Latest news with #Skeena
Global News
5 days ago
- Health
- Global News
BC Conservatives question $1M contract for B.C. drug and mental illness adviser
The BC Conservative opposition is raising concerns about the contract the NDP government has awarded to its top adviser on mental health and the drug crisis. It has been one year since the B.C. government appointed Dr. Daniel Vigo as its chief scientific adviser for psychiatry, toxic drugs and concurrent disorders. Vigo has been responsible for developing solutions for people suffering from mental health, addictions and brain injuries due to toxic drugs. According to his contract, Vigo is eligible to receive $250,000 each quarter he works, up to $1 million for the year. In addition, he is eligible to receive 12 per cent of his salary as administrative fees or expenses. 2:07 B.C. government opens more involuntary care beds 'It was very clear during the election that involuntary care was one of the pieces that was needed in this system. I think the government was already aware of that, and I think that because they knew they were facing some pushback from some of their more ideological supporters, they decided to spend a million dollars hiring a doctor as a consultant to tell us what we already knew so that they could fall back on, 'Well, this is the science behind it,'' said Claire Rattée, BC Conservative MLA for Skeena. Story continues below advertisement 'At the end of the day, it's a million dollars that could have been spent on treatment.' Rattée added she was concerned about a 'lack of deliverables' in the contract. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy She said that according to the document, Vigo should have already submitted three quarterly reports, none of which have been made public. 'We're talking about a government that has spent well over $1 billion on addictions and the overdose emergency that we have here, but where are the measurable outcomes? What are the outcomes of any of the things that they have done?' added BC Conservative public safety critic Elenore Sturko. 'We have seen some announcements, we've seen some piecemeal work, even the stuff that's been announced by Dr. Vigo over the last couple of months here — It looks like something is happening, but what's the outcome and where have we gone and what should British Columbians expect from this huge expenditure?' B.C.'s health minister says the BC Conservatives aren't telling the whole story. The $1 million is earmarked for Vigo to build out a team of four people and to cover the cost of data collection and legal advice, Health Minister Josie Osborne told Global News. 1:52 New involuntary care beds are opening in Maple Ridge She said Vigo was retained because the toxic drug crisis and the intersection of addicitons medicine and psychiatry are evolving quickly, and the province wants to be on the cutting edge. Story continues below advertisement 'This is a fresh, innovative look using the professional experience that they have to help us identify the people who need help the most to help us identify the solutions,' Osborne said. 'It is a very challenging situation to see people that are suffering, to see and know that people need treatment and care and that we need the very best clinical expertise, the very medical advice that we can and the appropriate settings and care and therapies for these people — we don't have experts in that inside the ministry.' In his year on the job, Vigo has provided significant advice to the province, including a determination that the B.C. Mental Health Act does not need to be amended to allow for involuntary treatment. He led the development of new guidance to B.C. doctors, laying out the scenarios under which someone can be treated involuntarily under the Mental Health Act, all of them involving mental impairment. 1:54 Success of forced addictions treatment lacks evidence, minister says And he has been involved in the rollout of B.C.'s first two involuntary treatment facilities, one in the South Fraser Pretrial Centre and one in the Alouette Homes in Maple Ridge for people who aren't in contact with the justice system. Story continues below advertisement He has also been made available to media to answer questions about the province's involuntary treatment policy. Rattée said the progress for the price tag simply isn't good value. 'So far, they've only moved on. You know, 18 beds at Alouette, I believe it is, and 10 at Surrey pre-trial, and nothing to do with voluntary treatment services,' she said. 'This is a drop in the bucket when it comes to actually addressing the issue that we are facing right now.' Last month, the province terminated the contract of another adviser halfway through the planned six-month term. Michael Bryant had been hired on a $150,000 contract to consult on the province's policies and service delivery in the Downtown Eastside.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
6 of the best train trips in British Columbia
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). British Columbia, Canada's westernmost province, is well known for its spectacular landscapes, offering endless views of serrated peaks, opaline glacier lakes and feather-tipped pines. And what better way to take it all in than on a train, with those big-picture vistas slowly rolling by beyond the windowpanes — here are some of the best rail routes to try. Vancouver to Banff; 2 daysThis double-decker train is surely one of the world's most scenic rail journeys, offering bubble-domed vistas of mountains, lakes, forests, gorges, rivers and glaciers and the chance to spot wildlife along the way. The classic First Passage to the West route follows part of the line from the historic Canadian Pacific Railway, Canada's first transcontinental train journey, which travelled from Montreal to Vancouver. It starts in Vancouver before passing the Fraser River for an overnight in Kamloops then continuing into the Rockies via the sheer-sided valley of Kicking Horse Pass, the glacial-blue expanse of Lake Louise and the pretty mountain town of Banff. On board, waistcoated hosts serve cocktails to your seat, with three-course meals on offer in the dining car, including a section of sommelier-picked Canadian wines. From £1,389 per person. Prince Rupert to Jasper; 2 daysInaugurated in 1914, the Skeena offers an epic, 1,160-mile journey that carries you all the way from the Pacific coast into the Rocky Mountains. Also known as the 'Rupert Rocket', it runs three times a week between Prince Rupert and Jasper, with an overnight stop in Prince George en route. Along the way, it travels through some spectacularly wild scenery — from pristine forest to steep canyons and glacial lakes — and is one of the few railways in North America that offers a 'flag' service, allowing passengers to flag it down between scheduled stations. As such, it's a favourite for hikers, adventurers and others keen on exploring BC's backcountry — and it runs year-round, no matter the weather. From C$163 (£91) per person. (Related: Try the Skeena, a budget alternative to Canada's famous Rocky Mountaineer.) Faulder to Trout Creek; 90 minutesThis historic route was originally built between 1910 and 1916 to link the mainline between Montreal and Vancouver with southern BC — an area rich in resources, from fruit, grain and lumber to precious metals and minerals. It continued to carry freight until its closure in 1989, but it's now been resurrected as a heritage steam railway. The vintage steam locomotive dates from 1912, with open-sided carriages offering uninhibited views of the scenery. The route follows 16 miles of restored track through the vineyards and farms of the Okanagan Valley, an area renowned for producing some of Canada's best wines. From C$33 (£18) per person; Vancouver to Jasper; 3 daysYou won't need to choose between the mountains and the coast on this alternative Rocky Mountaineer route, which runs up the Pacific seaboard from Vancouver via the ski slopes of Whistler and the old logging town of Quesnel, before heading inland across the gold fields of the Cariboo Plateau. It finishes up in Jasper, across the border in Alberta, and there are two overnight stops en route, allowing plenty of time to stretch your legs and explore. From CA$4,929 (£2,776) per person. Vancouver to Seattle; 4½ hoursThe Amtrak line offers the chance to shuttle between the big cities on either side of the US-Canada border, including Vancouver, Seattle and Portland. The trains that ply this route are simple but spacious, with large, comfy seats, a bistro car and a viewing lounge dedicated to taking in the scenery. And what a view it is: expect to see endless feather-tipped pines, glacier-blue bays and alpine meadows mixed in with classic mountain towns. From US$44 (£34) per person. Port Alberni; 25 minutesVancouver Island's booming lumber industry once required the services of many a chugging steam train, but all have vanished now save for this one in Port Alberni, the small city that stands at the head of Alberni Inlet, the waterway that runs inland for 34 miles from the island's south coast. Once a centre for logging and paper making, Port Alberni isn't the prettiest city in BC, but the waterfront remains an important hub for the town. It's also where you'll find this steam railway and its vintage carriages, pulled by a #7 Baldwin locomotive dating from 1929. An atmospheric relic of the island's industrial past, it's now run by enthusiasts entirely for love, not profit, and offers views of the Alberni waterfront and the hills beyond. C$8 per person. Published in the May 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
National Geographic
24-05-2025
- National Geographic
6 of the best rail adventures in British Columbia
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). British Columbia, Canada's westernmost province, is well known for its spectacular landscapes, offering endless views of serrated peaks, opaline glacier lakes and feather-tipped pines. And what better way to take it all in than on a train, with those big-picture vistas slowly rolling by beyond the windowpanes — here are some of the best rail routes to try. 1. Rocky Mountaineer: First Passage to the West Vancouver to Banff; 2 days This double-decker train is surely one of the world's most scenic rail journeys, offering bubble-domed vistas of mountains, lakes, forests, gorges, rivers and glaciers and the chance to spot wildlife along the way. The classic First Passage to the West route follows part of the line from the historic Canadian Pacific Railway, Canada's first transcontinental train journey, which travelled from Montreal to Vancouver. It starts in Vancouver before passing the Fraser River for an overnight in Kamloops then continuing into the Rockies via the sheer-sided valley of Kicking Horse Pass, the glacial-blue expanse of Lake Louise and the pretty mountain town of Banff. On board, waistcoated hosts serve cocktails to your seat, with three-course meals on offer in the dining car, including a section of sommelier-picked Canadian wines. From £1,389 per person. The classic First Passage to the West route follows part of the line from the historic Canadian Pacific Railway, Canada's first transcontinental train journey, which travelled from Montreal to Vancouver. Photograph by Rocky Mountaineer 2. The Skeena Prince Rupert to Jasper; 2 days Inaugurated in 1914, the Skeena offers an epic, 1,160-mile journey that carries you all the way from the Pacific coast into the Rocky Mountains. Also known as the 'Rupert Rocket', it runs three times a week between Prince Rupert and Jasper, with an overnight stop in Prince George en route. Along the way, it travels through some spectacularly wild scenery — from pristine forest to steep canyons and glacial lakes — and is one of the few railways in North America that offers a 'flag' service, allowing passengers to flag it down between scheduled stations. As such, it's a favourite for hikers, adventurers and others keen on exploring BC's backcountry — and it runs year-round, no matter the weather. From C$163 (£91) per person. (Related: Try the Skeena, a budget alternative to Canada's famous Rocky Mountaineer.) The Kettle Valley Steam Railway route continued to carry freight until its closure in 1989, but it's now been resurrected as a heritage steam railway. Photograph by Darren Robinson 3. Kettle Valley Steam Railway Faulder to Trout Creek; 90 minutes This historic route was originally built between 1910 and 1916 to link the mainline between Montreal and Vancouver with southern BC — an area rich in resources, from fruit, grain and lumber to precious metals and minerals. It continued to carry freight until its closure in 1989, but it's now been resurrected as a heritage steam railway. The vintage steam locomotive dates from 1912, with open-sided carriages offering uninhibited views of the scenery. The route follows 16 miles of restored track through the vineyards and farms of the Okanagan Valley, an area renowned for producing some of Canada's best wines. From C$33 (£18) per person; 4. Rocky Mountaineer: Rainforest to Gold Rush Vancouver to Jasper; 3 days You won't need to choose between the mountains and the coast on this alternative Rocky Mountaineer route, which runs up the Pacific seaboard from Vancouver via the ski slopes of Whistler and the old logging town of Quesnel, before heading inland across the gold fields of the Cariboo Plateau. It finishes up in Jasper, across the border in Alberta, and there are two overnight stops en route, allowing plenty of time to stretch your legs and explore. From CA$4,929 (£2,776) per person. 5. Amtrak Cascades Vancouver to Seattle; 4½ hours The Amtrak line offers the chance to shuttle between the big cities on either side of the US-Canada border, including Vancouver, Seattle and Portland. The trains that ply this route are simple but spacious, with large, comfy seats, a bistro car and a viewing lounge dedicated to taking in the scenery. And what a view it is: expect to see endless feather-tipped pines, glacier-blue bays and alpine meadows mixed in with classic mountain towns. From US$44 (£34) per person. Port Alberni's waterfront remains an important hub for the town, and is where you'll find this steam railway and its vintage carriages, pulled by a #7 Baldwin locomotive dating from 1929. Photograph by Curvy Roads Photography 6. Alberni Pacific Railway Port Alberni; 25 minutes Vancouver Island's booming lumber industry once required the services of many a chugging steam train, but all have vanished now save for this one in Port Alberni, the small city that stands at the head of Alberni Inlet, the waterway that runs inland for 34 miles from the island's south coast. Once a centre for logging and paper making, Port Alberni isn't the prettiest city in BC, but the waterfront remains an important hub for the town. It's also where you'll find this steam railway and its vintage carriages, pulled by a #7 Baldwin locomotive dating from 1929. An atmospheric relic of the island's industrial past, it's now run by enthusiasts entirely for love, not profit, and offers views of the Alberni waterfront and the hills beyond. C$8 per person. Published in the May 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Yahoo
Try the Skeena, a budget alternative to Canada's famous Rocky Mountaineer
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). 'Ladies and gentlemen, we'll be making an unscheduled stop here to pick up another passenger,' announces train manager Alain Vermette. 'In fact, we need to back up. We just missed his stop.' Brakes squeal and gears grind as Via Rail Line 6 — better known as 'the Skeena' — slows, shifts into reverse and trundles back down the track. A minute later, a burly man in a baseball cap, hunting boots and jeans emerges from the forest, rucksack slung over his shoulder, a cheroot poking out from his grizzled grey beard. 'Afternoon, Alain,' he says, waving a greeting up to the conductor, who's leaning out of the train window. 'Running a little late today, ain'tcha?' The train pulls to a stop — but since there's no platform, Alain has to hop down onto the track and put down a set of portable steps. I follow him down, and together we help the man haul himself up through the train's side door. Soon the engine chugs into life and we're off again, hurtling onwards into an endless sea of pines. On the Skeena, request stops have always been part of the service. Completed in 1914 as the western end of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, the train travels through some of British Columbia's wildest backcountry, including the 24,700sq mile Great Bear Rainforest, the largest temperate forest on Earth. It's one of Canada's great wildernesses, a haven for wildlife including moose, elk, eagles and, as its name suggests, black and grizzly bears. The route begins on the Pacific coast in Prince Rupert, BC, and ends 720 miles further east high in the Rocky Mountains in Jasper, Alberta. Since it's often the only way to get from one backwoods town to the next, locals use it like a bus service, flagging the train down as it passes three times a week. It's been classed as an essential service since 1990, but if it was judged on purely economic terms, it would probably have been closed long ago. 'The Skeena is a lifeline for so many people,' Alain explains as we chat inside the train's compact cafe car, watching stereotypically Canadian vistas blur beyond the window: sprawling forests, turquoise lakes, snow-topped peaks. Originally from Quebec, with a Francophone lilt to his accent, he's dressed in his Via Rail uniform: short-sleeved shirt, navy waistcoat and trousers, a shiny pin badge of the Canadian flag tacked to his lapel. 'We call the people who live way out in the bush 'flaggers', and we keep an eye out as we pass their stop,' Alain continues. 'Usually they signal with a flagpole or a high-vis jacket hanging beside the track. But we stop for hikers, too; forest workers, hunters, people like that. Recently we picked up a family who'd got lost. It was lucky we found them, actually.' I'm riding the Skeena eastbound on a two-day, 21-hour journey from the Pacific to the Rockies, with an overnight stop in Prince George en route. The timetable is more guide than gospel — on Canada's railways, freight takes priority, so passenger trains must wait for them to pass. Delays are inevitable. 'There's a joke that 'Via Rail' actually stands for 'Very Irregular Arrival',' quips train attendant Dany Clarissa, on secondment from her regular gig on Via Rail's flagship route, The Canadian — 2,775-miles, linking Toronto and Vancouver. Sure enough, a minute later we pull into a siding to allow a gigantic goods train to rumble past, its steel boxcars daubed with graffiti. 'This one's only a small one, but they can be three miles long,' Dany says. Thankfully, the Skeena is one train where you're almost glad about the hold ups. The train has a retro elegance reminiscent of the 1950s. The carriages are made from functional brushed steel, with curved lines and stamped rivets that remind me of an Airstream trailer. Each passenger gets their own deep-padded seat in brown leather, with windows running along each side. At the train's rear is the cafe and lounge car, where a metal staircase climbs up to a viewing deck with bubble windows offering widescreen views of the Canadian wilderness as it zips by. And when it comes to scenery, there are surely few trains on the planet that can compare to the Skeena. One minute we're thrashing along the banks of a wild river, thundering with whitewater; the next we're rattling over a box bridge, teetering along the rim of a high-walled canyon or skirting the slopes of a glacier-studded mountain. Images from Canada's past flicker by like a film reel: rickety sawmills, abandoned salmon canneries, gold mines, ghost towns. Occasionally, we pass Indigenous communities, where First Nations peoples, including the Gitxsan, Kitselas and Tsimshian, have lived for thousands of years. Wildlife guest stars, too: I watch bald eagles circling over the treetops, elk grazing along the sidings, and a distant black bear ambling through a meadow, its fur freckled with dandelion blossom. As dusk falls, we trundle into the outskirts of Prince George — a former logging and fur-trading outpost that's now sometimes called BC's 'northern capital' — in search of our overnight accommodation. The next morning, the train departs at 8.15am sharp. Alain serves coffee and pastries as we run westwards along the Fraser River, watching the sunrise turn the water copper. Logging was once the prime industry in this part of BC, but most of the mills have long since been abandoned, leaving the forest to slowly regenerate. We trundle through little towns like Penny, Crescent Spur, McBride and Dunster — mostly just a few clapboard houses and a single-pump petrol station — slowly threading our way between two mountain ranges: the Cariboos, to the south; the Rockies to the north. Flurries of snow speckle the peaks like icing sugar. In a few months, the drifts will stand 10ft high or more, but the Skeena will run on regardless; the train's cowcatcher frame acts as a snow plough, Alain explains. For now, though, it's the perfect autumn day for sitting on a train. Blue skies shine overhead. The forest blazes with colour: golds, scarlets, chestnuts, tangerines. The hulking outline of Mount Robson, Canada's highest mountain, rises like a pyramid as we cross over the Alberta border and change time zones, from Pacific to Mountain time. We climb on, over the Continental Divide, and finally into the cradle of mountains around our terminus, Jasper, still scarred by the wildfire that swept through town in August 2024. As I step off the train onto the platform, breathing in pine-scented mountain air, I check the station clock. We're only 53 minutes late. By Skeena standards, that's pretty much right on time. Published in the May 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK)To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Skeena Confirms Filing of Joint BC Mines Act and Environmental Management Act Applications; Releases Video Highlighting Environmental Assessment Application for Eskay Creek
VANCOUVER, BC / / May 5, 2025 / Skeena Resources Limited (TSX:SKE)(NYSE:SKE) ("Skeena Gold and Silver", "Skeena" or the "Company") is pleased to report continued progress on the permitting timeline for its 100%-owned Eskay Creek Gold-Silver Project ("Eskay" or the "Project"). The Company has filed the Joint Permit Application for the BC Mines Act ("MA) and Environmental Management Act ("EMA") with the BC Major Mine Office (MMO) for joint review with the Tahltan Central Government ("TCG"). Uploading of the application started on April 22 and was completed on April 30, 2025. Randy Reichert, Chief Executive Officer of Skeena, commented: "We are proud to announce that we have filed both the revised Environmental Assessment application and the BC Mines Act and Environmental Management Act application in close succession. This achievement is noteworthy within the industry and demonstrates our commitment to advancing the project according to our timeline. The EA Certificate and amended authorizations under the MA and EMA are anticipated in the fourth quarter of this year, marking a significant milestone toward restarting operations at Eskay Creek." Short Documentary Highlighting Environmental Assessment Application Skeena is pleased to release a short video that brings to life the recently submitted Environmental Assessment Certificate (EAC) Application for the Project. The video provides an overview of the comprehensive EA process in British Columbia and showcases the Company's commitment to socially responsible development in close collaboration with the Tahltan Nation. It highlights key areas of environmental stewardship, community engagement, and sustainable project design that form the foundation of the EAC Application. The video is now available here, on our website, and social media channels. About Skeena Skeena is a leading precious metals developer that is focused on advancing the Eskay Creek Gold-Silver Project - a past producing mine located in the renowned Golden Triangle in British Columbia, Canada. Eskay Creek will be one of the highest-grade and lowest cost open-pit precious metals mines in the world, with substantial silver by-product production that surpasses many primary silver mines. Skeena is committed to sustainable mining practices and maximizing the potential of its mineral resources. In partnership with the Tahltan Nation, Skeena strives to foster positive relationships with Indigenous communities while delivering long-term value and sustainable growth for its stakeholders. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Skeena Gold & Silver, Walter ColesExecutive Chairman Randy ReichertPresident & CEO For further information, please contact: Galina MelegerVice President Investor RelationsE: info@ 604-684-8725W: SOURCE: Skeena Resources Limited X / Facebook / LinkedIn / Instagram Skeena's Corporate Head office is located at Suite #2600 - 1133 Melville Street, Vancouver BC V6E 4E5 Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements Certain statements and information contained or incorporated by reference in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). These statements relate to future events or our future performance. The use of words such as "anticipates", "believes", "proposes", "contemplates", "generates", "targets", "is projected", "is planned", "considers", "estimates", "expects", "is expected", "potential" and similar expressions, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "might", "will", "could", or "would" be taken, achieved, or occur, may identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Specific forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the progress of development at Eskay, including the construction budget, schedule and required funding in respect thereof; outcome related to the EA certificate and the restart of operations, future progress at Eskay Creek and adherence to the timeline, future actions and commitments regarding environmental stewardship and community engagement; and the results of the Definitive Feasibility Study, processing capacity of the mine, anticipated mine life, probable reserves, estimated project capital and operating costs, sustaining costs, results of test work and studies, planned environmental assessments, the future price of metals, metal concentrate, and future exploration and development. Such forward-looking statements are based on material factors and/or assumptions which include, but are not limited to, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, taxation, the estimation, timing and amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating costs, the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals, environmental risks, title disputes and the assumptions set forth herein and in the Company's MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2024, its most recently filed interim MD&A, and the Company's Annual Information Form ("AIF") dated March 31, 2025. Such forward-looking statements represent the Company's management expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events or circumstances on the date the statements are made, and are necessarily based on several estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date hereof, are not guarantees of future performance. Actual events and results may differ materially from those described herein, and are subject to significant operational, business, economic, and regulatory risks and uncertainties. The risks and uncertainties that may affect the forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others: the inherent risks involved in exploration and development of mineral properties, including permitting and other government approvals; the receipt and timing of the environmental assessment certificate,; changes in economic conditions, including changes in the price of gold and other key variables; changes in mine plans and other factors, including accidents, equipment breakdown, bad weather and other project execution delays, many of which are beyond the control of the Company; environmental risks and unanticipated reclamation expenses; and other risk factors identified in the Company's MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2024, its most recently filed interim MD&A, the AIF dated March 31, 2025 the Company's short form base shelf prospectus dated March 19, 2025, and in the Company's other periodic filings with securities and regulatory authorities in Canada and the United States that are available on SEDAR+ at or on EDGAR at Readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and the Company does not undertake any obligations to update and/or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE: Skeena Resources Limited View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Sign in to access your portfolio
