Taxation and Finance

Arranging meeting between an individual and a public office holder for purpose of lobbying

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

Securing interim relief for BC municipalities hosting BC industry, and a long-term solution that ensures BC municipal taxation contributes to the viability of provincial industry and to the economic competitiveness of BC. June 28, 2010 letter to Premier Campbell from new Catalyst President and CEO Kevin Clarke to provide an update and briefing on the crisis in municipal taxation of industrial property in British Columbia and what Catalyst Paper is doing to support the government¿s action to immediately remedy the crisis. The CEO noted that recognition of the made-in-BC municipal taxation crisis has now moved from BC industrial taxpayers to include small and medium-sized business. The CEO noted that the BC government¿s review must produce game-changing results in order to address a complex issue that has become a crisis. The CEO also offered to provide a detailed briefing for the Premier and his officials in order to help put a quick end to Catalyst¿s BC municipal property tax disadvantage and ensure interim relief and a long-term solution that restores BC¿s on-the-ground competitiveness. July 6, 2010 courtesy telephone calls to the offices of Premier Campbell, the Minister of Forests and Range and the Minister of Community and Rural Development to inform them of the Catalyst Paper¿s decision to permanently close the Elk Falls mill in Campbell River. Messages were left with Jeff Hanman, Deputy Chief of Staff in the Premier¿s Office, Bruce Strongitharm, Ministerial Assistant to the Minister of Forests and Assistant Deputy Minister Mike Furey, Community and Rural Development. July 8, 2010 telephone call with Bruce Strongitharm, Ministerial Assistant to the Minister of Forests, to clarify comments attributable to the Minister of Forests in Campbell River newspaper that were detrimental to Catalyst, the municipal taxation crisis, and the competitiveness of BC industry in post-recession global economy. July 9, 2010 email to Doug Brown, Senior Advisor, Issues Management with Premier¿s Office to discuss Campbell River media coverage of comments attributable to the Minister of Forests that were detrimental to Catalyst, the municipal taxation crisis, and the competitiveness of BC industry in post-recession global economy. July 16, 2010 telephone call with Doug Brown, Senior Advisor, Issues Management with Premier¿s Office to discuss new comments by the Minister of Forests in The Globe & Mail newspaper that were detrimental to Catalyst, the municipal taxation crisis, and the competitiveness of BC industry in post-recession global economy. July 16, 2010 telephone call with Lara Dauphinee, Deputy Chief of Staff, Executive Assistant to the Premier, to discuss comments by the Minister of Forests in The Globe & Mail newspaper that were detrimental to Catalyst, the municipal taxation crisis, and the competitiveness of BC industry in post-recession global economy. July 16, 2010 telephone call with Premier Gordon Campbell to discuss comments by the Minister of Forests in The Globe & Mail newspaper that were detrimental to Catalyst, the municipal taxation crisis, and the competitiveness of BC industry in post-recession global economy.

Target Contacts

Taxation and Finance

Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy or decision

BC municipal property tax crisis - Securing interim relief for BC municipalities hosting BC industry, and a long-term solution that ensures BC municipal taxation contributes to the viability of provincial industry and to the economic competitiveness of BC. April 19, 2010 letter to Premier Gordon Campbell and Leader of the Official Opposition Carole James informed the Premier and the Leader of the Official Opposition that there are three factors that dictate the cost of paper production for any BC paper mill, including the shuttered Elk Falls mill in Campbell River, and they are: 1) municipal taxation that supports a competitive business climate; 2) an affordable, sustainably produced fibre supply that enables reliable operation; and, 3) labour rates that reflect the competitive reality of the new marketplace. The letter updated the recipients on the Catalyst agreement with Powell River and briefed them on a Catalyst proposal to restart the Elk Falls paper mill in Campbell River. The letter requested: 1) their declaration of good will for a Vancouver Island community and its people who have experienced challenges and are making important decisions about how to move forward so that they and their mill can compete in a post-recession world; 2) asked them to commit to assisting the community and the mill in these marketing efforts by inviting local business and local government officials and Elk Falls mill representatives to participate in trade missions, trade forums, or other events where such a green energy/green manufacturing Vancouver Island success story could be promoted; 3) asked them to make efforts to ensure that government ministries, agencies, and other organizations and bodies are advised of the plan to restart the Elk Falls paper mill so that when appropriate it is considered for recognition as a showpiece of what is possible on Vancouver Island when a company, its employees, and the community together take steps to create a sustainable future; and, 4) asked them to work with others to create conditions for a renewed and competitive coastal sawmill sector. The letter noted that Catalyst will continue to keep both recipients abreast of events as they occur. May 12, 2010 letter to Claire Trevena, NDP MLA for North Island provided Ms. Trevena with a brief overview of recent events impacting Catalyst Paper, offered an update on the benefits to the community of a restarted Elk Falls paper mill in Campbell River, and requested that she consider using the communication vehicles available to her as the North Island MLA ¿ householders, correspondence to constituents, newspaper columns or MLA advertising ¿ to offer her encouragement to an Island community that has faced difficult times and has an important decision ahead of it that impacts not only Campbell River but all who call Vancouver Island home, or who want to call it home. The letter noted that Catalyst will continue to keep her abreast of events as they occur.

Target Contacts