Live Cam 2010 Robson Square Plaza
bcmclivechannel on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free
Posted: February 8th, 2010 under British Columbia.
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The Torch Returns to B.C.
Posted: January 22nd, 2010 under Uncategorized.
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Vancouver 2010: You Gotta Be Here - Super Natural British Columbia
Posted: January 16th, 2010 under Uncategorized.
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Johnson Street Bridge.org says it has collected 6,400 counter-petition forms
Victoria’s iconic blue bridge gets reprieve
Opponents to plan to replace bridge are confident they’ve collected enough signatures to stop project for now
By BRENNAN CLARKE
VICTORIA — Special to the Globe and Mail
Opponents of a plan to replace Victoria’s iconic blue bridge are claiming victory in their drive to stop the city from taking out a $42-million loan to finance the project.
City of Victoria spokesman Howard Markson said council will likely make a decision based on the counter-petition results at Thursday’s council meeting, adding that staff need a few days to verify the signatures and arrive at an official tally.
“If the alternate approval process is successful in getting more than 10 per cent, (council) can not proceed with the $42-million borrowing bylaw without going to a full referendum,” Mr. Markson said.
More info
Posted: January 4th, 2010 under Uncategorized.
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Building A Stronger British Columbia
VICTORIA – While the BC Liberals were busy passing legislation to strengthen the economy and protect public safety, the NDP continued their pattern of promoting policies that will damage B.C.’s economy and threaten jobs.
“Governing requires a balance between spending taxpayer dollars on the services they need and respecting that every dollar government spends belongs to the taxpayer,” says BC Liberal House leader Michael de Jong. “The NDP think the answer to everything is to spend recklessly. British Columbians saw the disastrous outcome of that type of incompetent economic thinking in the 1990s and we’re not going back there again.”
During this session, the BC Liberals stayed focused on strengthening the province’s economic foundation with a massive stimulus package, supporting vital services and ensuring B.C. is ready for a strong 2010.
“We introduced new measures to create jobs and strengthen the economy and we did it while maintaining the country’s lowest personal income taxes for individuals,” says de Jong. “Health care spending is up to record levels, education spending is up and we accomplished that while still maintaining our triple-A credit rating. It’s been a difficult year but we’re in good shape to come out of this downturn in a strong position.”
The financial meltdown of the past year affected almost every jurisdiction in the world but prudent planning and responsible fiscal management left B.C. in the best shape to recover, with the Conference Board of Canada calling for British Columbia to lead the country in economic growth in 2010.
“We made difficult spending decisions but decisions that we know would ultimately benefit British Columbians,” says de Jong. “The NDP solution of out-of-control spending leaves taxpayers on the hook for the bill. They have not offered one positive solution for dealing with the economic times, only a commitment to spend, spend, spend.”
From making our roads safer by banning hand-held cell phone use to taking body armour away from criminals to strengthening our economy by promoting the use of wood and building stronger forest product trade with China, the BC Liberals have taken action on the issues that matter most to B.C. families.
“The NDP seem to think that simply saying the word ‘economy’ gives them economic credibility,” says de Jong. “The problem is that talking about the economy and actually understanding and managing the economy are two very different things. We’ve made tough decisions on spending and we’re investing in infrastructure projects across the province and British Columbia. We have an economic plan and we’re going to follow it through.”
Posted: November 27th, 2009 under BC Liberals, British Columbia.
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Mustel Group Poll
November 20, 2009
Voters Expressing Discontent with Both Liberals and NDP
Support for both the BC Liberals and NDP has softened since Mustel Group’s last measure in August.
http://www.mustelgroup.com/pdf/20091120.pdf
Posted: November 20th, 2009 under Polls.
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Victoria’s Mayor Reneges on Bet
CBC News:
Victoria mayor reneges on snow-shovelling bet http://bit.ly/48a2yQ
CJME News:
Regina Mayor Pat Fiacco will have to shovel his own driveway this winter.
Fortin lost a bet with Fiacco last week when the Regina Food Bank food drive brought in more donations than the one in Victoria did. http://bit.ly/nd4pj
Posted: October 22nd, 2009 under City of Victoria.
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City of Victoria Looks to Improve Public Participation to Inform Decision-Making
Victoria will be one of the few municipalities in Canada to develop a public engagement policy and tool kit to guide how the organization engages the community in decision-making. This fall, the City of Victoria will be working with the community to identify how to best communicate and connect with citizens.
“The City of Victoria is committed to public engagement as key to successful and effective governance and planning,” said Councillor Sonya Chandler. “This process will help us understand and respond to how our community wants to be involved with civic issues and how we, as a municipality, can best support this involvement.”
Enhancing two-way communications with citizens and community organizations and improving communications tools was one of seven priorities outlined by City Council in March and was recommended within the Governance Review conducted by consultant George Cuff.
For more information visit www.victoria.ca
Posted: October 13th, 2009 under City of Victoria.
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Ross Crockford: Blue Bridge can be fixed at the right price
Victoria can’t afford a $63-million project, should look at alternatives
By Ross Crockford, Special to Times Colonist October 7, 2009
This morning, Victoria’s city councillors will sit down and try to figure out what to do next, now that it’s clear they won’t be getting millions in federal stimulus cash for a new Johnson Street Bridge. By all indications, they’re going to push ahead with the $63-million project anyway.
The city’s website says “a good case” can be made for proceeding because interest rates are low, so we should borrow as much as possible — a similar rationale used by subprime-mortgaged homeowners when trading in their bungalows for luxury mansions.
Instead, I’m hoping the councillors wake up to the fact that Victoria simply can’t afford a new bridge. As I wrote in a report to them this week, many other cities have crunched the numbers, and decided to refurbish their aging steel bridges instead of replacing them. We should learn from their experience, and repair the Blue Bridge. Full http://bit.ly/2s8Lzz
More on the Johnson Street Bridge Issue http://bit.ly/5vOF3
Posted: October 12th, 2009 under City of Victoria.
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$9.8M HOMELESS HOUSING PROJECT BREAKS GROUND IN VICTORIA
VICTORIA – A groundbreaking took place today to mark the start of construction of a new 44-unit housing development in Victoria, providing support for people at risk of homelessness and creating about 98 new jobs. The $9.8-million project is the second site to break ground under the Memorandum of Understanding between the Province and the City of Victoria, Rich Coleman, Minister of Housing and Social Development announced today.
“Our government is working with municipal and community partners to support economic growth and create innovative housing options,” said Coleman. “We are delivering on our commitment to provide housing with supports so that people at risk of homelessness can forge a path towards a healthy, independent future.”
The development, located at 950 Humboldt St., will provide 44 housing units with integrated support services to help people move beyond temporary shelter to more secure housing, greater self-reliance and appropriate employment.
“This is another important step towards eliminating homelessness in Victoria by giving a helping hand to those who need it most,” said Victoria mayor Dean Fortin. “Today‟s groundbreaking is a positive example of the change that can take place when government and community act in partnership.”
Pacifica Housing Advisory Association (PHAA) will manage and operate the Humboldt Street development, assisting clients to access the resources and services they need, such as finding housing and employment, developing financial and other life skills, and accessing physical and mental health services. Their experienced support staff will work closely with individual participants to develop personal action plans designed to help them both stabilize and move forward with their lives.
“We strive to provide housing opportunities that foster independence and confidence for those in need so they can move forward in their lives,” said Karyn French, executive director for PHAA. “Our partnerships with the Province and the City of Victoria will further enable us to realize our vision of contributing to the health and well-being of individuals in need of affordable housing with appropriate supports.”
This projects are part of an overall $14-billion capital infrastructure program supported by the Province that will create up to 88,000 jobs and help build vital public infrastructure in every region of B.C.
“Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness‟ is a website providing a comprehensive and detailed look at provincial programs and services to address homelessness.
Visit www.bchousing.org/breakingthecycle for more information.
Posted: September 21st, 2009 under City of Victoria.
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