mAs y, 7, 1991

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Feds say they’ll scrap export tax on softwood lumber

@ But West Kootenay lumber industry officials don’t expect immediate benefits from move Thomas Bink NEWS REPORTER

Canada’s promise to termi-

nate a 15 percent export tax f ding to

will still. have to pay stumpage, which helps fund provincial education and health services.

But the absence of the ex- port tax might help push down stumpage rates, Nelson said.

However, Forests Minister Claude Richmond said the government has no intention of making a signifi reduc-

on d lumber h the U.S. will not have any im- mediate effect on British Columbia’s logging industry, a number of timber officials said Thursday.

“We won't be effected that much,” said Dan Madlung, general manager of Westar Timber Ltd.’s Southern Re-' gional Woodlands.

Finance Minister Don Mazankowski said last week that Canada gave the U.S. of- ficial notice that it intends to scrap in 30 days a 1986, mem- orandum of understanding that created the export tax..

But Atco Lumber Ltd. pres- ident Dick Nelson said the province’s lumber industry is exempt from the tax. He said British Columbia has raised its stumpage rates — fees the government charges for tim- ber harvested on Crown land — to get its export tax lifted.

If the export tax is scrapped, B.C. lumber mills

AUGUST WEATHER

tion in stumpage rates.

“We have no intention of dramatically reducing our much needed revenues,” Rich- mond said in a news release.

Nelson said it’s unfortunate that other regions of the coun- try will benefit from the elim- ination of the tax while B.C., which he noted produces about 75 per cent of Canada’s timber, will continue to pay inflated stumpage rates.

“The appetite for revenue by the provincial government through stumpage rates is ex- tremely high,” Nelson said. “If stumpage rates were more sensitive to the industry, we would be in better shape to- day.”

The memorandum of un- derstanding was installed in 1986 when the U.S. lumber in- dustry argued that Canada was unfairly subsidizing soft- wood because provinces charged low stuimpage rates.

Ken Arnett, Arrow forest district manager, said the gov- ernment is hoping to bring trade in softwood lumber un- der the free trade agreement.

“We want to throw the soft- wood industry into the free trade agreement so it will be pr d from any = vailing processes,” he said.

If the U.S. government re- taliates by placing a tariff on imported lumber, the industry will suffer, Arnett said.

“Then they've got us over the barrel,” he said.

But Nelson said if the U.S. does levy a tariff, the provin- cial government will be forced to reduce fees.

————r D-sar-D

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Madhung said 50 per cent of Westar’s lumber is exported to the U.S., and Nelson said about 95 per cent of Atco’s wood.goes south of the border. Arnett said most lumber mills in the area depend on Ameri- can markets for at least 50 per cent of their exports. If the U.S. government retaliates by placing a tariff on imported lumber, the industry will suf- fer, Arnett said.

“Then they’ve got us over the barrel,” he said.

But Nelson said if the U.S. does levy a tariff, the provin- cial government will be forced to reduce stumpage fees.

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= Social Services Tax Exemptions

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PROPOSED COLUMBIA RIVER BRIDGE BETWEEN CASTLEGAR AND ROBSON

OPEN HOUSE AND PUBLIC MEETING

The Ministry of Transportation and Highways is proposing to construct a new bridge over the Columbia River at Castlegar. Several sites were considered and

Rain (mm)

140.0

1976 Tr.

1967

Snow (cm)

Total (mm)

42.0 140.0

1976 Tr.

1967

Days of Precip.

8 18

1976 o

1967

Sunshine (hours)

271.3 353.0

1970

178.4 1976

Mean Wind Speed (km-h) 57

75 9.9

1988 5.8:

1986

August, as is normal, proved to be the warmest and driest month of the summer at Castlegar. Temperatures were above normal and the amount of rainfall was below average. This was largely due to a series of weak ridges of high pressure which slid across the southern Interior. It should also be noted that some surrounding stations recorded much

greater nts of p occur during this month.

This is an indication of the

shower activity that did

Source: Southeast interior Weather Office

ARROW LAKE ELEVATION

1442.91 ft. on Sept. 7 Forecast of

Elevation 1442.91 ft. by Sept. 14

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St ial public input was received after two Open Houses and a Public Meeting in March 1991. A site, which was suggested at the Public Meetings, has now been chosen. The Ministry would like to meet again with the public in order to explain why the site was chosen, and to answer any further questions regarding the proposed new bridge.

Public Meeting: Wednesday, September 11, 1991

Castlegar & Dist. Recreation Centre 2101-6th Avenue, Castlegar

Doors open 4:30 p.m. for Open House Public Meeting — 7:30 p.m.

Ministry staff will be present to explain the location and to answer your questions. We look forward to your attendance and participation.

New Services Now Available

Saturday, September 7, 1991 AS @

TIGHT FIT: Students line up outside Twin Rivers elementary waiting for the doors to open.

Student head count surprises district administrators

#50 more students than expected put pressure on

officials to find space Donna Bertrand NEWS REPORTER

Administrators in the Castlegar school district will have to do some fancy foat- work in the next couple of weeks to accommodate a sig- nificant increase in the num- ber of students registered in the district.

Ahead count on Thursday showed 2,236 students regis- tered in the district, about 50 more than expected, superin- tendent of schools Terry Wayling said.

Kinnaird Junior and Stan- ley Humphries secondary schools — both of which are al- ready using portable clas- rooms — have have seen the largest increases, but follow-

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ing close behind are the Grade 3 and Grade 4 classes at Kin- naird elementary and the Pri- mary 1 class at Robson ele- mentary, he said.

“Those seem to be the most critical areas we're looking at right now,” Wayling said.

“So we're going to have to look at staffing increases where these bulges are occur- ring.”

The district has until the end of September to get class sizes down to 25 students in each primary class and 28 in each class from grade 4 to 12, the ceilings negotiated in the current teacher's contract.

“But even more important- ly, in the very large classes, we want to get them smaller as quickly as possible so students have a better learning situa- tion and teachers have less of a workload,” Wayling said.

“So there’s a considerable amount of pressure on us to make some decisions fairly quickly.”

Three or four more head counts will be taken before the end of the month to account for the latecomers, he said.

Sept. 30 is the Ministry of Education’s deadline for enrolment numbers. The district is funded based on the number of students.

“The numbers generate funds,” Wayling said. “It sounds very crass and inhumane al- most, but with us being up about 50 over what we estimat- ed, that'll give us additional funding to hire some additional staff.

“So in that sense it looks en- couraging. I’m sure we'll be able to resolve class size issues be- fore the end of the month*

INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Educational Foundation for Foreign Study, a non-profit, student exchange program offers an excellent, expense paid, volunteer Opportuntity to caring adults who wish to introduce Canada to teenagers from around the world. Asan Ce

you will:

*Select Host families

*Provide supervision and counselling for students and families

*Help to organize student activities

* Attend annual training conferences

*Join the EF FAMILY

For more inf jon on ing a or a host family, call: BERNICE ILLINGWORTH © ~~ 352-5378 EF

Or contact us toll free at 1-800-263-2825 ° Foundation

COMMUNITY = Bulletin Board

SUNDAY SCHOOL United Church Castlegar begins Stinday, September 15th, 10 a.m. 365- 6470. a7*

BOY SCOUT REGISTRATION

Wednesday, September 11th, Scout Hall, (3rd Street and 8th Avenue, downtown) 6:30-8 p.m. If unable to attend, phone Alex 365-2225, Alice 365-2750. zal

CHRISTIAN WOMEN’S CLUB Thursday, September 12, 7:30 p.m. Fireside Inn. Guest speaker Charlotte Dyck, “Colour and It's Effect On You.” Hons essential. 365-3886, 365-8025 am

KOOTENAY MENS GROUP Would like to advertise a SALE OF APPLE BOXES/CRATES.

365- 5594/359-7778/399-4236. an

Coming events of Castlegar and District non-profit organizations may be listed here. The first 15 words are $5 and additional words are 30¢ each. Boldtaced words (which must be used for headings) count as two words There is no extra charge for a second insertion while the third consecutive insertion is half-price and the fourth and fifth consecutive insertions are only half price for the two of them. Minimum charge is $5 (whether ad is for one, two or three times). D are 5 p.m for Saturday's paper and 5 p.m. Monday for Wednesday's paper. Notices should be brought to the Castlegar News ati97 Columbia Ave.

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