During its survey to determine how Williams Lakers feel about the fluoridation of our water, the contractors, Communication Services Inc., might determine how many users actually drink our tap water and how many buy fluoride-free bottled water to drink.
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If I understand correctly, Retirement Concepts is asking the City for a rezoning that would allow all or any of its assisted living units to be rented to the general public.
Some history here. Thanks to Interior Health’s miscount way back when, RC didn’t have enough complex care beds in the first place.
After a market survey indicated the need for assisted living units, RC added 85 of them. Deni House is reopening to meet the needs for complex care. But only 24 of the new assisted living units are occupied. I suspect RC’s market surveyors or someone overestimated the size of seniors’ pocketbooks.
The problem is the cost of the units is more than many can afford.
So, a couple of questions. What is the current vacancy rate for general rental units? If these new units come on the market, will overall rents go down?
And, last but not least, how do the seniors currently living in RC’s assisted living units feel about it?
Still with City stuff, Williams Lake received an award at the recent North Central Local Government Association meeting for its resolution recommending the federal and provincial environmental assessment processes be combined (harmonized?) in order to expedite the development of major resource developments.
The resolution, which won an award for its wording, will go to the UBCM conference later this year.
If last year’s environmental assessments on the Fish Lake mine proposal are any criteria, I can say with assurance that the federal process is much, much more thorough than the provincial.
Which way does council want to go?
Diana French is a freelance columnist for the Tribune. She is a former Tribune editor, retired teacher, historian, and book author.
