Catalyst wins
Catalyst Paper Corporation has successfully appealed an assessment of sales tax paid by the corporation to Powell River Energy Inc. for electricity between 2001 and 2010.
In a media release Wednesday, January 29, provided by Brian Baarda, vice-president finance and chief financial officer for Catalyst, a recent Supreme Court of British Columbia decision ruled in favour of the corporation in its action against the province concerning a reassessment of the amount of sales tax payable under the Social Services Tax Act.
The corporation estimates that it will receive a sales tax refund of $5.8 million including interest.
Powell River Energy Inc. is owned by Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners, which acquired the remaining 50 per cent stake in the energy company from Catalyst in February 2013. Powell River Energy has two generating stations providing an average 546 gigawatt hours of power annually. The system is connected into the BC power grid.
The province has 30 days to apply for leave to appeal.
Catalyst is headquartered in Richmond, BC, and has three mills in the province, at Crofton, Port Alberni and Powell River, with a combined annual production capacity of 1.5 million tonnes. In 2008 the company expanded beyond BC with the acquisition of the Snowflake mill, in northern Arizona. Snowflake was an 100 per cent recycled paper production facility, but closed in 2012 due to declining newsprint demand and price volatility.
Performing arts
A record number of 525 entries has been received for the 70th Powell River Festival of Performing Arts. Last year, also a record, there were 482.
Festival coordinator Val Thompson said the increase is mainly in vocal and speech arts. Other disciplines are piano, instrumental, strings and dance, which is being held for the second year.
“Vocal is so full, we have to schedule three Broadway Show Tunes evenings,” Thompson explained. She is currently finalizing the preliminary schedule, which is adjusted once all registrations are received.
Sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Powell River, the festival begins Saturday, February 22, and runs until Saturday, March 8, when the Grand Concert is scheduled. The concert program is formed with selection of performers from the festival and trophy presentations.
More information on the festival is available on The Rotary Club of Powell River website.
Teacher policy
A new school district policy which clarifies the process on how teachers transition from temporary to continuing status has been passed.
The policy on teacher conversion signed off on this month will be in place to fill all future teaching positions in School District 47. It outlines how temporary teachers with more than 400 teaching days can be considered for continuing teaching appointments.
The new policy was created in partnership between Powell River Board of Education and Powell River and District Teachers’ Association (PRDTA). Both parties recognize the policy is a significant change in process. A committee comprised of school district officials and PRDTA representatives will meet annually to evaluate how it works.
