Appurtenancy Subject of Meetings

Friday, October 24, 2008 03:54 AM

Prince George, B.C.- Public meetings are being held in Mackenzie, on October 27, and Fort St. James, on October 28, to discuss the issue of “tying logs to communities,” otherwise known as “appurtenancy.”

Many people in the towns and regions of rural British Columbia believe that forestry companies should be required to process logs in or near the communities where they are harvested. Without such regulation, their concern is that forestry companies simply shut down mills, especially in smaller towns, and ship the raw logs out of the community, out of the region, and even out of the country.

On the other hand, the provincial government believes that having requirements that tie logs to communities will interfere with the “market forces” that make for a healthy and strong industry. B.C.’s Provincial government started phasing out appurtenance in the ‘80s and 90’s and the Liberal government completely removed it in 2003.

The meetings in Mackenzie and Fort St. James will feature two speakers. Rob van Adrichem is a regional development researcher who has written a paper on appurtenance and its possible application to the “knowledge industry.” He believes appurtenancy was “vital for the establishment and sustainability of communities in B.C,” and that its principles “continue to be relevant today.”

The second speaker is Peter Ewart, who is a community activist, writer and Opinion250 contributor based in Prince George. He is also a spokesperson for the Stand Up for the North Committee. He believes, that in these uncertain economic times, discussion on the issue of “tying logs to communities” is both “appropriate and necessary”. He also believes this concept could be used to foster, not only more primary wood production, but also getting more “value” out of the wood itself through the establishment of value-added wood operations and other means.

The Mackenzie meeting will take place at the Steelworkers Union Hall ( Elk's Building) at 7pm on Monday, while the Fort St.James meeting wil take place Tuesday at 7p.m. at the District Office of Fort St.James.

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Posted on Friday, October 24, 2008 03:54 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: bobfedd1 on October 24 2008 12:33 PM

What politician in their right mind would eliminate appurtenance? Healthy, strong communities create industry, not the other way around. If only we could have appurtenance on natural gas and oil. MOst of the jobs associated are done by Alberta residents, who for some strange reason wan to play in our sandbox rather than their own mega-sand projects. Election time is coming folks, make your candidates responsible for local development. Make them remember that their job is to pay attention to the constituency first, any Ministerial activities second. They must pay attention to constituents.Don't let our jobs slip away because of a deal made outside the province. By the way I have several businesses and am not being paid by anyone to think this way. Many large corporations are recieving all manner of subsidies from our government, one in particular whose earnings quadrupled this quarter. Explorers and producers in BC have recieved well over $500 MIllion in so-called "Royalty incentives" from the taxpayer in the last couple of years, with no even implied suggestions of puttin BC residents and businesses to work. What a missed opportunity for the province. Just sit at the BC/Ab border near Dawson Creek if you want to get a sick feeling about how much leakage there really is.

Posted by: gamblor on October 24 2008 2:10 PM

agreed. PG should be Bc's Edmonton. PG has established heavy industry and the businesses to support it. However, PG lacks a proper highway to move large equipment to where its needed. So even though it would be cheaper to get the work done here, it all gets done in edmonton due to lack of proper roads. Furthermore, this also discourages people with skills and knowledge of the oil&gas industry to move to PG. Alberta has the people and highways, so they get the jobs. Whats even more sickening than Albertans taking BC jobs is Newfies getting flown out from the other side of the continent to work in northern BC. But then again, its easier to get flights from Atlantic Canada to Fort St. John than it is from Prince George which would require connections through Van and/or Calgary/Edmonton. The people of Prince George had a golden oppurtunity to open a state of the art biomass community power system and promptly scuttled the idea further discouraging any energy company from showing an interest in this city. The citizens of this city have soiled their own sheets with their anti-business attitudes, now they get to sleep in them. At least they get their wish - with the sawmills shut down, the air quality will improve, but no one will have a job. And with no diversification there is little hope of any improvement in the future. I cant stand the sob stories in the paper about unemployed millworkers - this city had its chance and they threw ridiculous air quality garbage back in the face of any employer looking to set up shop. The only stink in this city is the rank smell of missed chances. Now they think appurtenance will save them?? Please. Next they'll elect another NDP government. Then they'll re-discover what government mismanagement is all about. Read my lips: THE US DOESN'T WANT OUR WOOD. They have their own. Deal with it. Find another industry and for once try not to run every employer who isnt a sawmill out of town. Sawmills open and close like a bathroom door - why would anybody want to work in one??? Why would anybody depend on such a lousy, shaky job??? Apputenance - pfft. Keep chasing that rainbow...

Posted by: MrPG on October 25 2008 1:30 PM

"this city had its chance and they threw ridiculous air quality garbage back in the face of any employer looking to set up shop. "

Prince George's air quality, which constantly ranks as the worst in BC and amongst the worst in Canada is hardly something we should continue to ignore. If businesses want to come into town and pollute the bowl more than it already is, then yeah, I have a problem with that. So do the majority of residents who have to put up with it.

Posted by: lost it all on October 25 2008 4:42 PM

MrPG, you seem to be a little all over the map on your posts. On the one hand you say the province is competing globally and the province and companies have to adjust accordingly. Then again if those same companies want to set up shop in Prince George you want your city to make them adjust to your rules as far as air quality. It's pretty obvious as long as it doesn't effect you then it is just global business but when it does effect you then these are our local rules. You want air quality in PG I want logs tied to my community seems like we both want a say on how business is done in this province.