Quesnel Council Highlights - Feb 27th mtg

Courtesy of the City of Quesnel:

West Fraser Timber – Quesnel Fibre and Operations Update

Council received an update regarding West Fraser Quesnel fiber and operations from D'Arcy Henderson, Regional Manager and Stuart Lebeck, Woods Manager. The presentation provided an overview of:

Operations

Located in Quesnel – Head Office and five mills: West Fraser Sawmill, Cariboo Pulp & Paper, Quesnel River Pulp, WestPine MDF, West Fraser Plywood
1,441 direct employees with an annual payroll of $111.3 million to direct employees
1,945 indirect and induced jobs in the region
$19.3 million annual provincial and local taxes paid
$81.3 million paid for contract services from loggers, truckers and other businesses
$1.3 million in donations over the past five years, with the most recent contribution to the West Fraser Centre

West Fraser - Managing the Land

West Fraser manages an area-based tenure, Tree Farm License 52. West Fraser has sustainably managed Tree Farm License 52 for more than 60 years that ensures a stable future supply of timber for mill operations and corresponding community jobs.
West Fraser – Green Bioenergy

Produce renewable energy at three mills in Canada, using Organic Rankine cycle bioenergy generators. West Fraser has a further 20 mills across Canada that produce green energy in other ways.

Region-Wide Fibre Impacts

Harvest level reduction expected from current: 50% for 100 Mile House, 51% for Williams Lake and 60% for Quesnel.
Timber supply has been further impacted by 2017 wildfires.

Explore Cariboo Grant Application

Council approved City staff to submit a grant application to the Northern Development Initiative Trust, Marketing Initiatives fund, for the Explore Cariboo project. The City of Quesnel has partnered with the Cariboo Regional District, District of Wells, City of Williams Lake, Williams Lake Indian Band, and the District of 100 Mile House on an Explore Cariboo project that will promote travel to the region. The messaging and materials focuses on festivals throughout the region and encourages travellers to arrive for a festival and stay to explore the area.

Minerals North – Hosting Opportunity

Council approved City staff to put forward an application package for the City of Quesnel to be considered to host the Minerals North annual conference in 2020. If the City of Quesnel is successful in this bid, the Minerals North conference would be held in Quesnel over three days tentatively scheduled from Wednesday, April 29 to Friday, May 1, 2020. The City is interested in becoming more of hosting venue for conferences and conventions utilizing the City’s facilities.

Bylaws

1843 Council Procedures – Change Start Time of Council Meeting to 6 pm – Final Adoption (Take Effect November 6, 2018)
1827 Solid Fuel Burning – Final Adoption

Next Meetings

7 pm, March 6, 2018 – Regular Council Meeting
5:30 pm, March 13, 2018 – North Cariboo Joint Planning Committee