Binny Paul

An overview of the proposed wastewater outfall for Tlowitsis First Nation – prepared by Chatwin Engineering – submitted to the Ministry of Transport.

Island First Nation applying for wastewater treatment plant for new reserve community

Tlowitsis Nation to build ‘state-of-the-art’ waste water treatment facility south of Campbell River

An overview of the proposed wastewater outfall for Tlowitsis First Nation – prepared by Chatwin Engineering – submitted to the Ministry of Transport.
Mowi lowers estimates to 2.6 million smolt at risk of being culled in their Vancouver Island hatcheries. (Mowi Canada West).

Mowi backtracks on fish cull losses – 8.3 million to 2.6 million

The new estimate reflects the immediate at risk smolt numbers in hatcheries

Mowi lowers estimates to 2.6 million smolt at risk of being culled in their Vancouver Island hatcheries. (Mowi Canada West).
Mowi lowers estimates to 2.6 million smolt at risk of being culled in their Vancouver Island hatcheries. (Mowi Canada West).

Mowi backtracks on fish cull losses – 8.3 million to 2.6 million

The new estimate reflects the immediate at risk smolt numbers in hatcheries

Mowi lowers estimates to 2.6 million smolt at risk of being culled in their Vancouver Island hatcheries. (Mowi Canada West).
A red dress hangs on the side of the highway near Campbell River. Groups on Vancouver Island are hanging red dresses at prominent locations to raise awareness about Missing/Murdered Indigenous women on the island. (Photo by Binny Paul/Campbell River Mirror)

Red dresses hang across Vancouver Island to keep missing women front of mind

Advocates concerned incidents of Vancouver Island Murdered/Missing Women & Girls under-reported

A red dress hangs on the side of the highway near Campbell River. Groups on Vancouver Island are hanging red dresses at prominent locations to raise awareness about Missing/Murdered Indigenous women on the island. (Photo by Binny Paul/Campbell River Mirror)
VIRL

VIRL elects new executive committee and nine new trustees for 2021

Port McNeill Mayor Gaby Wickstrom, former vice chair of VIRL elected as board chair

VIRL
Smolts from three hatcheries on North Vancouver Island which were scheduled for fish farms in Discovery Islands will be culled as there are no other production sites to move them to, said Mowi Canada West. (Photo courtesy, Mowi)

UPDATE: Vancouver Island hatcheries cull 2.6 million fish due to federal fish farm decision

Mowi Canada West estimates a huge revenue loss from the culling

Smolts from three hatcheries on North Vancouver Island which were scheduled for fish farms in Discovery Islands will be culled as there are no other production sites to move them to, said Mowi Canada West. (Photo courtesy, Mowi)
Bob Joseph the bestselling author of ‘21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act’ has been an enabler for discourses about the Indian Act, since his 2015 blog post about the legislation went viral. (Courtesy of Vancouver Island Regional Library)

Bob Joseph: Why the Indian Act must go and Canada will be better for it

B.C. author explores the paradox of why it’s so difficult to let the act go and why it has to happen

Bob Joseph the bestselling author of ‘21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act’ has been an enabler for discourses about the Indian Act, since his 2015 blog post about the legislation went viral. (Courtesy of Vancouver Island Regional Library)
The province has said that it will consider the findings and recommendations of the report prepared by Dr. Peter Wood to meet its CleanBC goals. Photo by Binny Paul/Campbell River Mirror.

B.C. will consider recommendations of report linking climate change to logging practices

Province says it is working with First Nations and forest industry towards CleanBC goals

The province has said that it will consider the findings and recommendations of the report prepared by Dr. Peter Wood to meet its CleanBC goals. Photo by Binny Paul/Campbell River Mirror.
In a report released on Monday, Sierra Club BC said that majority of climate risks – including droughts, wildfires and landslides – are influenced by industrial logging. (Photo by Binny Paul/ Campbell River Mirror)

Logging practices increase risk of climate change disasters in B.C.: report

Sierra Club BC calls for forestry reforms and inclusion of Indigenous expertise to mitigate climate disaster risks

In a report released on Monday, Sierra Club BC said that majority of climate risks – including droughts, wildfires and landslides – are influenced by industrial logging. (Photo by Binny Paul/ Campbell River Mirror)
Open-pen fish farm operations in Nootka Sound. The mayor of Tahsis welcomed the federal decision to phase out 19 Discovery Islands fish farm by 2022 and said that the solution going forward is land based aquaculture. (Submitted photo)

Tahsis mayor breaks rank, supports decision to phase out fish farms

North Island community swimming against concerns expressed by its neighbours

Open-pen fish farm operations in Nootka Sound. The mayor of Tahsis welcomed the federal decision to phase out 19 Discovery Islands fish farm by 2022 and said that the solution going forward is land based aquaculture. (Submitted photo)
A photo uploaded onto change.org where a petition to reinstate former fire chief Lisa Illes has been started by members of the Gold River fire department.

Petition to reinstate former Gold River fire chief started online

Lisa Illes was fired from her position as fire chief by the Gold River council earlier in January

A photo uploaded onto change.org where a petition to reinstate former fire chief Lisa Illes has been started by members of the Gold River fire department.
Tahsis has raised concerns about the condition of Head Bay Road with the provincial ministry of transportation. (Photo courtesy Martin Davis)

It’s 2021 and Tahsis still has to fight for good roads

Overuse by logging trucks, blind corners and potholes are still a reality for remote community

Tahsis has raised concerns about the condition of Head Bay Road with the provincial ministry of transportation. (Photo courtesy Martin Davis)
Tahsis mayor Martin Davis stands with an old-growth tree in McKelvie Creek Valley. The village of Tahsis signed a Letter of Understanding with forestry company Western Forest Products to establish McKelvie watershed as a protected area. Photo courtesy, TJ Watt.

Landmark deal expected to protect Tahsis watershed from logging

Tahsis and WFP agree on letter of understanding to preserve McKelvie Creek Valley within TFL 19

Tahsis mayor Martin Davis stands with an old-growth tree in McKelvie Creek Valley. The village of Tahsis signed a Letter of Understanding with forestry company Western Forest Products to establish McKelvie watershed as a protected area. Photo courtesy, TJ Watt.
Everett Bumstead (centre) and his crew share a picture from a tree planting location in Sayward on Vancouver Island from when they were filming for ‘One Million Trees’ last year. Photo courtesy Everett Bumstead.

The tree planting life on Vancouver Island features in new documentary

Everett Bumstead brings forth the technicalities, psychology and politics of the tree planting industry in his movie

Everett Bumstead (centre) and his crew share a picture from a tree planting location in Sayward on Vancouver Island from when they were filming for ‘One Million Trees’ last year. Photo courtesy Everett Bumstead.
A Vancouver Island teacher has started a petition imploring B.C. Premier John Horgan to close provincial borders to non-essential travel and enforce stricter quarantine measures for travellers. (B.C. government)

Teacher launches petition for B.C. to close provincial border, impose stricter quarantine

Province says what works elsewhere may not work here as they look into legalities of such actions

A Vancouver Island teacher has started a petition imploring B.C. Premier John Horgan to close provincial borders to non-essential travel and enforce stricter quarantine measures for travellers. (B.C. government)
Aquaculture employee from Vancouver Island, Michelle, poses with a comment that she received on social media. Facebook group Women in Canadian Salmon Farming started an online campaign #enoughisenough to highlight the harassment they were facing online after debates about Discovery Islands fish farms intensified on social media. (Submitted photo)

Female aquaculture employees report online bullying, say divisive debate has turned sexist

Vancouver Island’s female aquaculture employees start #enoughisenough to address misogynistic comments aimed at them

Aquaculture employee from Vancouver Island, Michelle, poses with a comment that she received on social media. Facebook group Women in Canadian Salmon Farming started an online campaign #enoughisenough to highlight the harassment they were facing online after debates about Discovery Islands fish farms intensified on social media. (Submitted photo)
Homalco First Nation said that it will intervene in the judicial review sought by aquaculture companies with regards to federal decision to phase out 19 Discovery Island fish farms by 2022. In this picture from Sept. 24, a demonstrator wears representations of sea lice outside the Fisheries and Oceans Canada offices in downtown Vancouver.(Quinn Bender photo)

Chief says push for fish farm judicial review a challenge to reconciliation, Aboriginal Rights

Homalco First Nation chief reacts to Mowi and Cermaq intervention in Discovery Island decision

Homalco First Nation said that it will intervene in the judicial review sought by aquaculture companies with regards to federal decision to phase out 19 Discovery Island fish farms by 2022. In this picture from Sept. 24, a demonstrator wears representations of sea lice outside the Fisheries and Oceans Canada offices in downtown Vancouver.(Quinn Bender photo)
Forestry companies in B.C. agree to abide by the cedar protocols based on traditional laws of the First Nation members of the Nanwakolas Council. (Photo courtesy, Nanwakolas Council)

Landmark deal sees B.C. forest firms treat big cedars like a First Nation would

Western Forest Products, Interfor among companies to adapt declaration drafted by Nanwakolas Council

Forestry companies in B.C. agree to abide by the cedar protocols based on traditional laws of the First Nation members of the Nanwakolas Council. (Photo courtesy, Nanwakolas Council)
Gold River firefighters who walked out in solidarity with fire chief after she was fired last week, returned to resume their duty at the fire hall. Photo courtesy, Gold River Fire & Rescue department

Fired Gold River fire chief breaks silence, claims ‘wrongful termination’ by council

The fired chief implored firefighters who walked out in solidarity to ‘stay on and protect the community’

Gold River firefighters who walked out in solidarity with fire chief after she was fired last week, returned to resume their duty at the fire hall. Photo courtesy, Gold River Fire & Rescue department
North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney and Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan had a conversation on Monday about	the economic transition plan for Vancouver Island, following the minister’s Dec.17 announcement to phase out 19 Discovery Island fish farms by 2022 . THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Fisheries minister, MP Blaney talk fish farm transition plans for Vancouver Island

Suggestions involve economic development summit for North Island with feds and regional stakeholders

North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney and Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan had a conversation on Monday about	the economic transition plan for Vancouver Island, following the minister’s Dec.17 announcement to phase out 19 Discovery Island fish farms by 2022 . THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang