Monthly Archives: March 2021

City of Kelowna adding improvements to some intersections to make right turns safer

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Making right turns safer

The City of Kelowna is making improvements to a number of intersections this year in an effort to make right-turns safer.

The “smart channel” right-turn lane design improves sight lines for drivers so they can merge safely while keeping an eye out for pedestrians.

“This is a great example of the evolution of traffic safety,” says Chad Williams, Transportation Planning Engineer. “This geometric reconfiguration of right turn channels improves sight lines and simplifies the turning movement, reducing collisions.”

The design forces the vehicle to enter the cross street at a sharper angler, reducing the turning radius and causing drivers to slow down.

The sharper entry angle also means that more of the intersection and cross street is within the driver’s immediate cone of vision. As a result, the driver does not need to do a sharp left shoulder check, which simplifies the turn. Finally, this layout also positions crossing pedestrians more directly in the line of sight of oncoming vehicles, which increases their visibility for drivers.

“ICBC contributes funding to road improvement projects, each year, that reduce collisions,” says Williams. “Last year ICBC invested more than $170,000 in Kelowna projects, for their safety benefits.”

Improvements are currently underway at Gordon Drive and Clement Avenue and are anticipated for completion by mid-April. People walking and cycling are asked to use an alternate route.

Smart right turns have already been completed at Cooper and Benvoulin roads and at Gerstmar and Springfield roads.

In 2021 the City will be improving three more intersections in Kelowna:

  • Bernard Avenue and Spall Road
  • Clifton Road and Clement Avenue
  • Leathead Road and Hwy 97

The safer right-turn lanes have been used for years in Penticton with great success. Accidents fell by more than 50 per cent after the safer turns lanes were installed along the Channel Parkway.

 

B.C. alcohol subscription boxes supporting Mamas for Mamas

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Booze boxes support charity

 

Charity will benefit as you try out products from B.C. alcohol producers with thebcbasket.com donating 100 per cent of profits from new subscription orders to Kelowna-based Mamas for Mamas.

The company works with the BC Wine, Cider & Spirits Festival and Lakeview Liquor to feature a B.C. red wine, white wine, sparkling wine, beer, cider, and spirit and other local products.

From now until April 15, all proceeds will go to support Mamas for Mamas in their mission of supporting mothers and caregivers struggling with poverty and hardship.

“Mamas for Mamas is extremely grateful to this amazing community for including us in their giveback plans. If it wasn’t for businesses such as thebcbasket.com, we would not be able to keep our poverty relief programs running,” expressed Stephanie Horman, national partnership coordinator for Mamas for Mamas.

Wine, cider, spirits and beer subscription baskets can be purchased for $149.98 a month, and are offered in a six month, or 12 month commitment through thebcbasket.com. All items in the basket change monthly and follow a new theme.

“Supporting our industry and community throughout this pandemic has been our main goal since we partnered with thebcbasket.com in November of 2020,” states Katherine Bramall general manager of The BC Wine, Cider & Spirits Festival. “Donating 100% of the profits to Mamas for Mamas over the next couple of months gives us the ability to further support our community, and a charity we respect so much.”

Duplex For Sale in Main Town, Summerland

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Well maintained home on a quiet street.

•  1748 sqft , 3 bath , 3 bdrm duplex “Half” – FOR SALE  CAD429,900 . Summerland 1/2 Duplex with no strata fees MLS® 188546

in Main Town, Summerland – Summerland 1/2 Duplex with no strata fees. Beautiful Mountain views, Situated in a great area within walking distance to downtown & quick access to the highway. Well maintained home on a quiet street. Updates include newer vinyl windows, exterior doors, furnace, roof, floors and more. This home has spacious living room, kitchen & dining area, 4 piece bath, super large master bedroom with 2 piece bath and office area. Downstairs you will find 2 bedrooms, family/games room, great storage, laundry room with separate sink and a 2 piece bath. Generous carport parking, with nicely landscaped front and back yard. Close to shopping, schools, and entertainment. All measurements approximate, buyer to verify. Call Listing Representative to book your private showing.

Click here: Property information

B.C. signs deal with City of Victoria to end homeless camps, bring people inside

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Deal to end encampments

The British Columbia government and the City of Victoria have signed an agreement that commits to ending current and future homeless encampments in local parks.

David Eby, the minister responsible for housing, says the memorandum of understanding reached with Victoria council formalizes the commitment to find indoor shelter for people living in parks and ravines.

He says the agreement lays out the roles and responsibilities of the province and city to find indoor living spaces for those camped out in public areas by April 30.

Eby announced an agreement earlier this month on securing more than 200 living spaces for people staying in Victoria’s parks and other outdoor locations.

Victoria council voted last week to reinstate a bylaw that requires people camping in parks to pack their belongings by 7 a.m. after it eased restrictions last year because the pandemic forced shelters to reduce available beds.

Victoria’s Beacon Hill Park has been the site of a tent encampment of homeless people that has grown during the pandemic, bringing with it crime and community resentment.

A fine balance: office imperatives and remotework flexibility

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Home office after COVID

More than 12 months have now gone by since British Columbians were advised to stay at home and limit contact with everybody who was not already inside their home. Schools were closed and events were cancelled. Still, one of the biggest transformations spawned by the COVID-19 pandemic came in the form of the new “home office.”

Early in the 21st century, company-issued mobile phones and laptops were not the norm. While originally introduced as perks for senior employees, these devices became vital in a world where decisions are made after office hours and on weekends. This hardware allowed a significant number of British Columbians to work from home during the pandemic.

Research Co. and Glacier Media recently asked employed British Columbians about what they can expect from their workplace after the pandemic is over. There is an evident desire to keep some of the current features. After all, 54% of the employees we spoke to have had to work from home at least some of the time over the past year.

Many of the province’s workers believe that some of the old ways of doing business will not return post-COVID-19. Significant proportions of employed British Columbians predict fewer in-person staff meetings (47%), less business travel between offices (44%) and a smaller number of in-person business development meetings (43%).

Companies have adapted to the current state of affairs through Zoom calls and other forms of engagement where in-person contact is no longer necessary. The coffees and lunches with potential clients that were part of life in 2019 have inevitably turned into phone calls and virtual discussions.

This new way of conducting business is not lost on employees, who believe they will continue to rely on virtual tools to handle internal matters and find potential customers. Half of employees in British Columbia (50%) foresee more virtual staff meetings through audio or video conferencing and similar proportions think they will see more virtual business development (47%) and virtual communications between offices (46%) when the pandemic is behind us.

Some executives may be aching for people to go back to their original workplaces. Last summer’s partial return to activity was all about social distancing, breathing spaces, virus protection and contact reduction. These issues are easier to manage in settings for retail or food services, but much more complex for people who devote their time to content creation or technology. We must also acknowledge that a return to full-time work at an office is a moving target. At this point, only 32% of British Columbians who are working from home have been informed about a plan for a return to the office.

While many British Columbians worked from home to avoid getting sick, their experience has been mostly satisfactory. Only 10% of British Columbians who are currently working from home expect a complete return to the office when COVID-19 is done. One-third (33%) think they will be able to work from home once or twice a week, while a larger proportion (38%) anticipate using their home office for three days a week or more.

Having the opportunity to work from home post-COVID-19 is essential for many employed British Columbians who have turned their dining rooms or kitchens into offices. Practically half of them (49%) say they are likely to seek a different job if their company does not allow them to work from home as often as they want. This could lead to deeper discussions about company culture and flex time in the fall and winter.

Some British Columbians who are working from home are beginning to see that geography no longer limits their career opportunities. Majorities say they would consider switching to a different job that can be performed from home for a company based in their metropolitan area (56%) or province (54%). Almost two in five (39%) would consider reporting to someone in a different Canadian province, if they can work from home.

Our findings outline the challenge for B.C.’s companies in the post-pandemic world: how to strike the right balance between the workplace of the past and the ability of employees to carry on with their duties from home at least some of the time. Executives who attempt to compel their workforce to simply show up from 9 to 5 as they did in February 2020 may find themselves pushing their employees away to companies that will give them the flexibility they currently enjoy. •

Mario Canseco is president of Research Co.

Results are based on an online study conducted on March 8 and March 9 among 700 adults who work in British Columbia. The margin of error, which measures sample variability, is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

The federal government declines an emergency order to protect threatened caribou population

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Gov’t not caring for caribou

 

The federal government recently declined an emergency order under the Species at Risk Act to protect threatened southern mountain caribou.

“This is a huge mistake and terrible news. The Species at Risk Act was created to address and halt extinction, but it hasn’t been very effective for caribou,” says conservation and policy campaigner of activist group Wilderness Committee, Charlotte Dawe.

Under the Species at Risk Act the province shoulders responsibility for the protection of a species on non-federal land. Non-federal land makes up 94 per cent of the land base in B.C. The government has not completed recovery plans for the caribou in the southern and northern groups. This means federally-mapped critical habitat is largely unprotected.

“The B.C. government thinks it can have caribou without old-growth forest habitat. That’s simply not possible and this province is learning that the hard way. Entire herds are going extinct,” Dawe explains.

“Until B.C. reigns in industry, we will continue to see caribou decline as their unprotected habitat is loaded onto logging trucks,” she continues.

The federal government defended its decision by stating that measures have already been enacted to protect caribou, like the partnership agreement led by the Saulteau and West Moberly First Nations. This robust plan has significant habitat protection for the central group but does not offer protection for any of the 22 herds in the southern or northern group, according to Wilderness Committee.

“The partnership agreement is historic, and thanks to the leadership of West Moberly and Saulteau First Nations, caribou in the Peace Valley have a shot at a future, but we can’t ignore the threat to the remaining 22 herds, and today the federal government has done just that,” adds Dawe.

The government was required to make a decision on the emergency order, after former-environment minister Catherine McKenna announced southern mountain caribou were facing imminent threats to their recovery.

McKenna concluded immediate intervention was required for their recovery three years ago. As of February 2020, the species has declined by 53 per cent in six years.

The federal government declines an emergency order to protect threatened caribou population

Gov’t not caring for caribou

Amandalina Letterio – Mar 22, 2021 / 4:00 am | Story: 328390

The federal government recently declined an emergency order under the Species at Risk Act to protect threatened southern mountain caribou.

“This is a huge mistake and terrible news. The Species at Risk Act was created to address and halt extinction, but it hasn’t been very effective for caribou,” says conservation and policy campaigner of activist group Wilderness Committee, Charlotte Dawe.

Under the Species at Risk Act the province shoulders responsibility for the protection of a species on non-federal land. Non-federal land makes up 94 per cent of the land base in B.C. The government has not completed recovery plans for the caribou in the southern and northern groups. This means federally-mapped critical habitat is largely unprotected.

“The B.C. government thinks it can have caribou without old-growth forest habitat. That’s simply not possible and this province is learning that the hard way. Entire herds are going extinct,” Dawe explains.

“Until B.C. reigns in industry, we will continue to see caribou decline as their unprotected habitat is loaded onto logging trucks,” she continues.

The federal government defended its decision by stating that measures have already been enacted to protect caribou, like the partnership agreement led by the Saulteau and West Moberly First Nations. This robust plan has significant habitat protection for the central group but does not offer protection for any of the 22 herds in the southern or northern group, according to Wilderness Committee.

“The partnership agreement is historic, and thanks to the leadership of West Moberly and Saulteau First Nations, caribou in the Peace Valley have a shot at a future, but we can’t ignore the threat to the remaining 22 herds, and today the federal government has done just that,” adds Dawe.

The government was required to make a decision on the emergency order, after former-environment minister Catherine McKenna announced southern mountain caribou were facing imminent threats to their recovery.

McKenna concluded immediate intervention was required for their recovery three years ago. As of February 2020, the species has declined by 53 per cent in six years.

The federal government declines an emergency order to protect threatened caribou population

Gov’t not caring for caribou

Amandalina Letterio – Mar 22, 2021 / 4:00 am | Story: 328390

The federal government recently declined an emergency order under the Species at Risk Act to protect threatened southern mountain caribou.

“This is a huge mistake and terrible news. The Species at Risk Act was created to address and halt extinction, but it hasn’t been very effective for caribou,” says conservation and policy campaigner of activist group Wilderness Committee, Charlotte Dawe.

Under the Species at Risk Act the province shoulders responsibility for the protection of a species on non-federal land. Non-federal land makes up 94 per cent of the land base in B.C. The government has not completed recovery plans for the caribou in the southern and northern groups. This means federally-mapped critical habitat is largely unprotected.

“The B.C. government thinks it can have caribou without old-growth forest habitat. That’s simply not possible and this province is learning that the hard way. Entire herds are going extinct,” Dawe explains.

“Until B.C. reigns in industry, we will continue to see caribou decline as their unprotected habitat is loaded onto logging trucks,” she continues.

The federal government defended its decision by stating that measures have already been enacted to protect caribou, like the partnership agreement led by the Saulteau and West Moberly First Nations. This robust plan has significant habitat protection for the central group but does not offer protection for any of the 22 herds in the southern or northern group, according to Wilderness Committee.

“The partnership agreement is historic, and thanks to the leadership of West Moberly and Saulteau First Nations, caribou in the Peace Valley have a shot at a future, but we can’t ignore the threat to the remaining 22 herds, and today the federal government has done just that,” adds Dawe.

The government was required to make a decision on the emergency order, after former-environment minister Catherine McKenna announced southern mountain caribou were facing imminent threats to their recovery.

McKenna concluded immediate intervention was required for their recovery three years ago. As of February 2020, the species has declined by 53 per cent in six years.

B.C. Cowichan Tribes lift shelter-in-place order after more than two months

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Shelter-in-place order lifted

British Columbia’s largest First Nation, the Cowichan Tribes, has lifted a shelter-in-place order more than two months after it was enacted to limit the spread of COVID-19.

The community based in Duncan on Vancouver Island says in a statement on its website that the order was lifted on Friday, but members must continue to follow public health guidelines.

Residents were ordered to stay at home on Jan. 6 amid an outbreak of the virus and barriers and checkpoints were also set up to restrict access to residential areas.

There have been 269 COVID-19 cases in the First Nation since Dec. 31, of which 259 have recovered, six have died, three are in isolation and one is in hospital.

The Cowichan Tribes began administering 600 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to elders in January and is holding first-dose clinics this week for all adult members on or off-reserve.

Associate health director Marnie Elliott says in a video posted to the Tribes’ Facebook page that members can now have outdoor visits with 10 people, but they must be the same 10 people.

People can also go eat in restaurants with members of their household and get haircuts, but they must stay local and not have indoor gatherings of any kind, she adds.

“We’re asking that you are still not going to be visiting in each others’ homes. Kids can get together to play outside and have that connection again, but please no sleepovers,” she says.

“We are still encouraging that there’s no travel, so stay within our community.”

Fairlie Mendoza, a Ts’ewulhtun Health Centre nurse, says doctors will be at the vaccine clinics on Wednesday and Thursday to give advice to anyone unsure about the shot.

She also urges people to continue getting tested if they believe they may have symptoms of COVID-19 and to be prepared to self-isolate to stop transmission of the disease.

There are more than 4,900 members of the Cowichan Tribes.

Head of bed and breakfast association says short-term rental bylaw would destroy their industry

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Bylaws would kill B & B’s

 

Lumping long-standing bed and breakfast operators in with bylaws aimed at short-term rental properties would be a death knell to the industry in West Kelowna.

That is according to the president of the BC Innkeepers Bed and Breakfast Association.

“It would destroy the future of the bed and breakfast industry in West Kelowna,” says Sue Willis, who also operates A View to Remember bed and breakfast in the city.

“It would tell them that anybody looking to set up shop were not welcome.”

In order to regulate what is presently an unregulated, and illegal short-term rental industry in West Kelowna, a series of bylaws are being proposed including, Willis says, eliminating bed and breakfast from current bylaws and categorizing them as short-term rentals.

Willis says the bed and breakfast industry is already regulated through city bylaws.

They require business licenses and fire inspections, there are restrictions on the number of rooms and guests allowed. Those regulations have been in place since the city was incorporated, and through the regional district before that, she says.

“What they are going to do is totally eliminate the bylaw and lump us into a bylaw called minor short-term rentals and major short-term rentals.

“They are eliminating the four rooms that bed and breakfasts have been able to enjoy and taking it down to three. They are also allowing fewer people.

“For my personal business, for me to lose a room and the ability to have extra people would be well over 33 per cent of my income.”

On top of that, Willis says there is also the stigma of being labelled a short-term rental.

“Over the years, because of the lack of regulations and lack of licencing, they have had a free-for-all, and they’ve done so much damage to the tourism sector under that name of short-term rentals,” says Willis.

“To categorize every other form of accommodation as a short-term rental is just an absolute insult and a disgrace to the bed and breakfast industry.”

Willis believes the short-term rental industry does need to be regulated, that operators do need to be licenced, that the playing field needs to be level in that regard – just not at the expense of an industry that has been supporting tourism for decades.

On a positive note, Willis says she was encouraged many councillors during Tuesday night’s public hearing seemed to side with the industry, asking the see short-term rental bylaws that did not include B & B’s.

She adds had the industry been consulted prior to the crafting of the bylaws, they would have been able to explain their value.

“Had we been included in the original process, this would have never happened.”

Single Story For Sale in Penticton Rural, Penticton

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Private, 10 acre parcel, located on Carmi Road

•  1894 sqft , 2 bath , 3 bdrm single story – FOR SALE  CAD825,000 . Panoramic views, Penticton LakeviewMLS® 188459

in Penticton Rural, Penticton  – Panoramic views, Penticton Lakeview, Private, 10 acre parcel, located on Carmi Road, 3 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, master bedroom has a full 4 piece ensuite, 1894 square feet of living space, newer quartz counter tops, warm gas fireplace, large lake view deck off the front, nestled on a hillside, double attached garage, lots of room to park your toys and or RV. Embrace nature with hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing etc, right out your front door!

Click here: Property information