A weekly roundup of noteworthy news in municipalities across B.C.
Let’s start with big TransLink news as their plan to raise transit fares an average of 12.5 per cent in January 2013 is being investigated by TransLink Commissioner Martin Crilly, TransLink’s independent regulator. Crilly has the power to veto the fare hike and is taking a hard look at the justification and whether the transportation authority has done enough to increase efficiency. He could reduce the fare hike if he judges TransLink can make do with less or find more money elsewhere. The commissioner is calling for the public to comment on the proposed increase by by emailing comments@translinkcommission.org by Feb. 15. Be sure to say you part!
New Metro Vancouver board chair Greg Moore has slimmed down the regional district’s committee structure as his first official act, pared former board chair Lois Jackson’s 15 committees down to 12. Gone are separate Parks and Agriculture committees – they’re now merged into an Environment and Parks committee and a Regional Planning and Agriculture committee. The measure is meant to more closely align the committees with the district’s business but also save money.
Jagrup Brar, MLA for Surrey-Fleetwood, is living for a month on a welfare rate of $610 after taking up the “Welfare Challenge” put forward by a group called Raise the Rates and is causing controversy as he calls his housing “seven-star” compared to some of the places in his price range while on welfare.
And, of course….a harsh criticism of Brar’s actions.
Although B.C. government boasts Canada’s lowest income tax rates on earnings up to $113,000 a year, other deductions from take-home pay are going up this year.
Shuswap Transit bus goes up in flames in Salmon Arm as its automotive mechanic took a bus that was having mechanical difficulties for a test drive.
Good news for those is the Kootenay’s as the unemployment rate rises up in December according to Statistics Canada. With 9,000 more jobs in the region than at the same time the previous year the unemployment. On the slightly sobering side, however, the unemployment rate increased from November with an unemployment rate of 6.8 per cent, versus 6.4 per cent in November and 8.7 per cent the previous December.
Revelstoke city council will explore a staff recommendation to allow advertising on bus shelters in Revelstoke as
a new report from the city’s economic development department recommends allowing advertising in order to fund additional bus shelters.
Terrace council starts the year off right by assigning its members to various committees, task forces, community groups and internal city committees.
The Metro Vancouver garbage debate continues as key decisions will soon be made by Metro politicians on how the region will try to build modern incinerators or other waste-to-energy plants. New Metro board chair Greg Moore predicts there will be intense interest from international companies that want to partner with the region to showcase the evolving technologies to convert garbage into energy.
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