On March 21, the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako (RDBN) discussed increasing taxation to ensure long-term funding for the BC Transit Bus Service.
Clint Lambert, RDBN Francois/Ootsa Lake director, suggested that the board increase the pay-per-use cost for transit users.
Jason Llewellyn, RDBN planning director, said that increasing user fees is not possible because it will not affect operating costs. He said that increasing user fees will also impact the ridership of this service. He added that RDBN is sitting in with the maximum taxation requisition for the service funded by the municipalities at a maximum of $90,000 for operating funds to continue the transit service until 2027.
Curtis Helgesen, RDBN chief administrative officer, added that this year, RDBN received $25,000 from Northern Development Initiative Trust to facilitate the operating costs.
After the discussion, Mark Parker, RDBN chairperson, said that this needed more discussion and asked whether everyone received the report on BC Transit Bus Service. Board agreed.
Grant in Aid
Board approved allocating a grant of $7,100 in aid of Electoral Area B 亚洲天堂 Lake Rural and E Francois/Ootsa Lake Rural, which will be split fifty-fifty between the Lakes Family Enhancement Society for computers and a vacuum for The Link center.
Area B鈥檚 Grant in Aid Balance was $16,732, and Area E was $18,771.
Chairperson Parker asked the board whether they agreed with it, and everyone agreed.
BC Provincial Nominee Program Entrepreneur Immigration
The board decided to continue their support of the BC Provincial Nominee Program Entrepreneur Immigration 鈥� Regional Stream Participation.
Helgesen said that participating in this program helped conversations with ministry staff who were linked to this program to bring immigrants into fields such as vets and medical practitioners to fill the much-needed shortages.
亚洲天堂 Lake Mayor Henry Wiebe addressed that over the last five years, he has observed that the skills and trade immigration nominee program had a greater impact on the community. He suggested that it would be great to bring this stream.
Nellie Davis, RDBN regional economic manager, said entrepreneur immigration has more collaborative opportunities for local government to work with the province.
At the end of the discussion, Chairperson Parker said it鈥檚 best to continue supporting this program, and board agreed.
Southern Mountain Caribou in the Nadina Natural Resource District
The Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship proposed to protect Southern Mountain Caribou in the Nadina Natural Resource District. The decline of southern mountain caribou across B.C. has been attributed to extensive habitat change leading to a shift in the predator-prey dynamics of caribou.
The earliest population estimate for the herd was 600 caribou in 1963; however, the herd declined to 300 caribou by 2003. Over the past decade, the population continued to decline, and only 150鈥�200 caribou were estimated between 2015 and 2021.
Director Lambert said that the province initiated a wolf cull to protect the Caribou herd. He was surprised by the wolf pack鈥檚 current numbers since it wasn鈥檛 like this before. He added that Rio Tinto had initiated a tree debris removal from Ootsa Lake due to low water levels. He said that Rio Tinto will pull 54,00 cubic metres of wood out of the area, which will help the Caribou herd cross the lake.
