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Community Excellence Awards – City of Fort St. John

City of Fort St. John

Union of BC Municipalities

Community Excellence Awards

Application Category: Partnerships

Submitted by: City of Fort St. John

10631 – 100 Street Fort St. John, BC

V1J 3Z5


UNION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA MUNICIPALITIES

COMMUNITY EXCELLENCE AWARDS

PARTNERSHIPS Community Profile & General Information: Municipality: Fort St. John, British Columbia Population: 17,117 (BC Stats) Location: 478 km North East of Prince George, BC 1,237 km North East of Vancouver, BC 214 km West of Grande Prairie, AB 663 km West of Edmonton, AB Elevation: 2,275 feet / 695 meters above sea level Climate: July average high 75 F / 23 C July average low 50 F / 10 C January average high 12 F/ -11 C January average low -2 F/ -19 C Economy: Oil & Gas, Forestry and Agriculture Municipal Budget: 18.5 million – operating 25.8 million - capital

Resolution Supporting Application: Union of British Columbia Municipalities 2005 Community Excellence Awards – Partnerships: Local Government and School Board Collaboration RESOLUTION NO. 283/05 MOVED / SECONDED “THAT, the City Manager submit applications for UBCM’s 2005 Community Excellence Awards – Partnerships: Local Government and School Board Collaboration for Project Heavy Duty and the Residential Housing Construction Project.” CARRIED


Uniqueness of the initiative: Project Heavy Duty Project Heavy Duty is in its fourth year and is a program undertaken by the Peace River North School District in which twenty to thirty students in Grades 11 and 12 are given the opportunity to learn about and operate various types of heavy equipment. Under the close supervision of qualified operators students would receive hands-on training in the operation of heavy equipment such as caterpillars, excavators, backhoes, graders, and trucks on an actual job site. Students would also receive very thorough safety training before working with various pieces of heavy equipment. One of the purposes of Project Heavy Duty is to provide an opportunity for senior high school students to explore career options in the operation and servicing of heavy equipment. Another purpose is to bring local industry and the school district together to help students acquire basic skills and experience required in the heavy equipment workplace. Project Heavy Duty is the largest, most extensive heavy equipment operating program for high school students in the province. The program is in partnership with WCB and WCB has indicated they would like to partner with the school district in using Project Heavy Duty as a model throughout the province. Next year they want to prepare a 7 – 10 minute video documentary of the

project to use when introducing the program to other communities in the province. Residential Construction Program Students from across the school district are invited to apply for entry to the Residential Construction Program. Approximately sixteen senior secondary students will be selected, and over a period of two school semesters they will complete the construction of a single family dwelling. In this program, students will be provided with theory instruction and practical skill development in Level 1 of the Provincial Apprenticeship Technical Program components. Following the completion of the program, students will write the level exams for Carpentry under the guidelines of the Northern Lights College Trades and Apprenticeship Department. Successful candidates will be granted credit toward Provincial Apprenticeship Technical Training. This is the only residential carpentry program in the province that is made up entirely of school-age students (Grades 11 – 12). There are a couple of other programs in British Columbia that have high school students in their programs but they are grouped with mostly college students. Fire Training Center Currently there are no other oil and gas industry fire training facilities in British Columbia outside the lower mainland.


Benefits that both parties & community have realized: Project Heavy Duty Benefits to students involved in the project include: • Hands-on experience with a variety of heavy

equipment; • Opportunity to meet local business people and

potential employers; • Experience on real life job site; • Safety awareness on the job site; • Provide direction to students for further

educational program decisions ; • Learn job application skills, ie. writing

applications and resumes, job interviews; • Develop interpersonal skills of the work place. The community has a need for skilled trade workers. This program allows students to receive apprenticeship training at an earlier age and enter the community as a skilled trade worker.

Residential Construction Program Benefits are: • Enable our students to fast track into a strong

career path in residential construction; • Create much younger apprentices in carpentry

who will become part of the pool of skilled labor in our community;

• Contribute to the development of a skilled workforce that will be trained in the northeast and most likely take up residence locally;

• Increase the participation rate by young British Columbians in apprenticeship occupations.

Fire Training Center Students requiring fire training will not have to travel to the lower mainland to receive training. This will reduce travel costs incurred by companies to train their employees. Instructors will be mentored by accredited institutions and will keep this knowledge in the region for the region.

How the need for service provided to the community was determined, and the partnership model developed and agreed upon: Project Heavy Duty In the resource-based economy of Fort St. John and area many students aspire to work in business or industry which involves the operation of heavy equipment. Most students graduating from district high schools have little opportunity to develop various skills needed on a heavy equipment job site. As a result, students entering the work force on a fill-time basis may not have the skills and experience local contractors and businesses need in heavy equipment operators. Local contractors and businesses have difficulty securing heavy equipment operators who posses even basic skills on various pieces of equipment. Project Heavy Duty will enable students to develop skills with heavy equipment and will offer industry an opportunity to train potential heavy equipment operators for the future.

Residential Construction Program School District No. 60 initiated the program and approached the City of Fort St. John and Northern Lights College to become partners. The major strength and central feature of the program is the development of a partnership between the Community, School District No. 60, Northern Lights College, the City of Fort St. John and members of the local Building Construction Association. Fire Training Center The Fire Department determined the need for a training facility in the North Peace area. Many training institutions have identified a deficiency in their service delivery models for the northern region of our province.


The community’s role in designing and developing the initiative: Project Heavy Duty Community Support: • 55 – 70 local contractors and businesses have

sponsored the four projects; • In-kind contributions approximately $250,000 –

equipment, operators, supervisors, fuel, facilities, food, first aid, security, communications;

School District No. 60: • Initiated program in May, 2002; • Established steering committee to plan project; • Fund coordinator and other costs of program not

covered by donations; • Provide direction for project; • Selected students to participate. The City of Fort St. John contributed by providing the industrial property for the project all four years as well as providing a treed area for the logging station in 2005. Residential Construction Program Community Support: • 35 local businesses provided donations and

discounts for goods and services; Within six (6) weeks of completion of the program in February, seven students from the program were hired by local building contractors.

School District No. 60: • Initiated program – September 2004; • Financed program – building materials,

coordinator/instructor; • Selected and evaluated students; • Coordinated program with partners. Northern Lights College: • Dual credit program – high school

students/college credits; • Program support; • Provided facility for theory component of

program; • Held warranty on home built. City of Fort St. John • Donated city lot (value of $45,000) • Waived most building fees; • Supplied services to lot; • Technical expertise provided throughout the

program. Fire Training Center The Fire Department has been actively campaigning for donations for this center. The project has been designed to encourage community stakeholder sense of ownership of the site. School District No. 60 donated a portable classroom.

Cost of the initiative and the amount of services provided: Project Heavy Duty The school district works cooperatively with several local contractors and businesses to make project heavy duty a success. Businesses are invited to participate in the project by providing resources in various areas including supplying heavy equipment and skilled operators to teach and supervise students. The school district will make arrangements for transportation, fuel, food and other services and supplies needed for the project. Between 55 and 70 local contractors and businesses have sponsored the project each year. In-kind contributions of approximately $250,000 are also received.

Residential Construction Program This program will be funded through the sale of the home, and through in-kind contributions and the provision of building services and materials at reduced costs or gratis by business and community members, in order to support the project. Any profits from this project will be used to support the cost of the program and to reinvest in future projects. Over 35 local businesses provided donations and discounts for goods and services. As well the City of Fort St. John donated the land for the project. Fire Training Center The land was donated by the North Peace Airport Society and Fire Department staff was authorized to canvass potential sponsors for the center, and School District No. 60 donated a portable classroom that will be utilized to provide training sessions on site.


Sustainability of the initiative’s continued operation: Project Heavy Duty This is the fourth year of the project. Each year there has been between 50 – 60 student applications for the program with approximately 32 – 40 students enrolled each year. For the past three years approximately 40% of the students have been employed as operators in the oilfield or logging industry after taking part in Project Heavy Duty. Residential Construction Program This is the first year for the program which began in September 2004 and ended in February 2005. There were 18 applications for the program with 13 students starting the program in September 2004.

Ten students completed the program and nine of those students passed the provincial Level 1 Carpentry exam. Of the ten students that completed the program seven have continued their apprenticeships with local building contractors and three are completing the requirements for graduation this last semester. Fire Training Center This initiative will be sustained on a long term basis due to the requirement for ongoing mandatory training for the oil and gas industry and regional fire department requirements for ongoing skills maintenance training.

Potential interest generated by the initiative for developing similar initiatives: Project Heavy Duty This project generated the idea for the Residential Construction Program. Residential Construction Program This program is modeled on others that have been developed throughout British Columbia. This program will draw sixteen senior secondary students from across School District No. 60 (Peace River

North), and will be resident at North Peace Secondary School. Fire Training Center The City of Fort St. John Fire Department is working with the Justice Institute of British Columbia and Alberta to establish a model for Regional Accredited Fire Training Centers throughout the province.


The awareness of the partnership in the community: Project Heavy Duty The school district appreciates the support of business and industry in Project Heavy Duty. Recognition of those businesses involved in the project may include: • Certificates of Appreciation • Awards BBQ • Media Coverage – newspaper, radio and

television • Sponsors listed on school district Project Heavy

Duty web site Workers’ Compensation has indicated they would like to partner with Project Heavy Duty using the project as a model throughout the province. Next year they want to prepare a 7 – 10 minute video documentary of the project to use when introducing the program to other communities in the province.

Residential Carpentry Program The school district appreciates the support of business and industry in the Residential Construction Project. Recognition of those businesses involved in the project may include: • Certificates of Appreciation • Awards BBQ • Media coverage – newspaper, radio and

television • Sponsors listed on school district Residential

Construction Program web site. Fire Training Center The community is becoming more aware of the program through each step of the development, as stakeholders are requested for their input on potential programs that will be offered on site and as the center becomes a reality.


Preparation of this Application included:

School District No. 60 Peace River North

Fort St. John Fire Department

City of Fort St. John – Community Services Department

City of Fort St. John – Deputy City Clerk

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