Al4- The Terrace Standard, Wednes TERRACE STANDARD - day, October 27, 1999 ~ Business REVIEW Out & About Jobless rate falls THE UNEMPLOYMENT tate in northwestem B.C. fell half a point in Sep- tember to 8.3 per cent. That’s now identical to the jobless tate in Van- couver and is very close to the provincial average of 8.0 per cent, according to aumbers released last week by Human Re- sources Development Canada. The regions with the low- est unemployment are Victoria at 6.6, the Koole- nays al-7.0 and Vancouver Island at 7.5 per cent, The highest unemploy- ment levels are the 10.2 per cent recorded in the Cariboo and 9.9 per cent in the northeast. All regions except the Cariboo experienced im- provement in September. Local bid queried A CITY COUNCILLOR is wondering why local firms didn’t gel a chance to bid on the city’s purchase of lockers for the aquatic centre. David Hull noted the city paid Vancouver firm Canadian Locker Com- pany Ltd. $9,500 for lock- ers when there was at least one local firm that sells them but wasn't asked to bid. “If they’re not competi- tive, that’s one thing,” Hull said. “But we should .. at least be giving our local “taxpaying businesses a~ chance to bid on this stuff.” Tax rate still high TAXPAYERS in the City of Terrace are still among B.C.’s highest taxed, Terrace had the 20th highest residential property taxes out of 152 munici- palities in 1999. 4 Businesses here pay the eighth highest taxes in B.C, And it’s even worse for major industry and utili- ties, which face the sixth highest and third highest tax rates in B.C. in their respective classes. Tickets may rise TRAVEL agents are now ‘wrestling with a further cut in their commissions an- nouced a week ago by the airlines. Agents pay has been chpped from nine per cent of the ticket price to five per cent, to a maximum of $60 per round trip ticket, said George Clark of American Express Elan Travel. Clark said the cut in commissions — which is on top of an earlier one — was not unexpected, ' But he said it could force the imposition of further processing fees for travell- eis to offset the loss of revenue, Downtown plan passes BYLAWS to create a special downtown designa- tion within Terrace’s Offi- - ‘elal Community Plan - complete with a serles of development guidclines aimed at beautifying the area — have now. been passed. The downtown plan was 7 unveiled early this year and went through a public consultation process, ' City council gave final adoption to the bylaws — Ost. 12. Well underway CONSTRUCTION work was at the foundation stage for gas bar footings for the future Mac's convenience store being eracted in Thornhill. The construction site is at ihe intersection of Hwy 16 East with Old Lakelse Lake Drive. Forest policy review here gets an earfull INDUSTRY groups and environmentalists alike converged on Terrace Oct. 13 to make their case be- fore the province’s roam- ing forest policy review panel. At issue is how to go about reforming the prov- ince’s forestry system. And while the day-long session boasted a wide spectrum of groups and in- terests, it and other panel stops have nol been open to the general public. That's put the spotlight on secrecy rather than the issues at hand, Jobs and Timber Accord advacate Garry Wouters, who is overseeing the poli- cy review, said the ses- sions were by invitation only to try to create the best aimosphere for. open dialogue. “It's our attempt to build a foundation of pub- lic support,” said Wouters, adding a wide-open debate The same week the re- view panel decided to add a number of dates that will be open to the public. The closest any of those “48 being bhcburanede will come to Terrace, however, is the Queen Charlotte Islands. ‘The goal, says Wouters, is to determine how best to use the forestland base to cereale employment while respecling competing val- ues and interests in the land. ; The presence of the re- view here brought out in- dustry groups that were pushing their own policy papers on forestry reform — first the Council of Forest Industries a week before and then the Truck Log- gers Association a day be- fore the review. One group that wasn’t specifically invited and had to scramble to get in at the last minute was the newly formed Skeena Timber Trust. The group, whose mem- bers say they represent small-scale loggers and aspiring value-added en- trepreneurs, said the close- d-door sessions were over- whelmed by the presence of the major licensees here, “Big business was very well represented,” Skeena Timber Trust president Richard Lindstrom empha- sized. He pushed for ways to pul more wood in the hands of smaller operators - proposals he said were all but shut down by the big licensees, “They want to take everything they can gel their hands on,” Lindstrom said. “We found there was very little room for the small operator,” Lindstrom said they'd like to see iog marketing yards where small produc- ers could get wood and loggers could sell it, He added he’s worried tenure reform will lead to more entrenched control of the forests by big firms and less access for smaller value-added mills. ' Lindstrom noted the government hasn’t often enforced the required five per cenl takeback for small business when a licence changes hands; -: ~-: ~~ That will be an issue, he added, when Skeena Cellulose —currently being eyed by Texas-based En- ron — is sold, Skeena Native Development Society Employment and Training Program's areas. subsidies) The Skeena Native Development Society (SNDS), in part- nership with Human Resources Development Canada {HRDC}, provides employment and training services to First nations and Inuit People resident in our service area. SNDS services twenty-five villages and five urban centers. We offer advisory, planning, and funding services on an individual basis for skills and job market training and retraining, apprenticeship training, and employment readi- ness for the private and public sector. These services are offered to our clientele in both the urban and the rural These services include the following: /Private Sector (apprenticeships and targeted wage “Youth Programming {youth initiatives, summer student employment, and the annual 5. Munroe Scholarship Awards Program) “Employment Assistant Services (career counselling and job search) Contact the following Employment Counsellors in your area to book an appointment: | Terrace- Cindy Tait at the Kermode Friendship Center at (250)635-4906 Kitimat: Denise O'Neil at the Kitimat Community Skills Society at (250}632-3139. Smithers - Kathy Anderson at the Dze UKant ~ Friendship Center at (250)847-8959. Houston - Karla Holland at the Houston Friendship Center at (250)845-2131 Hazelton - Alice McDougall at the Upper Skeena Development Centre at (250) 842-6110, Prince Rupert - Caroline Parnell at the Prince Rupert Friendship House at (250}624-6721. To explore your options further and to assist you in your decisions for your jab and career or for more information please contact the Skeena Native Development Society at 1-800-721-1333, or (250)635-1500, S oe.) . are =" Prysical “ctl 4% How often? mn “HAVE YOU BEEN TO WEIGHT WATCHERS LATELY?” You can eat any Food you. crave and still lose weight on 1:2:3 Success, our easiest plan ever:’ We've given every food a POINTS * value, Just stay within your daily POINTS range. Be You'll lose weight! Join now! Sarah, Ouchess of York iM Join now for$28 & get a FREE Pocket POINTS Guide. Call 1-800-682-8011 for more information. Knox United Church (Terrace) 4907 Lazelle - Tuesday 7:00 pm Valid at participating locations for a limired time while supplies last. Subsequent weekly (ees apply. GST not included. ©1999 Weight Wacchers International, Inc, Owner of the WEIGHT WATCHERS trademark. All rights reserved, REGIONAL DISTRICT OF KITIMAT- STKINE OTICE 0 CTION BY VOTING PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY given to tha electors of Electoral Areas C and E of the Refional District fo Kitimat-Stikine that an Election by voting is necessary te elect Directors for Elactoral Areas C and E to fill officas of members of the Board of the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine and that the persons nominated as candidates at the Election by Voting and for whom the votes will be received are listed below, for a lhree - year tarm commencing December 1999 and termi- nating in December 2002, are: ELECTORAL AREA C + One person to be elected: Surname Residential Address COOPER Robert 2037 McBride Boulevard, (Lakelse Lake) JULSETH Peggy 3635 Cottonwood Crescent Lake (Thornhill) ELECTORAL AREA E (Thornhill) - One person to be elected: Surname MOORE Michael | 3949 Sanda Avenue (Thornhill) WATMOUGH Lesile 3937 Sande Avenue . (Thornhill) WYATT Theodore #833616 Larch Avenue pata Pi. . . (Thorn Nii} es we Rese ADVANCE VOTING OPPORTUNITIES: November 10 & 17 1999 AreaC & E ; Doe, Terrace City Hall, 3215 Eby St., (Terrace Rural & Thornhill} Terrace, 8:0. 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. November 10 & 171999 Kitarnaat City Centre (next to Wings Electronics Kamano 165 City Centre : Klamtu - Kitimat, 8.C. : 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. SPEGIAL VOTING OPPORTUNITIES: November 19, 1999 1:00 p.m. to $:00p.m. Area C & E {Terrace Rural & Thornhill) Terraceviaw Lodge 4109 Sparks Street Terrace, B.C. and : Mills Memorial Hospital ’ 4720 Haugland Avenue -) “Terrace, B.C ; - November 19, 1999 Kiwanis Village 890 Tsimshian Boulevard - Kitlmat, B.C. — 12:45 p.m. to 1:15 pm. Area C November 20, 1999 ~ 2 vu Kitlmat General Hospital 898 Lahakas Boulevard - . Kitimat, 8.6, : 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. November 20, 1999 GENERAL VOTING DAY: oo, ; 8:00 a.m, to 8:00 p.m. ELECTORALAREAC: Terrace - Caledonia Senior Secondary | Tharnhiil - Thornhill Elementary Schoo! Lakelse Lake - Mt. Layton Hotsprings Usk - Usk Hobby Farm ° Rosswood - Rasswood Community Centre Kemano - Recreation Centre Klemtu - Christian Education Centre Kitarnaal Village - Safely Building © ELECTORAL AREAE: : ; Thornhill - Thornhilt Elemantary School Elector Registration . wees" Aesident Electors If you are not.on the list of elactors, you may register at the time of voting by completing the raquirad appilcation form available al the voting place. To reqister you must meat the follawing qualifications: : * 78 years of aga or aldar « Canadian citizen * resident of B.C. for at least 6 months immediately preceding the vating day * resident of OR ragistared awner of real preperty In tha Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine for at least 80 days immediately preceding the vating day,and * not otherwise disqualified by law from voling. Realdent electors will also be raquired tc produce 2 pleces of identification (at least one with a marine Pleture identification is not necessary. The identification must prove both residency and Identity. ; . Non Resident Property Electors A person who ts not a resident of the applicable Electoral Area, bul who has been a registered ownar of real property in the applicable Electoral Area for at least 30 anys before General Voting Day, may ragister as a non-resident proparty elector at the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine Offica during regular business hours, until 4:30 p.m. Friday, November 19, 1999, A qualifying non-resident property elector may also register at the Falls duting voting hours by providing proof satisfactory to the official that the parson applying is entitled to register In relation to the real property, and if applicable, providing writlen consent from the other ragistered owners of the real property. A non-rasidant property elactor must produce a non-resident property elactor cer tificata and 2 pisces of Identification (at least one with a signature) to prove identity. Of which avery person Is hereby required to taka notice and be 80 governed accordingly. Given under my hand ai Terrace, B.C, this 201n day of October, 1999. Further information on the foregoing may be oblained by contacting the Regional Dlstrict of Kitlmat-Stikine office at 250-615-6100 or tha Chief Election offica at 250-835-p966, Elaine vohnaon Chief Election. Officer..