Category: Nechako

BC Craft Farmers Cannabis Summit underway in Prince George – My PG Now

April 19, 2024

Hundreds have flocked to Prince George for the BC Craft Farmers Cannabis Summit at the Ramada Hotel, which officially kicked off at 2:00 this afternoon (Friday).
This is the third year the summit has been held, and the first time it has come to the Northern Capital.
The weekend’s festivities will cover a wide spectrum of topics and activities, from panels on provincial and national cannabis policy reform, farming, and distribution, to a full-blown 4/20 street party on George Street tomorrow afternoon.
Dr. Susan Dupej, a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada Postdoctoral Fellow, is one of the guests that has traveled to Prince George for the event.
– Advertisement –

She is currently researching Canadian cannabis tourism at the University of Guelph, when speaking with My PG Now before the Summit she said “BC has a very large opportunity, in a different way than the rest of Canada because there is such a large presence of growers here.”
“Prince George has a cannabis presence, with respect to dispensaries and local growers,” she said. “[Tourists] may not be coming here for the cannabis itself, but it can play an important role in the overall experience in a destination.”
For this reason, Dupej believes there needs to be a stronger connection between the cannabis industry and local tourism agencies – in this case, Tourism PG.
Colin Carson, the CEO of Tourism PG, will be a panel member at the summit during the weekend.
Nearly 300 people are attending the conference, many from out of town.
Dupej said “it speaks volumes of the interest,” both regionally and provincially.
Patrick Weiler, the Member of Parliament for West Vancouver – Sunshine Coast – Sea to Sky Country, is another speaker who made the journey for the event.
“Since reactional use was legalized in 2018 we have seen legacy producers going to the formal market,” he told My PG Now. “There are so many great successes to highlight, but there are also some big challenges. There are a lot of things we need to adjust so these businesses can be successful.”
– Advertisement –

Some challenges he expects conversation to be focused around include the high provincial excise tax, streamlining regulatory processes, and competition with the illicit market.
Tyson Wall is one of many with booth at the summit, he is CEO, Co-Founder, and Master Grower at Prince George-based Kush Mountain.
“The summit is a great place for everyone in the industry to get together,” he said. “A big topic is the excise tax, there is a lot of changes that we think really should happen. Having the conversations with MPs and getting involved is the first step.”
“It is great to see the summit happen in Prince George and we are really excited to be a part of it,” Wall continued. He will speak on a panel tomorrow called ‘The Forefront of the Industry.’
The main event for many, especially locals, is the 4/20 street party being held tomorrow – the first time in Canadian history a municipality has approved a city block being shut down for there to be a marijuana centered event.
“The party is going to be really great,” Wall said. “We weren’t expecting city blocks to be shut down by any means, but there’s a first time for everything and we think it is a great start.”
“I don’t think I can put it into words, because this is one of the areas Canada has lacked,” Dupej said. “Allowing people to celebrate, I love that the public is invited into this space and it is not just summit goers… It is the first, it is going to set precedent and be a great foundation for other venues and events across the country.”
“There is a lot going on in Prince George this weekend,” Weiler said, citing the Cougars playoff game tonight and the Home and Garden show in Kin 1. “I think it is important to be able to celebrate where we are right now – this is a big part of the Canadian economy, there is cause to celebrate and I think it is special for so many people to come together and do that.”
– Advertisement –

Tomorrow’s street party will be held between 10:00 and 4:20, it will feature 27 different vendors, games, food trucks, and more.
You can read more about Dupej, Weiler, and the other speakers at the summit that is taking place inside here.

Read More »

BC plants 10-billionth tree

April 16, 2024

British Columbia achieved a major landmark yesterday (Monday), with the planting of the ten-billionth tree since provincial reforestation efforts began in 1930.
The pace has picked up in recent years, with two-billion of those new seedlings planted since 2017.
Forests Minister Bruce Ralston calls the program one of the province’s most important mega-projects, and will ensure the forests are with us for generations to come.
“Ten billion seedlings planted is a remarkable achievement in making sure our forests are with us for generations to come,” Ralston said.
– Advertisement –

“It’s easy to get lost in the number, but there’s a very human story here, too. Planting 10 billion trees means 10 billion carefully wielded shovels by 20 billion hands across almost 100 years. This is an accomplishment we can all be proud of, and it’s an honour to play a small part in that number by planting this tree today.”
Last year, 305 million seedlings were planted in B.C. forests. One of these seedlings was the 10-billionth planted since work began almost a century ago.
Forest tenure holders have been legally required to undertake reforestation efforts since 1987.
“The planting of 10 billion trees in our province is one of B.C.’s most important mega projects,” said John Betts, executive director, Western Forestry Contractors’ Association.
“Besides the hard work involved, it’s an act of optimism where the full benefits won’t be realized until well into the future. It’s a fine legacy for all the thousands of nursery workers, planters and foresters involved over the years.”
In 2024, 235 million of the 290 million seedlings expected to be planted will be done through forestry companies, with an additional five million planted by First Nations.
– with files from Vista Radio newswire

Read More »

Northern BC home sales level out in March – My PG Now

April 15, 2024

March ended up being a flat month for home sales across Northern BC.
According to the BC Real Estate Association, 286 unit sales were recorded last month, pretty much on par with March of 2023 where 288 transactions were completed.
Despite this, active listings rose in the region. In March, Northern BC had 1,626, a five-percent year-over-year spike (1,546) when compared to the same month last year.
In terms of pricing, the north also saw some positive gains. The average price for a single-family home in the region stands at $418,525 – a 9% jump from 12 months earlier where the mark stood at just under 384-grand.
– Advertisement –

As of the end of March, 56 single-family homes came off the market in Prince George for an average price of 518-grand.
During the same time last year, 60 of these units changed hands for over 504-thousand dollars, according to the BC Northern Real Estate Board.
Province-wide, 6,460 residential unit sales were tallied in March, a decline of 9.5 per cent compared to the same time last year.
The average residential price in BC sits at $1.02 million, a 6.5% hike year-over-year spike after it was $958,051 in March 2023.
During the BCREA’s first quarter forecast, it is projected our region will post 37 hundred unit sales in 2024, a 1.5% increase from 2023 – in addition, the average price for a single-family home is predicted to reach $420,000 – a small spike when compared to the year prior.
The provincial association believes the rebound this year will set the stage for a robust 2025. The agency stated due to pent-up demand from strong population growth, and favourable demographics even a small drop could make a huge difference.
Provincial home sales are expected to spike by 7.8% this year to 78,775 transactions before jumping to 86,475 in 2025.

Read More »

Clean EnergyBC Scandal?

April 12, 2024

Now we can understand government can be a maze of bureaucracy and certain programs have endless hidden issues but we were interested in this new company that is moving to

Read More »

Public to be surveyed on LNG project north of Prince George – Prince George Citizen

April 10, 2024

A public comment period has opened for a liquefied natural gas plant proposed for a site about 30 kilometres north of Prince George.

Known as the Summit Lake PG LNG Project, it was first announced in February.

JX LNG Canada is seeking go-ahead from B.C. Environmental Assessment Office and the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada to build the plant at a site known as the Hart Industrial about 11 kilometres south of Summit Lake.

The agencies jointly opened a comment period on April 2 and it runs until May 2.

According to an initial project description, the plant would occupy about 250 hectares and produce up to 2.7 million tonnes per year of the product and have it shipped by rail to Prince Rupert in special ISO containers for export to Asia.

It would rely on the nearby Enbridge Westcoast Pipeline for feedstock via a two-kilometre pipeline that would be constructed as part of the project. A six-kilometre powerline would also be put in place to connect to BC Hydro’s Salmon Valley substation.

JX LNG Canada, is an Alberta-based subsidiary of Changchun Jixing New Energy Ltd., which is involved in the LNG and compressed natural gas sector in northeastern China.

More information and portals to provide comments on the agencies’ respective websites: BC EPIC and IAAC.

Read More »

BC Craft Farmers Cannabis Summit underway in Prince George – My PG Now

April 19, 2024

Hundreds have flocked to Prince George for the BC Craft Farmers Cannabis Summit at the Ramada Hotel, which officially kicked off at 2:00 this afternoon (Friday).
This is the third year the summit has been held, and the first time it has come to the Northern Capital.
The weekend’s festivities will cover a wide spectrum of topics and activities, from panels on provincial and national cannabis policy reform, farming, and distribution, to a full-blown 4/20 street party on George Street tomorrow afternoon.
Dr. Susan Dupej, a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada Postdoctoral Fellow, is one of the guests that has traveled to Prince George for the event.
– Advertisement –

She is currently researching Canadian cannabis tourism at the University of Guelph, when speaking with My PG Now before the Summit she said “BC has a very large opportunity, in a different way than the rest of Canada because there is such a large presence of growers here.”
“Prince George has a cannabis presence, with respect to dispensaries and local growers,” she said. “[Tourists] may not be coming here for the cannabis itself, but it can play an important role in the overall experience in a destination.”
For this reason, Dupej believes there needs to be a stronger connection between the cannabis industry and local tourism agencies – in this case, Tourism PG.
Colin Carson, the CEO of Tourism PG, will be a panel member at the summit during the weekend.
Nearly 300 people are attending the conference, many from out of town.
Dupej said “it speaks volumes of the interest,” both regionally and provincially.
Patrick Weiler, the Member of Parliament for West Vancouver – Sunshine Coast – Sea to Sky Country, is another speaker who made the journey for the event.
“Since reactional use was legalized in 2018 we have seen legacy producers going to the formal market,” he told My PG Now. “There are so many great successes to highlight, but there are also some big challenges. There are a lot of things we need to adjust so these businesses can be successful.”
– Advertisement –

Some challenges he expects conversation to be focused around include the high provincial excise tax, streamlining regulatory processes, and competition with the illicit market.
Tyson Wall is one of many with booth at the summit, he is CEO, Co-Founder, and Master Grower at Prince George-based Kush Mountain.
“The summit is a great place for everyone in the industry to get together,” he said. “A big topic is the excise tax, there is a lot of changes that we think really should happen. Having the conversations with MPs and getting involved is the first step.”
“It is great to see the summit happen in Prince George and we are really excited to be a part of it,” Wall continued. He will speak on a panel tomorrow called ‘The Forefront of the Industry.’
The main event for many, especially locals, is the 4/20 street party being held tomorrow – the first time in Canadian history a municipality has approved a city block being shut down for there to be a marijuana centered event.
“The party is going to be really great,” Wall said. “We weren’t expecting city blocks to be shut down by any means, but there’s a first time for everything and we think it is a great start.”
“I don’t think I can put it into words, because this is one of the areas Canada has lacked,” Dupej said. “Allowing people to celebrate, I love that the public is invited into this space and it is not just summit goers… It is the first, it is going to set precedent and be a great foundation for other venues and events across the country.”
“There is a lot going on in Prince George this weekend,” Weiler said, citing the Cougars playoff game tonight and the Home and Garden show in Kin 1. “I think it is important to be able to celebrate where we are right now – this is a big part of the Canadian economy, there is cause to celebrate and I think it is special for so many people to come together and do that.”
– Advertisement –

Tomorrow’s street party will be held between 10:00 and 4:20, it will feature 27 different vendors, games, food trucks, and more.
You can read more about Dupej, Weiler, and the other speakers at the summit that is taking place inside here.

Read More »

BC plants 10-billionth tree

April 16, 2024

British Columbia achieved a major landmark yesterday (Monday), with the planting of the ten-billionth tree since provincial reforestation efforts began in 1930.
The pace has picked up in recent years, with two-billion of those new seedlings planted since 2017.
Forests Minister Bruce Ralston calls the program one of the province’s most important mega-projects, and will ensure the forests are with us for generations to come.
“Ten billion seedlings planted is a remarkable achievement in making sure our forests are with us for generations to come,” Ralston said.
– Advertisement –

“It’s easy to get lost in the number, but there’s a very human story here, too. Planting 10 billion trees means 10 billion carefully wielded shovels by 20 billion hands across almost 100 years. This is an accomplishment we can all be proud of, and it’s an honour to play a small part in that number by planting this tree today.”
Last year, 305 million seedlings were planted in B.C. forests. One of these seedlings was the 10-billionth planted since work began almost a century ago.
Forest tenure holders have been legally required to undertake reforestation efforts since 1987.
“The planting of 10 billion trees in our province is one of B.C.’s most important mega projects,” said John Betts, executive director, Western Forestry Contractors’ Association.
“Besides the hard work involved, it’s an act of optimism where the full benefits won’t be realized until well into the future. It’s a fine legacy for all the thousands of nursery workers, planters and foresters involved over the years.”
In 2024, 235 million of the 290 million seedlings expected to be planted will be done through forestry companies, with an additional five million planted by First Nations.
– with files from Vista Radio newswire

Read More »

Northern BC home sales level out in March – My PG Now

April 15, 2024

March ended up being a flat month for home sales across Northern BC.
According to the BC Real Estate Association, 286 unit sales were recorded last month, pretty much on par with March of 2023 where 288 transactions were completed.
Despite this, active listings rose in the region. In March, Northern BC had 1,626, a five-percent year-over-year spike (1,546) when compared to the same month last year.
In terms of pricing, the north also saw some positive gains. The average price for a single-family home in the region stands at $418,525 – a 9% jump from 12 months earlier where the mark stood at just under 384-grand.
– Advertisement –

As of the end of March, 56 single-family homes came off the market in Prince George for an average price of 518-grand.
During the same time last year, 60 of these units changed hands for over 504-thousand dollars, according to the BC Northern Real Estate Board.
Province-wide, 6,460 residential unit sales were tallied in March, a decline of 9.5 per cent compared to the same time last year.
The average residential price in BC sits at $1.02 million, a 6.5% hike year-over-year spike after it was $958,051 in March 2023.
During the BCREA’s first quarter forecast, it is projected our region will post 37 hundred unit sales in 2024, a 1.5% increase from 2023 – in addition, the average price for a single-family home is predicted to reach $420,000 – a small spike when compared to the year prior.
The provincial association believes the rebound this year will set the stage for a robust 2025. The agency stated due to pent-up demand from strong population growth, and favourable demographics even a small drop could make a huge difference.
Provincial home sales are expected to spike by 7.8% this year to 78,775 transactions before jumping to 86,475 in 2025.

Read More »

Clean EnergyBC Scandal?

April 12, 2024

Now we can understand government can be a maze of bureaucracy and certain programs have endless hidden issues but we were interested in this new company that is moving to

Read More »

Public to be surveyed on LNG project north of Prince George – Prince George Citizen

April 10, 2024

A public comment period has opened for a liquefied natural gas plant proposed for a site about 30 kilometres north of Prince George.

Known as the Summit Lake PG LNG Project, it was first announced in February.

JX LNG Canada is seeking go-ahead from B.C. Environmental Assessment Office and the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada to build the plant at a site known as the Hart Industrial about 11 kilometres south of Summit Lake.

The agencies jointly opened a comment period on April 2 and it runs until May 2.

According to an initial project description, the plant would occupy about 250 hectares and produce up to 2.7 million tonnes per year of the product and have it shipped by rail to Prince Rupert in special ISO containers for export to Asia.

It would rely on the nearby Enbridge Westcoast Pipeline for feedstock via a two-kilometre pipeline that would be constructed as part of the project. A six-kilometre powerline would also be put in place to connect to BC Hydro’s Salmon Valley substation.

JX LNG Canada, is an Alberta-based subsidiary of Changchun Jixing New Energy Ltd., which is involved in the LNG and compressed natural gas sector in northeastern China.

More information and portals to provide comments on the agencies’ respective websites: BC EPIC and IAAC.

Read More »

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