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Dialogue opened with Kinder Morgan and District of Barriere

Mayor of Barriere says Kinder Morgan has a policy of openness and transparency

I attended The North Thompson Fall Fair and Rodeo Ambassador Program Speech, Talent and Fashion Show. Once again the candidates showed that they had been working hard to hone their skills. The candidates and the Ambassador committee all spend a great deal of time to make the program successful. Few people have the inherent skills that allow them to speak or perform in public. I admire these young ladies for their dedication.

Ms. Pat Switzer from the Property Services branch of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure came and spent some time going over the remediation of arterial roads within the District of Barriere. When Barriere incorporated the titles to all the roads were turned over to the District of Barriere.

Highway 16 is the road we discussed. To transfer title back to the Ministry all the titles of the pieces of land that were put together to form the roadway need to be identified. Then an Order in Council at the Provincial level is required to perform the transfer. The project is a staggering amount of historical investigation and documentation. Given her long relationship with Barriere and the North Thompson Valley I am pleased that Ms. Switzer is dealing with this issue.

There are some roadways other than Highway 16 proper that need to be addressed. One example is the approximate 800 metres of Agate bay Road that lies within the boundaries of the District of Barriere. There is no doubt in my mind that this too is an arterial road and the maintenance of this section lies with the Ministry, not with the District of Barriere. Going forward we will need to have the issue brought forth to the Ministry.

Kinder Morgan is in the planning stages of the project to twin the Trans Mountain pipeline. The section from Darfield to Kamloops is already twinned as is the portion passing through Jasper. The project manager Mr. Greg Toth and Ms. Katie Mckinnon stopped in Barriere to give members of Council a high level view of the project and to arrange ongoing consultations with The District and Area O residents. While the pipeline does not appear within The District of Barriere there will possibly be some concerns that need to be addressed. Council intends to follow the project closely.

A dialogue was opened around possible employment and training opportunities in our area. Large projects such as this and the development of the Yellowhead mine in our area have the potential to provide lasting benefits for our residents. Diligence is needed to ensure that any possible problems are averted. Mr. Toth has assured us that Kinder Morgan has a policy of openness and transparency. This will go a long way to ensuring a positive experience for all involved.

This project will require large amounts of electricity to run the increased pumping facilities. The timing of this project dovetails with the needs for power that Yellowhead mines require. As a group, the communities in the North Thompson need to continue to lobby for an appropriate solution to the electrical needs of the valley. The Ministry of Jobs Tourism and Innovation has promised support in this effort as part of their economic development pilot here in the valley.

Barriere sits as the gateway to the North Thompson Valley and all the opportunities that are available in the region. Presently, what Barriere has to offer is its unique lifestyle, friendly people and a willingness to welcome those that want to make their home here. In the near future, Barriere, with the appropriate steps being taken will be positioned to grow economically.

The JTI Ministry have agreed to sponsor the OpportunitiesBC reception. The Provinces eight Trade and Investment Representatives, who actively promote British Columbia as a destination for investment, a partner for trade and innovation and showcase our products and resources across the globe, were in attendance. When this article is published I will have met with these representatives as well as a number of investors to promote Barriere as it is now, and to give them a vision of the future. I will have more on this later.

Careful planning with a vision for the future will allow us to provide for our families without drastically altering our lifestyle as we know it now.