Premier Kinew speaks on Manitoba wildfire situation
Premier Kinew speaks on Manitoba wildfire situation
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew announced a state of emergency in the province over the wildfire situation.
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Globe and Mail
29 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
New power line holds key to B.C.'s ambitions for critical minerals
The B.C. government has committed to building a new transmission line to bring electricity to power-hungry projects, including a string of proposed critical-mineral mines in the province's northwest. There is no budget, no timeline, and the precise route has yet to be confirmed. First Nations along the proposed line have not yet agreed to the project. And, there are no confirmed customers for the North Coast transmission line. The line is key to delivering on Premier David Eby's promise that British Columbia can become the economic engine of Canada. Prime Minister Mark Carney and premiers across Canada have pledged a flurry of infrastructure projects to diversify markets away from the United States. But British Columbia faces hurdles, from First Nations' reluctance to embrace fast-tracking projects, to BC Hydro's spotty record of completing such projects on time and on budget. Energy Minister Adrian Dix says shovels will be in the ground the summer of 2026. 'There's no question it can be built and that it will be built,' he said in an interview this week. 'It's a critical aspect of all that work we're doing.' To clear the path, the province passed legislation on Thursday that will exempt the project from the environmental assessment review. B.C. bill fast-tracking infrastructure projects passes as Speaker Raj Chouhan casts deciding vote The new 500 kV transmission line and associated infrastructure will run from Prince George to Terrace, with possible extensions in three directions: to Kitimat, Aiyansh and Prince Rupert. The line is needed, Mr. Dix said, to supply power to proposed critical-mineral mines, liquefied natural gas projects, and an expanded Port of Prince Rupert, which features heavily in the province's ambitions for a Western transportation network that will open up more Canadian trade with Asia. Currently, BC Hydro is negotiating with 14 First Nations to determine the route. The Crown corporation is proposing Indigenous co-ownership and joint environmental studies, in lieu of a full, formal environmental assessment process that can delay construction. 'The intent is to shave off years,' Mr. Dix said. Bill 14, the Renewable Energy Projects (Streamlined Permitting) Act, and Bill 15, the Infrastructure Projects Act, were the key features of the provincial legislative session that wrapped up on Thursday. Both laws are designed to speed development of infrastructure and resource projects, including mines and energy projects ranging from wind farms to liquefied natural gas. Both bills received intense criticism from First Nations leaders, local governments and business and environmental organizations over concerns that fast-tracking approvals will mean insufficient scrutiny, and could ultimately lead to greater uncertainty and delays. Some First Nations leaders have warned that projects will face lawsuits if their rights and title are undermined. The BC Chamber of Commerce this week decried the province's failure to consult with First Nations before introducing the legislation. 'The consequence is that projects designated as 'provincially significant' now face a heightened risk of legal challenges,' Fiona Famulak, the chamber's president and CEO, wrote to Mr. Eby. Environmentalists, meanwhile, worry that the exceptional powers granted to cabinet to speed up project approvals will expose the province to greater risk of ecological disasters. Opinion: Ottawa should look to B.C.'s fast-track blueprint for big projects 'There are real threats to our ecosystems and communities if mines are listed as 'provincially significant' and bypass environmental assessments. The current regulatory regime in B.C. doesn't do enough to protect our water and lands today,' said Nikki Skuce, co-chair of the BC Mining Law Reform network. Ontario Premier Doug Ford is pushing through similar legislation in the face of opposition from First Nations. Like B.C., the Ontario government wants to fast-track critical-mineral development by creating 'special economic zones' where mines or other projects could be exempt from provincial laws. Mr. Ford said this week he will amend his proposed law to reaffirm Ontario's pre-existing constitutional obligations to consult First Nations. Even before shovels are in the ground, the potential demand for the North Coast transmission line could be under pressure, based on the projects that the B.C. government hopes to secure. Michael Goehring, president and chief executive of the Mining Association of BC, said the 18 proposed critical-mineral mines that are in advanced development in B.C. need access to significant power, or they won't move forward. The province estimates the mines projects in the Northwest alone are worth $30-billion in economic activity – but to land those investments, the province needs to provide somewhere between 400 MW to 700 MW by 2035. That could use up more than half of the power available from the new transmission line, leaving little for developing LNG, port expansion or anything else. B.C. looking to private sector for new clean power projects Mr. Dix said that's something his government is going to have to figure out. 'One of the issues that we're also going to be addressing in the coming months is questions around electricity allocation.' He is looking at the Quebec model, which prioritizes projects of provincial interest. Mr. Goehring argues that mining – especially the critical minerals that Canada has identified as a priority – should come first. 'The North Coast Transmission Line is critical to our province's mining sector and the economy of Northwest B.C.,' he said. 'There are a number of critical-mineral projects in this region like the Turnagain nickel project and Galore Creek, a world class copper-gold project, that could increase Canada's copper production by 35 per cent. Cost-effective transmission and clean electricity are essential to their development.' Before B.C. passed its streamlining law, BC Hydro estimated it will take eight to 10 years to build the North Coast line. But the Crown corporation hasn't had a track record for building major projects on time and on budget. The Site C dam, with a $8.8-billion budget, was completed for $16-billion. The Northwest Transmission Line was completed in 2014. Originally launched with a budget of $404-million, it came in at $736-million, an overrun blamed on challenging terrain and higher-than-expected costs for materials and labour. The Interior to Lower Mainland Transmission Line came into service in 2015, a year behind schedule. The delays were triggered in part because the contractor brought in faulty steel towers from India that twisted, bent and collapsed. BC Hydro said that project came in on budget – but then it ended up paying a $100-million settlement to its contractor after a protracted dispute. At the time that the details of those challenges were coming to light, Mr. Dix was serving on the opposition benches as the NDP's energy critic: 'The tendering process is a fiasco; the project is a disaster,' he said at the time. Mr. Dix insists that BC Hydro will do better this time. 'I think they they've learned from those experiences,' he said, 'and I'm confident BC Hydro will be able to build it.'
CBC
44 minutes ago
- CBC
Kelowna General Hospital doctors warn of 'collapse' of primary maternity care coverage
Doctors in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) are warning that the maternity ward is on the verge of collapse amid a shortage of family physicians. A joint statement from all nine members of the department issued Thursday said that "without immediate action from health authorities and government decision-makers, the safety of patients and newborns is at serious risk." "Due to a critical shortage of family physicians willing or able to provide this care— worsened by a failure to recruit replacements—our hospital is facing a collapse of its primary maternity care coverage as early as June 1, 2025. "This means that many pregnant patients may arrive at the hospital in labour with no doctor available to provide safe, continuous care during delivery." The doctors said their concerns about staffing and support have gone largely unanswered and they're demanding immediate action from Interior Health. The doctor representing the group declined an interview request from CBC News. Dr. Hussam Azzam, executive medical director for Interior Health South, acknowledged the physicians' concerns, saying KGH leadership is in regular contact with with the ob-gyns to address a complex issue with "multiple pillars to it that we need to address." "We are open to listen and we're open to work with them collaboratively to meet their needs and to deliver the best quality care that they've trained to do," Azzam said. Dr. Charlene Lui, president of the professional association Doctors of B.C., said family doctors often handle low-risk patients with obstetricians focused on cases that are high risk and more complex. "When we have fewer low-risk maternity providers that are family physicians, then that puts additional pressure on our obstetricians to sometimes need to be in several places at the same time when an emergency arises," Lui said. The statement followed last week's announcement of an extended closure of the pediatric unit at KGH. The health authority said it temporarily closed the pediatric care unit at the hospital to address scheduling gaps due to limited physician availability. "We are very alarmed to hear that the issues at Kelowna General continue to escalate without solutions from the health authority," Lui said Friday. KGH is a regional referral centre with over 1,800 deliveries each year and a Tier 4 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) caring for babies born at 30 weeks gestation or later, according to the doctors' letter. Dr. Jeff Eppler, an emergency department physician at KGH, told CBC News on Friday that he was heading into a weekend shift amid staff shortages, including no pediatricians and a limited number of ob-gyns. "Our staff is burning out. All of these service disruptions just make the job so much harder for all of us in the emergency department," Eppler said. "And even though we are all starting to burn out, we are going to have to pick up extra shifts this summer to make up for all the shortcomings in the system." In a statement, B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne said parents can be assured that all of the hospital's critical care services for children remain open, including the emergency department and NICU. Gavin Dew, the B.C. Conservative MLA for Kelowna-Mission, described the situation at the hospital as a "crisis of government neglect." "We have multiple departments of the hospital who clearly feel as if they are not being heard by the folks who should be listening to them and are resorting to making public the crisis-level conditions at the hospital," Dew said. The hospital ob-gyns said they have warned administrators of the risks, and have tried to offer solutions. "We have submitted multiple letters, proposals, and formal communications urging action," reads the statement. "Our concerns have gone largely unanswered." They are calling on Interior Health and B.C.'s health ministry to create a contingency plan to ensure patients are cared for and to support the transfer of maternity patients if care can't be provided locally. Osborne acknowledged the hard work of pediatricians at KGH, saying they have been dealing with staffing shortages and are "understandably experiencing burnout." She went on to say the province's efforts to recruit health-care workers are starting to pay off. Two new pediatricians have accepted offers to work at KGH, she said, with the first set to arrive in July.
CBC
44 minutes ago
- CBC
Pride celebrations get underway on Vancouver Island this weekend
Social Sharing Rainbows will be on display in the Cowichan Valley, the Alberni Valley, and Ladysmith this weekend, as Pride events get underway in the three Vancouver Island communities. Festivities begin in even more locations in the coming week, including Victoria, Parksville and Nanaimo. Cristin Elle, president of Cowichan Pride Society, says Pride is about both celebrating the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and advocating for their rights. The Cowichan Valley, which includes the city of Duncan, is about 45 kilometres north of Victoria. Elle told the CBC podcast This is Vancouver Island that her partner is trans, and growing anti-trans sentiment around the world makes it even more important to celebrate Pride. "There's a real fear about their identities being erased," said Elle. "So going to Pride, being involved in Pride … paves the road for the younger generation." Cowichan Pride is holding five events over three weeks, starting with a concert and drag show on May 31, and ending with a parade on June 22. Week of events in Alberni Valley About 50 kilometers northwest of Cowichan Valley, organizers at Alberni Valley Pride are hosting a week full of events — starting with a car wash on Sunday, June 1 in the heart of Port Alberni. "[The car wash] is a really good way to kind of just get the word out," said Crysta Stubbs, vice chair of the Alberni Valley Pride Society. "People come out, hold up signs … Let people know Pride week is starting." It's the first year Stubbs has been involved with the organization, and she said for the most part people in the Alberni Valley are excited about Pride. She told This is Vancouver Island that she does hear some pushback from people who wonder why the 2SLGBTQ+ community needs a week of celebration. But she said she's ready to explain that Pride is not about "us" versus "them," and that it's important for the queer community to get to celebrate themselves, and how far they've come. ""I am really excited about the opportunity to just talk with people," said Stubbs. "I don't mind having hard conversations." Nearly 20 island communities plan to celebrate Ladysmith, about 90 km northwest of Victoria, is holding its Pride festival on June 1. On June 2, Nanaimo, about 110 km northwest of Victoria, kicks off its festivities, which will wrap up with a parade on June 8. Victoria has events June 1 and 12. It's main celebrations will be held at the beginning of July, wrapping up with a parade on July 6. There are also Pride events this summer in Parksville, Langford, Saanich, Gabriola Island, Sidney, Tofino, Campbell River, the North Island, Qathet, Denman Island, Pender Island, and the Discovery Islands. For deaf and hard-of-hearing members of the community, ASL interpretation will be available at events in Nanaimo, Victoria, and the Comox Valley.
