Month: August 2018

Richmond News

After a nearly three month long delay, Richmond’s Brighouse Fire Hall No. 1 has rescheduled its grand opening to the public for Saturday, Sept. 15.

The $24.4 million hall was originally scheduled to have a public opening in late June, but was postponed due to “landscaping and other minor works” not being completed in time. The hall began operating in July. …

“The completion of construction of the new Brighouse Fire Hall No. 1 marks a significant milestone to achieving council’s commitment to a safe community,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie in a press release.

“The opening of this new facility will mean that over the last 15 years, most of Richmond’s major public safety facilities have been replaced or updated to meet community needs and modern seismic standards.” …

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Richmond News

Richmondites looking to get more involved in local government can apply for a position on one of many advisory committees over the next month.

Richmond city council is calling on residents to apply for over 100 volunteer positions on committees that address a variety of specific, civic issues. The deadline to apply is Sept. 28.

“Richmond residents can make a positive impact on local government through Richmond’s long standing committees,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie in a press release.

“Through volunteering one’s expertise and time on any of the City’s advisory bodies, valuable insight can be shared to address a variety of specific areas of civic importance such as the environment, arts, culture, agriculture, youth and the economy.” …

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CBC News

Noses in Richmond, B.C. appear to be in for some relief.

A large organic waste composting facility in the city — which has been the subject of numerous odour complaints from residents over the years — is set to wind down operations.

Harvest Power, the company that runs the compost facility, said in a statement Thursday that “regulatory uncertainties” and other variables beyond its control, have led the company to the decision.

The facility processes organic waste from around the Lower Mainland, turning it into mulch and compost which produces a smell once described by Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie as “unmistakable.” …

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CTV Vancouver

A controversial B.C. facility that has been the subject of thousands of smell complaints is shutting its doors for good.

For years the smell coming from tens of thousands of tonnes of composting food scraps at the Harvest Power Facility in Richmond has been prompting criticism from those who live in the area. …

The company will stop collecting the organic waste causing the smell sometime early next year. The short term plan is to sell compost at the site after they stop accepting new material.

“You could see it coming for some time. Harvest Power had to decide if they wanted to make a major investment and enclose those piles that were outside, or would they go some other route? They decided not to make that investment,” said Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie.

“I think there’s a sigh of relief. Now we know the problem will be eradicated.” …

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Richmond News

A homebuilder who ordered the cutting of a large sequoia tree on public property on Gibbons Drive agreed, last year, to an out-of-court settlement with the City of Richmond.

But the non-disclosure agreement, following a short police investigation, isn’t sitting well with at least one area resident, who tried to defend the tree at the time.

“I’m not happy with that,” said Paul Dylla, who lives down the road from the tree, which now stands as half of its past glory.

“For a couple reason,” Dylla continued. “First of all, it doesn’t provide any deterrent to other builders because they don’t know how much they can get fined for something like this. Some will look at this as a cost of doing business.”

The News asked Mayor Malcolm Brodie – a former lawyer – about the deterrence, however he said he had limited information at hand on the case and wasn’t willing to speak about it or any generalities. …

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Edmonton Journal

Wasted food costs Edmonton residents twice: they spend an estimated $1,700 per family of four buying food annually that ends up in the trash, and their garbage bills increase substantially to process it.

Roughly six per cent of the trash Edmonton residents set out at the curb is avoidable food waste — something that was once fit to eat — according to a report heading to city council’s utility committee meeting Thursday.

That’s expensive to compost. If it heads to the landfill, it produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

“Think of, not just the waste of food, a good resource, but the waste of all the resources that went into making that,” said Malcolm Brodie, chairman of the National Zero Waste Council and mayor of Richmond, B.C.

He’s hoping Edmonton joins its national effort to change consumer habits and reduce grocery store waste, too. Several cities already signed on to their Love Food Hate Waste campaign, which launched in July.

“We’ve gotten complacent. We’ve just gotten into bad habits,” Brodie said in an interview Wednesday, explaining the implications most people don’t think about. The best estimates are that people in Canada waste 170,000 tonnes of food valued at $31 billion annually, with nearly half of that generated by consumers. …

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The Georgia Straight

On Friday, August 31 (4 to 10 p.m.) and Saturday, September 1 (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.), the fourth annual Richmond World Festival presents a smorgasbord of music, arts, food, and culture from around the globe in Richmond’s Minoru Park.

“Richmond is recognized internationally as a model for cultural diversity and harmony,” said Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie. “The Richmond World Festival celebrates that diversity and we’re excited to present a stellar line-up of music, food and the arts that showcases our many cultures, our community and Canada at their best.”

The festival will feature over 90 artists performing on nine stages, serving up rich slices of African, Asian, North and South American, European, South Pacific and Caribbean cultures, plus more than 50 food trucks presenting cuisines from all over the globe and the Culinary Stage featuring top local chefs. …

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Richmond News

An oil spill in the Fraser River from an expanded Trans Mountain pipeline would likely be more difficult to clean up than thought by its proponents and the Canadian government, according to a new report from environmental charity group Raincoast Conservation Foundation.

And such a spill from the pipeline’s crossing upstream at the Port Mann Bridge, or even from an oil tanker passing by the West Dyke, would imperil already threatened salmon populations, according to Raincoast biologist Dave Scott, co-author of the report. …

City of Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie has stated he has “grave reservations” about diluted bitumen shipments. The city was an NEB intervenor to glean information about pipeline spills in the river. More recently, Brodie also voiced opposition to a new jet fuel terminal on the South Arm but chose not to take any legal action against senior government approval agencies. …

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Real Estate News Exchange

Canada’s new recreational cannabis industry is set to boost retail opportunities from coast to coast, but it’s becoming increasingly clear those businesses and their products will not be consistently available across Canada.

Varying retail regulations and business models within the provinces and territories are making some markets more attractive than others, experts say. Meanwhile, some municipalities have decided to ban cannabis retailers within their borders, despite nationwide legalization of recreational marijuana possession set to occur on Oct. 17. …

However, none of that business will be taking place in Richmond, B.C. City council in the municipality of about 200,000, just across the Fraser River from Vancouver, is opposed to legalizing cannabis and has opted to ban all cannabis retail activities.

“Very simply, we’re not allowing it,” Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie told RENX in an interview. “We (once) had a medical marijuana dispensary set up in Richmond and we went to court and shut it down.

“We just don’t want the retail sale in our city and we imposed a bylaw accordingly.” …

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Richmond News

Richmond’s wild land fire near Westminster Highway and Shell Road is still burning as crews continue to monitor the site nearly two weeks after the fire was discovered.

The fire on Department of National Defence lands is now 100 per cent contained according to the City of Richmond and, last Thursday evening, Richmond Fire-Rescue reopened Shell Road between Westminster Highway and Alderbridge Way. …

Mayor Malcolm Brodie expressed his gratitude to the crews working to extinguish the fire on Twitter, calling it “a first rate co-ordinated effort.”

“We are very grateful to all those who helped with the fire response on the DND lands. Thanks to the dedicated men and women of Richmond Fire Rescue together with provincial fire crews, RCMP, air crews and other first responders,” he said. …

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