TUESDAY
S I N C E
OCTOBER 15, 2013
1 8 9 5 Local songwriters pen country single
Vol. 118, Issue 162
105
$
INCLUDING G.S.T.
Follow us online
Page 2
PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALMO
New recycling plan will save RDKB money
FALL FLAVOURS
Manufacturer will absorb costs BY VALERIE ROSSI Times Staff
VALERIE ROSSI PHOTO
Two-year-old Lukka Payne of Warfield was thankful for Rossland's beautiful fall weather and a juicy apple to sink his teeth into.
Product packaging already looks much different with bio-degradable chip bags and recyclable coffee to-go cups and the trend is set to continue with the introduction of a packaging and printed paper plan that puts the responsibility of recycling into the hands of manufacturers. Under the provincial government’s direction, Multi-Material British Columbia (MMBC) is the not-for-profit organization formed by industry to manage a new printed paper and packaging recycling system that is said to relieve local governments of cost and administrative burden next year. For the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) this ultimately means a savings of an estimated $785,000 annually, which could be injected into other environmental projects that too would result in further cost savings down the line, according to Alan Stanley, RDKB director of environmental services. “MMBC just represents the manufacturers of all this stuff and it's always been the goal to have the manufacturers responsible,” said Stanley. “Our board was more than happy to hand it over it to them because technically and legally now it is their problem.” Local governments that collect waste for recycling were given a three-point ultimatum this fall to accept MMBC's financial offer and keep collecting paper and packaged products using the local government's contractor, to decline the MMBC offer and transfer collection to the organization or to decline MMBC and continue to collect these materials without its involvement. See CHANGE, Page 3
New regional bus routes attracting more passengers BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
More people are hopping on board the bus following the launch of expanded West Kootenay routes three months ago. Since July, passengers have hitched a ride on the West Kootenay Transit Committee’s integrated regional system that created three zones, including the Columbia zone, which melds Castlegar, Trail, Fruitvale and Rossland, Slocan zone (Playmor Junction up to Slocan City), and the Kootenay zone, which includes Nelson, with an all-zone or regional pass.
“The Columbia zone between. “It is early days but I ridership is up 19,000 trips “Combined route travthis September compared to think the system will els from Trail to Selkirk last,” said Meribeth Burton, College grew from 3,768 continue to grow as BC Transit spokesperson. trips to 4,575 this year,” “It is sizable jump and more people become said Burton. good or better than we “In general it appears aware of it.” anticipated.” that we have a good foundaMERIBETH BURTON The goal of the committion for an integrated systee was to develop a trantem and will continue to sit system for the area, where someone build on that.” can board the bus in Trail and travel Ridership increases in the Kootenay straight through to Castlegar, the Slocan zone, specifically the Number 99 route Valley, Nakusp or Nelson and all points in from Castlegar to Nelson and the Number
! W O N
11 route that connects Balfour to Nelson, both saw an 11 per cent revenue jump. In response, BC Transit is currently reviewing the need to add extra trips to those routes, as well as increasing boarding opportunities in the Slocan zone. “We’ve been hearing for years these are the pattern that people were looking for,” said Burton. “It’s exciting that more people are making those connections whether it is for school or work and the transition between.” See PROVINCIAL, Page 3
Waneta Plaza’s 35 Anniversary Sidewalk Sale - October 13 - 26 th
We will be collecting donations for the from October 13 - 26
food bank
October 25th Old Time Fiddlers 1 - 3pm
Entertaining to collected donations to the food bank October 25th @ 1pm enjoy some of our
Anniversary Cake!
Late Night Shopping Thurs. & Fri. to 9pm www.wanetaplaza.com 5 min. east of Trail on Hwy 3B
Contact the Times: Phone: FineLine250-368-8551 Technologies 62937 Index 9 Fax:JN250-368-8550 80% 1.5 BWR NU Newsroom: 250-364-1242 Canada Post, Contract number 42068012