Issuu

Spruce Kings shut out Brooks Bandits in Doyle Cup playoff opener SPORTS 9

Saturday, April 27, 2019 | Your community newspaper since 1916

CITIZEN PHOTO BY BRENT BRAATEN

Fire Hall construction Construction has started on the new Fire Hall No. 1 on Massey Drive. Excavators are removing about three metres of soil to install footings which will support the foundation of the building.

B.C. entrepreneur refloats Kitimat oil refinery proposal Derrick PENNER Vancouver Sun Victoria businessman David Black is pondering whether political winds might be blowing back in favour of his independent proposal to build an oil refinery near Kitimat, as opposed to the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion to Burnaby. Federally, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has been cold to the idea, Black said, and Premier John Horgan hasn’t been able to extend support. However, with Alberta premierelect Jason Kenney preparing to take office and odds wavering over the possibility of a turnover in government at Ottawa after October’s election, Black is reflecting on the supportive comments he has heard from conservative camps. “There’s no question they’ll be supportive,” Black said Thursday. Black, whose regular job is owner of Black Press, first proposed his plan in 2012. Last summer, Black met with Kenney, as Alberta United Conservative Party leader, and federal Conservative party Leader Andrew Scheer, to lobby for his proposal after sensing a cooling of interest from the federal Liberal government. Black said both leaders expressed interest. “I got the impression they were

Today’s Weather Hi +3° Low -3° See page 2 for more details and short-term forecasts

Black’s Kitimat Clean proposal would be a $22-billion project to turn bitumen from Alberta’s oilsands into solid pellets for shipment... very keen,” Black said of his meetings with Scheer. Kenney, whom he last met last August over dinner in Calgary, told Black that it “seems like it’s a really good idea (if we can) move our oil safely and cheaply out to the coast.” And with sky-high Metro Vancouver gasoline prices sharing space at the top of the political agenda, Black has reconnected with B.C. and Alberta political leaders urging them to focus more on co-operation than their divisions over the Trans Mountain project. Horgan, while discussing provincial concerns about skyrocketing gas prices, has repeatedly lamented that a lack of domestic refining capacity has contributed to the industry’s problems. Black’s Kitimat Clean proposal would be a $22-billion project

LOCAL HOROSCOPE NEWS OPINION TRAVEL SPORTS A&E

1-3 2 4-5 6 8 9-11 12-15

COMICS CROSSWORD WORKLIFE AT HOME CLASSIFIEDS MONEY RELIGION

to turn bitumen from Alberta’s oilsands into solid pellets for shipment by train to a refinery north of Kitimat. Refined gas, diesel and other petroleum products – not diluted bitumen – would be loaded onto tankers for shipment to markets around the world. Black is betting First Nations and other traditional oilsands opponents will be more supportive if it eliminates the risk of a pipeline rupture and trades the risk of a catastrophic tanker spill of diluted bitumen with less-damaging gas or diesel. Officials from Kenney and Scheer’s offices didn’t respond to Postmedia requests for comment. Horgan, speaking at a transportation-related announcement in Langley on Thursday, said he has asked his deputy minister to look for ways that B.C., as a subnational jurisdiction, might be able to encourage gas-price reductions in the short-term or an increase in refining capacity in the longerterm. Horgan acknowledged Black’s proposal as one option and said, “I look forward to him entering the regulatory process to see if he has the wherewithal, in terms of capital, in terms of expertise, to pull that off.” – with files from Jennifer Saltman, Vancouver Sun

13-21 13 16 17-18 19-22 23 24

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

City employees Brent Collison and Keith Stibrany use a boat to set out an aerator pump in Hudson’s Bay Wetland in 2015.

Wetland clean-up happening Sunday Frank PEEBLES Citizen staff fpeebles@pgcitizen.ca When the snow melts, the garbage and mess is revealed. One of the city’s most ecologically sensitive and diverse preserves, the Hudson’s Bay Wetland, gets an annual spruceup each spring, depending on the weather. The spring freshet has cleared the way for this year’s cleanup

Victoria to make transit free

www.pgcitizen.ca

NEWS 4

so the Prince George Naturalists’ Club has put out the call to join them on Sunday for the important tidying event. “The Prince George Naturalists Club has adopted the Hudson’s Bay Wetland again for this year’s citywide spring cleaning event,”said Anne Hogan. “Come and help us beautify our city by volunteering to clean up refuse.” — see WETLANDS, page 3

Newsstand $2.00 incl. tax Home Delivered 95¢/day

58307

00200