rental Premises bylaw June 24. “In February a person shouldn’t have to wait weeks to get heat.” The bylaw contains provisions regarding light, heat, refrigeration, ventilation, water supply, as well as services and utilities. Most of the provisions follow a template provided by the province, however one is uniquely tailored to Terrace, enforcing ventilation standards to reduce mould—a rule to “maintain the building envelope to prevent the accumulation of moisture in the walls or drafts through the wall system.” Heat must be maintained at a minimum temperature of 22 degrees Celsius, and hot water in a rental unit at a minimum temperature of 45 degrees Celsius, and taps and toilets must always have running water. A second bylaw passed first, second and third readings on June 24 and will change several city ticketing rules, giving both the city bylaw officer and building
inspectors the power to fine landlords for not maintaining proper living standards. The bylaw raises city fine limits from $25 to $100. In the case of maintenance standards violations, landlords can be penalized for up to $2,000, with a maximum of $100 maximum per day, per problem. Councillor Stacey Tyers said she was excited to see the bylaw passed. “It gives tenants another avenue if the landlord is grossly ignoring the quality and conditions of the unit,” said Tyers, a poverty law advocate for Terrace and District Community Services Society. “What is really shocking is how few cities have standard housing bylaws,” she said. While most council members supported the recommended bylaw, there was discussion over the rights of landlords to know when their buildings are being inspected. “I’m suggesting that a simple phone call to the landlord or the landlord’s representative would avoid some confusion down the road ... there should be some contact with the landlord because they have rights too,” said councillor Brian Downie. City development services director David Block said there would be communication before a fine or strongly worded letter was issued to a landlord.
Long lost film
Lift off
Northmen win
Recently recovered film shows medical life during wartime \COMMUNITY A11
Industrial developments lure helicopter companies to Terrace \NEWS A5
Terrace Northmen swat the Prince George Gnats in Division 3 play \SPORTS A23