AB -The Te Watchdogs do checkups on local forest companies THE CHAIR of an indepen- dent forestry watchdog or- ganization, says it's close to releasing a report on Skeena Cellulose’s —_ road-building practices here and in Hazelton. Keith Moore of the Forests Practices Board made ‘the comment during a visit to the area. The report details a Sep- tember 1996 Jandstide on a SCI logging road near Fiddler Main. A draft copy of the report will be present- ed to the board in late Octo- ber and a finalized version should be available by De- cember or January. Moore was here to oversee a separate audit on West Fraser Mills Limited’s oper- ations. The audit of Tree Farm License 41 in the upper Kitimat River Valley, said Moore, is the board's seventh of nine random audits this year. Wl check up on West Fraser and the forest minis- iry to make sure they’re not contravening the Forest Fractices Code. — And everything from road building to tree planting will be examined, Eight biologists and specialists have been in- specting the land by land: and helicopter since Sep- tember. Next, staff members will spend months preparing a draft report which will be discussed with West Fraser and the forests ministry be- fore it’s released, he said, As for timing, Moore didn’t expect the report to be public before the end of the year — but, he said, “ really depends on what we find.” He said audits usually range = from =: $60,000- $150,000 in cost, depending on their scope, size, acces- siblity, and are paid for by the province through the board’s annual budget. He wasn'f,sure how much:, . .-: the West Fraser audit would | cost but said: it’ll probably come in on the high end be- cause it’s big and fairly Temote so expensive helicopters bad to be used. ’The whole process, he said is worth it, “People in Europe read them and companies can be affected,’’ be said, . a But the board won't, fine or penalize anyone. a Whatever problems the board finds will be detailed 4nd recommendations will be made to West Fraser and the ministry. “We're concerned with fixing problems not finding | Renters: helped PROVINCIAL avernment is giving the Terrace Anti-Poverty Group Society $50,000 to improve housing options for renters in the city. This is the fourth provin- cial grant the group has received in the past four, years to help increase affor- dable, adequate ‘and’ ap- propriate housing for renters. The Autti-Poverty Group wants by-laws passed making rental units ‘safer, and wants secondary suites allowed so renters have ac-_ cess to more affordable and well-maintained accom: modations. ‘ According to Helga. Kenny, the society will use the money to develop a home-grown solution to ad- dress the housing problems in Terrace, | “There ate some [rental units] that are really bad,’ Kenny said. ‘Toilets failing. through the floor and serious mold problems.” But, she said, there are serious” housing problems. everywhere, so Terrace Js . no different from any other city, “People will live any- /Where. when ~ they're desperate,”’ she sald, “They need help because those - places are-still going to rent even though ‘they’re not. Safe.” - as rrgce Standard, Wednesday, October 21, 1998 fault,’ Moore said. Moore disagrees with crit. ics that say the board does too little, too late. “We're doing as much as we can, doing more of it and doing it better than before,” he said recognizing it took time to program bring the three-year-old program up to speed. And even though there are plenty of environmental hot spots, Moore says the forest industry has improved since the code’s existence, “The people should feel good about it,’’ he said. He said the board’s feeling the pressure of provincial budget cuts and won’t hold a public meeting here when the Skeena report is released. In the past critics have called the board ineffective for not being able to reach all areas in a province as big as B.C. But Moore said his staff do a greal job and were con- stanlly being asked to deal with tough problems all over the province, He did admit that interna- tionally, no other board like it has to deal with as vazi-d a geography or as diverse a code. “What this board has been asked to do is unique in the world,” he said. NOTICE Alt playing fields at the Terrace, Thornhill & Kitimat area schools will be fertilized monthly. This program will run from May through October 1998, Terrace 638-1162 : Kitimat &) ChalKy’s 632-5373 BILLIARDS OcTOBER FEATURES Sundays - Pool Tourney 2:00 pm.., Mondays - 1/2 Price Day - 50% off paol. Tuesdays - Toonie Tuesdays, $2/ person/hour. Wadnesdays - Ladies Night - 1/2 price pool after 6 pm. Thursdays - Men’s Night - 1/2 price pool after 6 pm. Fridays - Cauples Day - 1/2 price pool-all day. Saturdays - Family Day - free pool all Yay. WE ARE UNDER BIG CHANGES STARTING NOV, 2. *). FIRST TWO - Combined varieties. Safeway Club Price Lucerne Ice Cream Assorted varieties. 2-Litre. SAVE up to $2.00 Safeway Club Price Safeway SELECT Soft Drinks Assorted varieties. Plus deposit or enviro levy where applicable, 2-Litre. FIRST FOUR - Combined varieties. SAVE up to .41¢ fib. @ 2.18/kg Safeway Club Price Fresh Red Peppers Product of Canada/USA, | SAVE up to $1.00/ib. Safeway Club Price Sliced Side 4 Bacon Breakfast Delight, 500-g. FIRST TWO. SAVE up to $2.00 BUY ONE GET ONE FREE Safeway Club Price EI Molino Salsa Picante Safeway Club Price 4) Fresh Tray Buns While or Whole Wheat Package of 12. FROM THE BAKERY wee ead \ ? : 3 f 5 4 ' 4 P 4 : ‘ ce ee er ee ee