Greater Victoria flushes enough energy down its sewage pipes each day to heat at least 30,000 homes, says a Seattle expert hired as a consultant by the Capital Regional District.
There is a "fantastic opportunity" to extract clean water, heat and fuel from the CRD`s sewage, which is now discharged into the ocean, said John Spencer, vice-president of the CH2M Hill engineering firm in Seattle.
Spring has sprung and Lower Mainland residents` fancy has turned to real estate.
Is it time to buy or time to sell? What room should you renovate? What needs to be landscaped?
Lower Mainland residents spend more on real estate than anywhere else in the country, and generally, are as knowledgeable about the subject as anyone. But how much do they really know about their homes?
CALGARY -- Imperial Oil Ltd. said Friday it has acquired 115,000 acres of exploration lands in recent land sales in what is rapidly becoming Canada`s most promising region for natural gas.
Imperial, 70-per-cent owned by Exxon Mobil Corp., said it and Exxon Mobil Canada will share the rights to the properties in the Horn River Basin in northeastern B.C., 70 km northeast of Fort Nelson.
You`ve upgraded the windows, super-insulated the attic, scrapped the old bar fridge. What`s next on your green list?
If your bank account is flush, it`s eco-furnishings.
The market is booming for everything from banana-fibre carpet to high-end sofas covered in cork fabric. Hardwoods from sustainable forests, organic cotton fibres and water-based glues bask in the spotlight. Petroleum-derived foam, off-gassing stains and synthetic fabrics are passe.
The following are some facts and information on the southern Gulf Islands of B.C.:
- Location: The southern Gulf Islands are between the east coast of Vancouver Island and the mainland of Vancouver, B.C. and stretch from near Sidney in the south to Nanaimo in the north.
A group of Irish pavers are creating frustration among Squamish residents and the District of Squamish over alleged shoddy work on driveways and municipal property. For two months, the Capital 1 asphalt paving contractors have been knocking on doors offering to give driveways a fresh look for significantly less than a typical bid for such work. But a few of those that took up the offer say they`ve lived to regret it. Annette Hernandez, who rents a house in Valleycliffe, said she was appalled by the work Capital 1 did on her driveway.
Merlin Air seeks federal licence for charter service
A company that aims to begin operating commercial charter air service between Pemberton Airport and 11 different B.C. destinations this year has filed applications with Transport Canada in the hope of launching the service in mid to late summer. Merlin Air, owned and operated by Pembertonians Fred and Lori Xavier, last Wednesday (April 16) announced plans to obtain an "air-taxi" licence in time to begin operating nine-passenger aircraft later this year. The company then intends to apply for an upgrade to a licence allowing it to use larger aircraft carrying up to 19 passengers by the summer of 2009, and to 32-passenger craft — the largest planes the airport can handle in its current state — in 2011.
FORT NELSON - Mayor Chris Morey is claiming that there is no cause for concern over how the new Rec Centre project is being handled. Despite outrage from some in the community about what they perceive as council`s heavyhanded actions in starting arena construction before residents give their blessing, Morey insists that public opinion has and will continue to drive council`s actions.
Dawson asks for special status when B.C. carbon tax kicks in
DAWSON CREEK, B.C. – Dawson Creek city council will send a letter to the provincial government asking for special consideration for the northern B.C. community when it comes to the province`s new carbon tax.
The letter, which will state support for the intent of the carbon tax, is a watered-down version of a proposal by Coun. Paul Gevatkoff that would have stated outright opposition to the impending tax.
Other northern communities, including Fort St. John and Prince George, have already registered a similar stance since the tax was announced more than two months ago.
Council passed the first two readings of bylaw amendments to rezone three, city-owned lots along Pleasant Street to parks and open space from single-family low density.
Public hearing dates are set for Tuesday, May 13, at City Hall, 100 Newport Dr.
Rally planned in fight over high voltage power lines
The battle isn`t over just yet.
That`s the message Tsawwassen resident Kevin Wright and others want to convey as they help organize a public rally to stop higher voltage power lines from being strung over their homes.
"We`re just getting started. The message is we had a long period of warming up and now everybody is on fire and red hot," said Wright.
Ambitious plans to link the trail systems of the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley into a giant network were talked up at the Langley Trail Forum on Tuesday.
The meeting at the Fort Langley Lions Hall was attended by a crowd of dozens of equestrians, cyclists and hikers.
Four local officials talked about what has already been done, and about what they hope to do in the near future, to create more trails.
The residents of Pitt Meadows need to contribute $1.7 million every year for the next 42 years to build new storm drainage infrastructure to reduce flooding in the low-lying farmlands, and a large portion of this will be paid for by the farmers in Pitt Meadows.
The entire cost of the infrastructure would be paid for by an annual drainage levy. While single families will pay $28 per lot per year, farmers will pay $82.50 per hectare.
The City of New Westminster may consider duplex dwellings in Queensborough.
The Queensborough Residents` Association has asked the city to consider amending the zoning bylaw to allow duplexes in the Queensborough neighbourhood residential dwelling district zoning schedule.
The Salient Group is proposing something old and something new with the historic Trapp Block.
The developer has applied to the city to rezone 660 to 700 Columbia St. from Columbia Street Historic Comprehensive Development Districts to a site-specific comprehensive development zone. The project would consolidate three properties, would result in two façade intentions and would see the construction of a 51.8 metre tall mixed-use building with commercial at grade and residences above.
When Vancouver Airport`s Aeronautical Noise Management Committee was opened to the public in December, not one citizen showed up to complain about airport noise at the Dec. 12 meeting.
Doug Louth, who has plenty to complain about, isn`t a bit surprised.
"I wouldn`t go," said Louth, who has been complaining about airport noise for eight years. "It was just too restrictive."
Surrey resident Michael Joseph Gadbois has been fined $38,670 for GST fraud.
The fine represents 60 per cent of the amount of fraudulent GST refunds he claimed. Gadbois was sentenced in Robson Square provincial court in Vancouver after pleading guilty to willfully obtaining or attempting to obtain GST refunds totaling $64,451.
A new Downtown Eastside condo project that nearly slipped past community organizers has them riled at what they say is unrestrained development that will destroy their low-income community.
When community organizers learned they hadn`t been notified about a Concord Pacific condo development on Hastings they raised a stink with the city. Then they held their own street-level consultation, April 22.
