You are presumed to be honest and responsible without evidence to the contrary beyond a reasonable doubt… on the balance of probablilties you are justified by 51 % likelyhood.
Know as the trans-mountain apartments the 60 year old apartment building keeps it s vigil over Voght park in Merritt BC …. File Photo KDG
The lower Nicola Indian band and Aron Sam ( Sumaexheletza )the band has an economic development arm Lower Nicola Site Services. The 1200 members of the band are expected to benefit in employment with the 51 percent acquirement of the existing Hope BC based service company in a joint venture with Vancouver’s Infracon.
Chief Sam Sumaexheletza is a UBC graduate .
The Metis association of Alberta has voted to support the pipeline expansion on Sunday according to the CBC.
The Trans Mountain project is also expected to cost an additional 1.9 billion dollars from the estimates used when the government purchased the line from the Texas based Kinder Morgan. Some reports say that the sale of the project after it was cancelled by Kinder Morgan brought them a 600 percent return on investment . It is also speculated that it will bring the federal deficit up by 36 percent.
EV reserved parking, city crews in Merritt install a EV spot in Merritt BC File Photo KDG
On this Day: August 15th 1965
Stadium rock comes into vogue with the Beatles performing before 60,000 at Shea stadium.
Clean gas clean gas pump, and some of the tax comes back to your local government File Photo KDG
There is a transfer payment from the gas tax collected by the federal government the Feds just made another instalment of 53 million to be divided amongst the municipal governments in BC.
Merritt BC has been getting something over 300 thousand dollars per year for the last 3 years and is projected to get the same this year. Money is used for local projects including disaster relief. The fund is touted as being predictable and is set to run from 2014- 2024.
Like the saying just because red wine is good for you that’s no reason to start drinking so the gas transfer tax is no reason to start burning more gas …
On this Day: July 26th 1891
France annex’s Tahiti.
There are resources available to help any civic minded person wishing to run for office for the elections coming November. resources
The Election BC and UBCM says : What every candidate needs to know, is available through website, or videos,available through them. Good luck to those that try they will always be able to say I ran for office….
November will be here soon….
On this Day in History: July 19th 1871
The eve of British Columbia joining the confederation of Canada.
A fuel truck delivers gasoline to a service station File Photo KDG
The Trans Mountain pipeline compony has filed its schedule for work for the next six months. Work has been announced as starting in August from Alberta according to the CBC. The pipeline company it self synopsizes the schedule as:
Trans Mountain has filed a six month outlook summary schedule for the Trans Mountain Expansion Project with the National Energy Board (NEB) outlining construction activities planned for 2018. A copy of the filing can be found here. Work will begin in Alberta in August and the North Thompson region of BC in late September. Additional construction is planned in the Lower Mainland of BC and the work at Westridge Marine Terminal in Burnaby, that has been underway since September 2017, will continue. Source Trans Mountain.
Now nationalized promises have been made not to increase the amount of oil produced but to make the infrastructure more efficient , safer and pay a better value to the owners. Expanding a market beyond the American is anticipated to bring better profitability.
We hope the press will keep them to the promises they made.
On this Day: July 5th 1687
Issac Newton has his work Philosophie Naturalis Principai Mathematica published.
The Trans Mountain project is promising 15,000 jobs and 73 billion in new revenues, with 46 billion of that in taxes to government.
British Columbia receives $5.7 billion
Alberta receives $19.4 billion
The rest of Canada shares $21.6 billion
More than $400 million committed to Indigenous groups under mutual benefit and capacity agreements
$64.7 million to fund an Indigenous pipeline environment committee to ensure ongoing monitoring of the Project
Trans Mountain is facilitating the largest-ever expansion of spill response personnel and equipment on the BC coast, a $150-million, 20-year investment by Western Canada Marine Response Corporation that doubles response capacity and cuts mandated response times by half in South Coast waters. Source Trans Mountain
Good luck on this to all my friends and readers. Try to be good to your neighbour and ask him to pass it on.
On this Day: June 14th 1789
The loyal crew of the mutiny on the bounty reach Timor Island.
The federal government in 2017 said that the low carbon programs would be being implemented. They are looking for partnerships with local governments
In December 2017, the Government of Canada announced it is providing Low Carbon Economy Funding to the Province of BC in support of projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The BC Government has identified matching funds to support a number of initiatives including organic waste processing infrastructure to increase municipal organics diversion and management of agricultural waste. Local governments are the eligible recipient for this funding program and will need to provide one-third matching funding. Local governments may choose to partner with First Nations or private companies.
The government will be presenting a webinar on June 26th and 27th and then looking for expressions of interest or input.
On this Day: June 13th 1994
An Anchorage Alaska jury finds negligence in the Exon Valdez oil tanker disaster.
Judy Guichon’s term of being BCs Lt. Governor for BC is over this week according to Bruno her husband ” I got my cook back”.
Janet Austin is the new crown rep in BC. Jane has a background in YWCA and is a Vancouver or city girl giving a balance from rancher Guichon.
Janet is BC’s 30th Lt. Governor
A move to the right shows level of water tables, .File Photo KDG
Geoff Strong is coming to do a reading from his novel ” Convenient Mistruths” on April 10th at the Merritt Public Library at 11:AM. promising the inside scoop on Global Warming, he will read from a selection of the intrigue, danger and providing discussion on his next book. Free admission 1691Garcia Street Merritt BC.
broken sign no contract…. File Photo KDG
On this Day: March 20th 1985
Rick Hansen begins his world wide wheelchair trip for spinal cord research.
The 2018 budget was tabled yesterday and shows a deficit of 18.1 billion dollars. The document addresses a number of popular issues. The liberal government will present one more budget in their mandate.
Small Business Tax Rate
Reduction of the small business tax rate to 10 per cent, effective January 1, 2018, and to 9 per cent, effective January 1, 2019.
Cannabis Taxation
In December 2017, the federal government reached an agreement with most provincial and territorial governments to establish duties on cannabis as the higher of $1 per gram or 10 per cent of a product price, through a federally administrated coordinated framework.
This tax room will be shared on a 75/25 basis, with 75 per cent of duties going to provincial and territorial governments and the remaining 25 per cent to the federal government. The federal portion of cannabis excise duty revenue will be capped at $100 million annually for the first two years after legalization.
Any federal revenue in excess of $100 million will be provided to provinces and territories.
As part of this arrangement, it is the federal government’s expectation that a substantial portion of the revenues from this tax room provided to provinces and territories will be transferred to municipalities and local communities who are on the front lines of legalization.
Housing:
Rental Construction Financing Initiative
To encourage a stable supply of affordable rental housing across the country, the Government proposes increasing the amount of loans provided by the Rental Construction Financing Initiative from $2.5 billion to $3.75 billion over the next three years. This new funding is intended to support projects that address the needs of modest- and middle-income households struggling in expensive housing markets. In total, this measure alone is expected to spur the construction of more than 14,000 new rental units across Canada.
Beneficial Ownership
To improve the availability of beneficial ownership information, the Government proposes to introduce enhanced income tax reporting requirements for certain trusts to provide additional information on an annual basis, applicable for the 2021 and later taxation years.
Community Safety:
Opioid Crisis
Provide $231.4 million over five years, starting in 2018–19, for additional measures to help address the opioid crisis.
Cybercrime
Provide $116.0 million over five years, and $23.2 million per year ongoing, to the RCMP to support the creation of the National Cybercrime Coordination Unit. The National Cybercrime Coordination Unit will create a coordination hub for cybercrime investigations in Canada and will work with international partners on cybercrime.
Provide an additional $236.5 million over five years, and $41.2 million per year ongoing, to further support Canada’s new National Cyber Security Strategy.
Guns and Gangs
Provide $327.6 million over five years, starting in 2018–19, and $100 million per year ongoing, to Public Safety Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canada Border Services Agency. This initiative will support community-level crime prevention and enforcement efforts, build and leverage unique federal expertise and resources to advance intelligence related to the illegal trafficking of firearms, and invest in border security to interdict illicit goods including guns and drugs.
Environment
Land, Water and Species Protection
Contribute $500 million from the federal government to create a new $1 billion Nature Fund in partnership with corporate, not-for-profit, provincial, territorial and other partners. The Nature Fund will make it possible to secure private land, support provincial and territorial species protection efforts, and help build Indigenous capacity to conserve lands and species.
Indigenous Relations
Clean Drinking Water on Reserve
Provide an additional $172.6 million over three years, beginning in 2018–19, to improve access to clean and safe drinking water on reserve. Program objective is to have all boil water advisories lifted by March 2021.
Infrastructure
Small Craft Harbours
Provide $250 million on a cash basis over two years, starting in 2018–19, to Fisheries and Oceans Canada to renew its network of small craft harbours and work with local governments where investments and divestitures can enhance local communities.
Critical Infrastructure Security
Provide Public Safety Canada with $1.4 million in 2018–19 to continue operations of the Regional Resilience Assessment Program and the Virtual Risk Analysis Cell. These programs support assessments of critical infrastructure facilities, such as energy grids, information and communication technology networks, and hospitals.
Other:
Gender Equity
The Government will bring in a legislated proactive pay equity regime in federally regulated sectors, which would apply to approximately 1.2 million employed individuals.
EI Parental Sharing Benefit where two parent families who agree to share parental leave could receive an additional five weeks of leave.
The Canada Workers Benefit will allow low-income workers – many of whom are single parent women – to take home more money while they work.
The targeted Child Tax benefit was the remedy for Child Care after a universal plan died on the order paper in the senate when an election was called years ago. Licenced spaces are always a concern .The most progressive thing in the budget in our view is the water on Indian reserves. Perhaps it would inspire some of the people served to take up the challenge of clean potable water to the third world.
The 10 percent small business tax is progressive as well hopefully it will inspire some more payroll withholding taxes from more employees.
There is also of note something over 1 and half billon for preservation of waterways and nature.
A new speculation tax for 2018 that targets foreign and domestic speculators who do not pay income tax in BC. It will apply to Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Capital and Nanaimo regional districts, along with Kelowna and West Kelowna.
The new speculation tax rate will be 0.5% of taxable assessed value for 2018 and 2% thereafter. It will capture satellite families and generally exempt primary residences and long-term rentals.
Increasing the foreign buyer’s tax from 15% to 20% and extending it to include the Fraser Valley, Capital, Nanaimo and Central Okanagan Regional Districts as of February 21, 2018.
Increasing the property transfer tax on residential properties over $3 million from 3% to 5% effective February 21, 2018.
Increasing the school tax on homes assessed over $3 million beginning in 2019.
Allowing online accommodation providers to apply provincial sales tax and municipal and regional district sales tax.
Allowing municipalities, regional districts and eligible entities, such as tourism-focussed non-profits, to use revenues from the PST and MRDT to fund affordable housing initiatives.
Building a database for pre-sale condo assignments and require the collection of new information to stop tax evasion in condo pre-sales assignment.
Taking action to end hidden ownership, by requiring new information on PPT tax forms and including a new public beneficial ownership registry.
Strengthening provincial auditing and enforcement powers, and expanding information collection and information sharing with the CRA to prevent tax evasion.
Moving to close property tax loopholes in the Agricultural Land Reserve to ensure agricultural land is used for farming.
Creating a permanent multi-agency working group on tax evasion, money laundering and housing.
Investing $6 billion over 10 years in homes and housing supports including $1.6 billion over three years with:
$453 million to support 19,000 units of affordable housing
$308 million for critical maintenance and energy performance upgrades to existing social housing
$450 million to help finance 5000 new student housing beds at public post secondary institutions
$178 million for 2500 supportive housing units for the homeless
$158 million for 1750 units for indigenous peoples
$141 million for 1500 units for women and children fleeing abuse
Enhancing rental assistance programs with an increase to the Shelter for Elderly Renters (SAFE) benefit and the Rental Assistance Program for low-income working.
Creating a ‘Housing Hub’ in BC Housing to engage governments, non-profits the private sector in creating housing solutions. The new Housing Hub will be funded through re-allocated funds following a wind down of the BC Home Owner Mortgage and Equity Partnership Program.
Provincial mirroring of property tax exemptions under municipal revitalization agreements for qualifying purpose built rentals.
Committing $5 million over 3 years to help fund need assessments for local governments to help them build capacity to build and retain affordable housing.
Empower local governments by developing new tools such as rental zoning to accelerate the construction of new homes. Source UBCM
Other proposed provisions include:
A billion dollars for child care including subsidies for licenced spaces 22,000 more spaces and support for early childhood educators.
On this Day: February 21st 1925
British Columbia contracts with the federal police force, the RCMP, more than any other province to supply municipal policing. The Union of British Columbia Municipalities is looking for representatives to be on the committee that does the contracts.
Community with population over 15,000, from the Lower Mainland RCMP District and within the Metro Vancouver Regional District (2 representatives, 3-year terms);
Community with population over 15,000, from outside the Lower Mainland RCMP District (1 representative, 3-year term); and,
Community with population between 5,000 and 15,000 (1 representative, 3-year term). Source UBCM
They are closing applications on February 2nd 2018. Contact UBCM selections will be made at the next meeting after closing.
A great public service opportunity. The positions are for local government elected representatives and involves ay least 2 meetings a year. Meeting costs are paid as per policy.
Editors note: smaller communities get a value fot using the federal force that is not availble when they supply their own.
British Columbia contracts with the federal police force, the RCMP, more than any other province to supply municipal policing. The Union of British Columbia Municipalities is looking for representatives to be on the committee that does the contracts.
Kevin Griffiths
percypaschal
The Proprietor Review 