A LOCAL tradesman with a business background who is in pursuit of a city council seat believes there are efficiencies to be made.
“For a city that's as hard pressed [for money] as Terrace is today, we need to find a way of tightening up our shoestrings,” says Tyson Hull.
Hull, a third-generation member of a logging family who now works for Quantum Helicopters, said city money isn't being used as efficiently as it should be.
There are a number of groups financed by the city who have essentially the same mandate, he said.
"We can probably find a way of combining a few of those organizations," he said, noting that by streamlining groups that work in line with city objectives, more cash will be available to meet others.
This might mean combining some groups regionally, where appropriate, to have a stronger and united northwestern voice instead of many smaller ones, he said.
And as the region is either entering or close to entering a phase where billions of dollars will be spent on large industrial projects, Hull said identifying job needs and then supporting Northwest Community College to help meet these needs is important.
Hull also believes there are innovative ways to turn garbage into green energy products such as pellets.
“We need to find innovative uses for our waste,” he said. “[It's] new job creation, it's forward thinking.”
Hull agrees Terrace is a hub for transportation as well as for services. With ports south and west of here, industrial material and dangerous cargo like oil and gas will be trucked through the city, said Hull.
“We're the only ones taking the risk,” he said, noting that the city could collect fees from transport companies as compensation for that risk and use the money for more recreation and other services. There's a similar program in Fort Nelson, Hull added.
“You have to look at what other communities have done successfully,” he said.