From the Bear Pit

Council News

Publication Date: July 17, 2026

Committee of the Whole June 22, 2026

Regional Council reviewed the Cemetery Design & Bylaw Update and the Primary Care Stabilization Committee (PCSC) Recommendation — for the cemetery, staff presented updated Fort Nelson and Toad River designs and a draft cemetery bylaw intended to accommodate more modern burial practices, with the fee schedule deferred for later analysis; Council emphasized the importance of community engagement over the summer before advancing capital projects, bylaw changes, or fee adjustments to ensure projects reflect local needs; for primary care, the Primary Care Stabilization Committee (with support from Urban Matters) presented its review of seven clinical models and recommended a municipally owned and operated clinic in partnership with community and health partners to improve recruitment, retention, service sustainability, integration with emergency services, and responsiveness, while noting that no single model solves all needs, that costs and true sustainability require a full business case, and that key considerations include governance, finances, recruitment interest from medical professionals, mitigation of municipal risk, and securing Northern Health/Ministry partnership — staff were asked to return with further analysis on infrastructure, governance, finance, community engagement, and implementation before broader public engagement.

June 22 COTW Agenda | Video Recording

Regional Council June 22, 2026

Regional Council adopted the 2025 Annual Report as final (effective June 25, 2026), approved the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality’s 2025 Statement of Financial Information (SOFI), and adopted Election Procedure Amendment Bylaw No. 246, 2026; Council discussed correspondence including an invitation to the World Invitational Class “A” Gold Panning Championships (Mayor Fraser may attend), agreed to participate in the City of Dawson Creek–led initiative for an independent, expert-led review of universal health care in BC, and committed to support Ashley Nogueira’s motorcycle ride for the Sick Kids Foundation via regional social media and a letter of support; CAO advised that WildSafe BC has successfully recruited a Community Coordinator through September 2026.

The meeting concluded after a closed session, and the following resolutions were risen and reported from the June 22, 2026 In Camera meeting: INRM No. 43/26 approving an application to the Northern Rockies Recruitment, Retention, Education & Training Incentive (RRETI) program, and INRM No. 44/26 increasing the 2026 RRETI budget by $55,000 funded from General Surplus ($19,780) and the Financial Stabilization Reserve Fund ($35,220), both carried unanimously.

June 22 Regional Agenda | Video Recording

Committee of the Whole July 13, 2026

Regional Council heard from Sarah Saunders of Engage Sport North about establishing a Northern sport school in Fort Nelson — a provincially supported, curriculum-aligned program (grades 9–12, for credit) that partners with schools, municipalities and the Canadian Sport Institute to keep student-athletes in-community using the recreation centre; councillors discussed facility use, funding, teacher/coach roles, potential local kinesiologist involvement, and next steps including community engagement and surveys. Sgt. Jason Rummings reported quarterly RCMP updates: overall calls for service down, focused traffic enforcement, a spike in mental-health-related calls, rollout of the real-time reporting tool, strong community engagement at events, improved recruitment and staffing, and upcoming criminal-code changes that may affect local policing; council expressed support to continue collaboration and consider further meetings on those legal changes.

July 13 COTW Agenda | Video Recording

Regional Council July 13, 2026

Regional Council awarded Leachate Force Main Construction Phase II to Red Drum Energy Ltd. for $561,210 (plus contingency and GST) and the Cell Development – Landfill budget was increased from $830,000 to $1,100,000 with additional contribution from the Solid Waste Reserve Fund; staff noted higher-than-expected unit prices, control panel costs, inflation impacts and delays that drove the increase. The Town Hall Transformer Replacement and Generator Installation contract was awarded to S. Young Enterprises for $1,418,975 (plus contingency and taxes); only one compliant bid was received but the project remains within budget. Council also proclaimed National Drowning Prevention Week (July 19–25).

July 13 Regional Agenda | Video Recording

Regional Hospital District July 13, 2026

Regional District Board called meeting to order and after minutes approval then went into a closed session. The meeting concluded after the closed session, with nothing to rise and report.

July 13 RHD Agenda | Video Recording

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