What’s New @ KBC – Q1 2020

Posted on April 7, 2020 in What's New!.

As I cleared another few centimeters of late season snow from around Chez Brown earlier today, I couldn’t help but conclude that the 1^st Quarter of this year may go down in my history as one of the most remarkable three-month periods I’ve ever experienced. Hopefully, the lingering late winter will soon give way to spring and we in Central BC, can look forward to more sunshine and afternoon double-digit temperatures. The fact that well over a meter of snow and ice needs to disappear around our yard before spring takes hold, would suggest that it’s going to be well into May before I get to reintroduce myself to my golf clubs and look forward to a weekly round with the lads.

The year began at KBC as normal and as the past half-dozen or so years have begun. Lot’s going on with most clients and the usual January excitement of the annual BC Natural Resources Forum held in Prince George Jan 28-30. This year’s event attracted 1100 registered delegates and many Chiefs and local government leaders from across Northern BC, and dozens of industry and provincial government leaders. At the time, there was an awareness about an outbreak of a coronavirus in a region of China that many of us had never heard of before but otherwise once the BCNRF was done, it was all about enjoying winter sports and recreation.

February began with the realization that we would all enjoy an extra day in the month with 2020 being a leap-year. I was fortunate to be asked by the First Nations Major Projects Coalition to provide media, communications and promotional support for the group’s 3^rd Annual Industry Engagement Event in Prince George, March 2-3. Preparation for my 2^nd major Special Event of 2020 helped February sail by as did assisting the Cheslatta Carrier Nation prepare for a signing ceremony with Rio Tinto for the New Day agreement on February 27. Again, there was constant coverage by the news media about the growing spread of the coronavirus Covid-19 in Europe and elsewhere but nothing to indicate what was about to happen to we in BC and Canada.

By mid-March, most of us were in self-isolation and practicing social-distancing when in grocery stores and public places. Pubs, restaurants and other non-essential businesses were closed. All major sports leagues took a time out to help slow the spread and most people who felt ill wondered if they had contracted Covid-19. There was widespread concern and even fear about the virus for much of March. None of us had ever experienced anything close to what we were seeing around the world and in our homes and communities.

Thankfully, as we begin Q2 of 2020 it appears that the stringent protective and safety measures taken by BC and the other provinces have worked to slow the spread of Covid-19. However, most of those will remain in place until Summer and all of us will be forever touched by this. Stay safe.