kitimat northern sentinel, may 11, 2016

NorthernSentinelK I T I M A T

Volume 62 No. 19 www.northernsentinel.com Wednesday, May 11, 2016 $1.30 INCLUDESTAX

The West Coast Amusement fair was in Kitimat on May 3 and attracted hundreds of residents to the excitement of the cotton candy, mini donuts, flashing lights and exciting rides. Little ones were thrilled as they bravely ‘took to the sky’ in this ride, which looked like they were ‘dropping from the sky’. Louisa Genzale photo.

BC Housing low-income residents.

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Bag ladies innovative use for one-time use plastic bags.

/page 5

PM477761

LNG companies announce milestones for projects

Two announcements last week move one planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Kitimat closer to a quicker construction start should it ever make a decision to proceed.

TransCanada announced May 5 it has received the final provincial permits needed for construction of its Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline that would feed the planned LNG Canada plant while LNG Canada itself said it has chosen the construction partnership of Bird-Civeo to build a 4,500-person work camp.

With the final decision from the LNG Canada partners expected in late 2016, TransCanada says it is ready to begin work on the Coastal GasLink pipe-line in 2017.

LNG Canada is prepared to have its contractors start building accommoda-tion for its workers at a facility called the Cedar Valley Lodge as soon as a final in-

vestment decision is reached.The work camp will be built imme-

diately adjacent to LNG Canada’s plant located in Kitimat at the former Meth-anex site so that workers will be closer to the job site.

Though construction of the Cedar Valley Lodge will not go ahead unless LNG Canada choses to build the coastal liquefied natural gas facility, Bird-Civeo says it will prepare engineering and plan-ning work in the interim.

The lodge is expected to be 1.2 mil-lion square feet in size with residences, kitchens, dining areas, an entertainment area and a recreational facility.

LNG Canada says providing ac-commodation will reduce the strain on Kitimat’s own services and it will also be providing on-site health care.

The permits received by TransCana-da for its Coastal GasLink pipeline were the last two of them needed for the pipe-

line and natural gas metering system.The issuing of the latest permits to

TransCanada means that the project has met B.C. environmental protection stan-dards. The project received an environ-mental assessment certificate in October of 2014.

The pipeline is intended to run 670 kilometers between natural gas fields in Dawson Creek and Kitimat, carrying liquefied natural gas to the LNG Cana-da processing and export facility which would ship the product in tankers over-seas.

As of January, TransCanada had signed economic benefits agreements with 11 First Nations groups along the pipeline path, but is still working to reach a deal with remaining groups.

The company expects the pipeline construction will generate up to 2,500 jobs and will cost approximately $4.8 billion.

Local Kitimat stores have stepped up with the desperately needed help to lend to those who have been displaced due to the havoc the wildfires in Alberta have caused.

Stores have set up their own local disaster relief effort to provide comprehensive support to those in Fort McMurray.

Save-On-Foods has pulled together teams in the B.C. and Alberta warehouses who put to-gether care packages to send along to Alberta. At least one truckload has been sent, with more on the way. In addition, Save-On-Foods has donated $150,000 in cash and product toward the wildfire relief efforts.

Save-On-Foods in Kitimat will continue to collect cash and More Rewards points donations, which will be sent directly to the Canadian Red Cross.

The Loblaws Companies Ltd., has committed to a cash donation of $150,000 to the Canadian Red Cross, including individual cash donations and pro-visions of essential food and health supplies.

“Customers in stores across the country have already donated more than $638,000,” Kyle Mac-Gillivray, owner of Kyle’s No Frills stated.

“We are accepting donations that are directly going to the Canadian Red Cross of Northern Al-berta.” Donations of cash or PC Plus points are accepted at Kyle’s No Frills in Kitimat.

Kitimat’s B.C. Liquor store is accepting do-nations of cash to send to the Canadian Red Cross to help provide evacuees with shelter, food and water.

Dora Davies, manager of the Kitimat B.C. Liquor store says, “Kitimat’s response has been very positive.”

“Most of us all have friends and relatives from Alberta [who need the help].”

The Canadian Red cross announces all indi-vidual donations are being matched by the Gov-ernment of Canada.

Aid for fire victims

Submitted

TELUS will invest $4 mil-lion in new infrastructure and facilities, which includes Kiti-mat this year to increase wireless and high-speed Internet capacity to meet the rapidly growing de-mand, ensuring customers stay connected at home, at work and on the go.

This signi� cant investment is part of TELUS’ commitment to invest $4.5 billion in British Columbia through 2019 to ex-tend � bre optic infrastructure directly to thousands of homes and businesses in rural and urban communities, further strengthen wireless service, and support key services including healthcare and education with new tech-nologies.

By the end of 2019, TELUS will have invested $51 billion in British Columbia since the year 2000.

“As demand for Internet and wireless services in Kitimat continue to increase, we remain committed to investing in the advanced infrastructure that will not only meet that demand, but also support the future of our digital economy and delivery of critical services such as health-care and education,” said Lance

MacDonald, TELUS General Manager for Northern British Columbia.

“Our local investment of $5 million this year re� ects TELUS’ commitment to en-hance our high-speed Internet footprint in Kitimat, bene� tting generations to come.”

“TELUS’ investment in its network equipment supports an important goal in our BCTECH strategy to ensure high-speed Internet access is available to 100 per cent of the province by 2021,” said Minister of Tech-nology, Innovation and Citi-zens’ Services Amrik Virk.

“This upgrade will help meet the growing demand for wireless and Internet service for businesses and residents in rural communities.”

Signi� cant investment will increase wireless speeds and capacity, enhance high-speed Internet and help deliver better healthcare solutions.

2 Northern Sentinel, Wednesday, May 11, 2016

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Northern Sentinel, Wednesday, May 11, 2016 3

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DISTRICT OF KITIMAT

PUBLIC NOTICEANNUAL WATER MAIN

FLUSHING 2016March to June 2016

The District of Kitimat will undertake the annual water main flushing.Flushing will start during the month of March and finish in June. This operation may cause temporary discolouration of the water supply and should clear up soon after the operation is completed. If the problem persists please contact the District of Kitimat.Thank you for your cooperation and patience in this matter.For further information please visit our website atwww.kitimat.ca or call Public Works at 250-632-8930.

Kitimat city coun-cil approved a request on May 2 made by BC Housing to convert the former City Centre Suites motel into an ex-treme weather home-less shelter and afford-able housing building.

The application for the rezoning of the 480 City Centre address to multi-family residen-tial housing was passed in a 4-2 vote despite concerns submitted to council by nearby busi-ness owners.

At a public hearing prior to the decision, only the company rep-resenting BC Housing addressed councillors. The proposed housing complex would con-sist of 22 one-bedroom units for individuals and couples, two bach-elor units and two ex-treme weather shelter rooms with a total of four beds available in the winter months.

During the public consultation period, the city received two letters and two phone calls from concerned Kitimat residents ex-pressing their opposi-tion to having such housing in the down-town core, citing that it may compromise the safety and prosperity of businesses.

Councillors Mario Feldhoff, Claire Rat-tee, Marry Murphy and Edwin Empinado all

voted in favour of al-lowing BC Housing to precede with the com-plex so long as they found a solution for the limited parking space available.

Those who voted against the rezon-ing, councillors Larry Walker and Rob Goffi-net, said they were con-cerned that the deci-sion was being rushed through and wanted to leave the adoption of the rezoning to the next council meeting.

“I was concerned about the perceived rushing of the [de-cision],” councillor Walker said, noting that his only problem with the project itself was that it served just individuals and couples in the community, not

families.BC Housing does

not allow parents to re-side with their children in bachelor or one-bed-room units.

Mayor Phil Ger-muth was absent from the meeting.

Lance Barrowman of WSP Global on be-half of BC Housing informed council of the project details, saying that BC Housing plans to find a local person or society to manage the building and provide an on-site landlord. The subsidized rental rates would also make the building accessible to people on welfare, he said.

“The cliental are to be a mix of homeless and at-risk of home-lessness, seniors, low

to moderate income households and the low income market,” Bar-rowman told council. “Primarily this accom-modation will cater to individuals and cou-ples, potentially free-ing up larger homes or apartments in the com-munity.”

“In times of severe weather, two rooms on the second floor will be opened up for people or a family needing a place to stay, this is open only during the winter months,” he continued in reference to the shelter which would replace the ex-isting one with a 15-bed capacity in the basement of Kitimat Baptist Church.

The current shelter is described as “lightly

used,” only accommo-dating 11 different cli-ents last year.

Rooms in the new complex would only be available to renters who are registered with BC Housing, though people from any com-munity in B.C. may apply.

Council pointed to the recent Housing Ac-tion Plan completed by the city and concluded that there is a substan-tial need for affordable one-bedroom housing in Kitimat making it unlikely that tenants would be brought in from other parts of the province.

“All in all this is a good use I believe of the former Kitimat City Center Motel. We saw in recent years the

challenges put on our community for housing and maybe we might see that again if other projects move for-ward,” councillor Feld-hoff reasoned, refer-ring to the strains the Kitimat Modernization Project -- undertaken at Alcan’s aluminum plant between 2011 – 2015 -- put on the city.

“With the shelter being incorporated in there, it’s maybe not perfect in the eyes of everyone, but I think it is good for the commu-nity,” he said.

Prior to making their decision, council was presented with two letters expressing op-position to the project.

Kory Bumby of North Country Enter-prises Ltd. submitted a statement saying his company objects to

the housing in the pro-posed location saying “it is not appropriate within a professional business district.”

“Most often with a transient population crime is also increased. Professional businesses need secure locations and parking to run and receive their clients,” Bumby continued.

Arlene Lenardo of Yireh Canada also sent a letter requesting the rezoning application be turned down.

Lenardo, on behalf of the Yireh Canada building owners, said they believe “that the proposed rental accom-modation would have a negative impact on the value of the nearby commercial proper-ties” and customers would “shun the sur

Shannon LoughBlack Press

The Northern Gateway project is asking for more time from the National En-ergy Board.

The 1,177-km pipeline to bring crude oil from Edmon-ton to Kitimat was approved by the National Energy Board in 2014 as long as the pro-ponent, Enbridge Inc., could meet 209 conditions.

On Friday, Northern Gateway filed a request for a three-year extension from the National Energy Board. The project wants more time to get legal and regulatory cer-tainty and to continue discus-sions with First Nations com-munities, as stated in the press release.

Residents of Kitimat and

along the North Coast have opposed the pipeline and some groups have even chal-lenged the project in court. The proponent stated that it needs more time to “advance dialogue with coastal com-munities.”

“Northern Gateway has changed. We are making progress and remain open to further changes. We believe this is the right course of ac-tion for Northern Gateway and the right thing to do as Canadians. We know this pro-cess requires time and we are committed to getting it right,” said John Carruthers, the president of Northern Gate-way.

Carruthers also said the project needed to build rela-tionships with First Nations communities on the West

Coast of B.C.“While we had the right

intentions, we should have done a better job of listening and fostering these critical relationships and develop-ing our plans together as true partners,” he said in the press release.

Some of the changes to the project, since it received approval, include work with Aboriginal Equity Partners, a collaboration of 31 First Na-tions and Métis communities who have part ownership to Northern Gateway.

Ownership with First Na-tions and Métis has increased from 10 per cent to 33 per cent and enhanced benefits for their communities doubled from $1 billion to $2 billion.

The project is also work-ing on a design with coastal

First Nations and govern-ments to establish a “best practice spill response capac-ity that reflects the unique nature of British Columbia’s North Coast making it safer for all vessels,” as stated in the press release.

The Aboriginal Equity Partner Stewards also com-mented on the project stating there is a misconception that there is no First Nation or Mé-tis support for the pipeline. “This is not true. In fact, sup-port for our Project has grown from 26 to 31 communities over the past two years and is continuing to grow.”

“Our goal is for Northern Gateway to help our young people to have a future where they can stay in their commu-nities with training and work opportunities.”

Northern Gateway asks for extension

Continued on page 8

BC Housing converts City Centre Suites to shelter

City Centre Suites located at city centre, next to Dairy Queen.


The simple description of wild� re is “an uncontrolled � re in a woodland area.”

That de� nition was wildly insuf-� cient and changed this past week in Fort McMurray, Alberta -- when un-controlled wild� re became synony-mous with disaster, destruction, devas-tation, desperation and deadly danger to life. Writing for a Friday deadline for a next Wednesday publication, like-ly makes much of what is said either redundant, wrong or possibly overly reactionary or understated.

If like me, however, you just spent the last two or three days - prior to the weekend - literally glued to hour by hour television coverage of this hu-man and property disaster, you were watching incident after incident dem-onstrate that Canadians under extreme pressure and certain personal loss, re-main capable of seeing a bigger pic-ture and considerate of others, offering help and support on an unprecedented scale. Watching families negotiate the � ame-ringed narrow roads out of Fort

McMurray and realizing this was not a disaster movie but the real challege of some 80,000 fellow Canadians � eeing for their lives will always remain � xed in my mind.

I’m still watching this morning (Thursday) as public leadership, Al-berta Premier Rachel Notley, the leading � re� ghting experts engaged in the � re battle, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale and a number of others are helping to clarify Canadians’ un-derstanding of developments, issues, concerns, legalities and presenting examples of the extraordinary bravery and resilience of families required to leave their home with only minutes of notice and to � ee with only the clothes on their backs and whatever few per-

sonal effects they elected to save. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assures Canadians the federal government is doing and will do all it can to solve the immediate problems and help with the rebuild.

At the time, as the gusting winds drove the � re in all directions, none knew what would occur. However, within hours many learned everything they had was engulfed in � ames and lost. The others knew the same could happen to them and could only dread the next news or phone call.

The full scale of the emergency will not be fully understood for a long time. Right now it is not comprehensi-ble - but hopefully the best minds will look carefully and sympathetically at the needs of individuals, affected fami-lies, the municipal infrastructure, the future of the critical industries that cre-ated and supported Fort MacMurray, the long term welfare of the province of Alberta -- pounded by economic downturn and then this -- and the best

In approving BC Housing’s rezone request to turn the former City Centre Suites into an affordable housing complex and extreme weather shelter, Kitimat city council made progress on an issue where neighbouring Terrace could not.

It was just last month that Terrace city council struck down a proposal by community support organization Ksan House Society to open a shelter in the city’s downtown core.

The decision comes as the number of people in Terrace who are homeless sores above 100.

Ultimately, Kitimat council looked past the surface ambiance of the city centre and allowed in a much needed service in close proximity to many of Kitimat’s amenities.

The issue here is that people who are on low income, disability, or are homeless cannot afford or secure a place to live, not that crime will somehow increase in Kitimat based on the location of housing services.

After all, the people who are in need of a complex such as the one proposed are not new to the city.

Council’s decision to house disadvantaged people re� ects on the community of Kitimat and its willingness to provide for other’s needs.

In a lot of ways, Kitimat has been fortunate to have economic security and wealth for most of its existence, but not every citizen will have the same level of prosperity.

It would have been easy to focus on the desires of people more privileged in the community and so Kitimat city council showed leadership in moving forward.

Cecile Favron

Alberta fires not a disaster movie

Kitimatquite

Progressive

Published every Wednesday by the Northern Sentinel • LOUISA GENZALE - Publisher / General Manager • CAMERON ORR - Editor626 Enterprise Ave., Kitimat, BC V8C 2E4 • Ph. 250 632-6144 • Fax 250 639-9373 • Email [email protected] • www.northernsentinel.com

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Weekly CrosswordSolution in the Classi� eds

Clues Across1. Administrative Review

Board4. Not worried8. Rowan Atkinson played

him10. Stars11. Indian city12. North American nation13. He partnered with

Garfunkel15. Understood16. Foe17. Jewish state18. 2015 postseason hero21. Largest English

dictionary (abbr.)22. Goddess of the dawn23. __ Squad

Clues Down

24. Belonging to a thing25. Food-related allergic

reaction (abbr.)26. Car mechanics

group27. Exceed in weight34. Deserved35. Singer Thicke36. Clemencies38. Critique39. Resented40. Type of tissue41. Passages42. It comes in a can43. His heart is in San

Francisco44. Retirement account

1. Belittled2. Actress King3. They pour drinks4. Communicates5. Take advantage of6. Take on cargo7. A stiff drink9. Actress Watts10. Natives of the American

Southwest12. Covered14. The Science Guy Bill15. Soviet Socialist Republic17. Contraceptive device19. Unfastened

20. __ student, learns healing

23. Ties the knot24. Actor McKellen25. Optical phenomenon26. Turf28. Foot (Latin)29. Flub30. Birds settle here31. Calculator32. Herbal tea33. Catch34. Pitcher Santana36. Not for vegetarians37. Japanese novelist

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Dear Editor,Waking up to another beautiful day in

our community. We should all be thankful for what

we have when you see what all those poor people in Fort McMurray are going through.

It is devastating.On a brighter note Kudos to our city

gardeners!What a wonderful display of flowers

for this spring...you people have out done yourselves!!

How I missed you last year!Wish my gardens looked like yours.I was most surprised and disappointed

listening to the May 2nd council meeting.When the subject of new ice cleaning

machines was brought up a couple of coun-cillors said they did not know we had two arenas!

This community is not that big and before running for council why would you not be aware of what facilities are in a community?

What else are you not aware of?Might be wise before elections to take

a trip around the community you live in.Appears alot of work being done north

of RT on a project that’s apparently dead in some peoples minds.

Well it’s weed pulling time so must get at it.

Hopefully those with big dandelions will mow them before they go to seed!

Hope we all have a good and safe sum-mer.

Keep smiling I’m watching and listening.

Roma Burnett

A local group which calls them-selves the Bag Ladies has found another use for disposable plastic shopping bags to keep them out of the landfill.

The women use the bags to crochet sleeping mats for the homeless and they then distribute them in Terrace and Vancou-ver during the colder months of the year.

Most recently, Cindy Mummery, on behalf of the Bag Ladies, went before Kitimat city council to inform them of what they do with the bags, following a request last meeting made by a class at St. Anthony’s school for council to support a ban on plas-tic bags.

Mummery says she got into contact with the teacher of the elementary class im-mediately after their presentation and has now arranged for the Bag Ladies to present their alternative use for disposable plastic bags to the class.

“We’re keeping [the plastic bags] out of the landfill as much as people want to give them to us,” explained Mummery.

Having just started in September of last year, the Bag Ladies first distributed about five completed mats to people in Terrace in early December.

On Christmas eve, member Pauline Glover flew 10 mats to

Vancouver and handed them out on the East Hastings St. along with hamburgers and purses full of essentials. The purses contained dry socks, shampoos, sani-tary napkins, gums and other things useful to people living on Van-couver’s streets.

Following the clo-sure of the Terrace shelter in March while the weather was still cold, the Bag Ladies delivered another five mats along with purses to the homeless with the help of the Fields of Faith Foundation.

Mummery noted that they give the mats out to people as they are needed.

“We just know that there is of course a huge calling for them,” she reported, explain-ing that it takes over 400 bags and more than a week for volun-teers to complete one mat.

“They’re a little bit cushy so it kind of saves them from sleeping on the cold ground, but since they’re plastic they can be easily washed or if they get wet they

can dry throughout the day.”

Noting that the homeless population in Terrace is growing, Mummery asked coun-cil not to ban the bags that become so useful to people sleeping out-doors.

Councillors were

quite receptive to the Bag Ladies’ alternative to traditional recycling.

“I’m amazed, what can we do to assist your program?” coun-cillor Larry Walker asked following the presentation, to which Mummery replied:

“Just don’t ban plastic bags.”

Mummery says that the team is cur-rently preparing for the cold season start-ing next fall, preparing sleeping mats and hats over the summer.

“Volunteers are sparse, sometimes we have about three to five people to help out on a Monday night, that’s cutting the bags, mak-ing the yarn, and also crocheting,” she re-marked.

They are still look-ing for people who would like to join them in making the mats or take the project home. There is also yarn available for those who may want to volunteer to knit hats.

Anyone interested in volunteering can find the Bag Ladies at Cindy Mummery’s house at 85 Blueberry Ave. every Monday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. or call 250-639-0215.

Bits and pieces and observations

Readers WritePlastic bags can be useful

interests of Canadians as a whole. But it will need to be done quickly and be seen to be carried out judi-ciously and fairly.

The bad news proliferated as we learned the fire had expanded in a day to an area the size of To-ronto -- over 850 square kilometres. It appears unstoppable today. Ironi-cally, the shutdown of large compo-nents of various oilsands operations helped oil markets rebound every-where else.

The Bank of Montreal on Thurs-day morning-- with the limited in-formation of two days of events associated with the disaster -- esti-mated the insured losses could reach $9-billion. Imagine it, I can’t!

While I’m not really a demon-

strative person, I felt tears prick at my eyes as I listened and watched all of the horrors faced by the dis-placed citizens. Pride in Canadians’ generosity and selfless responses to others’ needs emerged quickly and I’m sure this will be empasized and magnified many times in the weeks and months to come. Pride too in the persistence and bravery of the fiirefighters on the ground and in the air, our police and emergency workers and the thousands of vol-unteers doing everything they can to accommodate, feed and house the evacuees.

Right now I just hope the news will improve over the weekend. And I’m aware there are literally scores of other wildfires across the west, including 200 in British Columbia.

Continued from page 4

Disaster

Cindy Mummery displays plastic blanket which was crocheted using one-time use plastic bags.


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City focused on fire preventionCecile FavronBlack Press

In light of the Fort McMurray, Alta. wild-� re last week which quickly grew out of control, forcing the evacuation of the city, the Kitimat � re chief says crews here remain focused on preventing � res rather than remov-ing � ammable mate-rial which could fuel � ames moving into the community.

Fire chief Trent Bossence explained that the community has taken steps to manage the risk of a � re spread-ing into the community in past years, but this year they are just fo-cused on prevention.

He noted that � re management in the dense forest surround-ing Kitimat poses unique challenges.

“We do receive quite a lot of moisture throughout the year, but then there are those dry months that are a con-cern,” he pointed out.

Wild� re fuels in the area such as trees and brush, he cited, are “dif� cult to manage be-cause it is so dense and fast-growing.”

The city does have a fuel management plan in place for which they received a provin-cial government grant back in 2012, but initia-tives such as removing dense brush and trees will not be taking place this year in preparation for the summer � re sea-son.

Last summer, city and forest � re crews spent weeks battling a blaze near the power lines by the Rio Tinto Alcan smelter which continually rekindled during a long dry spell.

Bossence says that certain areas around

Kitimat, speci� cally Cablecar, are most at risk of a wild� re spreading into their community. However, he says that � re of� -cials in the city need to draw the � ne line between keeping the natural beauty of the forests intact and tak-ing precautions to keep

the community safe.Fire of� cials in

the northwest typically respond to 160 wild-� res each year, some of which threaten B.C. communities.

The interior region of the province had al-ready seen more than a dozen � res in the Prince George � re cen-

ter area by mid-April. Most of the � res

were suspected to be human caused. Record-high temperatures also contributed to numer-ous grass � res in the area which prompted evactuations.

The Peace River District evacuated ar-eas to the north and

east of Fort Saint John last week including the Cecil Lake area, the Siphon Creek area, Beatton Airport Road and the Doig River First Nation due to four large � res ranging from 50 hectares to 9,000 hectares in size. Two human-caused, large � res also started to the

northwest of Hudson’s Hope, but were more easily contained by � re crews. As of late last week, the � re danger rating in Kitimat re-mains low, but people are still asked to take caution when burn-ing. You should always check for � re restric-tion prior to starting an

open � re, and should never leave the blaze unattended until fully extinguished.

To report a sus-pected wild� re or a violation of burning restrictions, call the BC Wild� re Service at 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on your cell-phone.


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By Tom FletcherBlack Press

The B.C. government is preparing to send medical and psychological teams to help care for people evacu-ated from Fort McMurray, as the B.C. Wild� re Service works to contain a � re that has burned across the Al-berta border north of Fort St. John.

The Siphon Creek wild-� re was estimated at 9,000 hectares as it spread into

Alberta on Thursday. B.C. ground crews and helicop-ters are working to contain it, with priority on protecting the Doig River First Nation com-munity south of the � re.

The largest B.C. � re in a cluster in the north Peace region is the Beatton Airport Road � re, estimated at 10,000 hectares. It was listed as 85 per cent contained by Fri-day morning, and the Alaska Highway reopened after the � re crossed to the west side of the highway.

The Peace River Regional District issued an evacuation order Thursday for the area around Mile 80 of the Alaska Highway and the area af-fected by the Beatton Airport Road � re.

With eight signi� cant � res in the region keeping B.C. � re crews and aircraft busy, the province has shipped pumps and hoses to Alberta to assist. A mobile hospital and a team of volunteer counsel-lors, social workers and psy-chologists was being prepared

Friday to assist with evacuees in Alberta.

Ontario has sent 100 � re� ghters to Alberta to help with the Fort McMurray � re, which has forced evacuation of 88,000 people and de-stroyed part of the town. Que-bec has dispatched four water bombers to northern Alberta.

Premier Christy Clark said the issue of wild� res was discussed by western premiers at their meeting in Vancouver that wrapped up Friday.

The Siphon Creek � re has spread east across the Alberta border, one of eight signi� cant � res being battled in the North Peace. B.C. Wild� re Service photo.

B.C. fire crosses into A.B.

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classi� [email protected]@northernsentinel.com

646 Enterprise Ave., Kitimat BC V8C 2E3Ph. 250-632-6144 • fax 250-639-9373

rounding area because of perceived exposure to risk.”

“This is not in line with the district’s beauti� cation and revital-ization program of Downtown Kiti-mat,” Lenardo mentioned.

Before BC Housing is able to proceed with the complex, they still must make a deal regarding park-ing and acquire a building permit in order to do the necessary indoor

renovations. They did not provide a timeline for when tenants will be able to move into the building, but said there will be more details avail-able at the end of the month.

In March, council passed mea-sures to insure affordable housing was available in Kitimat and now requires construction camp and dor-mitory projects to contribute $500 per bed they build the city’s housing fund.


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Longtime charity lacks fundingCecile FavronBlack Press

After serving Kiti-mat for forty years, the Tamitik Status of Women group is strug-gling to � nd funding to keep their popular Do-nations room, which serves low-income and homeless people, open.

The society was in “a real crisis moment” when it went forward to city council at the meeting on May 2 ask-ing for $30,500 in � -nancing.

Council agreed to up to $25,000 in sup-port of the donation room which provides clothing and household items to people in need out of their Century House location in City Center.

If they receive the funding in full, the group says they will be able to keep the dona-tion center open for an additional six months.

“Because we don’t

want to close it, we have scaled every-thing down to the bare bones,” said executive director Linda Slanina of the donation opera-tions.

“It has such a need in the community, it has proven itself just by the number of people that access it. We have to keep it open, somehow we have to � nd a way to keep it open.”

In a statement to

council, the group re-ported that over 5,000 people have used the donations room, which is only open some weekday afternoons, since it � rst opened in October of 2014.

“This is a stagger-ing number consider-ing the program is only open to the public for nine hours per week,” Slanina noted while addressing council.

At the time that the group went forward, they said they would only have been able to keep the donations room open until the end of June.

In January of 2016, the city fund for com-munity donations de-creased more than 40 percent to $35,000, though an additional $160,000 originally allocated only to the Hirsch Creek Golf and Winter Club was moved to the donation fund in late February.

Council was hesi-

tant to grant the Tami-tik Status of Women society the full amount they applied for, opt-ing to only allow up to $25,000 in donations if they are unable to se-cure other sources.

The city has not given any funding to the society in recent years.

The Tamitik Status of Women society also applied for $10,000 from the Kitimat Com-munity Foundation, but don’t expect to hear back until the end of the month.

They have bud-geted that, to keep the program open for nine months, they need

over $40,000. The pro-gram’s primary costs include rent and staff wages.

The donation room was originally located in their Dunmore Place transition house for women and children and did not incur extra rent or staff costs.

However, they say concerns from BC Housing prompted them to move the room to its current location, separate from the tran-sition house.

The new location has also allowed men to access the donations.

“Now [...] men do have access, especially the homeless - they

come in weekly for a change of clothing and whatever they need,” said program coordina-tor Heather Cross.

The donations, which are distributed free of charge, are meeting a need beyond just the Kitimat com-munity, Cross men-tioned.

“I’ve had people come in from Prince Rupert and as far away as Fort Saint John, so it is getting known out there that we have a good program in our community,” she said.

The fact that the society does not charge any fee to people who come in to use the ser-vice makes it unique from other clothing donation centers, the society asserted.

“Most of the do-nations we receive

are from people that specify they want their donation passed on or given to those that need it and they choose to donate to [Tamitik Sta-tus of Women] as we don’t sell the donated items,” said Slanina.

She also empha-sizes that the program helps numerous people in the community who are otherwise strug-gling for the necessi-ties they can � nd in the donation room.

“This program is intended for those that are vulnerable or living on low income, living in poverty, struggling with their � nances and there are so many peo-ple like that living in Kitimat right now, es-pecially with the boom and bust cycle that we go through,” Slanina pointed out.

Linda Slanina, Executive Director of Tamitik Status of Women

BC Chamber News Release

The BC Chamber of Commerce is voicing concern about the im-pact that today’s announcement of two larger-than-expected minimum wage increases will have on B.C. businesses.

“There’s no denying that these two minimum wage increases will be tough for some of our 36,000 rep-resented businesses across the prov-ince,” said Maureen Kirkbride, BC Chamber Interim CEO.

“That said, we appreciate gov-ernment’s efforts to offset negative impacts on business, notably by de-creasing the small business tax to 1.5% in 2017.”

The BC Chamber recognizes

that the B.C. government has been clear about its intention to raise B.C.’s minimum wage relative to other Canadian jurisdictions, to match B.C.’s strong recent economic performance. However, going for-ward, the Chamber urges govern-ment to return to tying minimum wage increases to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

“For our businesses, the bottom line is the need for certainty and pre-dictability,” said Kirkbride. “Quite simply, we need to take the politics out of minium wage increases.”

In 2015, the BC Chamber’s membership passed a policy argu-ing for the need for predictability in minimum wage increases, and call-ing for no minimum wage increases beyond those tied to CPI.

BC Chamber responds to minimum wage increases

Continued from page 3

Gateway

““It has such a need in the commu-

nity, it has proven itself just by the num-ber of people that access it...”

Northern Sentinel, Wednesday, May 11, 2016 9P

UZ

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LU

TIO

N

LOSTat Lakelse Lake

in the1st Ave. area.Luna, a blond 1 year old puppy wearing a pink collar with blue tag.REWARD OFFERED.

Please call250-632-3157 or

250-632-1079in Kitimat

DISTRICT OF KITIMAT

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONSAn upcoming retirement requires the District to search for a top notch Deputy Director of Operations.

The successful individual will be responsible to the Director of Operations in the effective management of the District’s Public Works Department.

The Deputy is responsible for municipal roads, signage and sidewalks, general clean-up, common services, buildings and fleet equipment. This position will also assist the Director of Operations in the planning, implementation, and tracking of the municipal water and sewer facilities, including their maintenance and operation.

The ideal candidate will have a Civil Technologist Diploma, five years of experience and a demonstrated proficiency at the senior management level. A certificate or the ability to be certified as an Applied Science Technologist would be an asset. Experience in the municipal sector is preferred, although a background in other public institutions will be considered.

A background in roads and building construction and maintenance is essential to the success of the candidate. Education and experience in the delivery of municipal water and sewer services is a definite asset.

The job will be challenging and will require an innovated individual which will be reflected by the generous compensation package. A detailed job description can be found on the District of Kitimat municipal careers webpage: www.kitimat.ca.

Interested candidates should submit a detailed resume by May 29, 2016, 4:30 p.m.,

to Personnel, District of Kitimat, 270 City Centre, Kitimat, B.C., V8C 2H7,

Fax 250-632-4995 or e-mail: [email protected].

All applicants are thanked for their interest, however, only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Check out the District of Kitimat’s YouTube Channel for a look into ‘Living in Kitimat’ our Marvel of Nature and Industry!

Community and Regional information can be found at the following websites: www.kitimat.ca • www.hellobc.com/kitimat.aspx • www.tourismkitimat.ca

FULL TIME FIREFIGHTER/PARAMEDICDistrict of Kitimat Fire and Ambulance Services

The District of Kitimat’s Fire and Ambulance Service is a progressive, integrated organization that strives for excellence in providing a range of services designed to save lives and protect property against the impact of fire, medical emergencies, accidents and disasters that are both natural and human caused. The Kitimat Fire and Ambulance Service is an organization that encourages diversity and promotes professionalism in the workplace.

As a Firefighter/Paramedic, your primary functions are fire/rescue, pre-hospital emergency medical care, inspection/fire prevention and daily maintenance of the fire hall and equipment.

Applicants must possess the following minimum requirements:• Secondary School Graduation• BCAS Primary Care Paramedic standard or higher.• NFPA 1001 Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualification Level I & II• BC Class 3 & 4 Driver’s License with Air Brake Endorsement

Preference will be given to those candidates with the following:• Work experience related to firefighting and/or pre-hospital care• Post-secondary education• IV endorsement

The selection process will include the following:• Medical Fitness (medical exam, fitness and agility test)• Aptitude Test• Security Clearance and Criminal Record Check

Please submit a covering letter, resume and required documentation no later than June 5, 2016, to District of Kitimat, 270 City Centre, Kitimat BC, V8C 2H7, fax 250-632-4995 or email [email protected].

For more information call 250-632-8940. All applicants are thanked for their interest, however, only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.



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Employment

DEPUTY DIRECTOROF OPERATIONS

District of Kitimat, exempt staff position with generous compensation. Reporting to the Operations Manager, is responsible for repair and maint. of the municipality’s infrastructure including roads, signage, sidewalks, general clean-up, common services, buildings & fl eet equipment, and assists with municipal water and sewer operations. Candidates will have a Civil Technologist Diploma and 5 years’ senior management experience in a municipal or similar work environment; an Applied Science Tech. Cert. is an asset.

Submit resumes byMay 29, 2016, 4:30 p.m.,to Personnel, District ofKitimat, 270 City Centre, Kitimat, B.C. V8C 2H7,

Fax: 250-632-4995 E-mail [email protected]


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Employment

START A NEW CAREER in Graphic Arts, Healthcare, Business, Education or Infor-mation Tech. If you have a GED, Call: 855-670-9765

Help Wanted

Kitimat Museum & ArchivesSTUDENTS NEEDED

To run summer programs and work in the archives.Full time students, planning to return in the fall are eligible to apply. Deadline for resume and cover letter is:

Friday, May 24 at 4pm293 City Centre, Kitimat.

Attn: Louise Avery, or email: [email protected] Descriptions are

available at the Museum.

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DISTRICT OF KITIMAT

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGERAn upcoming retirement requires the District to search for an experienced Human Resources Manager.

The successful individual will provide for the effective delivery of the human resources and benefits functions. Responsibilities include: setting up and maintaining HR and employee records; coordinating new employee on-boarding and orientation; developing and maintaining a variety of HR reports; administration of the recruitment process; organizing and arranging training; benefits administration including claims management; dealing with employee queries and providing general administrative support to the department.

The ideal candidate has a minimum of 5 years’ experience in a significant HR generalist role, in a unionized environment at a management level. A post-secondary degree with concentration in HR or CHRP designation is a definite asset. An appetite for progressive change and continuous learning, with strong organizational and time management skills are essential to the success of the candidate. You will be proficient in Microsoft Office and have an extremely high attention to detail.

The job will be challenging and will require an innovated individual which will be reflected by the generous compensation package. A detailed job description can be found on the District of Kitimat municipal careers webpage: www.kitimat.ca.

Interested candidates should submit a detailed resume by May 29, 2016, 4:30 p.m.,

to Personnel, District of Kitimat, 270 City Centre, Kitimat, B.C., V8C 2H7,

Fax 250-632-4995 or e-mail: [email protected].

All applicants are thanked for their interest, however, only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.



EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Progressive Ventures Construction is a commercial and industrial construction company with 40 years’ experience in Northwestern BC.We require:• Labourers• Journeymen including carpenters, pipefitters, millwrights and electricians• Project coordinators and field engineers• Project managers Successful candidates will:• Be motivated individuals with experience in commercial and industrial construction settings;• Value high quality workmanship and safety in the workplace;• Have a valid drivers’ license and industry related certificates such as forklift, first aid, WHMIS, Etc will be an asset;

• Live in or be able to relocate to the Kitimat areaWe offer competitive industry wages, opportunities for advancement,

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Haisla Nation CouncilHAISLA PO BOX 1101, KITAMAAT VILLAGE, BC V0T 2B0

PH: (250) 639-9361 Toll Free 1-888-842-4752 FAX: (250) 632-2840

The Haisla Community School has an opening for the position of:Primary School Teacher 1 FTE

Position Type: TeachingCategories: Aboriginal EducationLocation: Kitimat Village, British Columbia

Haisla Community School is accepting application to join our dedicated teaching staff. Haisla Community school is located in Kitamaat Village approximately a 15 minute drive from the town of Kitimat, BC. The teaching staff is a dedicated and collaborative team. The school focus is both literacy and numeracy and implementation of read well/reading mastery and Saxon math programs. Low teacher to student ratio and collaborative team support provides an ideal situation for either emerging or master teachers to make significant contribution to student learning.

Qualifications • B.C. teacher certification;• Teaching experience at the primary level;• Strong classroom management and excellent rapport with students;• Strong organizational and planning skills to accommodate the needs, the multi-levels and skills of this combined

classroom;• The ability to maintain accurate and current student records;• Clear criminal records check.

Interested individuals should submit a cover letter and resume (including BC Certification – confirmation of TQS level, email and cell phone contact), as well as names of three (3) references and the express permission for HNC to contract the references, to:

Stephanie McClure, Human Resources ManagerHaisla Nation CouncilHaisla PO Box 1101Kitamaat Village, BC V0T 2B0Fax (250) 632-2840 Email: [email protected]

No later than 4 pm on Wednesday, May 25, 2016.We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those short-listed will be contacted.

Haisla Nation CouncilHAISLA PO BOX 1101, KITAMAAT VILLAGE, BC V0T 2B0

PH: (250) 639-9361 Toll Free 1-888-842-4752 FAX: (250) 632-2840

The Haisla Community School has an opening for the position of:Primary School Teacher .5 FTE

Position Type: Teaching/Literacy SupportCategories: Aboriginal EducationLocation: Kitimat Village, British Columbia

Haisla Community School is accepting application to join our dedicated teaching staff. Haisla Community school is located in Kitamaat Village approximately a 15 minute drive from the town of Kitimat, BC. The teaching staff is a dedicated and collaborative team. The school focus is both literacy and numeracy and implementation of read well/reading mastery and Saxon math programs. Low teacher to student ratio and collaborative team support provides an ideal situation for either emerging or master teachers to make significant contribution to student learning.

Qualifications • B.C. teacher certification;• Teaching experience at the primary level;• Strong classroom management and excellent rapport with students;• Strong organizational and planning skills to accommodate the needs, the multi-levels and skills of this combined

classroom;• The ability to maintain accurate and current student records;• Clear criminal records check.

Interested individuals should submit a cover letter and resume (including BC Certification – confirmation of TQS level, email and cell phone contact), as well as names of three (3) references and the express permission for HNC to contract the references, to:

Stephanie McClure, Human Resources ManagerHaisla Nation CouncilHaisla PO Box 1101Kitamaat Village, BC V0T 2B0Fax (250) 632-2840 Email: [email protected]

No later than 4 pm on Wednesday, May 25, 2016.We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those short-listed will be contacted.

Services

STEEL STORAGE

CONTAINERSFOR SALE OR RENT

[email protected]

604-534-2775

Pets & Livestock

TIMOTHY Hay for sale. Great quality. $15.00 per bale. 60 lb. bales. Pitt Meadows. Call anytime. 604 505 4087

Merchandise for Sale

Misc. for Sale

Interior Doors For Sale2 Interior standard doors

1 Folding Door with FrameKitimat-250-632-7785


KITIMATBOXES, BOXES, BOXESYou need them .... we have them. Buy one bundle of 10

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Real Estate

For Sale By Owner2 BEDROOM BUNGALOW

IN KITIMATfor sale by owner 1150 Sq ft.

Newly renovated bathroom, new fl oors through out. New electric panel, ducting, plumb-ing, insulation, bonus room within attached garage. Some Doors and Windows replaced. New Roof, W/D and F/S. Snow blower and lawn mower included. ASKING $239,000

250-632-1497Serious Inquiries Only

Real Estate

HOME FOR SALE Spectacular views of the Douglas Channel and Mt. Elizabeth surround this 4 bdrm, 2 bath home. Extensive renovations include new roof, front gut-ters, fl ooring, interior doors, painted throughout, waterline and fence. Many extra features include two fi re places, natural gas on the lower level family room, wood in the upstairs enter-tainment area with vaulted ceilings. Birch, oak, maple and teak compliment the custom cabinets in the kitchen. All weather pet doors installed lead into a private back yard. Fully fenced yard with fi re pit, backs on to a greenway. Plus an 8’ x 20 ‘ indoor shop. A buyers dream - this property is rarely seen on the market.

Kitimat-$419,000 obo 250.632.5056

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Rentals

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Rentals

Moving & Storage Feed & Hay Misc. for Sale Misc. for Sale For Sale By Owner Apt/Condo for Rent Apt/Condo for Rent

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Free heat & Free Hot WaterFurnished & Unfurnished

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No Pets. No Smoking250.632.7179

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Call for an appointment250.632.4511

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SANDPIPER APTSKITIMAT

Newer BuildingsElevators

Security EntrancesCovered Parking

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250.632.4254

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DUPLEX-FOR RENT2+ Bedroom in Nechako,

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References required.No pets. call: 250-632-2569

Homes for Rent

Executive Home Available2 Bedrooms, fully furnished, all appliances, dbl driveway, garage, NP/NS please call:

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Transportation

Boats

FOR SALE24 FOOT REINEL BOAT6 cylinder Merc Cruiser

Trailer included $12,000 or trade for campercall 250-632-7304-Kitimat

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FightBack.Volunteeryour time,energy andskills today.

Jeff NagelBlack Press

Authorities re-main on high alert for invasive species af-ter intercepting four boats in recent weeks that arrived in B.C. in-fested with live zebra mussels.

One contaminated boat was towed by a vehicle that failed to stop for inspectors on April 28 near Elko, where many vacation-ers arrive in B.C. from southwestern Alberta and northwestern Montana.

A conservation of-ficer tracked down the vehicle and diverted it back to the inspec-tion station, said Chris Doyle, deputy chief of provincial operations for the B.C. Conserva-tion Officer Service.

“The boat it was towing was found to have zebra mussels on it,” Doyle said. “That watercraft was de-tained and impounded and as well the driver

was charged for failing to stop at the inspection station.”

Inspection teams have checked 1,200 boats so far this year.

Of those, 64 were

flagged as coming from high-risk loca-tions, resulting in 12 decontamination or-ders and seven 30-day quarantines.

Bears emerging

from their dens and searching for food continue to be a prob-lem, particularly when people fail to secure their food and garbage, Doyle said.

He said conserva-tion officers are con-tinuing to respond to reports of “bear jams” where vehicles are stopped on a high-way where people are deliberately feeding bears or taking photos.

Even when the bears aren’t being fed there’s concern that people in close prox-imity may make the bears habituated.

There have also been multiple com-plaints in Kitimat of grizzly bears feeding on garbage, he added.

He urges people not to remove fawns or other wildlife ba-

bies but instead contact conservation officers if there’s reason to suspect they’re aban-doned. Animal rescues are a regular part of the job for conservation of-ficers.

One of the latest operations saw Kam-loops officers join forc-es with local volun-teers to retrieve 1,000 rainbow trout that had become stranded in a field after Jacko Lake flooded on April 24.

“Those live rain-bow trout were all re-turned to Jacko Lake.”

Hefty fines have been handed out in re-cent months against poachers who shot wildlife illegally.

About $2,500 in fines were issued to a group found hunting without licences April 29 in the Kispiox River

area.Another $5,800 in

fines were handed out to two Lower Mainland men convicted of hunt-ing deer in a closed season near Rose Prai-rie in 2013.

Conservation of-ficers used DNA evidence to link the poachers to the scene.

And a Burnaby woman was fined $5,200 on May 3 af-ter pleading guilty to trafficking bear gall bladders following in-cidents in Merritt and Coquitlam in 2014 and 2015. Trafficking in bear parts in B.C. is rare, Doyle said.

He said the mo-tive of the perpetrator was a traditional be-lief that the bear gall bladder bile can help relieve suffering from seizures.


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Invasive zebra mussels create ecosystems’ havoc

By Tom FletcherBlack Press

The B.C. government’s oversight of mining has too few resources and inspections and a lack of enforcement, increas-ing risk of another Mount Pol-ley-type failure that damages the environment, B.C. Auditor General Carol Bellringer says in a new report.

Bellringer said having mine permitting and mine inspec-tions in the same ministry cre-ates an “irreconcilable conflict” between promoting expansion of mining and regulating it. She recommends moving the com-pliance and enforcement func-tion outside the ministry to an independent body.

Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett stopped short of re-jecting that idea, but said he has found no other jurisdictions in Canada that does that, and there are important reasons for keep-ing it within the ministry.

His position was backed by

two senior officials, Chief In-spector of Mines Al Hoffman and George Warnock, director of geotechnical engineering for the B.C. government.

Hoffman said it’s important that the technical experts who set permit conditions and then do compliance and enforcement be in the same group so they know how to follow up.

Warnock used the example of the KSM mine, recently per-mitted for construction in north-west B.C. with 178 conditions.

“We know exactly what we’re looking for in those per-mit conditions when we go to that mine, and I don’t know how a body outside the ministry would,” Warnock said.

NDP mining critic Norm Macdonald said the 2014 col-lapse of the tailings dam at Mount Polley copper mine near Williams Lake shows the audi-tor is correct that there is not a “culture of enforcement” in B.C. mining.

An undetected weak layer

under the Mount Polley dam was the ultimate cause of the failure, but risk was com-pounded by high water, the lack of “beach” construction to ease pressure on the dam and a steeper slope than what was called for in the original plans, Macdonald said.

Bennett acknowledged that the ministry had too few geo-technical inspectors in 2009-10.

He said the ministry ac-cepts the other 17 recommen-dations in Bellringer’s report, and is on its way to implement-ing them.

The government has changed the Mines Act to allow for administrative penalties to be assessed if mine operators don’t comply with inspection orders.

Macdonald said there have been no penalties assessed to the company operating the Mount Polley mine, and no pen-alties have ever been assessed under the Mines Act under the B.C. Liberal government.

B.C. resists call for mine oversight


Sports & Leisure

DANCE KITIMATPresents theCreative Co� ective

MAY 14 - 7:00 PM and MAY 15 - 2:00 PMat Mount Elizabeth Theatre

Tickets available at:the Kitimat Museum - $12 or at the door - $15

The Senior girls soccer teams went head to head in Kitimat where the Mount Elizabeth Secondary team won against the Charles Hays Secondary in a 5-0 win. The teams are back in action as the season continues and should see more games played against the Terrace and Smithers teams.

Wanda Leschikphoto.

Submit up to 5 (five) of your favourite shots between now and July 4th, then all photos will be reviewed and a select number of photographers will be chosen f h eprize of up t p and full VIP a Abbotsford I Airshow, Aug 2 20 6.

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Here’s your chance to win the...

2016 AMATEURPHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR CONTESTA BLACK PRESS AWARD-WINNING CONTEST

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ENTERTODAY!

Louisa GenzaleBlack Press

More than sixty sewing machines, plugged in to pow-er, and ready to sew � lled the community room at the sixth annual Kitimat quilters retreat held April 29 to May 1.

Seated at each machine was a dedicated quilter stra-tegically placing strips of squares, triangles, and rect-angles of coordinated fabrics with intent to create a mas-terpiece of cleverly pieced to-gether quilts.

Sixty four quilters from the Kitimat, Terrace, Prince Rupert, Haida Gwaii and Houston area attended the three day event.

Margaret Ferns, chair of the event organized the retreat with the help of other quilters, and who attended for the � rst time herself.

“This is the sixth annual retreat. Sixty four quilters are here, and they’ve already booked their space for the next two retreats”, Ferns said.

“It’s fun and you learn lots of new ideas,” Ferns adds.

The quilters attended the retreat to focus on sewing anything they want and to get together to share ideas, learn new techniques, and perhaps even � nish a project or two.

It was bustling with ac-tivity as some members of the guild volunteered to pre-pare meals for each other all

weekend, some were billeted amongst each other, and many who drove to Kitimat stayed in their RVs.

Many gifts and door prizes that had been donated by local businesses and people were drawn throughout the week-end for those attending the re-treat and a delightful prize of a framed quilt was drawn for the winning business who donated a gift for the retreat.

Throughout the year, the quilters guild spend many hours sewing for those not so fortunate.

Donations of their quilts are donated to extended care, the food bank, those who have lost everything to � re or disas-ter. Baby layettes are sewn, and

other useful items are donated to those in the community.

Wanda Shaw, president of the Guild, always looks for-ward to meeting quilters from the northern area.

“There’s always some-thing new to learn. To share ideas, have fun, learn new techniques and so much more,” Shaw said.

“They keep me coming back. The group laughs a lot and ‘rip’ a lot”, she giggled.

The Quilters Guild meet every Friday and Saturday from Sept to June at the Kiti-mat Baptist church basement and welcome anyone inter-ested to join. For more infor-mation you can call Wanda at 250-632-4458.

Quilters’ retreat worth while

It takes a lot of concentration and thought to piece together the intricate pattern pieces used to create some of these most spectacular quilts. Shown here are two quilters focused on getting their pieces of fabric lined up just right befow sewing their pattern together. Louisa Genzale photo.


A great one-stop-shop for news, ideas, information and recruitment.


classi� [email protected]@northernsentinel.com

646 Enterprise Ave., Kitimat BC V8C 2E3Ph. 250-632-6144 • fax 250-639-9373

kitimat northern sentinel, may 11, 2016

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