At Friday’s Cariboo Regional District meeting, both the Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District and the CRD’ proposed 2012 budget and five-year financial plan were adopted. At the end of 2011, the board of directors provided CRD staff with a 2012 budget target goal of a two per cent maximum requisition increase for inflationary purposes. The target has been achieved with the approved budgets reflecting an inflationary increase of 1.3 per cent. The overall 2012 budget, including new/and or improved services, came in at 1.9 per cent. The financial statements will be available online at www.cariboord.bc.ca
Audited financial statements “strong”
Chartered accountant Ron Rasmussen presented the CRHD, the Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District, and the CRD’s 2011 audited financial statements at Friday’s CRD meeting.According to Rasmussen, the financial position of the corporations remains strong.
$90K allocated for recruitment and retention strategy
The Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District allocated $90,000 to be apportioned equally between the north, central, and south Cariboo to develop a Red Carpet program as a three-year pilot project.
The CCRHD, in conjunction with the municipalities of Quesnel, Williams Lake and 100 Mile House, and in consultation with Interior and Northern Health, agreed to solicit suitable agencies or individuals to fill the role of community hosts.
The purpose of this program is to assist in the recruitment of health-care professionals to the north, central and south Cariboo. The Regional Hospital District will also submit the issue of recruitment and retention for discussion at the upcoming North Central Local Government Association convention, May 2-4, in 100 Mile House.
150 Mile Official Community Plan adopted
During today’s meeting, the CRD board of directors adopted the new 150 Mile Official Community Plan. After receiving three readings at the CRD meeting on Feb. 17, the document was sent to the provincial government for final approval before the CRD’s final adoption. To view the 150 Mile OCP document visit www.cariboord.bc.ca and look under the planning section.
Massier to attend roundtable
CCRHD chair John Massier will attend a Health Roundtable discussion on April 20, with Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo MP Cathy McLeod. Joining McLeod for the session will be Dr. Kellie Leitch, parliamentary secretary to the minister of human resources, a prominent orthopedic surgeon as well as an associate professor of surgery.
Discussion will focus on two issues. The first item is the identification of what issues should be dealt with at a federal level to ensure a more sustainable and accountable health-care system. Meeting participants will also look at an approach to measuring and reporting performance across health systems using common metrics.
Forest capital of Canada report received
The Cariboo Regional District received the final report for the CRD’s 2010-2011 Forest Capital of Canada program. On Nov. 30, 2009 the Canadian Forestry Association selected the CRD to be the 2010-2011 Forest Capital of Canada to recognize the Cariboo-Chilcotin as a region where forests affect the socio-economic and environmental health of its communities.
With the decline of the forest industry as a result of the U.S. housing recession and the impact of the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation, the regional district saw the Forest Capital of Canada program as an opportunity to look to the future and promote new, non-traditional industries emerging in forestry. The two-year program focused on five key industries:
• Value-added forest products
• Non-timber forest products
• Ecotourism and wilderness adventure
• Bio-energy
• Agriculture (agro-forestry)
On Feb. 22 the CRD handed off the designation to the 2012 Forest Capital of Canada, the province, in celebration of the B.C. Forest Service’s 100-year anniversary.