West Fraser Ponders Shutdown
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Money, money, money In harm's way Time's running out Loggers, lawyers and unions top Retired naval petty officer recalls There's an approaching deadline list of contributors to local federal risky times spent keeping peace for submitting nominations for '97 candidates\NEWS PAGE A12 in Cambodia\COMMUNITY B1 Coach of the Year\SPORTS B7 93¢ PLUS 7¢ GST WEDNESDAY VOL. 10 NO. 30 November 5. 1997 T xI DA, RD West Fraser ponders shutdown ~;LUMPING lumber prices could force a shutdown of Rupert specifically caters to the Japanese market. leaving hundreds of workers off the job. Skeena Sawmills' operations in the weeks ahead, says Some lumber prices in Japan have now dropped to 50 per One change that would help coastal producers in this West Fraser northwest operations manager Bruce Mac- cent of their January, 1997 prices. area is the so-called Repap solution of a year ago to have Any West Fraser shntdown would probably be an ex- stumpage rates better reflect the low value ofpulp logs: Nicol. i No firm decision has yet been made on a poss~le shut- tended one covering the Christmas holiday period, and MacNlcol says that proposal is still being considered by clown, but MacNicol confirmed it is a possibility. MacNicoi said he expects to make that decision sometime the forests ministry, adding be's been told there's a chance ', "It's going to depend a lot on where the lumber makuta this week. it could be in place for Jan. 1. are going," he said. "We're monitoring it almost daily." MacNicol's comments come nearly a year after Skeena Consideration of that idea has been hampered by divi- About three-quarters of lumber West Fraser produces is Sawmills issued a warning it might shutdown temporarily sions within the industry, and the need to avoid counter- vailing duties from the United States ff it appears B.C. is s~ld to buyers in the U.S. because stumpage and wood costs were causing it to lose • "Prices lhere have probably fallen 25 per cent fxcm thek money. subsidizing some producers, Premier Glen Clark said last spring highs," MacNicol added. The closure came last December, lasting until early week. • "If the lumber market continues to fall the way it has, spring. A better deal for o0mpanics with forests with high pulp i there's a strong poss~ility we may be looking at shut- So far Skeena Cellulose, which has just restarted opera- content means interior operations with less pulp and more sawiogs will pay the price. downs." tions in the wake of a deal between banks, unions and the Although most of the wood shipped goes south, West province, is not contemplating halting operations. "To date we have not been able to get an agreement vdth Fraser hasn't escaped the fallout fJom lower prices in "We have no plans yet to take any shutdowns," vice- industry to make it more market sensitive but not in~r trouble with the Americans," Clark said, i Japan. president Rudy Schwartz said last week. Bruce WlacNichol That's because its North Coast Timber mill in Prince A wave of shutdowns has swept through the interior, Cil:y kiboshes raves ALL NIGHT rave parties won't be able to presumably are profiting from this." use ~e city's arena banquet room again. A profitable event should be paying a Parks and recreation superintendent commercial rate and mot a non-profit one, Steve Scott says he's put in place new he added. rules designed to head off raves as a Scott said the new rules state that youth result of one that took place in the arena events aren't allowed to run later than banquet room in late August. adult ones:i(meaning 2 a.m.) and that "City staff showed up at~ a.m.' and youth evea~ inuSk haw adult chaperones they were still sitting here contemplating who are named in advance. getting ready to clean up," Scott said. Raves usually involve lots of electmnle The people involved in that incident had dance music and in big cities are nssocia- used "misrepresentation" to rent the ted with the use of a drug called ecstasy. room, he added. "We l~ave an obligation to families to "There's ~ wave of rives going on," let them know we're not sanctioning Scott added, events they wouldn't approve of," Scott "People are selling tickets and added. Charities' future at risk"' THE PRESIDENT of The from gaming. Terrace Bingo Association Smith is concemed that doesn't think a collective gaming facilities in the provincial trust fund will be lower mainland are not of benefit to local charities. going to want to subsidize Pat Smith wants to know smaller ones in the north. what will happen in two While the amount of years when a provincial money in the collective pool government guarantee that will be large, there is no charities will share $118 guarantee that it will not million a year is lifted. fluctuate, loving the future "Until we get a sUraight of local charities up in the answer, we're not going to air. be convinced," he said The government will also about the uncertainty sur- be taking n bigger piece of rounding the province's new Pat Smith the gaming pie, about two gaming expansion policy. that we're going to maintain thirds of the net income The government set up a that level," he said of what (after operator coats and pooling system for bingo might happen after the $118 winnings are paid out) leav- revenue to ensure that all million, two-year commit- ing charities with only one charities share money raised ment ends. third, through expanded gaming. At stake, said Smith, is the "Gur objective is to pro- But Smith, who heads the $1.4 million a year raised in text local charilies and if association of local charities Terrace through bingo there is no guarantee, then using bingo revenue for lo- revenues now going to 43 there is no guarantee of the cal projects, is concerned local charities. quality of life," said Smith about the future of local The pooling systen in- .of local community projects charities. sures charities all across the undertaken now by "There's no guarsntee province share money raised charities, Park plan on track THE CITY is getihlg closer to a deal to buy Once fully developed, the linear park' a sUip of land for a linear park that would would feature trees, landscaping and a lO- extend from Eby St to Kalum Lake Drive. foot-wide paved path -- half of it for The land is a 50-foot strip in between bicyclists and roller bladem and the other Hwy 16 West and the CN Rail tracks. half for 13edeslrians. CN owns the land now but city officials The expectation is that service clubs and conf'mn they've reached a deal to buy it for groups like the Terrace Beautification an as-yet-undisclosed price. Society might want to plant flower beds in City planner David Trawin says the city is the park at that time as well. now awaiting information on past industrial But Truwln says it could be a few years and business activity adjacent to former yet before the full vision Is realized. Co-op and Patio Canada bulk fuel plant That's because tlhe city's fl~,e-ycar plu locations. calls for installation of an extn water main Last week saw contractors doing geotcch- down the length of that slxip of land in nlcal drilling of a portion of the land across 2000. the highway from Home Hardware. Trawi~ says major development of the [] Cruel act repeated "We don't want to buy into a problem park wouldn't go ahead umtil the water lime where it will cost the taxpayer $300,000 to is installed, adding that would Idso allme SHERI LONG has had two wheelchairs stolen mont chair will take months to ardve. The second reme~iate," Trawin explained. the city to t~p into its turin watu tad m from her in two years. "[he latest theft leaves thoft occurred front dght In front of Sheri's Davis But the main obstacle -- negotiations budget for some of the ~ omM, with a loaner chMr, but it's clanoeromly tippy IxP Ave. home, barely half sn hour after she left R un- with Clq Rail over price ~ is passed, he That budget is separate ~ tim mat dllB city operations and its ltmlllty ~ a csuse Ws not specialized to her need~. A mplmem- attended, For the full stoW, see Page A7, said, adding he expects th~ city to have clear title to the land by year's end. only be spent on water and sewer IM ' , i J ' A2 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, November 5, 1997 CarnabY6:ajwmill Healthy Communities ess to cuts obs Crash Helmut off,ce open Entire shift will be cut when mill restarts MORLAGHeANIIuZEGRSs~)FcthefromOdetff/°:enm°:l~avSkee2;ffiNg P C~I~abE;fawCnlELILUwoLOfEb: ~.~°mPd~y,,,°U~ay°sfIv~?rL~n l~i~;ttl~a~n;SLTu:ll;ttw¢;;tn°;olun headquarters. starting up for another two president of Local 404 of the start building roads," Azaz weeks - and when it does, 60 Communications, Energy and says. Diabetes CA,AO,A, ASSO:,A.,O. Furniture and office equipment was moved in over the workers won't have a job. Paperworkers Union. Road work proceeding in DIABETES CANADI£NHE : o L : : ,, "~ ~ ASSOCIATION OU DIABI~TE weekend to a location on Lakelse Ave. It's the same office Closed for more than five "(The company has) corn- the Big Slide and north of the used by the Mike Scott Reform campaign for this year's months as a result of the SCI mitted themselves to run Babine River will allow for federal election.