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Saturday, September 15, 2018 | Your community newspaper since 1916
CITIZEN PHOTO BY BRENT BRAATEN
Tour de North
The 29 riders on this years Cops for Cancer Tour de North ride up Ospika Boulevard on their way to Highway 16 west on Friday morning. The group of RCMP members and emergency services personnel, and community members from across northern B.C., will cycle over 850 km on the route from Prince George to Prince Rupert. This years fundraising goal for the team is $300,000. Their first stop is Vanderhoof. Today they will ride into Fort St. James then on to Fraser Lake for the night. Sunday night they will be in Burns Lake, Monday in Smithers, Tuesday in Hazelton, Wednesday in Terrace. Thursday they will finish the ride in Prince Rupert.
Cannabis policy and bylaw Thirteen candidates to go before council Monday running for council Mark NIELSEN Citizen staff A series of amended bylaws and a revised policy setting out how the city will treat cannabis sellers and growers will be presented to city council on Monday night. Pending council approval, cannabis retailers will be able to set up shop within select commercial zones. The sites will not be “pre-zoned.” Rather, each will require a separate rezoning application and approval from city council. The stores are to be no less than 1.6 kilometres from each other and their hours set at 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., with council reserving the power to increase or decrease them on a case-by-case basis. Both retailers and growers will also pay the city $5,000 per year for a business licence, which staff said is consistent with the rates
charged by other B.C. municipalities for these types of businesses. As per the existing bylaw governing medical marijuana grow operations, properties to be used for cannabis production will be at least 15 hectares in size and have at minimum 150-metre setback from any parks and schools. As well, there must be a 30-metre setback from the property line for the facility, rising to 60 metres if there is no screened buffer. As well, the term “cannabis” will replace all previous references to “marijuana” in the city’s existing bylaws and the product has been essentially folded into the city’s existing liquor licensing policy. The relevant items will be up for first and second reading. Also on the agenda: • Coun. Brian Skakun will seek council’s support for a proposal to
heighten the battle against illegal garbage dumping. Specifically, he has put forward a motion to direct administration to work with the Fraser-Fort George Regional District to develop a strategy to reduce the practice. “Illegal dumping has negative effects on natural areas and to the overall cleanliness of our community. There have been reports of illegal dumping within the City of Prince George specifically in areas surrounding Foothills and Tyner boulevards,” Skakun says in a report included on the meeting agenda. The FFGRD “faces the same challenges,” Skakun continues. Along with the regional district, he suggested key stakeholders such as the Spruce City Wildlife Association be included in the process. — see TOURISM, page 3
Pot farm odour, security concerns leaders Jeremy HAINSWORTH Citizen news service Marijuana farm odour and security on B.C.’s Agricultural Land Reserve are issues of concern for municipal leaders gathered in Whistler for the annual Union of B.C. Municipalities conference. “The No. 1 issue is going to be odour,” said Vanderhoof Coun. Brian Frenkel. “I’m going to suggest the odour doesn’t come and go,” added Chilli-
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wack poultry farmer and city councillor Chris Kloot. “It’s 24/7.” Control of odour can fall under federal, provincial and local controls, government officials said. The federal Cannabis Act outlines cultivation and processing practices, B.C. Ministry of Agriculture senior policy analyst Jackie Cushing said. Cannabis can be grown in open fields or in buildings constructed specifically for growing crops prior to July 13. “Any building that has been used
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for animals or livestock does not qualify,” said Agricultural Land Commission CEO Kim Grout. “It’s only buildings that have been used for crops.” However, said Willow Minaker, director of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Strengthening Farming initiative, Ottawa has yet to release odour compliance and enforcement guidelines. However, she added, federal regulations say filtration systems must be in place to restrict odours. — see ‘IT’S IMPOSSIBLE, page 3
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Mark NIELSEN Citizen staff mnielsen@pgcitizen.ca Prince George voters will have 13 candidates to choose from for the eight city councillor spots – and two for mayor. Willy Ens, a relative unknown, submitted nomination papers Friday to run against mayoral incumbent Lyn Hall. Ens could not be immediately reached for comment but on a Facebook page, said he is a “radical nonconformist thinking coach. Here to preserve Mother Earth for seven generations forward.” Running for the remaining seats on city council are Frank Everitt, Viv Fox, Garth Frizzell, Dave Fuller, Murry Krause, Terri McConnachie, Cori Ramsay, Kyle Sampson, Susan Scott, Paul Serup, Brian Skakun, Cameron Stolz and Chris Wood. As for school board, running for one of five area one (Prince George) seats are Betty Bekkering, Tim Bennett, Sarah Holland, Trudy Klassen, Allan Kranz, Stephanie Mikalishen-Deol, Ron Polillo, Corey Walker, Sharel Warrington and Bruce Wiebe. Harold Edwards and Bob
Thompson are vying to represent area three (Robson Valley) and Shuirose Valimohamed is the sole candidate for area two (Mackenzie). As for the Fraser-Fort George Regional District board of directors, Warren Wilson, (Electoral Area A Salmon River and Lakes), Bill Empey (Electoral Area D Tabor Lake-Stone Creek) and Art Kaehn (Electoral Area E Woodpecker-Hixon) are in by acclamation. Here’s a look at the contested races: • Electoral Area C Chilako River-Nechako: Lara Beckett and Colin Clyne. • Electoral Area F Willow River-Upper Fraser: Kevin Dunphy and Joe Rositano. • Electoral Area G Crooked River-Parsnip: Terry Burgess, James Clefstad and Pat Crook. • Electoral Area H Robson Valley-Canoe: Dannielle Alan and Ben Hunter. Candidacies remain subject to challenge until Tuesday at 4 p.m. and the deadline for withdrawal is Friday at 4 p.m. The campaign period begins Sept. 22 – although candidates have been allowed to erect signs since September – and general voting day is Oct. 20.
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