BACKGROUND: 
Fraser Surrey Docks (FSD) has been in business for over 50 years, is the largest multi-purpose terminal on North America’s west coast, handling over 250 deep-sea vessels annually with millions of tonnes of cargo, while employing 230 direct, full-time jobs in Surrey, and contributing to the 4,000 jobs supported by Port Metro Vancouver in the City of Surrey. 

THE PROJECT:
The project will transfer coal via Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) from the United States to barges at the facility, which will then be towed individually to a staging point off the mouth of the Fraser River, where they will be towed (in twos) to a storage and loading coal port on Texada Island in the Georgia Strait. The coal will then be loaded aboard deep-sea transporters for shipment to Asia.

EXPANDING ITS BUSINESS:
Fraser Surrey Docks is seeking to grow its business and better utilize its capacity, contributing to the increased value of the Asia Pacific Gateway, to the growth of the economy of Surrey, the Lower Mainland, the Province of BC and Canada.  It is currently operating below its capacity, and sees this as an important way to facilitate safe, efficient and environmentally sustainable ways to expand their offerings. This plan will see the train volume increase by only one train every other day in 2014 and once per day in 2015, well below the volume prior to the 2009/10 business down-turn. FSD, permitted to handle coal under its existing license, has applied for a permit to build a coal handling facility all within its current footprint of the of the FSD site. Here, it will receive full coal unit trains, unload them from bottom dump rail cars into fully enclosed shallow pits, directly transferring the coal via covered conveyor belts to waiting barges.  There will be no coal storage on site under normal operations.

DUST MITIGATION:
A topping coating will be applied to the cargo in the rail cars, which has demonstrated an 85% reduction in dust.  This will be applied to assist in dust mitigation and the prevention of combustion. The coal will be profiled into a bread-loaf shape to further reduce any wind impact on the cargo. Unloaded rail cars will be sprayed inside the unloading shed to clean any remaining dust before being returned to service.

When loading directly from train to barge, the coal is moved through a sealed system of water spraying systems to significantly reduce the potential for dust emissions. The water will then be captured, cleaned and reused in the cleaning system.

At the barge, an adjustable loading snorkel will reduce the coal drop height. The barge will have increased sidewalls. Coal will be loaded to a height below the sidewalls, low enough to minimize any wind loss. Further protocols will require the monitoring of weather, which in high wind conditions, can result in shutdown. 

In addition there are protocols to minimize train, construction and operations noise and extensive plans for both incident prevention and emergency response.

CONCLUSION:
Extensive professional reviews support FSD's stated expectations for the project, and the depth of experience of their management and staff inspires further confidence.  The Surrey Board of Trade is satisfied that this initiative will function in a manner that meets all community standards and expectations, and therefore supports its implementation.

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For more information, contact Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade

“Their community and entrepreneurial spirit were showcased through their nominations. We have amazing talent in these winners who will take our businesses now and in the future to amazing heights,” said Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade (SBOT).

“At the Surrey Board of Trade it is in our mandate to grow our business community by instilling in our youth entrepreneurial support and spirit – and for them to be an active part of Surrey,” said Anita Huberman.

The winners are, with their age:

The award reception will be held Thursday, May 23, 2013 at Eaglequest Golf Course (7778 152 St, Surrey).  Registration and networking will begin at 5:30 p.m.; the awards ceremony will begin at 6:15 p.m.

The event will be MC’d by Tanya Fletcher, Afternoon Drive Anchor with News1130, and will feature keynote speaker Judy Brooks, Co-Founder of Blo Dry Bar.

Presenting Sponsor: Value Property Group

Supporting Sponsor: Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Media Sponsor: The Now Newspaper

For more information regarding Surrey’s Top 25 Under 25 Awards event, please contact Anita Huberman at 604-634-0342 or anita@businessinsurrey.com or Brianne Colbert at 604-634-0347 or brianne@businessinsurrey.com

• Please sign the petition for Light Rail in Surrey and South of the Fraser at www.lightraillinks.com  

Today a community coalition, Light Rail Links, was launched to support the City of Surrey’s vision for a new Light Rail Transit (LRT) system to connect communities south of the Fraser River.

“We will be talking to everyone - our local communities, TransLink and the BC and federal governments - about the immediate need for light rail south of the Fraser to ensure livable, connected, sustainable neighbourhoods are developed,” said Scott Olson, past-President of the Fraser Valley Real Estate Association and member of Light Rail Links. “Light Rail Links believes light rail is the most cost-effective and high-quality form of rapid transit to address the needs of our communities and the rapidly increasing population.”

“Experience with light rail systems in other cities such as Portland, Oregon, shows that housing developments and businesses will invest and build near the easy-to-access, at-grade light rail stations. Light rail has been good for business in other jurisdictions, and it will be good for business here in Surrey. Light rail is essential for the South Fraser region’s economic development,” said Anita Huberman, CEO of the Surrey Board of Trade and member of Light Rail Links.

Rick Hart, President of the Fleetwood Community Association and member of Light Rail Links said “as a long-term Surrey resident, I believe we can shape communities with transit and light rail is the best option to connect and shape our communities south of the Fraser.  We want to make sure that, as Surrey grows, we create communities that are inter-connected and family-friendly.”

Light Rail Links recently formed as a result of the growing movement of individuals and groups advocating for Light Rail Transit (LRT) in Surrey. Light Rail Links is made up of community supporters that represent a variety of interests, including business, community and neighbourhood groups and the tourism sector.

To learn more about the Light Rail Links Community Coalition and our upcoming activities, please visit our website at www.lightraillinks.com and follow us on Twitter at @LightRailLinks.

To learn more about the City of Surrey’s vision for light rail, please visit http://www.surrey.ca/city-services/10797.aspx.

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For information contact:

Anita Huberman                                                                   

CEO, Surrey Board of Trade
anita@businessinsurrey.ca
604-634-0342

Most companies using temporary foreign workers are small businesses. SMEs can’t afford to wait to find the appropriate workers and they don’t have many options for training.

Canadian employers can’t find the people they need. They don’t love the TFW approach. They would much rather employ Canadians or permanent immigrants. But the business imperative can’t be ignored. Businesses need people to ensure they remain competitive.

Timing is also a major concern with these new changes. First, there is a concern that if this new process takes more time, employers may not be able to staff a project within a timeline. Delays may result in lost economic opportunities. Second, there is the timing associated with a training plan. Training for skilled and technical positions may take two years or longer, once a candidate has been identified.

The biggest losers of today’s announcement are SMEs, particularly SMEs in Alberta (accounting for more than 40% of the total program in 2012) and Saskatchewan where labour is scarce and SMEs have little capacity for training.

What is being proposed by the government today is not in the interest of Canadian business. It’s frustrating to see Canadians underemployed. It would be worse to see whole communities damaged because a key employer relocated elsewhere.

For more information on the changes to the Temporary Foreign Workers Program, go to this link: http://www.canada.com/Federal+government+will+close+wage+temporary+foreign+workers/8309978/story.html

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Anita Huberman
CEO, Surrey Board of Trade
604-340-3899

In research and evaluation by the Surrey Board of Trade's Finance and Tax Team and the organization's Board Directors, there is an economic urgency for the province to support its creative economy, specifically its film & television industry.

In 2012, in Surrey there was an $880,000 economic impact to Surrey. Permits issued were: 26 for TV series; 3 for Feature Films; 20 for Commercials; 4 for Bollywood Films and 3 other related film industry businesses. The income from the film and TV sector to Surrey residents is over $24 million in annual payroll.

“The Surrey Board of Trade doesn’t disagree the government has been generous, but there’s a 10 per cent tax-break difference between B.C. and Ontario. We want the tax break to be closer so that the local film industry can compete to obtain business”, said Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade.

1.     Crime (Panelist: Sandra Benz, Fraser Valley Real Estate Board)

2.     Environment (Panelist: Jay Rao, Levelton Consultants Ltd.)

3.     Industry (Panelist: TBC)

4.     International (Panelist: Nigel Watkinson, Assante Wealth Management)

5.     Social Policy (Panelist: Gerard Bremault, Centre for Child Development)

6.     Taxation (Panelist: Marek Zhanel, Grant Thornton)

7.     Transportation (Panelist: Jim Kohnke, Pacific Corridor Enterprise Council)

What does this mean?

The BC Government has passed a regulation that requires businesses to assume responsibility for the collection and recycling of packaging and printed material once a resident is done with its use. The changes that require businesses to assume responsibility have been made to the BC Recycling Regulation and the “responsibility” is referred to as an Extended Producer Responsibility.

BC Businesses that would be affected by the BC Recycling Regulation include food manufacturers, consumer packaged goods (cosmetics, electronics, toys etc.), retail businesses (grocery, general merchandise, convenience, drug store), banks and credit unions, quick service restaurants, newspaper and magazine publishers, paper manufacturers and more. There are penalties for non-compliance with the regulation, which include fines and prohibition from selling, offering for sale, distributing or using the product in a commercial enterprise.

Business owners could appoint an agent such as Multi-Material British Columbia (MMBC), which is a non-profit agency to perform your obligations under the Recycling Regulation. If MMBC is appointed as your stewardship agent, your continued ability to conduct business in BC will be protected. More information on the application process to notify your intent to appoint MMBC as an agent is provided in their website www.multimaterialbc.ca The deadline to do this is March 31^st.  After that companies will be considered not in compliance with the new law.

If your business has a permanent establishment in BC and you are a brand owner, franchisor or first importer (i.e., retailer or distributor) of packaged goods or printed paper sold to residents, then you are likely to meet the Recycling Regulation’s “producer” definition, which means that you should take immediate action to comply with the regulation.

Please let me know your thoughts at anita@businessinsurrey.com

Jim Mihaly, President of the Surrey Board of Trade and John Leech, CEO, ASTTBC

On March 20^th, the Surrey Board of Trade and the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC (ASTTBC) signed a Memorandum of understanding to promote economic cooperation, international marketing opportunities, to work together on technology education, career issues and skills shortages.

“Last month the Surrey Board of Trade was the only Board of Trade/Chamber of Commerce in the Lower Mainland to have received funding from the Employer Innovation Fund managed by the Immigrant Employment Council of BC and the Province of BC. This was funding for a 12-month program that we’ve established designed to help businesses address skills shortage/immigrant integration. Skills Shortage – as our Canadian Chamber of Commerce also indicates – is the number one economic impediment to Canada – and we need to focus now at the grassroots level help our businesses find the skills they need to make their products. This partnership with”, said Anita Huberman, CEO Surrey Board of Trade.

The Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC – also known as ASTTBC, formed in 1958. ASTTBC are Technologists, technicians and technical specialists that achieve professional recognition through this association. Their members work in applied science technology fields such as architecture, bio-medical engineering, building, civil, electrical, electronics, environmental, fire protection, house inspection, information, mechanical, onsite wastewater and other related disciplines tied to the built and natural environment. These Technology Professionals design, construct, inspect, test, maintain and manage most of the world around us including buildings, computers, electrical power, all manner of equipment, roads, environment, and water and wastewater systems. They work in private enterprise, for consulting engineering and technology companies, in all levels of government, and as private consultants.

“A critical challenge facing the BC economy is the increasing shortage of skilled workers including technologists, technicians and technical specialists. ASTTBC is taking pre-emptive action on addressing a technology skills gap in partnership with educators, business and industry associations, government. We are proud to have solidified this partnership with the Surrey Board of Trade for this reason”, said John Leech, CEO of ASTTBC.

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For more information, contact:

Anita Huberman, CEO Surrey Board of Trade
604-634-0342

 or

 John Leech, CEO, Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC (ASTTBC)
(604) 585-2788