3 - Wednesday, March 29, 1989 - North Shore News

Pulp mill
warned in
advance of
dioxin test

A HOWE Sound pulp mill was ‘‘tipped off’? in advance of
a scheduled dioxin test, and worked to ciean up its emis-

RATES MAY RISE AGAIN

B.C. drivers claim a
record $1.045 billion
from ICBC in 1983

last year’s 649,00 claims only
had to deal with about 100,000
motorists. The claims also have
to do with cases of theft and
vandalism, where no motorist is

IF B.C. drivers were disturbed by last year’s 22 per cent
increase in vehicle insurance, they may be up for another
shock in 1989.

The driving record is continu-
ing to deteriorate such that a
further substantial increase in
fates may be called for.

Last year the cost of settling
ICBC claims was a record
$1.645 billion, eating up last
year’s 22 per cent increase in
premiums.

“‘Never has it been clearer
that B.C. drivers as a group set
their own automobile insurance
rates,’’ said ICBC chairman of
the Board of Directors Ray-
mond Addington.

Much has been said about
how B.C. drivers are the
“worst” in the country, and
while no one really knows why,
ICBC spokesman Ken Hardie
wonders if it is partly reiated to
the province's comparatively
high rate of alcoholism, divorce

be anything from fiddling with
your tape player or cellular
phone to checking on a crying
baby.

Hardie stresses that one acci-
dent reported to the police can

‘Never has it

been clearer that
B.C. drivers as a
group Set their

at fault.

But rising costs can’t take all
the blame, for there has also
been a 46 per cent increase in
the number of claims filed over
the past four years.

The only good news is that
the cost of the average claim
has gone down slightly.

Through investment, ICBC
has earned a 10.8 per cent
return that not only finances
the corporation, but allowed it
to stock some money in a
stabilization fund to offset
future shortfalls.

“‘As our investments cover
the costs of running ICBC, all
we need from the driver is the
amount needed to cover the
cost of claims,’’ said Hardie.

Hardie said ICBC usually
waits until it is six to eight

sions before the readings were taken.

New Democrat environment
critic John Cashore produced a
Western Pulp Ltd. Partnership
C(WPLP) internal memo in the
legislature last week, showing
potential polluters ‘‘were being
warned as to when to clean up
their act.’’

Ten days before a March 13
dioxin survey hegin, the WPLP
memc advised :nanagement at the
company’s woodfibre mill on
Howe Sound on procedures to
follow to try to keep possible ¢iox-
in readings as low as possible dur-
ing the three days of tests.

By JOHN PIFER
Contributing Writer

would not accomplish anything
uniess it was controlled, and the
parameters were set well in ad-

vance.

“The tests are extremely expen-
sive and time-consuming, and we
have to have all the elements in
line in advance. We want to make
sure we have control of our pro-

cess,’” he said.

Lukosevicius said random tests
were of little value because they

could not be related to anything.
The memo,

signed by W.
Rempel, advised senior employees
to make certain that woodchip

own automobile months into the year before
insurance ra tes 9» projecting its statistics for the

supplies were as fresh as possible,
“and guaranteed (which was
underlined) clear of any possible
chlorophenol contamination."” It
also urged minimal use of a
defoamer, and to keep soda carry-
over into the bleaching plant as
low as possible.

Cashore said a reference in the
memo to the test results ultimately
being made public ‘‘explain why
the company was warned, and why
they took such measures.’*

The NDP critic said more accu-

and suicide.

“These might be some of the
factors that get played out on
our roads,"* said Hardie.

The current economic pro-
sperity may also have con-
tributed to the rising numbers
and costs of claims. During the
recession of the early 1980s,
claims dropped because fewer
people were working, driving
cars and opting for expensive
insurance policies,

rest of the year and determining
the necessary rate increase.

So it’s up to the individual
driver to take the right attitude
and modify his driving to take
into account the weather, road
conditions, emotional problems
and other things that can lead
to accidents.

Because of police enforce-
ment of the Counterattack pro-

— Raymond Addington
ICBC chairman of the
board of directors.

Ce ee
translate into one property
claim and two bodily injury

The vast majority of acci-
dents have to do with human
action {often undue care and
attention, or failure to yield the
right-of-way) and human con-
dition (such as drunkenness),
while 15 per cent are influenced
by the environment, and three
to four per cent by the condi-
tion of the vehicle.

Undue care and attention can

claims for ICBC to deal with.

Costs of claims have risen
some 44 per cent in the past
four years.

“The cost of fixing vehicles
has not gone up as much as the
cost of fixing people,’’ Hurdie
said.
While about 84 per cent of
B.C. drivers are still getting the
full 40 per cent driver discount,

gram, drinking and driving is in
better control over the
Christmas season, but is still a
problem in the summer months,
such that alcohol is still the ma-
jor factor in accidents with
fatalities.

“The penalties are going up,
but it will probably take a lot of
people getting zapped to have
an effect,’’ Hardie said.

JOHN CASHORE ... NDF en-
viroument critic prodaced memo
indicating that Howe Sound mill
was warned {n advance of a recent
dioxin survey.

rate results of the dioxin levels
from the plant would be achieved
through year-round or random

tests.
Environment

Strachan, who

knowledged there had been prob-

Minister

lems in enforcement and prosecu-
tion of offenders, said those con-
cerns would be addressed in next

week's budget.

Bruce
earlier had ac-

It is known that funds for in-
creased staffing and monitoring of
potential polluters have been set
aside for his ministry.

As far as the Western Pulp
memo is concerned, said Strachan,
“it just shows they’re working
hard to identify and (to) remedy

Cashore, blasting the environ-
ment ministry’s poor monitoring
and enforcement practices, said the
“tip-off? meant the tests ‘‘were
not conducted in a fair and even-
handed manser."’

Western Pulp operations man-

RCMP aim to curb

rising accident rate
with safety blitzes

THE 1!5-MEMBER traffic unit of the North Vancouver
RCMP is gearing up for a stronger than ever stand
against drinking and driving and careless driving.

In addition to the spring
Counterattack program against
drinking and driving that will
soon get under way, the RCMP
are launching a monthly Satu-
rated Traffic Enforcement Day.

There is no secret as to their
plans. On Tuesday, April 11, all
of the members of the traffic
unit will be working simulta-
neously in two teams
throughout the community to
catch drivers speeding, running
yellow lights and making im-
proper lane changes.

Police members will be sta-
tioned at intersections and other
areas with chronic traffic prob-
lems.

Police are working to stem
the rising accident rate, which
last year in North Vancouver
City and District included seven
fatal accidents, 1,077 acciderts
causing injury, 2,691 accidents
resulting in property damage in
excess Of $400, and 1,124 acci-

By MAUREEN
Contributing

dents causing less than $460

jamage.

Approximately 32 per cent of
the accidents occurring in North
Vancouver last year were
alcohol related.

According to Sgt. Roger
Cooper, the purpose of the
traffic exercise will be to get
drivers to slow down and to
make them aware of their
responsibilities.

“People seem to think it’s
their right to drive — not a
privilege,’ says Cooper.

Cooper has recently moved
from a small Vancouver Island
community where many traffic
problems were caused by
speeding and inattentiveness.

“*Here, speed and inatten-
tiveness are factors, but because
of all the intersections there’s a

fot more failure to yield the
right-of-way,’’ noted Cooper.

North Shore drivers also tend
to follow too close, and
together with speeding, this
leads to a percentage of the ac-
cidents that occur.

“Don’t be in such a hurry. If
you have an accident, you
won't get where you’re going
very fast,’ Cooper added.

Last November was the worst
month of the year for accidents
in North Vancouver, and Coo-
per noted that this correspond-
ed to a rise in the number of
hit-and-runs committed, from
October through December. He
related this to the Christmas
shopping season as many hit-
and-runs take place in parking
lots.

Cooper welcomes calls from
people who have observed a
poor driver in action and have
written down the licence plate
number.

The driver will get a warning
from the police, and if the
observer wants, he or she can
charge the person and give evi-
dence in court.

ager John Lukosevicius said testing

Doug Collins
Dr. Ruth

any problems.”’

Wednesday, cloudy with an
80% chance of rain. Thursday,
periods of rain.

Second Class Registration Number 3885