CHET TV Launches Civic Journalism Round Up

Civic Journalism Round Up is a weekly digest of stories from local government and around Chetwynd of importance to the citizens of Chetwynd. 

The inaugural episode covers information relevant to local wildfires and air quality, the June 5 District of Chetwynd Regular Municipal Council meeting and issues arising from the Peace River Regional District meetings from June 8. 

The West Kiskatinaw River wildfire threatens the community of Tumbler Ridge that lies about 82 kilometres southwest of Chetwynd. Tumbler Ridge was evacuated on June 8. Evacuees can register in Dawson Creek, Fort St John and at the District of Chetwynd Town Hall at 5400 Hospital Road. 

Chetwynd is once again under an air quality advisory. In May the area was under an air quality advisory for close to three weeks. 

Residents can register on-line for the BC Smoky Skies Bulletin for up-to-date information on air quality and how to stay safe in wildfire smoke. 

At the June 5 Municipal Council meeting a delegation from the Chetwynd Fine Arts Council gave a review of their previous year of operations and requested a four thousand dollar grant for annual operations. Council will consider this request at a future meeting. 

Chetwynd is reviewing its drug use in open space by-law. This is a standard review of the by-law due to the launch on January 31, 2023 in British Columbia of the federally approved three year pilot program to decriminalize personal possession of up to 2.5 grams of range of illicit drugs. 

There were so many residents at the Peace River Regional District committee of the whole meeting on June 8 that the meeting had to be postponed for breaching fire occupancy limits. The residents were upset about a letter of support sent to Scion Stratgies Ltd by the PRRD to pursue the concept of a Land Sharing Network in the Peace Region. 

Misinformation circulating in the community about the idea led to this turn out. After the committee of the whole was postponed the the PRRD board passed a resolution withdrawing support of the Land Sharing Network. 

The postponed PRRD committee of the whole will take place at a later date in a larger venue. 

The PRRD board approved $550,000 to TetraTech Canada Limited to complete a feasibility study for a new landfill in the Chetwynd area.