Research project looking into the health effects of the Lemon Creek fuel spill

A local study to  investigate the health effects of the spill is underway.

Seven years after the notorious fuel spill into Lemon Creek in the Slocan Valley, students  from the Rural Pre-Medicine Program (RPM) at Selkirk College are undertaking a study to  investigate the health effects of the spill.
Student Andi Belland has taken the lead on this project, and has begun to contact people  and groups in the Slocan Valley to get responses to an interview form that will provide useful data. The form can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/v86numm.

Thus far they have received a couple of dozen responses, and are hoping to get many more.
The publicity for the study says they are looking into “economic, social, psychological, or  physical effects” that Valley residents may have encountered during or following the spill. Participants will complete a confidential survey and/or have an in-person interview with two or more researchers, and can withdraw from the study at any time. The survey will take approximately 15 minutes and must be submitted before March 15, 2020.

The interview will take approximately 30-60 minutes.
Participation in this study will help the students to better understand the impacts of the  Lemon Creek fuel spill, particularly relating to the health of the community surrounding the spill location. This research will help develop an understanding of how fuel spills in a rural area impact its residents.

As reported in the Valley Voice newspaper, Feb. 13, 2020


Have your say: creating good jobs, more opportunities with Clean BC

British Columbians are invited to give input on the wide range of training and job opportunities driven by CleanBC.

CleanBC  aims to reduce climate pollution and boost energy-efficient solutions, while creating more jobs and opportunities for people thought the province.

British Columbians are encouraged to give their input on job opportunities and skills development needs as BC builds a cleaner economy.

“Together we can build a thriving, innovative economy that puts BC on the path to a cleaner, better future with new and rewarding job opportunities,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. “As industry and businesses become more efficient, using cleaner energy, there will be changes to existing work as well as a need for new skills, which we must support through new education and training. We want to hear from people who have ideas about the kind of careers and skilled jobs they
hope to see in our future as we transition to a low-carbon economy.”

Input gathered will inform the CleanBC job readiness plan, which will highlight the labour and workplace opportunities emerging from CleanBC and build a roadmap for the education, training and retraining needs required to support the growing demand for clean jobs and related skills.
Government will work with Indigenous partners, post-secondary institutions, industry representatives and stakeholders to implement the plan, train new workers and provide training opportunities to help current workers gain new skills.

CleanBC initiatives include:
launching a standard to make all new car sales zero-emission vehicles by 2040, with a supporting plan to make them more available, convenient and affordable; reducing emissions from industry with targeted incentives; reducing emissions from organic waste  and diverting it from landfills; improving fuel standards to cut carbon pollution and make  air cleaner; and improving standards for new construction and encouraging energy saving  improvements in homes and workplaces -- making every new building “net-zero energy ready” by the year 2032.
For more information on CleanBC, visit: cleanbc.gov.bc.ca/

People can provide feedback until November 29, 2019 at 4pm on-line at www.engage.gov.bc.ca/jobreadiness

or sending an email to LabourMarketPartnerships@gov.bc.ca

or sending a written submission to Attn: Citizen Engagement, PO Box 9049 Stn Prov Gov't, Victoria, BC V8V 9V1

 

 


Slocan Valley celebrates Small Business Month

It’s Small Business Month and we at the Slocan Valley Economic Development Partnership and Slocan Valley Economic Development Commission would like to honour all the storefront and home-based small businesses out there. Those of us who are self-employed and have to wear many hats, be really good at what we do, and hustle to make ends meet – and juggle this with home and family life – are sure kept busy. Thankfully
we live in a grounding and healthy environment with such a supportive and caring community.
It was this time last year that the Slocan Valley Economic Development Partnership project really got up and running. The year has been very busy and quite productive on many fronts.
Right now we are working on redeveloping the slocanvalley.com website. Contracts were awarded to Shauna Fidler of Design Farm and Brad Higham of Collabo Consulting,
both valley residents.
We see real value in supporting local small businesses whenever possible, and putting money where our mouths are. We congratulate Shauna and Brad on their good work.
In the new year we will see a new look and better functionality of the website, followed by an improved social media presence.

The Slocan Valley Chamber of Commerce and Arrow Slocan Tourism Association are also developing a new look so the valley will be looking pretty spiffy online in 2020.
The year ahead will involve support for small businesses in the Agriculture, Cannabis, Tourism, Technology, and Arts & Culture sectors, as well as continued capacity building with valley organizations.
SVEDC Chair Leah Main adds, “Our Valley economy relies on entrepreneurs, home-based
businesses, independent eateries, artists and craftspeople, as well as locally-owned franchise businesses.
We are a community of hard-working, flexible, creative people. This is our strength!”
Hats off to you Slocan Valley small businesses for making life here so much better for us all!

by Ron LeBlanc, Economic Development Coordinator, Slocan Valley


Two new physicians at Slocan Community Health Centre in New Denver

The Slocan Community Health Centre in New Denver has two new physicians as of October 1, 2019. Dr. Sean Wachtel and Dr. Svet Gueordjev join long-time New Denver physician Dr. Chuck Burkholder, stabilizing primary care and 24/7 emergency services at the centre.

The search for doctors had been on since summer 2017.

“Our local communities stepped up in a big way to help find new physicians to support local health care services. We look forward to building on this recent success to make sure people in New Denver and surrounding areas have access to the care they need at our
health centre,” says New Denver Mayor Leonard Casley.

Interior Health says the three physicians have signed an 18-month contract and will work under a “shared practice model.”

Dr. Wachtel explains that the shared practice model  means that each physician will be at the centre for about 10 days per month, and will cover the clinic and ER during those 10 days.
Patients with booked appointments will see the physician who is working at the clinic at the time of their appointment unless they wish to schedule otherwise.

As reported by  Jan McMurray of the Valley Voice, Oct. 10/ 19


Small Business Fall 2019 Training Schedule-Community Futures

Available in Nelson, Castlegar and Nakusp

Nelson: October
10 Bookkeeping Lab (9-12)
17 Google Lens – Free (12-1)
19 Intro to Cannabis Business – Free (9-3)
22 BBA – Buying A Business – Free (8:30-11)
22 BBA – Succession Planning – Free (1-4)
23 Bookkeeping Basics (9-4)
23 Selling Outside BC-Export Navigator– Free (9-10:30)
25 Business Plan 101 – Free (9-4)
28 Facebook: Engage Your Audience (Advanced) (9-1)
29 Goal Setting, Planning & Productivity (9-4)
31 Communications for Small Business Success (9-12)
November
1 Instagram for Beginners (9-1)
5 Design One-on-One (1 hour appointments)
6 Podcast 101 (9-4)
7 Fusion Marketing (9-1)
13 Intro to Filmmaking (9-4)
14 Bookkeeping Lab (9-12)
18 Selling Online 101 (9-4)
19 Make Every Word Count – Webinar (11-12:30)
20 Write Killer Sales Copy (9-4)
21 Me Inc – How to Start a Business – Free (1-3)
25 Conflict Resolution: Mastering Difficult Conversations (9-4)
26 Klaviyo: Email Marketing Made Easy (9-12)
27 Farm Succession Planning
28 Bookkeeping Basics (9-4)
29 Computer Lab (1-4)
December
3&4 Build Your Website with Wordpress (9-4 both days)
5 Facebook for Business - Beginner (9-1)
9 Business Plan 101 – Free (9-4)
10 Branding Company Identity Design (9-4)
12 Bookkeeping Lab (9-12)
13 Publicity & the New Media Advantage (9-1)

Castlegar
Nov 18 Business Plan 101 - Free (9-4)
Dec 9 Managing a Business in Partnership (9-4)

Nakusp
Oct 7 Business Plan 101 – Free (9-4)
Oct 16 Bookkeeping Basics (9-4)
Nov 13 Bookkeeping Lab (9-Noon)
Dec 11 Bookkeeping Lab (9-Noon)
Women’s Enterprise Centre
Free Webinars (attend at our Nelson Office)
Oct 2 Financial Management (12-1)
Oct 9 Unconscious Bias & Inclusive Leadership (12-1)
Oct 16 Negotiate Naturally (12-1)
Oct 23 Strategic Alliances (12-1)
Oct 30 Focused Marketing (12-1)

For more details or to register, please call Community Futures Central Kootenay: https://futures.bc.ca/workshop-schedule/
 Nelson, Creston & Castlegar: (250) 352-1933 x 100
 Nakusp: (250) 265-3674 x201
Website: www.futures.bc.ca
Email: info@futures.bc.ca