Kimberley Daily Bulletin, February 27, 2014

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 27, 2014

NORTH STAR SKATERS

SPIRITUAL RETREAT

ICE SHOW

HAVEN OF HOPE

Local figure skaters prepare for year end show.

Retreat planned near Fort Steele.

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PROUDLY SERVING KIMBERLEY AND AREA SINCE 1932 | Vol. 82, Issue 40 | www.dailybulletin.ca

CONTAMINATED LANDS

A question of taxation

City hopes to have Assessment Act amended so contaminated lands such as tailings ponds could be taxable C AROLYN GR ANT editor@dailybulletin.ca

PHOTO SUBMITTED

How does East Kootenay Atom A Division champion sound? Congratulations to the Kimberley Atom Dynamiters on winning the banner. Above, coaches from left to right: Shane Murray, Corey Miller, Graeme Douglas, Mike Flowers. Back row: Declan Armstrong, Jeremy Peet, Zoe Callwood, Ally Murray, Brady Anderson, Dylan Flowers, Mark Van Zyl. Middle row: Leith Olafson, Iain Douglas, Ryan Renaud, Chase Flegel, Kasey Miller, Ryan White, Justin Sommer, Landen Schafer. Front row: Will Doerksen, Tyden Wilson.

Concern over new street drug Illicit version of Fentanyl sold as Greenies, Green Jellies, Street Oxy and Fake 80s ARNE PETRYSHEN Townsman Staff

There’s a new illicit drug circulating in the community that could cause major problems for opiate users. The drug is an illicit version of Fentanyl, a strong painkiller, that is being sold as the drug Oxycontin. The problem, said Dean Nicholson, from East Kootenay Addiction Services Society, is that the dosages the

drug comes in are highly variant, which is causing users to overdose. “We’ve had a fatal overdose in last couple of weeks and we’ve had a number of overdoses in Cranbrook and other parts of the East Kootenay,” Nicholson said. “That’s not a typical thing that we would see in our region.”

He said the society is trying to bring the issue to people’s attention, since people in the drug-using community may not be clear what they are getting with the drug. He said there’s been an increase in opiate-type drug use in the last couple years all across North America. See DRUG, page 3

For years, the City of Kimberley has been attempting to persuade the provincial government to change their tune on the issue of contaminated lands taxation. The government’s current position is that if contaminated lands would cost too much to remediate, they have no value and therefore are not subject to taxation. Kimberley has been arguing, to no avail, that the lands should be subject to some sort of municipal taxation. Kimberley has an issue because of the large Teck Sullivan Mine tailings ponds, which surround the old concentrator site. Recently, the City put forward a motion through the UBCM to ask for a change to the Assessment Act. The motion was not successful. Coun. Albert Hoglund declared himself “very disappointed” in the decision. “I don’t think it’s right that the government gives big companies a break like that. If land is going to be used as tailings ponds, it must have some value. I’m not sure how to change the government’s thinking on that.” “I’m extremely disappointed,” said Coun. Kent Goodwin. “I don’t think they read our resolution. We asked for a change to the Assessment Act and they write back that the Assessment Act is written that way. It’s an illogical answer.” “It is a frustrating situation,” said Coun. Darryl Oakley. “We are surrounded by that land and can’t do anything with it. I don’t understand. It’s a holding area, it has to have some value.” Council decided to direct staff to look at who responded to the resolution and strategize as to how they could have their opinion heard.

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