Draft Zoning Bylaw proposes changes to housing density in Rossland

Housing affordability and supply in Rossland are at the heart of a draft Zoning Bylaw that is being considered by city council.

The time is here – The Judicial Review Starts This Tuesday

Dear Supporters, After months of preparation, the judicial review hearing on the merits is here. From Tuesday, May 5 through Thursday, May 7, SRRAC and Sinixt will be in BC Supreme Court at the Rossland courthouse for the Environmental Assessment (EA) judicial review hearing. We are coming into this hearing after three important wins. Those wins matter, but this is the one that goes to the heart of the case. This judicial review challenges the Province’s decision not to require an EA for the Record Ridge mine. At the heart of the case: We challenge whether a proponent can avoid an EA after initially triggering one by changing production numbers in its application materials, while leaving the mine footprint and infrastructure largely unchanged. We maintain that the project’s potential environmental effects also remain essentially unchanged despite the altered production numbers on paper. We assert that the Province didn't properly evaluate the project’s adverse effects when determining whether an EA was required, and failed to use the EA process as the safeguard it is meant to be. Your support has helped fund expert reports, legal work, court materials, regulatory submissions, and thousands of pages of evidence. We hope you can be there for the hearing when all of this comes before the court. The details: Please arrive by 9:30 AM this Tuesday May 5 to be seated before court begins if you are able to attend. The hearing will begin at 10:00 AM sharp. We expect the clerks will need to open the balcony and an overflow room on the main floor. A respectful, professional community presence matters. One last thing: If you have not yet contributed to this work, there is no better time than now. Every donation is being doubled as we head into the hearing. Make a donation to our GoFundMe or make an e-transfer to [email protected]. Your support is what makes all this possible. See you Tuesday. With hope and deep gratitude, The Save Record Ridge Action Committee

Snowfall warning issued for Paulson Summit, Kootenay Pass

Environment Canada says snow, poor visibility are impacting Highway 3

Another Big Win! - Supreme Court affirms inclusion of Sinixt

Dear Supporters, A procedural hearing was held today, Tuesday April 14, at the Rossland Courthouse ahead of the May judicial review. At today's hearing, West High Yield Resources (WHY) attempted to exclude the Sinixt People from participating in the judicial review. We stood alongside Sinixt in court and opposed that application. SRRAC’s directors first contacted Sinixt in June 2023 and have been working with them ever since. Sinixt's Counsel argued that their inclusion is in the interests of justice and efficiency, noting that it makes no sense to run multiple, separate proceedings on the same issue. They emphasized that this is the most procedurally appropriate path forward and confirmed that Sinixt had made multiple efforts to proceed in a coordinated and efficient way. WHY declined to engage on any workable solution. Counsel for both Sinixt and SRRAC further noted that WHY has still not filed a response to SRRAC’s petition, now more than six months overdue. The Province took no position on the application. The matter was heard by Associate Judge Stephen Schwartz, who dismissed WHY’s application in full, finding there was no legal basis for the request and that it was unnecessary. The Court also ordered that WHY pay legal costs to SRRAC and Sinixt. This is a clear legal win. It also marks the second consecutive legal defeat for West High Yield. Importantly, this outcome strengthens our position heading into May. It ensures that all parties challenging the same decision, and seeking the same remedy, will be heard together on a complete record, and that Sinixt will be present and heard. This is also an important step for reconciliation. Ensuring that Sinixt are included in proceedings that affect their territory matters, and it reflects the basic principle that their voices must be heard. We were proud to stand alongside the Sinixt People in the center of their ancestral territory, and we look forward to the hearing in May here in Rossland. As we move toward that hearing, our efforts are continuing to build. We will be in touch soon with ways to support the next phase of this work. Thank you for your continued support. Sincerely, Save Record Ridge Action Committee

BC SPCA - Search Volunteer Opportunities by Locations - BC SPCA - West Kootenay Community Animal Centre (Castlegar)