In two presentations, local groups representing diverse sectors of the community came before Council to request support.

First up was the Northeastern BC Accessibility Committee, represented by long-time accessibility advocate Lori Slater. Committee members are dedicated to addressing accessibility issues, barriers and finding solutions for residents and visitors with a wide variety of disabilities. Disabilities which can make accessing buildings, recreational opportunities or even walking down the sidewalk difficult, depending on what challenges one faces.

In recent years, there have been improvements in accessibility throughout the city, Slater said, including the North Peace Cultural Centre theatre, which underwent a renovation during Covid and saw the previous seating arrangement in the theatre made more accessible by enabling seats in the front row to be removed for wheelchair access. Previously, theatre-goers using wheelchairs were could only sit on the sides of the theatre.

As part of the AccessAbility Week proclamation, Slater also requested that Wednesday, June 3 be proclaimed Easter Seals Red Shirt Day for AccessAbility and Inclusion. This is a day for Canadians to come together to show support for Canadians living with disabilities and their families, to celebrate their achievements and pledge to create a fully accessible and inclusive society.

Continuing with the inclusion theme for the week of May 30 to June 6, was the presentation and proclamation request from the North Peace Pride Society.

The North Peace Pride Society is looking forward to celebrating its 11th Anniversary this year, with Pride Week, which kicks off with a Pride Dance on May 30th at the North Peace Cultural Centre, and culminating with the Pride Walk and Festival at Centennial Park on Saturday, June 6.

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Seniors in northeastern British Columbia continue to be left …

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More than 90,000 Canadians are living with Multiple Sclerosis, and each one is affected differently.

Canada has the highest incidence rates of MS in the world, and each day, 12 Canadians are diagnosed with MS. Multiple Sclerosis is a neurological disease of the central nervous system which includes the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.

Its most common symptoms include fatigue, lack of coordination, weakness, tingling, impaired sensation, vision problems, bladder and bowel problems, as well as cognitive and mood changes.

Thanks to the efforts of MS Canada Ambassadors like Fort St. John’s Sherri Mytopher, through fundraisers and awareness campaigns advances are being made in resources, support, education and treatments for people living with MS. Ten million dollars annually goes into research for MS from the MS Walks fundraiser.

Recently, Mytopher told Fort St. John City Council during her April 13 presentation, there have been some big wins for people living with MS.

In November 2025, the province passed Bill 30 – the Employment Standards (Serious Illness or Injury Leave) Amendment Act, which saw improvements to employment standards for anyone with a serious illness, increasing the unpaid job-protected leave to 27 weeks, up from five days paid and three days unpaid leave in a 12-month period.

“This is a huge win for people who have serious illnesses. It was something that was needed. Twenty-seven weeks isn’t a lot of time, especially if you’re travelling for treatments, but it’s better than five days,” Mytopher told Council.

Recent advancements in research have increased what is known about MS, and increased treatment options.

For example, Mytopher reported that recent studies from the University of British Columbia found that MS-related health issues appear 15 years before diagnosis.

“It’s really great that advancements are being made, you know that time is of the essence with MS, because of the progressive nature of the disease.”

Researchers are also working on using blood tests to monitor MS progression in real-time, as opposed to relying on MRI’s which take a lot longer.

Some of these advancements in treatment have benefitted Mytopher, who is not only an advocate, but lives with MS herself.

“On a personal note, I mentioned last year [that] I started a new medication in October 2024, and January 8^th of this year is possibly the last medication that I will ever have to take because of the treatment plan that I was on. It’s really exciting, so we’ll be monitoring that with MRIs over time, if I have severe symptoms – but at this point I am medication and treatment free,” she said.

Councillors Gord Klassen and Byron Stewart thanked Mytopher for her dedication to raising awareness about MS and appreciate her ambassadorship of the program.

“Your personal reveal to us is promising for so many, so I thank you for sharing that,” said Stewart.

Mayor and Council proclaimed May to be MS Awareness Month in Fort St. John, and the MS Canada flag will be flown at City Hall throughout the month.

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For 27 years, Bluey Day has seen over a thousand North Peace area residents, grow their hair longer, collect pledges from fellow residents, and ultimately shave their heads to support the Fort St. John Hospital Foundation’s Cancer and Diagnostic Treatment Fund.

Their efforts have raised more than $2.5 million, money which stays in the community. The Fund supports access to early screening, diagnosis and treatment of cancer, ensuring local patients have the same access to care as people in larger centres, all while remaining in their community surrounded by their families and friends.

By having access to healthcare in their home community, stress and travel costs for families are reduced, while the improved diagnostics reduces strains on emergency services. These investments also help keep health professionals in the North Peace.

Over the years, participants of all ages have come together each May to have their heads shaved to help others in the community. Some, like Kelly Fell who has raised some $105,000 over many years, keep coming back time and time again.

“It reminds us that making a difference doesn’t require anything extraordinary, just the willingness to step forward,” Emily Olson, Community Giving and Event Coordinator with the FSJ Hospital Foundation said.

Olson pointed out some of the dedicated people who have spent years growing out their hair to donate on May 23, including Catherin with the City of Fort St. John, and Dexter, a Grade 8 student who has spent the last three years growing his hair out “so he can be brave and shave.”

To see follow the stories of the participants, Olson encouraged the public to follow the FSJ Hospital Foundation on social media.

The Foundation hopes to see 50 participants this year and raise $100,000. For more information about the FSJ Hospital Foundation check out their Facebook page or website.

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From discussions around Artificial Intelligence in permitting, to water security, economic development, education and different types of energy found in the BC Peace Region, attendees had a very full day at the annual Creating Energy Conference in Fort St. John.

This year, the conference went beyond information, discussion and networking, when Rob van Adrichem, Patricia Lightburn and Ryan Gander, during their Renewable Energy 101 session provided an opportunity for hands-on experimentation with wind and solar power.

Half the attendees built and tested miniature solar panels, while the other half took up the challenge of assembling and testing wind turbines. Framed as a competition, groups worked to determine how to get the most power out of their experiments. The “winner” being the group whose model generated the most electricity.

The group I was in was one of those that was assigned the task of building a wind turbine, and determining which permutations produced the most electricity. We were given three different sizes of “turbine blades” and tried different arrangements, while measuring the output with a multimeter. The wind was provided via a box fan.

Once the official experiment was completed, we had some time left and our group’s biologist-turned-engineer for the experiment, egged on by others in the group, built a Franken-bine, using every blade available. It caught a lot of wind, but suffered a catastrophic failure, dropping blades all over the table. Clearly, there’s a good reason why real wind turbines only have three blades. Not twelve.

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I and many others, recently attended the Conservative Party of BC Riding Association for Peace River North AGM.

I was surprised to see Larry Neufeld MLA Peace River South, and Trevor Bolin in attendance. They were, according to the President of the Association, guest speakers.

Larry Neufeld, MLA for Peace River South, went on and on about the NDP Government and the DEBT that BC was in. Over $13 Billion. Can you believe that? He also said that by this time Next Year, that number would be higher, if not DOUBLED!! What does this Government have to show for all this??

This is were I have to question the feasibility, of a New Pool Build. With the Province in a Financial Crisis, Healthcare Crisis, Mental Health and Addictions Crisis, Housing Crisis, Affordability (rent, food, gas, electricity, etc) Crisis, etc etc., do you honestly think that you should MOVE FORWARD with this PROJECT??

The Province is BROKE. There is no money. It has been squandered on USLESS projects and RED TAPE. The Gravy Train has dried up. Tax payers money goes more towards Salaries and Benefit Packages for UNIONIZED workers, Government Officials (Municipal, Regional, Provincial), Healthcare that does not exist because of the TOP HEAVY overpaid, bureaucrats, Subsidies for Foreign Workers (which many owned FAST FOOD restaurants have tapped in and gain financially on the BC TAX Payers dime). The list goes on and on.

So were are you going to get all this Money for this Project?? Not from us. We too, are feeling the PINCH. Food and Shelter will be my priority over a LUXURY item. Paying my heating and electricity takes precedence over financing the Entertainment of a few thousand people. I refuse to pay for peoples Entertainment. But saying that I do pay for the entertainment for people. I pay my portion for Parks, Walking and Bike Trails, the Geo Park and Dinosaur Park in Tumbler Ridge, Dog Park, the existing Pool, the Arena’s, etc. I’m tapped out and so are many other people.

There will not be any GRANTS, which in fact is TAX PAYER funded. Industry is at a standstill and many of our locals have been laid off due to the RED TAPE and Bureaucracy, thanks to the Provincial and Federal Governments. You have NO RIGHT to use the PRA as you want. It is not yours to squander as per Steve Thorlakson’s letter. The letter sent by Stephen Foster further tells us that the City is not doing their due diligence and NOT following procedure and Provincial and Municipal guidelines.

So when is enough is enough?

I will share a quote from a friend. Canadian Dr. Mark Trozzi:

The more you have invested in going in the wrong Direction, the harder it is for you to REALIZE, that YOU ARE, going in the WRONG Direction.

You have a Responsibility to us, the People of Fort St John. YOU SERVE US!

Priorities over Luxury.

Period.

PS: Trevor Bolin was there and heard the whole speech that MLA Larry Neufeld presented. Ask him!!

Deborah Johnson, Fort St John BC

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There was some good reader engagement with last week’s column on Advanced Life Deferred Annuities. Carrying on the theme of practical financial planning tips, here is a potpourri of ideas for your consideration.

• Keep your TFSA contribution records. The government reporting is often delayed. I am putting this at the top of the list because if you don’t accurately track your TFSA contribution history there is no assurance that anyone else can either.

• Pay yourself first. Take 10 percent of your income and use if for something important like RRSP contributions or mortgage prepayments. Learn to live off the remaining 90 percent of your income.

• If you get a raise, increase your savings before you increase your spending.

• Open a First Home Savings Account as soon as possible, even if you are years away from buying a home. Contribution room only starts after the account is opened.

• Make at least $2,000 of RESP contributions before the end of the year your child turns 15 or you may lose future grant eligibility.

• Apply for the $1200 B.C. Training and Education Savings Grant in your RESP between ages 6 and 9. It is not automatic.

• Hold RESPs joint with your spouse or name your spouse as successor subscriber in your will. If you don’t you risk unintended consequences if you pass away.

• If you are over 65, make sure you are claiming the pension income tax credit. RRIF income counts. You can take $2000 out of your RRIF tax free.

• You can split up to 50% of qualified pension income with your spouse. RRIF income qualifies.

• Even with pension income splitting now widely available, spousal RRSPs still have a role, especially if you are looking at strategic withdrawals before age 65.

• Review your beneficiary designations every few years, especially after marriage, divorce, or the birth of a child. Don’t forget the beneficiary designations on your group benefits.

• Do not keep long term money perpetually sitting in cash or GICs if you do not need it soon.

• Contribute to your RRSP early in the year rather than waiting until the deadline. You can get an extra year of compounding.

• Dollar cost averaging is a premier way to build wealth. Set up automatic contributions to savings and investments.

• Don’t neglect your emergency fund. Sometimes you need quick access to cash.

• If you have credit card debt, pay that off before investing.

• If you have dependant children, make sure your will names a guardian.

• Keep a list of all your accounts, passwords, insurance, and important documents in one place. Do not assume your spouse can access your accounts if something happens to you.

• Delay CPP if you do not need it and expect to live a long time.

• Use TFSA withdrawals before RRSP withdrawals if you are trying to reduce OAS clawbacks.

• If one spouse dies, review the survivor’s tax situation. There is a tax-free rollover on the death of the first spouse, but not on the second.

• If you own a corporation, do not leave excess cash sitting there without a plan.

• If you are helping a child buy a home, decide in advance whether the money is a gift or a loan.

• Review your insurance every few years instead of simply renewing it.

• Make sure your disability insurance will actually cover your expenses.

• Do not let old bank accounts, small RRSPs, or forgotten pensions get lost.

• If you have unnecessary paperwork for obsolete accounts, destroy it. You might know what has value, but to your executor every piece of paper is potentially something they need to trace.

• Check your CPP statement every few years for errors.

• Do not judge an investment by what it did last year.

• Avoid making major investment decisions based on headlines.

• Avoid making major money decisions in times of severe emotion, such as grief or FOMO.

• If you have aging parents, make sure powers of attorney and wills are in place.

• If you have a pension, find out what survivor benefits it provides.

• Keep enough cash available in retirement so you are not forced to sell investments during a market decline.

• If you are charitably inclined, donating appreciated securities is often more tax efficient than donating cash.

• Review your full financial plan annually, even if nothing seems to have changed. Something probably did.

This will be my last column for a few months. I am overhauling my financial planning practice, and that needs my full attention. In the meantime, you can send your ideas for future columns to brad@bradbrainfinancial.com. Have a great summer.

Brad Brain. CFP, R.F.P., CIM, TEP is a Certified Financial Planner in Fort St John, BC. This material is prepared for general circulation and may not reflect your individual financial circumstances. Brad can be reached at www.bradbrainfinancial.com.

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Even before it opened on October 26, 1996 – exactly one month later th…

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For decades, the Peace Region has been the centre of the oil and gas service industry. Out of that role as an industrial hub…

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When a city asks its residents to take on a $185 million debt, the least people should expect is a clear explanation of how we got here. We deserve more than slogans and glossy brochures. We need actual steps, evidence, and math.

That is why Tyler Holte’s recent rebuttal is so frustrating. He tells readers that the process was solid and the numbers are trustworthy. But when you look at the publicly available record, the steps that would make his claims true are not documented.

It is also worth noting a piece of context missing from Mr. Holte’s rebuttal. His own firm’s website states that he practices in real estate and business law. When someone whose professional work is closely tied to land and development advocates for a major capital project at a specific new site, that background is relevant for readers to understand. This is not an accusation of conflict. It is simply a matter of transparency and optics, which are essential when discussing a $185 million public decision. The public has a right to know the background of those advancing this narrative.

Before any city can justify a project of this scale, there are basic requirements. The first is an independent condition assessment of the existing pool to demonstrate that replacement is necessary. The City has not publicly released such a report. The second is a proper needs assessment that examines demographics and alternatives like renovation. Based on the material available to the public, that work has not been demonstrated.

The City points to an old regional engagement summary, but that work became insufficient the moment the partnership dissolved. You cannot reasonably justify a City-only project using regional data without revalidation. These steps are not optional. They are the foundation of responsible planning.

Without them, the project fails the test of basic accountability. The required steps appear to have been missed. These are widely understood as core requirements of responsible planning. And here is the difficult part to avoid. If the City cannot clearly demonstrate its methodology and supporting analysis, it would likely struggle to meet typical Provincial or Federal infrastructure grant requirements. Reduced grant eligibility would mean a greater share of the cost falling to local taxpayers.

Holte also claims the City’s process was collaborative. The regional district has indicated otherwise. In writing, the PRRD stated that it did not identify Parkwood as the preferred site and that it is not aware of a basis for the City’s claim that Parkwood emerged from regional analysis. At a minimum, this raises serious questions about how prior regional work is being interpreted. When the partnership ended, that work could no longer serve as a standalone justification for a City-only project without further validation.

The financial side raises additional concerns. The City presents a $7.3 million operating cost based on inflation assumptions. This does not appear to account for the full implications of facility size and staffing. The revenue projections are more concerning. A projected 76% increase in revenue is presented without any publicly available demand analysis or price elasticity assessment. Without that supporting work, the projection reads less like a model and more like a dart at a very expensive dartboard.

The claim that the average household will only pay $40 per month does not align with the City’s own figures. According to City scenarios, every $1 million borrowed corresponds to approximately $0.29 per month per household. Using that ratio and a borrowing scenario in the range of $160 million, the cost reaches $46.40 per month for debt servicing alone. When the $18 per month operating gap identified by the City is included, the total rises to over $64 per month. When additional factors such as unsecured regional contributions and operating outcomes observed in comparable municipalities are considered, the potential monthly impact approaches $115. This is not speculation. It follows directly from the arithmetic using the City’s own framework.

Even more concerning, the PRRD report does not clearly identify how many Fort St. John residents supported a $40 tax increase, either as a raw number or as a percentage. The City is relying on a figure that does not appear to have been directly measured or validated for a City-only project.

Holte tells residents to ask Council for the facts. I have done that. When I recently asked for the evidence behind the City’s claim of a healthy downtown, a Councillor provided specific vacancy numbers. When I asked for the methodology behind those numbers, the explanation changed. He acknowledged that the City does not formally track this data and that the figures were drawn from private sources not available to the public. Similarly, when I sent a written request to the City’s Director of Finance on February 2 asking for the basis of the $40 monthly tax tolerance figure, I did not receive a substantive response. This is a figure that was publicly presented as fact to Council, and yet its basis remains shrouded in mystery.

Telling residents to rely on assertions that cannot be independently verified does not meet the standard of transparency that this decision requires. If the work exists, it should be made public. If it does not, it should not be presented as established fact. Based on the record available to residents, the process being described is not supported by publicly accessible evidence. A project of this scale deserves better. The people being asked to pay for it deserve the truth.

Stephen Foster, Fort St. John

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The following Letter to the Editor is a rebuttal from Tyler Holte to Steve Thorlakson’s Letter to the Editor published on March 24. The Broken Typewriter provides a forum for all regional perspectives, even those that challenge our previous contributors.

I write in response to the Letter to the Editor written by Steve Thorlakson published on March 24, 2026 by The Broken Typewriter respecting plans on a new pool in Fort St. John. I was flabbergasted by the insults and condescension hurled by Mr. Thorlakson at City Council and staff advisors. I also found it strange that Mr. Thorlakson left out much of the context of the last decade – perhaps because it undermined the accusations he made in his article.

The primary contention I take issue with: Mr. Thorlakson asserts (with insults) that the City is not working with its regional partners in the development of this pool plan. Mr. Thorlakson makes no mention of the eight recent years the City spent working with its Regional District partners on the North Peace Leisure Facility Replacement Steering Committee. After eight years, that Steering Committee produced four alternatives: priced approximately $130M, two options at $280M, and one over $400M. None of those are palatable. The $130M would simply replace the old pool, which is grossly undersized for our community’s needs – a fact that any pool-user can attest to. I note that the plans for the current $185M proposal is comparable to the $280M proposal that came out of that steering committee.

Given the lack of reasonable plan after almost a decade, it made sense for the City to take the lead on developing a palatable solution to bring back. The hand-off to the City was consensual and in the spirit of partnership. In other words, the City is not forging ahead on its own. Mr. Thorlakson is deceptive in his characterizations of the City going on its own, and the City presuming that PRRD reserves are honey pot for the City’s use. As an aside – this latter contention that City Council was poorly advised by administration was rather comical to myself: City Council and administration are a lot of things worthy of critique, but inattentive to legalities and restrictions on funds is certainly not one of them. I suggest that Mr. Thorlakson grossly misapprehends what the City is actually doing: developing a plan to bring back to everyone.

The other main contention I take issue with: Mr. Thorlakson asserts that the current plan is a grandiose, devoid of pragmatism or common sense. Surely Mr. Thorlakson can agree that the alternatives B and C, developed via the collaboration with regional partners that Mr. Thorlakson seems to advocate for, are even more grandiose budgets. Which is it: should we forge ahead with those previous proposals, or should the City push for a more pragmatic plan (i.e., what it currently is)? It is difficult to reconcile these seemingly diametrically-opposed critiques. Is Mr. Thorlakson simply talking out of both sides of his mouth? After all, he is a former politician.

What is not talked about is the City’s need for a new pool. It seems to be a given – even Regional District partners do not disagree that a new pool is needed; I expect that they will be rather supportive of the developing plan given it is a more pragmatic solution. The old pool, despite being only 30 years old, is nearing the end of its life. The PRRD’s engagement resources provide a bit of explanation why this is the case (see page 4). It appears that a bit too much compromise was done during Mr. Thorlakson’s tenure, resulting in a pool with such a short life span. Some meme-worthy photos on the hot tub repairs illustrate the issue quite well.

Mr. Thorlakson rambles on about many irrelevancies from thirty years ago in his article. He places strange emphasis on unanimous resolutions from that time. Surely Mr. Thorlakson knows that previous councils cannot fetter the discretion of future councils. Thank God that City Council’s hands are not as tied as Mr. Thorlakson would like to suggest – how else can they fix the mistakes of their predecessors.

I am not going to waste further time in taking apart the inaccuracies in Mr. Thorlakson’s article (such as his conflation with the project charter with the actual projected costs per household of the current plan). I suggest that if anyone wants to get the facts of the matter, don’t take Mr. Thorlakson’s or my word for it: ask the City or a City Council member. A lot of work has been done on this, so talk to those that are in the know.

Tyler Holte

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Regular readers of this column will know that I am a big fan of RRSPs. Used correctly, they are usually the premier retirement savings option for high income employees.

But, as with everything that is good, there will be the critics. And one of the things that critics will say is that you have to turn your RRSPs into a taxable income stream by the end of the year that you turn 71. Potentially this means paying tax on money that you may not need, or having income-tested government benefits clawed back.

If the idea of forced withdrawals from your retirement plan sounds nasty to you, let me reassure you that this is usually more of a theoretical problem than an actual one. It is undeniably true that with the tax-sheltered growth of RRSPs you absolutely can grow your money into a very large amount, and if you have to pay tax on a very large amount then the tax bill will be proportionate.

But here is the difference between theory and practice. What I have found is that the people who have a lot of money usually want to spend a lot of money. Usually people aren’t taking money out of their retirement plans because they are forced to by the mandated RRIF minimums. People are taking money out because they want to enjoy their retirement.

Still, it is true that mandatory withdrawals by age 71 may not always be optimal. Which brings me to this week’s topic. The retirement option that nobody knows about. The Advanced Life Deferred Annuity, or ALDA.

An ALDA allows you to take a portion of your registered money and push the income start date out as late as age 85. This offers some relief for the forced withdrawals early in retirement, which can create unnecessary taxable income and exposure to government benefit clawbacks.

An ALDA allows you to reduce those withdrawals by carving out up to 25 percent of your registered assets, subject to a lifetime cap of about $180,000. That portion no longer generates forced income during the early years of retirement.

While the tax planning may be interesting, the real reason why ALDAs were created was so that people don’t run out of money in retirement. With an ALDA you are locking in a future income stream that will pay you for the rest of your lifetime. ALDAs are insurance against longevity. You can’t outlive your money.

Not everyone is concerned about longevity risk, but you probably should be. People are living longer and longer, and with modern medicine you can survive things that used to be fatal.

But living longer exposes you to the risk of running out of money. Especially in a rising cost world. On that note, have you seen the price of gas lately? Is your money keeping pace with inflation?

Here’s what the planning might look like. Your retirement is not likely to be static.

In the early years you are probably still relatively healthy, and now you finally have both the time and the money to do all those things that you always wanted to, but couldn’t because up until now you were too busy with work. During this stage in life you probably want flexibility. TFSAs and RRIFs are appropriate income vehicles to match your lifestyle.

Later in retirement you are likely to slow down. Your health will probably deteriorate. You probably aren’t travelling so much. Now you are not spending as much on discretionary expenses. But you probably are spending more money than ever on health care.

Now you want predictability from your money to make sure your basic needs will be covered for your lifetime. This is the type of scenario where ALDAs can be appealing. ALDAs will produce pension style income that you can’t outlive, with no market fluctuations to worry about. That can allow you to spend more confidently in your 60s and 70s, knowing that a baseline income will be there in your 80s and beyond.

The ALDA is locked in, which is both the strength and the weakness. You have a guaranteed income for life. But you lose flexibility. The decision is permanent. Once you buy it, you cannot change it. You cannot surrender it. You cannot access the capital. As with any annuity, you are giving up liquidity in exchange for certainty.

The Advanced Life Deferred Annuity. The retirement income option that you have never heard of. They are not going to solve every financial planning problem. But they could be a brilliant fit in the right circumstances.

Brad Brain. CFP, R.F.P., CIM, TEP is a Certified Financial Planner in Fort St John, BC. This material is prepared for general circulation and may not reflect your individual financial circumstances. Brad can be reached at www.bradbrainfinancial.com.

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Volunteers have long been the backbone of the North Peace, making everything from kids’ sports to community crime prevention, to cultural activities possible. But in recent years, the number of people giving their time to run events and organisations in the region has declined, even leading to some of these long-standing features of the community disappearing.

But the City of Fort St. John has a plan to reignite volunteerism in the community, by launching the first ever Volunteer Month.

In a presentation to Council on March 23, City staff described their plan and asked that Council proclaim April 2026 Volunteer Month in the city.

“In Fort St. John, volunteer contributions are woven into everyday community life. Often quietly, and often without formal recognition,” Corporate Officer Bonnie McCue told Council.

“Fort St. John has a strong tradition of community involvement, with residents giving their time and skills to support local organisations, events and services. However, like many communities across Canada, volunteer participation has been changing in recent years,” Economic Development Manager Stephanie Peters added.

Some of those changes include what Northern BC Crime Stoppers’ president Kyle MacDonald described as the “aging out” of volunteers, in an interview with the broken typewriter in January. MacDonald discussed the reasons that the Fort St. John and District Crime Stoppers folded in 2020. Covid and the aging out, he said, were the top reasons.

Other organisations have seen this too. People who started volunteering as young people for whichever activity or service group they were interested in, aren’t being replaced by the younger generations.

In some organisations, presidents are staying on for years after they planned to step down, but don’t, because they want to make sure that the events, organisations and activities that make our community what it is continue without interruption. While some events, like the Fort St. John Rodeo, disappeared for a time.

“As community needs and the ways people choose to give back continue to evolve, there are opportunities to refresh how to recognise volunteers and encourage participation,” Peters said.

Volunteer Month is an opportunity to celebrate community contributions, highlight local stories and encourage participation “in ways that fit people’s lives,” McCue said.

The City hopes to ignite volunteerism by “celebrating the incredible efforts already happening in Fort St. John.

“Volunteers contribute in big and small ways every day, supporting local organisations, events, emergency responses, recreation and community services that many of us rely on,” said McCue.

By focussing on celebrating volunteer impact in the community, City staff plan to lead by example with staff stories and inviting community stories of volunteerism and highlighting the personal benefits of volunteering.

“This is an opportunity to build community and community connection. Rather than focussing on long-term commitments, the invitation to ignite volunteerism emphasises flexibility and choice, helping residents see that volunteering can fit different interests, schedules and stages of life,” said Communications Manager, Ryan Harvey.

“Overall, the message is clear. Volunteering enriches lives and our community. Both for the people who give their time, and for the community as a whole. Everyone can participate in a way that works for them.”

With the snow melting, one of the first opportunities of Spring to get out and make a difference in the community, is during Pitch-In Week, which runs from April 19 to 25. Earth Day lands smack in the middle of the week and helping preserve our environment by pitching in to clean up the roadside debris, is a good way to give back to the community.

Anyone interested in participating in Pitch-In Week, is asked to register by April 10 by following this link. There is a lot of snow out there still, and although the City is hoping it will be gone by April 19, staff is prepared to push the Pitch-In day back if necessary.

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On March 23, Council proclaimed April 5 – 11, 2026 as National Dental Hygiene Week, following a presentation from three local dental hygienists; Michelle Foster, Nikki Curlew, and Tammy Gulevich.

The trio spoke to Council about the importance of dental hygiene, emphasising the benefits of oral health on whole-body health and the need for better access to dental care for seniors in the community.

“Dental hygienists are often the first line of prevention,” Gulevich told Council. “We can often detect early signs of oral disease, systemic health concerns and changes that can impact quality of life.”

Research shows that there are strong links between oral health and other conditions like heart disease, diabetes and respiratory illness, Gulevich continued.

“What happens in the mouth, truly does affect the rest of the body.”

Dental hygienists in work in a variety of settings in Fort St. John, from private and independent practices; to schools and community programs; long-term care facilities; and mobile outreach programs. These different ways of providing oral health care enables hygienists to “meet people where they are, whether that’s in the dental chair, a care facility or in their own home.”

Prevention, through proper dental care, can not only reduce disease, but stress and healthcare costs as well.

“Oral health is essential at every stage of life, from the first tooth to our later years,” Curlew said. “[National Dental Hygiene Week] also reminds us that access to care, compassion and education matter just as much as clinical skill.

“We are proud to work collaboratively as dental hygiene practices in this community. Though we each operate our own business, we believe strongly in supporting one another in supporting Fort St. John together.”

The proclamation recognizes the important work of Canada’s 31,000+ dental hygienists and highlights the critical link between good oral health and overall health.

“As dental hygienists we are passionate about creating healthy smiles, but more importantly, healthy people,” Curlew concluded.

Editor’s Note: IP logging and Digitial Fingerprinting active. Unauthorized AI-reproduction or news lifting of this archival material is prohibited © Tania Finch

Artificial Intelligence is a revolutionary technological development that will change the world.

That does not make it qualified to be your financial advisor.

The seeds for this column were planted when I received an email from someone who is not a client, taking issue with some things I have done and said back in 2025. The letter tosses around some industry jargon, and it makes some bold statements. It is clearly written by AI.

And its total crap. Superficially the letter sounds great. But its pure nonsense.

Hey, I have nothing against Artificial Intelligence. I use it myself, when appropriate. That’s how I know its limitations.

People who use AI know what I am talking about. AI will confidently give you an answer on absolutely anything that you ask of it. Even if that answer is absolutely wrong.

Here is an example. I have a paid subscription with ChatGPT. This means that ChatGPT remembers and learns from my interactions with it. This is important. ChatGPT knows Brad Brain. So ChatGPT should know the answer when I asked it, “what is the number one rule about money according to Brad Brain?”

Chat GPT responded, “The first rule of money is simple: Don’t lose it. Everything else in finance, growth, returns, strategies, comes after that. If you lose capital, especially early or in retirement, the math works against you. Recovering losses requires disproportionately higher returns, and time may not be on your side. Protecting capital is the foundation. Growth is optional without it.”

The only problem is, I never said that. Well, not quite anyway.

I think what ChatGPT is referring to is when Warren Buffett’s first rule of investing, which is “Rule No. 1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget Rule No. 1.”

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But that’s not what I asked. Good advice, sure. But wrong person and wrong rule so clearly not the correct answer to the question that I asked. My first rule of money is to live within your means.

ChatGPT confidently gave the wrong answer, with no references to where it got this information. In this case, there is not much harm that will come from it.

But a while ago I had an argument with a Chartered Accountant who was absolutely convinced that spousal rollovers of RRSPs on death are taxable. That is a big problem. This accountant, who absolutely should have known better, was unequivocably wrong. Harm will absolutely come from relying on this wrong answer.

This is the blessing and the curse of AI. The blessing is that you can use it to find out anything you want. The curse is that the answer might be rubbish.

When you use AI you should always ask it for the sources from which it is basing its answer. When I asked ChatGPT for the source for what it claimed to be Brad Brain’s first rule of money, it said “I do not have a direct source where Brad Brain says, verbatim, “the first rule of money is don’t lose it. That wording was my paraphrase of a theme in his writing. The source-supported takeaway is this: Brad Brain places a very high priority on avoiding losses, but my earlier sentence was a summary, not a direct quote.”

In other words, I didn’t actually say what ChatGPT confidently attributed to me. In this case, no big deal.

The problem is, if you don’t know the subject matter, you don’t know what is crap and what is real. Like the accountant who did not know that spousal rollovers are tax free.

And that email that I received? The one taking issue with some things I have done and said back in 2025? Here is what ChatGPT has to say about the AI-written letter that I received…

“This letter has several signs of AI assisted drafting, but the bigger problem is not whether AI wrote it. The bigger problem is that it reasons like AI: broad accusations, thin facts, wrong terminology, hindsight bias, and confusion between possible planning options and actual professional duties. That is exactly why using AI in place of an informed advisor is dangerous. It can generate something that looks smart while being substantively weak.”

See? Even ChatGPT knows the dangers of using ChatGPT as your financial advisor.

Brad Brain. CFP, R.F.P., CIM, TEP is a Certified Financial Planner in Fort St John, BC. This material is prepared for general circulation and may not reflect your individual financial circumstances. Brad can be reached at www.bradbrainfinancial.com.

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Peace River Regional District Board Ch…

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Human beings are imperfect. We all have flaws. My own flaws include impatience and intolerance for stupidity.

Another flaw that humans can have is the tendency to want to blame others rather than taking responsibility for their own actions. You probably know what I am talking about. When “Karen” wants to “speak with the manager” because she feels she is entitled to having things done her way.

This is more than social commentary. There are implications for personal financial planning.

Hey, problems in financial services happen. If your bank fails to process a transfer, or your RESP contribution is not being allocated to the right beneficiary, or your RRIF payment is not happening on schedule, these are the types of things that are probably not your fault. You absolutely may need someone to help you sort it out.

But, to be clear, the fixing of real problems is not the topic of this column. What I am talking about is lack of accountability for your own financial success. As the expression goes, I can lead the horse to water, but I can’t make her drink.

I can tell you about RRSPs, but you are the one that has to make the contribution. I can tell you about insurance policies, but you are the one that has to pay the premium. I can tell you about financial planning, but you are the one that has to decide what your important goals are.

If you want financial success, you are going to need to take responsibility for your own outcomes. Sure, you can hire a professional to help you with the technical parts. But the best financial plan in the world is useless if you don’t implement it.

And you are the one that has to implement it. That’s the one thing that you can’t pawn off on others. If you don’t make the commitment to take action, then action will not be taken.

Be accountable for your own success.

Set your goals. If you never take a few moments and spend some thoughtful time on what it is that you want to achieve, then there is no point in asking me what you should do with your money. If you have no idea where you are going, then any road will do.

Update your will. Every single person that reads this column will die. Yet, statistically, only half of readers will have a will. And the number of readers with a current will is even less than that. If your will still talks about naming a guardian for your children, who are now grown with kids of their own, it’s time for an update.

Do you know what will happen to your stuff if you die without a will? Guess what, neither does anyone else. The will is the document that speaks on your behalf when you are no longer here to do it for yourself.

Talk to your parents about their estate plan. The first time that you are hearing what they want should not be when the will is read.

Talk to your kids about financial literacy. If you don’t explain to your kids how money works, then who will? Do you really want them to try to figure it out for themselves, the hard way?

If you are getting financial advice from random people on social media, or equivalent unqualified sources, don’t get all grumpy when it turns out the people you listened to, even relied on, have no idea what they are talking about.

If things end up not going the way you wanted with your money, it is certainly possible that the people your hired to do a job did not meet expectations. But blaming others might merely be a feeble excuse and attempt to shift blame.

Blaming others means that we don’t need to take a long look in the mirror. And sometimes the reason you don’t get the results you want is because of the person in the mirror, and all the temper tantrums, and feelings of entitlement, and demands to speak to the manager, do not alter the facts.

You may not be able to rely on someone to do everything for you. Make an effort. Be accountable.

Brad Brain. CFP, R.F.P., CIM, TEP is a Certified Financial Planner in Fort St John, BC. This material is prepared for general circulation and may not reflect your individual financial circumstances. Brad can be reached at www.bradbrainfinancial.com.

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Well folks to say that I am absolutely astounded at the lack of critical or strategic thinking by our city council, and their staff advisors would be a huge understatement.

They seem to be forging ahead, all alone, with a grandiose plan for a new pool in the order of $185 million. Back when council was at least attempting to work with the existing partners on the North Peace Leisure Pool, I even recall one of our City reps suggesting that they could grab the accumulated reserves being held by the Peace River Regional District on behalf of the North Peace Leisure Pool project.

In the first blush of released information as council blindly forges ahead, it was suggested that they must keep the cost on the average home to know more than $40 a month. Say that slowly, it’s almost $500 a year!

Things that are good to do can only be accomplished through hard work. The original fair share program and the allocation formula took hard work, facts, research and compromise that took about two years. The construction of the North Peace Leisure Pool required the Fort St. John City Council to adopt a unanimous resolution that the city would not proceed with a new pool unless there was significant and fair regional cost sharing, with emphasis upon the rural industrial tax base supporting a facility that was located in the primary North Peace service center.

A few facts for your readers and listeners.

1. Any reserves held by the North Peace Leisure Pool DO NOT BELONG TO THE CITY OF FORT ST. JOHN. Those funds are held in trust for the North Peace, Leisure Pool, assuming ongoing repairs and upgrades and maintenance.

2. When the current pool was started, the City’s share of an annual debt and operations was 27%. Regional District Areas B and C, which is where the industrial tax base exists, paid 73%. Over the last three years, the cost share has shifted, so that the city’s share is now only 22%, and the rural cost share is 78%.

3. Before we received a nickel from the original Fair Share, now called the Peace River Agreement, City Council unanimously adopted a formula that apportioned those funds on a percentage basis to different needs. My recollection may not be perfect, but I believe that only 15% of those funds were to go to recreation, facilities, and parks. That would include all of the recreation facilities and all of the parks.

It now seems City Council, poorly advised by administration, believes that the accumulated Fair Share funds held in reserve are a honey pot that can go towards a new pool project. Unless they have already abandoned formally, the previous allocation formula, a maximum a 15% can be allocated to existing and new projects. To change this formula should require an open public discussion and debate.

The biggest issue that I see, is the Council has completely failed in what I consider the primary strategic objective, and that is to sit down in a collaborative and cooperative basis with the existing North Peace Leisure Pool partners to negotiate the future of either the existing facility or a replacement facility. Would that be easy? No, clearly not. However, it is absolutely necessary to respectfully work in harmony with our neighbours for the benefit of the whole North Peace.

What really scares me, is that unless there is a heavy dose of common sense and pragmatic thinking, Fort St. John could go the same way as our neighbours in Dawson Creek have. They went on an aggressive new facility program that is well beyond the ability of their tax base to support. Most of us have enjoyed going to concerts at the Events Centre there, But the Dawson Creek Council sold their voters on the thought that it would attract huge numbers from Grande Prairie and Prince George and be a boon for the hotel business.

When that didn’t materialize, they spent over $4 million to subsidize a Junior a hockey team. That didn’t work out very well either. They continue to subsidize heavily their local airport. Years ago, I suggested to the Mayor of Dawson Creek that they buy a first class motor coach and offered free transportation to and from the airports in Fort St. John and Grande Prairie for any Dawson Creek residents. They would’ve saved millions, but rejected that suggestion. Now they are looking for an alternate water supply at a capital cost estimated at $100 million. And that’s for a necessity, not for something that’s nice to have.

If our City Council uses any wisdom, they will abandon any plans for a referendum for this fall, and go back to the table with our friends and neighbors. The average voter is really challenged to try to understand all the implications, so it’s up to like-minded people with long-term vision to make sure the council gets a cold dose of reality.

Just because you got a big inheritance (Fair Share/Peace River Agreement) doesn’t mean you should stop doing the hard things, and the right things, and go out and blow the inheritance. Anyone who thinks that our bankrupt provincial or federal government will throw some money at this is dreaming in technicolor.

Steve Thorlakson

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