Special Features - Outlook 2014

MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS OUTLOOK 2014 98 MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS OUTLOOK 2014

Proud Fixture In The Landcape Of Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows

bridging the gap

located at the north end of the golden ears bridgeEE

Currently, the ve dealerships sell over 5,000 new and used

vehicles a year while over 200 employees work within the

group.

Results are based on long-term marketing and brand building.

“It’s good to be diversi ed with di erent brands. That’s all part

of it,” Scott says.

“We’re very aggressive in our marketing, not only tactical

which is pricing and payments, but also with brand and image

building.”

“We’ve concentrated quite a bit on building the West Coast

Auto Group image. We’ve been doing that for a long time and

built ourselves up on that name over time,” Scott says.

By combining administration and nance centres through

group ownership, costs can be cut and economies of scale

achieved.

“Most de nitely, that is the trend,” says Scott. “There are fewer

and fewer stand-alone operators and more and more groups

taking over.”

That might seem to reduce competition, but Scott says sales

managers within the same group compete for each sale while

for the nal reality check, there are at least 10 separately

owned dealerships for each make in the Lower Mainland.

“It’s good when you have more than one type of vehicle. I call

it friendly competition.”

“It’s very tough competing in this day and age with this

business climate that we’re in right now.”

The Internet’s also changed how the auto business works.

No longer do shoppers rely on a car salesman to explain the

features.

While most car shoppers still want to test drive a new vehicle,

many do all of their homework rst online, accomplishing

about 80 to 90 per cent of the buying process, Scott says.

“That’s becoming more and more important daily. So many

consumers shop online now.”

Michelle Jones-Ruppel, who runs the Ford Lincoln and Nissan

stores, agrees – the Internet has changed the car business,

“with the amount of knowledge our customers can get, which

I’m not opposed to.”

Customers are more prepared when they walk into a

dealership. But that means the dealership and sales sta have

to be better, she points out. The cyclical nature of the business

means if sales of one manufacturer cools, the other picks up

As manager, she realizes sta are the priority. “So you build

yourself a strong team, strong managers, surround yourself

with good people.”

“Growing our business, retaining our customers and building

customer loyalty because of our service and quality vehicles

is what West Coast Auto Group is all about,” says Michelle

Jones-Ruppel and Scott Jones.

West Coast Ford Lincoln treats the needs of each

individual customer with paramount concern. We

know that you have high expectations, and as a

car dealer we enjoy the challenge of meeting and

exceeding those standards each and every time.

Visit us....for your new car.

At West Coast Nissan, we pride ourselves on customer

service. Our commitment is to provide you with the best

possible vehicles and related services. We conduct

our business with a personal and ethical approach, in

an atmosphere of respect for all our customers and

employees.

We invite you to visit West Coast Nissan and

experience a better way to buy a vehicle.

We believe buying and servicing a car doesn’t have to

be a di cult process. We believe in doing things in a

di erent way - a better way!

West Coast Mazda is a winner of the President’s

Club and Dealer of Distinction awards. What does

that mean? It means we have a lot of really happy

customers all over Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge,

Metro Vancouver and the Province of British Columbia.

West Coast Kia is a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility,

and is one of the region’s newest Kia dealerships as

well as the 5th dealership for West Coast Auto Group.

We believe in making it easy to get not just a great

deal but also a remarkable vehicle and exceptional

service! Whether you’re shopping for a new Kia,

Certi ed Pre-Owned Kia, used vehicle, servicing for

your Kia or shopping for Kia parts or accessories, you

can do it with con dence here. Our knowledgeable

sta looks forward to helping you nd what you need.

Have you ever visited a dealership after hours because

you were intimidated by aggressive sales people, or

maybe you just felt like some pressure-free browsing

time? At West Coast Toyota, you can feel comfortable

walking around our lot and browsing through our

showroom because we won’t bother you until you’re

ready.

Scott Jones & Michelle Jones-Ruppel. Owners of West Coast Ford Lincoln

West Coast Toyota

West Coast Nissan

West Coast Mazda

West Coast Kia

West Can Leasing

West Coast Detail &

Accessory Centre

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WEST COASTWEST COASTAUTO GROUPAUTO GROUP

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DL 31300 1-866-334-858119950 Lougheed Hwy. Pitt Meadows

KIAWEST COAST

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TOYOTA1-866-910-1579

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Business. Development. Tourism. Education. Health. Lifestyle.

Those are the guiding principles behind Outlook Magazine, a progress report about the vitality of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.

From the area’s prosperous agricultural industry, to residential and commercial and industrial development, to capital infrastructure improvements and incentives to the restoration and rebirth of historical neighborhoods, all are key to continued growth of both communities.

In the third edition of Outlook, The News examines the area’s economic energy.

&MAPLE RIDGE PITT MEADOWS

OUTLOOK NOVEMBER 2014

2 MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS OUTLOOK 2014

Financial Planner Kathy Blom offers peace of mind for her clients

Peace of mind. It’s an elusive intangible, but it’s something most people strive for in their life, especially when it comes to their fi nancial situation. It’s a concept Certifi ed Financial Planner Kathy Blom understands very well

After 35 years in the fi nancial services sector Kathy knows peace of mind is the primary motivator for the majority of her clients. Yes, they want to increase their wealth; yes, they want to ensure they’re ready for retirement; and yes, they want to make certain their estate is in good order in preparation for the inevitable.

At the root of it all, however, is the desire to ensure fi nancial pressures are minimized because they have more important things to occupy their minds and their time.

In order to get her clients the peace of mind they desire, Kathy uses her passion for helping people to achieve their goals in combination with her extensive knowledge of the fi nancial services industry.

She came up through the financial services sector (20 years with CIBC and 15 years in the credit union system), and has done pretty much everything involved since starting as a teller. She became an Investment Funds Advisor in 1998, and progressed to become a Certifi ed Financial Planner in 2008.

Along the way Kathy discovered that helping clients achieve their financial and life goals wasn’t so much a job as a passion, and it was that passion that convinced her to take the next logical – and fi nal – step in her career progression, that of becoming an independent fi nancial planning advisor. She made the move last spring when she set up offi ces in Maple Ridge and Chilliwack under the Manulife Securities umbrella.

“It was the right step for sure,” she notes. “The change in lifestyle helped create more balance in my life, and gave me more fl exibility in my schedule.

“That’s meant more time for my clients, which means I feel I’m giving them even better service than I used to. I have more time to think about their needs outside of the corporate framework, and that’s a great gift to be able to give them.”

The extra time allows Kathy to focus on the holistic approach she uses towards financial planning. As she says, it’s not enough to focus on the money because life is about so much more.

“I start by listening very closely to what people have to say about their life and their goals. By nature I’m very nurturing, so I absorb their story before I ever give advice because it’s important to see the big picture before you can create a plan.

“When I was at CIBC, they had a saying: ‘If you have a goal, you have to have a plan,’ and it’s true. If you have goals they’ll only happen if you plan for them, so I start by listening.”

After she’s confident in her client’s motivators, Kathy gets to work putting together all the components that will help them achieve their stated goals. Whatever it includes – be it insurance, investments, tax planning, retirement planning, business planning, succession planning, long-term care, will and estate planning, or anything else – Kathy uses her knowledge and contacts to fi nd the right services and products to ensure the goals can be achieved.

“There’s a lot of fi nancial pressure on Canadians at all stages of their life, but especially as they get older, and they need good, solid advice

and information because there’s so much fear-mongering in the media, and so little good

information provided by the government or the education system.

“There are all kinds of ways for Canadians to maximize their fi nancial picture, but they aren’t taught these things, and too often they don’t know where to look for the information they require. It’s my job to give them that knowledge so they can make informed choices.”

Kathy is adamant when she says fi nancial planning – or more to the point, life planning – isn’t as scary or complicated as some make

it out to be.

“What a lot of people do is nothing because it seems so overwhelming, but the reality is, doing nothing is not an option. Take small steps if that’s what it takes, but take that fi rst step and you’ll never look back.

“You will get the financial peace of mind you desire, which will give you the opportunity to do the things you really want to do in life.”

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MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS OUTLOOK 2014 3

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Downtown planhalfway doneBy Kevin Gillies

As Maple Ridge turned 140 years old and officially became a city, it hit the halfway point on its 20-year plan to revitalize its downtown core

and move into a new era.On Sept. 12, Maple Ridge turned

140 years young and was officially recognized as British Columbia’s 50th city.

In this coming-of-age time for Maple Ridge, outgoing mayor Ernie Daykin says the downtown core – the heart of the city – and the historic Fraser River waterfront are finally getting the revitalization it has needed for a long time.

“That’s really where Maple Ridge started; right down along the water,” Daykin said. “And 140 years later, it’s going to get revitalized.”

Daykin is excited about the poten-tial for Maple Ridge to grow and become an urban centre that serves the region.

“I think there’s an amazing opportunity for something great to happen there.”

Daykin says collaborative sessions with multiple stakeholder groups in 2003 and ’04, with a group from

University of British Columbia, formed a plan for Maple Ridge’s downtown core.

Municipal representatives at the time were aware the process was creating a 20-year development plan for the downtown area.

“The goal was taking that down-town, or regional town centre, as it was designated in the Metro Vancouver Plan, and taking it from about 9,000 residents to 22-25,000 residents; densifying it, helping it come alive; taking advantage of the river frontage that is a huge asset in the community,” Daykin says.

In 2005, council adopted the plan and within two years, Maple Ridge was well placed to attract capital investment.

And by 2006-’07, the district came up with an incentive program that was focused on promoting the development of “green” residential buildings in the downtown area.

But, Daykin explains, all the incentives were at the back end.

“Three years ago council said, ‘We need to re-jig this incentive plan and we need to put some stuff at the front end,’” Daykin explains. “So that’s when we came up with the priority processing for relief for contractors; some relief on the permit fees and application fees. We weren’t sure if we were going to attract three applicants or 53. We ended up getting over 70 — I think approaching 80 — and to the tune of $110 million. Almost all of it was residential. It would be in the neighbourhood of 500 units.”

And Daykin says development of the river frontage is also in the municipality’s vision.

“The dream or the plan is to have mixed use — townhomes or con-dos, business and some commercial, restaurants, and then create a board-walk along the river that connects

to Kanaka Creek Regional Park,” he says. “The West Coast Express will be a two-minute walk from it.”

The City of Maple Ridge has also invested in revitalizing its down-town core by acquiring a large lot of land in its centre.

“That was a strategic purchase that the district made,” Daykin says. “It was a number of properties that had been consolidated by one person. To get three acres is almost impossi-ble, in the downtown. So we bought that. We got rid of the old houses. We cleaned it all up.”

Sandy Blue, Maple Ridge’s manag-er of strategic economic initiatives, said that after the initial request for proposals, the city didn’t see the lev-el of interest that it was looking for or the right kinds of developments.

It’s now gone back out and been extended to January.

“What we did … was we added an addendum to it, asking people to look for a way that they can include some post-secondary [school facili-ty] to that,” Daykin explains.

“Kwantlen, Douglas College, BCIT, Simon Fraser have all ex-pressed interest in coming to Maple Ridge — not necessarily a four-year, degree-granting institution right off the bat. But … if somebody else will build the bricks and mortar and there’s some kind of an agreement or way to work that through, we want to take advantage of that,” he says.

“But it’s a key piece of property in downtown. My expectations are high that it’s going to be one of the centerpieces of our downtown and generate tremendous commercial and space that can be used for post secondary or other office space too.”

Former mayor Ernie Daykin says the downtown core and waterfront are getting the revitalization they need. - Colleen Flanagan.

MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS OUTLOOK 2014 5 MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS OUTLOOK 2014 5

The incredibly high cost of doing business in Vancouver is no secret. So is the lack of available space in Vancouver.

According to a study by the National Associ-ation of Industrial and Office Properties, Metro Vancouver’s supply for development could dry up in the next six to nine years. So it is little surprise that more businesses are looking outside the city limits to set up shop. Both Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge provide accessibil-ity to market and lower overhead compared to Vancouver. They also offer affordable housing, a strong draw for businesses.

The Golden Ears Business Park, 200 acres of commercially zone land along the banks of the Fraser River just west of the Golden Ears Bridge, is one of the Lower Mainland’s prime pieces of real estate.

The site has the potential to house 1.5 million sq. ft. of taxpaying businesses on its site. That’s a significant revenue source for the community, said Lori Graham, economic devel-opment officer for Pitt Meadows.

Phase 1 of the project, more than 650,000 sq. ft. of industrial buildings on 35 acres, repre-sent about 450 full- and part-time jobs for the community, said Graham.

“While not all those jobs are new to the community, it’s still a significant number,” she added, “but it does represent money staying

in the community. Plus, when any business sets up shop in a new building like we have, it usually means there’s some sort of expansion.”

Greg Wilks, vice president of leasing and property management for Onni Group, owners of the Golden Ears Business Park, said in total there are five phases for the land to be developed. He said Phase 1 has “far exceeded our expectations.” It’s at 85 per cent capacity with leads on other potential clients to fill the remaining vacancies. He also said they hope to break ground on the second phase, a 58-acre parcel, by the first or second quarter of 2015.

Wilks said the tolls of both the Port Mann Bridge and the Golden Ears Bridge do play a factor in some businesses when looking for a place to set up shop.

However, one of the main advantages the region has over others in the Lower Mainland is affordable homes. A single family home in Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge is around the $465,000 to $550,000 range, according to Fraser Valley Real Estate Board, compared to upwards of $1 million-plus in Vancouver.

The accessibility to the major transport routes put the community in a great position for further expansion, Graham said.

Cities perfectly positionedBy Tim Fitzgerald

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There are few industries

that see the wild fluctuations like that of the forestry sector.

When the markets crashed in 2008, the impact on Cana-da’s forestry sector were dev-astating. The U.S. economy went in a tailspin and brought the forestry sector with it.

In two years, new housing starts in the U.S. decreased by almost 60 per cent, accord-ing to the Council of Forest Industries.

The forestry sector accounts for three per cent of B.C. gross domestic product,and ac-counted for about 24,000 jobs in B.C. in 2013, according to COFI. That’s about 10,000 less jobs than when the mar-ket crashed seven years ago.

Paul Lawson, director of the Malcolm Knapp UBC Research Forest in Maple Ridge, said the industry, on the whole, is on the upswing, although businesses are being more cautious than in previ-ous years.

“It’s very cyclical in nature, so it always provides a challenge. They know that if business is good now, it probably won’t be in three or four years.”

Lawson said it has taken some time to recover from the market crash in 2008, the worst downturn in the forestry sector since before the Second World War.

He said U.S. housing starts played the biggest role in the downturn, where new housing starts bottomed out 553,000 a year in 2009 from its peak of almost 1.35 million in 2007. Exports of softwood lumber continued to dwindle, dropping 52 per cent from its peak in 2007 to 2011.

While those new housing numbers have increased to 924,900 starts in the U.S. in 2013 and exports of softwood lumber are increasing, it’s still a long way from where they were.

“Basically, if the U.S. sneez-es, we get a cold.”

Lawson said there’s been a renewed interest in the wood sector lately, and not just in the structural components of

an industry like new home manufacturing. He said the market for finished grade products and value-added sectors are starting to see growth.

Part of the forestry sector’s recovery has been shifting fo-cus on new markets in China, Korea, and Japan. Exports of softwood lumber to China have increased by more than doubled in the past seven years, according to COFI.

Part of the interest will be on display in Maple Ridge in 2016, when the Canadian Woodlands Forum’s flagship event, DEMO International, will be held at the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest, Sept. 22 to 24. The event is one of North America’s largest outdoor forestry equipment shows that features more than 150 exhibitors and attract anywhere from 5,000 to 16,000 visitors from around the world.

Lawson said they’ve already had interest from international markets about attending the show.

While the forest sector is on the rise, he said don’t expect a spike in employment. The forestry sector has been using a more measured approach during peak years.

“You don’t see massive amounts of hiring. They focus more on capital projects, building roads and preparing for leaner times.”

Lawson said Maple Ridge and the surrounding areas have seen their share of growth following the 2008 crash as larger mills in Van-couver have closed and small-er operations have picked up the slack.

While economics play a ma-jor role in the industry, Law-

son said social impact of the industry also plays a factor in growth. Issues like watershed protection, deforestation near urban centres, evasive plants, and habitat protection all play a significant role in the growth of the industry. However, the biggest obstacle is probably the most frustrating task facing the industry –fire.

Lawson said Maple Ridge usually sees two to six man-made fires started every year. The consequences, he said, could be devastating for the community.

“A massive fire here isn’t going to do anyone any favours. The economic impact of the forestry sector in B.C. is huge, and Maple Ridge is no different.”

The Malcolm Knapp For-estry Sector alone generates about $5 million in gross reve-nue a year and employs about 50 people, said Lawson.

While small in comparison to some of the operations going on in B.C., he said, the impact of independent mills and operations still have a significant impact on the com-munities they operate in.

“They’re quite vibrant,” noted Lawson. “In the last 20 years, we’ve seen a number of mills close in Vancouver and move to smaller, more afford-able communities like Maple Ridge, Mission, Langley, and Surrey.”

Woodlot 0007, a 275-hect-are parcel of crown land in Maple Ridge has an annual allowable cut of 2,600 cubic metres a year and also houses educational programs.

BCIT’s forestry program relies heavily on the area for some of its programs, while School District 42’s outdoor school uses it for trips.

Forestry alive and well in Maple RidgeBy Tim Fitzgerald

Trimmerman Cael Chitlow trims lumber at the UBC sawmill. - Photo by Colleen Flanagan.

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10 MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS OUTLOOK 2014 MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS OUTLOOK 2014 10

Lauren Gallacher is one of a growing number of young women in B.C. who are looking ahead to a future in the trades.

A Grade 12 student at Samuel Robertson Technical in Maple Ridge, she spends her mornings studying and practicing carpentry and looks after the rest of her course load in the afternoon.

Gallacher started taking carpentry classes in Grade 9 and was in the pre-appren-ticeship program last year. She has an older brother who is a carpenter, but credits her wood shop teacher Grant Sych with instilling in her a love for woodworking.

“He really connects with the students and makes it easy to learn new things,” she said.

“I love working with wood and building things. I like the hands-on aspect, being creative and making up my own designs.”

By the time she graduates high school, Gallacher will

have achieved the level of first-year carpentry appren-tice and will be well on her way to her goal of becoming a wood shop teacher.

“I think the biggest change in all trades over the years is that today trades are regarded as a very noble profession and very much hold a place for women, unlike many years ago,” said Sych, who has taught carpentry and woodworking in SD No. 42 for 25 years.

“Lauren has many opportu-nities that await her because of her vast skill set, profes-sionalism and interpersonal skills.”

While more women are starting to enter the trades, it’s been a slow process, said Steve Wiebe, partnership and trades coordinator for SD 42. Gallacher is the only young woman in her carpentry

class and just one of four in the more traditional trades programs, not including hair-styling and culinary arts.

“Overcoming stereotypes is a challenge, but I think over time it will change,” Wiebe said. “The wages are very competitive with really good benefits and there are so many different career paths.”

Gallacher encourages other young women considering a future in the trades to at least learn more about the many options.

“Go for it. It’s definitely worth it,” she said. “Girls should look into the trades because there are unlimited jobs and the work is reward-ing.”

The automotive appren-ticeship course was intro-duced about 15 years ago and more trades programs keep being added as interest

increases in this post-gradua-tion stream.

Now SD 42 offers Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows’ students automotive, plumb-ing, electrical, carpentry, hair design, culinary arts and metal fabrication options. Next February, a masonry course is being added and autobody collision repair begins September 2015.

This year, nearly 130 stu-dents are enrolled in trades programs in the district, at three different campuses.

“I think the school district definitely sees the need for trades training and the gov-ernment is also on board,”

Wiebe said. “I think we’re all moving in the right direction, it’s just a matter of trying to get more opportunities for the students.”

Wiebe can share numer-ous success stories of former students enrolled in trades programming in the district who are now in their early twenties and earning salaries expected of those twice their age and excelling in their chosen field.

Not only that, but they are exercising their brain and their brawn every day.

While no official statistics are kept, Wiebe said the anecdotal evidence he hears

tells him they are headed in the right direction. In carpentry, he estimates a job placement rate of as high as 85 per cent. The others pro-grams are right in line with that success too, he said.

None of this would have been possible without the buy-in from post-secondary institutions and industry, Wiebe added. Fraser Valley employers have been eager to assist young students achieve their journeyman certifica-tion. Education partners such as BCIT, Kwantlen Polytech-nic University and Vancouver Community College have also played key roles.

Trades are one way to goBy Ryan Jensen

Lauren Gallacher will complete the first year of her carpentry apprenticeship by the time she leaves SRT. - Photo by Colleen Flanagan.


One of the keys to having a successful community is to ensure there are post-secondary options, an issue with

which the local area is currently struggling.“This area has nothing,” said Maple Ridge

Coun. Bob Masse, who sits on a task force that is trying to bring a multi-university cam-pus to the city.

The task force also includes representatives from Pitt Meadows and Mission, and they have been working on ways to attract these types of learning institutions here for the past few years.

The goal is to get a variety of schools to have their satellite operations share building space, offering multiple course options.

“It’s always a slower process than I’d like,” Masse said with a laugh. “We have some small trades and technology [offerings], but very little.”

BCIT was offered some rooms so it could have courses available. However, Masse said the offering was too minimal.

“We need a substantive program to make it viable,” he said.

Douglas College used to have a few courses that were run out of a local high school, but that project didn’t continue because both students and instructors were unwilling to go into a high school.

There are projected shortages looming in both skilled trades and other industries, such as health care, he said, “and it’s showing up already and getting worse.”

Masse said he recently had conversations

with a representative from Simon Fraser Uni-versity who indicated that it is “willing to be part of the conversation.”

One of the main issues is location - where would be appropriate place to house such a facility.

In October, Masse wanted council to make three empty lots on Selkirk Avenue in down-town Maple Ridge a site for a multi-university campus.

If the city were to focus on that site, it could allow the district to offer the land as incentive for schools to establish a presence; senior governments often desire that cities contribute to major projects.

The location would be suitable, as there would be a “super good synergy” with the nearby Arts Centre Theatre, transportation and the Leisure Centre.

Douglas College has proposed that a centre for excellence for green building construction be created, but according to incumbent Maple Ridge Mayor Ernie Daykin, what happens on that site would depend on offers. However, a post-secondary campus only would be a fraction of the three-acre development site.

Also being considered for post-secondary would be a site on vacant provincial land – currently for sale – which sits between Lougheed Highway and the Haney Bypass, just east of Kanaka Way.

Bringing in post-secondaryBy Jason Roessle

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12 MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS OUTLOOK 2014 MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS OUTLOOK 2014 12

Growth in the local berry industry is slowing and becoming more competitive, according to one Pitt Meadows farm operator.

Jesse Brar, vice-president of sales and packaging opera-tions for Golden Ears Farms, said the increase in berry farms locally is slowing and the focus of established farms is turning to quality assur-ance in an effort to increase sales overseas.

“The industry is growing, but I think it’s beyond its growth spurt, for lack of a better word,” Brar said. “I think we’re starting to see the expansion of blueberries slow down. That’s mainly due to supply is beginning to meet demand finally. So the industry, because of that, is now becoming more competitive.”

Brar said that GEF is finding there’s an abundance of blueberries, and therefore buyers are becoming more quality-oriented in their purchasing.

“One thing Golden Eagle has done is invest heavily in our food safety program,” Brar said. “Our farm and our packing facilities – our fields and our packing facilities – are third-party audited and it’s a very intense auditing procedure,” Brar added. “That’s one of the things that we’ve done to impress buyers and give them [assurances] that our fruit is safe.”

Golden Eagle Farm – with i1,300 acres of berry fields – is one of the largest high-bush blueberry farms in Canada. The farm produced more than seven million pounds of berries last year, when production overall in B.C. was down.

B.C.’s 800 blueberry pro-ducers combine to produce about 106 million pounds, so the Aquilini-family-owned Golden Ears Farms is a major

player. “We live in one of the best

blueberry-growing climates in the world,” said Brar. “We have that competitive advantage.”

Brar said strawberries remain the No. 1 fruit on the continent, but thinks blueberry consumption will continue to increase because of the strong health benefits.

“Blueberries still have a way’s to go in North America. But the biggest opportunity is elsewhere, overseas; especial-ly in Asia and Europe, where blueberries are still relatively unknown or hard to get.”

Golden Ears Farms also harvest cranberries exclusive-ly for Ocean Spray.

“Cranberries, there’s not much growth there at all in recent years. There’s a current over-supply of cranberries within the industry,’ he said.

Betting on better blueberriesBy Kevin Gillies

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Vancouver may have the nickname Hollywood North, but as anyone involved in film and television industry will tell you,

most of the magic happens outside the city’s limits.Maple Ridge is no stranger to the film in-

dustry. Both recent big budget films Godzilla and Rise of the Planet of the Apes were shot in Golden Ears park. Just recently John Travol-ta and Kate Bosworth were in town filming the feature Damaged.

There’s money to be made bringing in film crews, both big and small. Marg Johnson is the city of Maple Ridge’s film production liaison, and it’s her job to ensure Hollywood North looks east to Maple Ridge when the cameras start rolling.

“We have a very streamlined process where I take care of all the paperwork and liaise with the various municipal depart-ments that are involved in a typical film shoot, such as engineering, parks and leisure services, the RCMP, and bylaws,” said Johnson. “Our turn around time for processing film permits is very fast, which is important in this creative industry, as time is money.”

Johnson said the economic benefit to the city of Maple Ridge is estimated at $10,000 per shoot day. She said this amount takes into account the location fees, hotels, rental

of businesses and homes, and procuring of local services. She said It does not include indirect spending by crew when on location or film tourism.

With 291 shoot days scheduled for Maple Ridge in 2014, that’s $2.91 million into the economy.

She said film productions get a six per cent for shooting outside of Vancouver city limits, making Maple Ridge an attractive option.

But it also more than that.“They can get a variety of looks in a

relatively small area, from urban to rural, including our beautiful parks, neighbour-hoods, and landscapes.”

Johnson said people would be surprised to know there are about 700 residents of Maple Ridge who are directly involved in the film industry, including location manag-ers, producers, writers and actors.

She also said the city’s goal is to attract in-vestment in a local facility for post produc-tion, gaming and animation. She said she often fields calls from productions looking for studio space for up to six months.

No stranger to film industryBy Tim Fitzgerald

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daycare3/4 page6730334mrn 0505

MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS OUTLOOK 2014 14

Work continues in Golden Ears Provincial Park to clear the right-of-way and build a working area for the new 247-kilometre B.C. Hydro

transmission line running from Coquitlam to Merritt.The Interior to Lower Mainland

transmission project is the largest expansion to B.C. Hydro’s transmis-sion system in the past 30 years, and comes at an estimated cost of $725 million.

The 500-kilovolt line will run between two existing B.C. Hydro electrical substations – the Nicola

Substation near Merritt and the Meridian Substation in Coquitlam. The majority of the new line will parallel an existing transmission line.

The ILM transmission line, pre-viously scheduled to be operational in January 2015, is now expected to be in service in late 2015.

Mora Scott, media relations and issues management with B.C. Hydro, said that crews are currently removing woody debris from the right-of-way path that goes through Golden Ears park. Workers are also building a stringing pad – a work area used to string the lines.

This work is scheduled to be

completed at the end of November, and stringing the line will begin in early 2015.

This process first involves string-ing preliminary lines from tower to tower – a process usually done by helicopter. Then, a ground-based pulley system is used to attach the conductors to the preliminary lines.

The conductor ends are joined using an implosive connector. A metallic sleeve with a small charge is fitted around the conductor ends, and detonates, welding them

together. This split-second process creates a flash with smoke and a sound similar to fireworks.

Scott said residents, property owners and key stakeholders have been informed of noise disruptions, and told to expect to see and hear helicopters.

Information about these activities have been posted on public bulletin boards and provided through notic-es as well as advertisements in local newspapers.

Hydro line through Golden EarsBy Gavin Fisher

See Hydro, page 15

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Residents near Golden Ears park might also see construc-tion vehicles using some roads to access the construction area.

Scott said there is no signif-icant impact on visitors to the provincial park.

“When construction activi-ties are occurring on the right-of-way near trails, temporary closures of the trails have occurred and will occur again as needed to ensure the safety of the visitors as well as the workers on the right-of-way.”

Signs will be posted at closed trails, and there are also signs with information about the project adjacent to the right-of-way throughout the park.

Scott said B.C. Hydro has been working with B.C. Parks throughout the construction of the project to manage the impacts on Golden Ears. Hydro also has ongoing communications with park facilities operators to keep them informed of construc-tion activities.

When construction is com-pleted, input will be taken from recreational clubs to identify trails that may need to

be restored. “Any trail impacted by the

project will be restored by the contractor to its existing prior condition.”

The ILM transmission proj-ect was approved by the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office in 2009, and construc-tion on the line first began in 2012.

The project also includes upgrades to the Nicola Sub-station near Merritt and the Meridian Substation in Co-quitlam. Upgrades to Nicola were completed this fall.

A new series capacitor sta-tion is also being built at Ruby Creek, near Agassiz.

According to B.C. Hydro,

the Crown corporation proj-ects the demand for electricity in British Columbia will grow by 40-45 per cent over the next 20 years, with much of the demand coming from the Lower Mainland and Vancou-ver Island.

Changing patterns of elec-tricity use and aging equip-ment have also put pressure on the current system, which was built in the early 1970s.

B.C. Hydro states that the new transmission line will re-duce the amount of electricity lost in the transmission system and be more efficient. Once complete, it will supply en-ergy to about 80,000 homes each year.

‘Trails to be restored’Hydro from page 14

Workers build hydro towers in Golden Ears park.- photo by Colleen Flanagan.

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The Maple Ridge Art Gallery ShopVisit the Gallery Shop at any time of year and you’re bound to find something unique, alluring and always handmade. When you make purchases at the Gallery Shop, you are supporting both artisans and the Maple Ridge Art Gallery as we work to build an awareness of the fine craft in our region.

For additional information or to join our mailing list, email [email protected] or call 604.476.4241.

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Special Features - Outlook 2014