OCTOBER 3, 1999

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64 Pages

Truck
move
wlasted

Katharine Hamer
Contributing Writer

BANNING trucks
from Horseshoe Bay
is bad for the envi-
ronment, according
to the B.C.
Trucking
Association.

The BCTA says that send-
ing trucks to Tsawwassen
instead will mean an increased
level of pollutant emissions,

suuse trucks will be on the
road roughly 2.3 hours longer

to emit an additional 16 tons
a year of hydrocarbons, 184
tons a year of carbon monox-
ide, and 80 tons a year of
nitrous oxide: aid ‘Trucking
Association president Paul
Landry ina statement released
on Thursday,

The BCTA based its fig-
ures on standard emissions
data “available from the
GVRD,” said policy and com-
munications director Louise
Yako.

BC Ferries began re-rout-
ing heav Sept. 13 as
the first fast ferry, the
PacifiCat Explorer, enter
regular service. ‘The Explor
shich is currently being us
for cight crossings a day
between Horseshoe Bay and
Departure Bay in Nanaimo,
docs not have the capacity to
carry tucks, ‘Truckers have to
drive across town to
Tsawwassen for some trips to
Vancouver Island.

Beginning in January 2000,
with the introduction of the
vest of the fast ferry fleet, BC

intends to ban heavy
s completely from the
shoe Bay- Departure Bay

rn

It’s a move that’s been

See Truckers pane 9

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School board, council learn
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NEWS photo Terry Peters

LIONS Gate Hospital registered nurse Lesley Philbrick stands in an empty tour-bed hospital zoom on the sixth floor that is supposed

te ba used by general surgery patients.

Anna Marie D’Angelo
News Reporter dangclo@nsnews.com

FOR the first time ever, money is
not the reason for bed closures at
Lions Gate Hospital (LGH).

The 335-bed hospi is expected to close 39
acute care beds by the end of this weekend because
there are not enough registered nurses (RNs) to do
the work.

North Shore Health Region spokesman Clay
Adams said the beds will be closed for an indefinite
time. He said that people waiting for surgeries may
have longer waits because of the bed closur

just do not have ait adequate number of RNs
to maintain an adequate fevel of care in those 39

Lions Gate Hospital short
of staff; 39 beds ciosed

beds,” said Adam

“It’s been a crisis waiting to happ

Adams said the medical chief of staff noted this
was the first time in memory that beds were closed
without a funding reason.

¢ are 803 registered nurses working at LGH

part time and full time.

The hospital has §0 nu

David Handley, vice
support services in the health region
hospital needs to hire at feast 40 nu
the chronic vacancies.

ng vacane
ident of corporace and
said that the
to climinate

V Arrival of New ‘Revolutionary Strive Target
Loading Equipment, Exctusively at Goes
oe “New Boxer Fit Classes ¥ Childcare available

GH registered nurses, like nurses elsewhere in
the country, work leng hours of over time and are
called to work on days off. According | to the British

Columbia Nurses’ Union(BCNU) 2,600. people
applied for 940 college and univ nurses educa-
tion spaces last year in B.C. A BCNU spokesman
trom L.GH was unavailable to press time.

Meanwhile a North Vancouver woman said she is
angry because her father was discharged abruptly last
Thursday.

Michele Fisher said her 69-year-old father had a
heart attack after she took him to the hospital on
Sept. 21. He was abrupzdly discharged at 8 p.m. on
Sept 30 just as the senior was getting ready to go to

See Daughter page ®

40 dati 22

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