Device helps deaf hear concerts /41

Fashion flocks to geisha style /33

Alcohol use up among Canadians, study shows /6
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2005

World junior team cuts set for today /11
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Vacancy rate falls to 3.2 per cent
by MARK NIELSEN Citizen staff The city's vacancy rate has plummeted to a 10-year low. As of October, the rate for apartments in the city stood at just 3.2 per cent, a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation report released Thursday says, well down from 9.7 per cent just a year ago. CMHC market analyst Paul Fabri said the rental figure is the lowest it's been in a decade and attributed the drop to a buoyant provincial economy. "Most rental markets in B.C. have seen vacancy rates go down and the main reason is a stronger B.C. economy," he said. "In central and northern B.C. the resource industry sector has picked up in response to rising demand for commodities. "And the more employment opportunities have in turn spurred in migration and more demand for rental housing." The last time the rate for rents as vacancy rates deapartments was lower was in "You can expect cline." 1995 when it stood at just 1.1 Mayor Colin Kinsley said to see stronger the numbers put into further per cent. In 1996, it rose to 4.6, then 5.2 in 1997 before skyrock- upward pressure doubt the B.C. Stats finding eting to 11.2 in 1998 and then that the city's population fell on rents as peaking at 15.8 in 1999 before b y 678 ove r t h e y e a r t o dropping gradually to 15.3 in Juvacancy rates 77,148. That figure is as ofstu2 0 0 0 , 12 . 2 i n 2 0 01, 11. 9 i n ly when there are fewer 2002, 10.3 in 2003 and 9.7 in dents in the city. decline." 2004. He also said California de-- CMHC market analyst veloper Yves Ghiai did not With vacancy dropping, rent is Paul Fabri come into the city to build 65 rising. The average rent for a bacheunits of student housing in lor apartment increased by $5 per month to the city's downtown without a reason and the $421, by $11 per month to $485 for a one-bed- CMHC numbers support the move. room, and by $6 per month to $570 for two"He did his homework and he said there isn't bedroom apartments over the course of the housing available for students," Kinsley said. year, according to CMHC. "The university said the same thing." "They're edging up and they have edged up The numbers also seem to be reflected in The for the last couple of years," Fabri said. "You Citizen's classified ads section. can expect to see stronger upward pressure on In October there were 3,064 ads for rental accommodation, down from 4,805 for the same month last year and 7,108 for October 2003 and 7,275 in October 2002. Conversely, help-wanted ads rose from 2,316 in October 2003 to 3,579 during October of this year. And where the ads used to routinely stay in the newspaper for the 24 days the newspaper publishes each month, Citizen classified sales supervisor Melba King said they're now often cancelled after just three or four days because a renter has been found. "Where it used to take a month, now it takes a week," she said. The trend was the same for townhouses. Although the data is not as good as it is for apartments, the survey shows the rate dropping dramatically to 4.6 per cent from 16.2 per cent in October 2004. Average rent, meanwhile rose by $15 per month to $603. -- See FEWER on page 3

Efforts planned for forest safety
by GORDON HOEKSTRA Citizen staff Canfor's Vanderhoof division has promised to take action immediately on a number of issues raised at a quickly-called forestry safety meeting on Thursday that attracted 500 people. Those include road maintenance -- particularly making sure a sanding truck is there when it's needed -- and harmonizing radio procedures. It turns out Canfor's Vanderhoof division has truckers calling their position on their radio at odd kilometres, while most areas call even kilometres, said Ted Anthony, the division's manager. The Vanderhoof division includes the Plateau sawmill, just west of Vanderhoof, and the Isle Pierre sawmill, about 50 kilometres west of Prince George. In three months, a follow-up meeting will be held to communicate what was done, find out if it delivered the results that were wanted, and if not, what's needed to fix the issues, Anthony explained. Other concerns raised at the meeting -- which may take longer to address -- included improving the highway crossing to the Isle Pierre sawmill and upgrading roads where loaded logging trucks travel in both directions. Using loop roads, so loaded trucks don't pass each other, or widening the roads to two lanes were suggested, said Anthony. He said he called the meeting -- shutting down Canfor's bush operations in the area for the day in an unprecedented move -- because of concerns over the mounting number of deaths in the forest sector this year. "The record that's in the forest industry right now, is not acceptable: One person injured is too much," said Anthony. The number of deaths reached 43 this week. "We wanted to start talking with everybody here before we have another fatality, and it's in our own backyard," he said. -- See MEETING on page 3

LIVE ree!
F
FOR A YEAR

CONTEST

Senior wins top prize in Live Free contest
Citizen photo by Dave Milne

HOLIDAY TRADITION -- Clara, played by Talisa Dennis, dances with her godfather Dr. Drosslemeir, portrayed by Bill Russell, after he has given her the nutcracker doll as a Christmas gift. The curtain goes up tonight at 8 p.m. for the Judy Russell production of The Nutcracker, with additional performances on Saturday and Sunday at 2 and 8 p.m.

High : -11 Low : -15 page 2

Train derails near Fort St. James
by PAUL WILLCOCKS Sterling News Service VICTORIA -- Another CN Rail derailment Thursday has brought renewed calls for a public inquiry into the railway's safety and maintenance practices in B.C. Thirteen cars left the track about 22 kilometres east of Fort St. James, the latest in a series of derailments on the lines formerly operated by B.C. Rail. CN spokesman Graham Dallas said no one was injured and no hazardous materials were involved in the derailment, which involved a 48-car train that consisted mainly of empty forest product cars. NDP critic David Chudnovsky said the provincial government should be taking action in light of the large number of derailments this year. CN has had 22 derailments in the province so far this year, including two on the same day last week. "British Columbians have every reason to be concerned about their security and safety," he said. "This company doesn't seem to be able to do business in a way that we would expect from a company operating in our province." Chudnovsky said the government should call a public inquiry into CN's safety and maintenance procedures, including a look at any changes made since the company took over B.C. Rail. Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon has said the federal Transportation Safety Board is investigating all the accidents. The board has the expertise to ensure all safety practices are in place, he said. Falcon has also called CN executives to say the company is losing the confidence of British Columbians. Chudnovsky said that's not enough. "Falcon seems to believe that he can just be a spectator here," he said. "It's his job to advocate for the people of B.C." The derailments pose a risk to people and the environment, he said. "We're just fortunate that a much more tragic situation hasn't occurred yet." The CN derailments include a crash in August that polluted the Cheakamus River near Squamish, killing thousands of fish. The Transportation Safety Board has ordered CN to operate shorter trains on that stretch of track. CN has also promised to improve employee training and its internal safety audits, Falcon said, and step up its monitoring of track conditions in higher risk areas. CN bought the B.C. Rail operation from the provincial government in 2003. CN has defended its overall safety record as the best in North America.

INDEX
Ann Landers . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Business . . . . . . . . . . . . 38-40 City, B.C. . . . .3,5,6,13,29,45 Classifi ed . . . . . . . . . . .18-22 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Coming Events . . . . . . . . . . 30 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Entertainment . . . . . . .25-27 Horoscope . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6,7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-12 World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,15

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by BERNICE TRICK Citizen staff Winning The Citizen's Live Free contest grand prize was a bright spot in a week of sadness for a Fraser Lake senior citizen. Bernice Smith won the 12-month mortgage free contest sponsored by The Citizen and Integris Credit Union just a few days after losing her husband, Norman, 76, who died following a long illness. Despite her loss, Smith said she is doing fine and is excited about the win. "When I got the call, I just said, `Are you kidding?'" said the 73-yearold. "It's kind of strange," she said, explaining her grandson had just referred to Norman now being in a good place. "Then he said, `Grandpa says we need some good luck down here, too.'" Smith said The Citizen has been part of her daily schedule for 40 years. "It's part of my life. Every morning I put the dog out and grab the paper." She faithfully enters the contests by mail. Her mortgage has been paid off for a number of years, but she looks forward to having the extra $750 a month for the next year. She doesn't have any big plans for the money, saying so much has happened recently she needs time to think about it.



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