Now we are all caught up in the possible return of coal mining to the Crowsnest Pass, there will obviously be debate for and against hopefully the public will be provided with all the necessary information to make informed decisions.
I was emailed the following link today that offers some information on the "New" mine that Centermount Coal Ltd is attempting to develop north of Elkford.
It's from a group know has "kootenay Think Twice" http://kootenaythinktwice.blogspot.ca/. If anybody on the other side of this issue would like me to post links to their information I would be glad to.
Showing posts with label Elkford. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elkford. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Alberta is booming, 2011 Census results released today.
Well almost all of Alberta is booming with a population growth of 10.8% or in real number’s almost 355,000 new residents came to our province during the last five years.
The province is growing in leaps and bounds with the exception of this little corner down here in the South West the Crowsnest Pass actually was one of only four municipalities in Alberta with a population of greater than 5000 that actually shrank, yes our population dropped by 184 people (3.2%).
How will this affect the community?
Right in the pocket book most provincial or federal grants are based on population. My last year on council we were getting roughly $1400 in grants for each resident a drop of 184 based on that same amount would impact the community to the tune of $258,000 per year.
The other problem with this information is that you are stuck with these numbers for five years until the next census.
How did we compare to our neighbours?
Pincher Creek grew by 60 residents or 1.7%
Fort Macleod grew by 45 residents or 1.5%
Cowley grew by 17 residents or 7.8%
Sparwood grew by 49 residents or 1.4%
Elkford grew by 60 residents or 2.4%
Fernie grew by 231 residents or 5.5%
We must keep in mind that this census was conducted last spring so these numbers are very current and would reflect a lot of the hiring that the mines have done over the last two years.
The province is growing in leaps and bounds with the exception of this little corner down here in the South West the Crowsnest Pass actually was one of only four municipalities in Alberta with a population of greater than 5000 that actually shrank, yes our population dropped by 184 people (3.2%).
How will this affect the community?
Right in the pocket book most provincial or federal grants are based on population. My last year on council we were getting roughly $1400 in grants for each resident a drop of 184 based on that same amount would impact the community to the tune of $258,000 per year.
The other problem with this information is that you are stuck with these numbers for five years until the next census.
How did we compare to our neighbours?
Pincher Creek grew by 60 residents or 1.7%
Fort Macleod grew by 45 residents or 1.5%
Cowley grew by 17 residents or 7.8%
Sparwood grew by 49 residents or 1.4%
Elkford grew by 60 residents or 2.4%
Fernie grew by 231 residents or 5.5%
We must keep in mind that this census was conducted last spring so these numbers are very current and would reflect a lot of the hiring that the mines have done over the last two years.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Creating a picture by twisting the truth.
Today I was reading an editorial in the Elk Valley Newspaper.
The following statements were written about Sparwood and Elkford.
"Sparwood has a vibrant seniors community and retirement home, a low residential tax base, fantastic
walking trails linking the Heights to central Sparwood, new businesses breaking ground, an indoor
recreation facility with a rock climbing wall, courts for volleyball and squash, an indoor pool, youth programs
and a community centre. The community will also soon have a state-of-the-art water park.
Elkford is also on the move. Like Sparwood, Elkford has a fantastic recreation complex with an indoor
pool. There will soon be a $6 million community facility that can host events and visitors from all over
the province. According to Mayor McKerracher, plans are also in the works to build a state-of-the-art
Fire Training Centre. The biggest benefit to living in Elkford is that their tax base is also incredibly low."
I know Sparwood and Elkford well, these statements so far are very accurate.
Then the article goes on to state the following:
"All these amenities which both Sparwood and Elkford possess are the result of diligent and thoughtful Councils, both past and present"
That's all it takes is diligent and thoughtful Councils to have all of the above. Silly me I though all of these things might have had something to do with a little thing called the "Elk Valley Property Tax Sharing Agreement" that's the agreement that specifies how the taxes that are levied on the mines each year are spilt amongst the communities.
Each year Elkford receives $3 million, Sparwood $2.8 million and Fernie $2.6 million.
Keeping in mind that to have all of those amenities listed above in 2009 the Districe of Sparwood collected $10,689,638 in taxes. In the same year the Crowsnest Pass collected $6,359,661 in taxes a difference of $4,329,977 with 70% of that difference being made up by the mines and most of the other 30% coming from businesses servicing the mines.
Lets face it, some people think we have a diligent and thoughtful council presently, the realities of the Crowsnest Pass having nothing to do with "diligent and thoughtful" it's all to do with cold hard cash. The community can't even keep the Bellevue Library open, let alone build an Indoor facility to match our neighbours. Then again maybe the residents of the Pass are willing to pay an extra $4 million a year in taxes to have everything our neighbours have got, because the Elk Valley is not going to share with us.
Note: Link to Elk Valley Tax Sharing Agreement http://www.elkford.ca/modules/news/newsitem.php?ItemId=7
The following statements were written about Sparwood and Elkford.
"Sparwood has a vibrant seniors community and retirement home, a low residential tax base, fantastic
walking trails linking the Heights to central Sparwood, new businesses breaking ground, an indoor
recreation facility with a rock climbing wall, courts for volleyball and squash, an indoor pool, youth programs
and a community centre. The community will also soon have a state-of-the-art water park.
Elkford is also on the move. Like Sparwood, Elkford has a fantastic recreation complex with an indoor
pool. There will soon be a $6 million community facility that can host events and visitors from all over
the province. According to Mayor McKerracher, plans are also in the works to build a state-of-the-art
Fire Training Centre. The biggest benefit to living in Elkford is that their tax base is also incredibly low."
I know Sparwood and Elkford well, these statements so far are very accurate.
Then the article goes on to state the following:
"All these amenities which both Sparwood and Elkford possess are the result of diligent and thoughtful Councils, both past and present"
That's all it takes is diligent and thoughtful Councils to have all of the above. Silly me I though all of these things might have had something to do with a little thing called the "Elk Valley Property Tax Sharing Agreement" that's the agreement that specifies how the taxes that are levied on the mines each year are spilt amongst the communities.
Each year Elkford receives $3 million, Sparwood $2.8 million and Fernie $2.6 million.
Keeping in mind that to have all of those amenities listed above in 2009 the Districe of Sparwood collected $10,689,638 in taxes. In the same year the Crowsnest Pass collected $6,359,661 in taxes a difference of $4,329,977 with 70% of that difference being made up by the mines and most of the other 30% coming from businesses servicing the mines.
Lets face it, some people think we have a diligent and thoughtful council presently, the realities of the Crowsnest Pass having nothing to do with "diligent and thoughtful" it's all to do with cold hard cash. The community can't even keep the Bellevue Library open, let alone build an Indoor facility to match our neighbours. Then again maybe the residents of the Pass are willing to pay an extra $4 million a year in taxes to have everything our neighbours have got, because the Elk Valley is not going to share with us.
Note: Link to Elk Valley Tax Sharing Agreement http://www.elkford.ca/modules/news/newsitem.php?ItemId=7
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Interesting Population Stats on the Crowsnest Pass and surrounding area
The following stats reflect the population decline in the Crowsnest Pass and surrounding area from 1981 to present.
----------------1981---1986---1991---1996---2001---2006---2006 vs 81
Crowsnest Pass--7340---7577---6680---6356---6262---5749-----78%
Elkford BC-------3126---3187---2846---2729---2589---2463-----79%
Sparwood BC----4157---4540---4211---3982---3812---3618-----87%
Fernie BC-------5444---5188---5012---4877---4611---4217------77%
Pincher Creek---3825---3800--3660---3659---3666---3625-----95%
Total----------23892--24292--22409--21603--20940--19672----82%
Why the analysis? well first of all I know we have a problem with population decline in the Crowsnest Pass, and we all know that there are obvious reasons for that.
I also have a theory that the population decline is directed related to the work practices of our largest employer (BC coal mines). I have long taken the position that the implementation of the four on four off schedule at the mines had a huge impact on our community. These numbers I believe support that, if you look above the four on four off schedule was implemented in 1983-84 the numbers peak in 1986. The work schedule was relatively new at that point and only a few people were living outside the area, as time marched on more and more mine employees realized the mobility that schedule provides them.
Prior to that time nobody had more than two days a week off, much more difficult to live outside the area.
If you examine the numbers CNP, Elkford and Fernie suffered relatively the same decline in population, 21 to 23%. Where Sparwood dropped 13% still significant but not as bad as the others, I would argue that Sparwood did not suffer to the same degree due to it being blessed with logistics, being right in the middle of all the mines.
Then to further prove my theory I provided the numbers for the Town of Pincher Creek close to our area but not very dependent on the mines for employment, its population only dropped 5% over that same time frame, which I'm sure you would find is consistent with rural Alberta outside of the energy sector.
You may ask why is this information relevant?
Well barring the mines going back to eight shifts, (which will never happen the employees like the four days off and it is more efficient for the employer)
Our resident population is going to keep declining in the overall area, even with the mines hiring people are finding that they can live in Lethbridge and work here.
The competition between local communties to attract people moving here is going to become more and more fierce. People that do choice to live here are going to look at the individual communities, and determine which best suits their needs we will never be able to compete with the towns in the Elk Valley as far as proximity but we have to compete with them in other ways. Appearance is a prime example.
----------------1981---1986---1991---1996---2001---2006---2006 vs 81
Crowsnest Pass--7340---7577---6680---6356---6262---5749-----78%
Elkford BC-------3126---3187---2846---2729---2589---2463-----79%
Sparwood BC----4157---4540---4211---3982---3812---3618-----87%
Fernie BC-------5444---5188---5012---4877---4611---4217------77%
Pincher Creek---3825---3800--3660---3659---3666---3625-----95%
Total----------23892--24292--22409--21603--20940--19672----82%
Why the analysis? well first of all I know we have a problem with population decline in the Crowsnest Pass, and we all know that there are obvious reasons for that.
I also have a theory that the population decline is directed related to the work practices of our largest employer (BC coal mines). I have long taken the position that the implementation of the four on four off schedule at the mines had a huge impact on our community. These numbers I believe support that, if you look above the four on four off schedule was implemented in 1983-84 the numbers peak in 1986. The work schedule was relatively new at that point and only a few people were living outside the area, as time marched on more and more mine employees realized the mobility that schedule provides them.
Prior to that time nobody had more than two days a week off, much more difficult to live outside the area.
If you examine the numbers CNP, Elkford and Fernie suffered relatively the same decline in population, 21 to 23%. Where Sparwood dropped 13% still significant but not as bad as the others, I would argue that Sparwood did not suffer to the same degree due to it being blessed with logistics, being right in the middle of all the mines.
Then to further prove my theory I provided the numbers for the Town of Pincher Creek close to our area but not very dependent on the mines for employment, its population only dropped 5% over that same time frame, which I'm sure you would find is consistent with rural Alberta outside of the energy sector.
You may ask why is this information relevant?
Well barring the mines going back to eight shifts, (which will never happen the employees like the four days off and it is more efficient for the employer)
Our resident population is going to keep declining in the overall area, even with the mines hiring people are finding that they can live in Lethbridge and work here.
The competition between local communties to attract people moving here is going to become more and more fierce. People that do choice to live here are going to look at the individual communities, and determine which best suits their needs we will never be able to compete with the towns in the Elk Valley as far as proximity but we have to compete with them in other ways. Appearance is a prime example.
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