Latest news with #Ballantyne
1News
23-06-2025
- Politics
- 1News
Auckland council spending $30,000 a year on meeting refreshments
Auckland Council has spent an average of $30,000 annually on food and drink at its meetings over the past five years. The figures, released after a request from 1News, showed that between the 2019/20 and 2024/25 fiscal years, it spent close to $150,000 on refreshments for Governing Body and committee meetings. Figures for the 2024/25 financial year remain incomplete, with one quarter of data missing due to the timing of the request. The council defended its decision to provide light meals and snacks during long meetings at a cost to ratepayers, saying it supports elected members' wellbeing and helps keep business moving efficiently. General manager of governance Lou-Ann Ballantyne said the mayor and councillors would often spend an "entire day" in the Auckland Town Hall working through "long and complex" agendas with only short breaks. ADVERTISEMENT "The Town Hall does not have staff rooms or communal kitchens, or a café, therefore does not lend itself to storing or reheating meals," she said. "Taking this into account, we choose to provide light meals or refreshments for elected members at meetings of the Governing Body held in the Town Hall." The morning's headlines in 90 seconds including Iran's retaliation, Auckland Council's catering cost, and the new way to look deep into space. (Source: 1News) Catering is not provided by default, she said. The governance team considered whether meetings were scheduled over mealtimes, were scheduled back-to-back, or ran for more than three hours. "A light meal is not usually provided unless the meeting is expected to last for more than three hours and occur over a mealtime. Otherwise, only tea, coffee and a light snack, is provided," she said. Different approach at council HQ Meetings held at Auckland Council headquarters on Albert St did not require the same provisions as members had access to the council's café and kitchenette facilities. ADVERTISEMENT Ballantyne emphasised that cost was "always" a consideration when it came to the catering budget. "We are very careful to make savings where we can at all times. Refreshments are provided by the council's catering team, giving us the flexibility to adjust quantities when needed and never over-cater." She said elected members were expected to attend meetings and make "significant decisions" on behalf of Aucklanders. "Providing beverages and light snacks, like a sandwich and fruit, is appropriate, aids wellbeing and productivity, and makes best use of their time." In 2023, Planning, Environment and Parks committee chair Richard Hills ended free lunches for that committee as part of the council's moves to cut discretionary spending from the council, other council-controlled organisations and local boards.
Global News
17-06-2025
- Business
- Global News
City of Kelowna reaping the economic benefits brought on by the Brier Cup
Kelowna, B.C., is quickly gaining recognition for more than just its scenic landscapes and wineries. Following the success of the 2025 Montana's Brier, the city is proving it has the capacity and appeal to host major national events — and reap the economic rewards that come with them. Earlier this year, the Canadian men's curling championship brought over 89,000 spectators to Kelowna. The event delivered a direct economic impact of $15.2 million and a total impact of $22.7 million, far exceeding expectations. 'On that particular event, we were at the high end of our expectations — and actually a couple hundred thousand dollars beyond that,' said Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy For city leaders and tourism officials, the success of the Brier is about more than just impressive numbers. 'The numbers from the Brier really solidified that Kelowna can host these major events successfully,' said Lisanne Ballantyne, CEO of Tourism Kelowna. 'But it's not just about the numbers — it's about the legacy it leaves behind.' Story continues below advertisement That legacy continues to grow, with two more national events on the horizon. The Canadian Country Music Awards are set to take place in September, followed by the Memorial Cup in the spring of 2026. Kelowna is aiming to match or surpass the economic performance seen in other host cities. 'When the CCMAs were in Hamilton, the economic impact was $11 million and over 2,000 hotel room nights,' said Ballantyne. 'With Kelowna's destination appeal, we believe we'll match or even exceed that.' The city is also thinking long-term. A new Economic Prosperity Task Force has been launched to build on this momentum and explore other opportunities beyond events. 'It's not just from an event standpoint,' said Dyas. 'The task force is looking at what else we can bring to Kelowna — whether it's industry, manufacturing, or anything that creates lasting economic impact.' As Kelowna continues to attract attention, city leaders are working to ensure it's ready for what's ahead. 'We're considered a small city, and things like infrastructure, venues, and even how many volunteers we can mobilize become important factors in deciding what events we can host in the future,' said Ballantyne.
Calgary Herald
01-06-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
'Cried my eyes out': Northern Saskatchewan communities evacuated as wildfires burn
Article content For some, like Brian Ballantyne, it starts with a knock on the door. Article content Article content Northern wildfires are forcing many communities to issue mandatory evacuation orders, and lives are suddenly upended. Article content Ballantyne — from the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation community at Pelican Narrows — is among the people who have been forced from their homes. Ballantyne was looking after his brother's house when he heard what he described as persistent knocking at the door. Article content Article content Evacuees to Saskatoon are being supported by the Canadian Red Cross, which is providing necessary supports out of the Cosmo Civic Centre. Article content Ballantyne said many people had already left ahead of the evacuation order, so the road into the community was not extremely busy as he was leaving. He said air quality was not bad, but added officials were expecting the wind to change and bring smoke into the Pelican Narrows townsite. Article content 'I wasn't planning on going out of town,' he said. 'I was planning on staying there, but they told me you had to go.' Article content Article content When it comes to the battle against fires threatening the community, Ballantyne said he saw water-bombers and helicopters working to contain the flames. Article content The province, in conjunction with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, on Thursday declared a state of emergency. As of Thursday, there have been 206 wildfires in Saskatchewan this year — well above the five-year average of 125. Article content Article content 'We are seeing the devastating effects of wildfires impact communities across our province,' Premier Scott Moe said. Article content The state of emergency will be in effect for 30 days and can be extended if necessary. Article content Lana Sheppard said East Trout Lake is 'devastated' after fire on Wednesday swept through, leaving the small resort subdivision north of Narrow Hills Provincial Park largely destroyed. Article content East Trout Lake was issued an evacuation orders earlier this week, along with nearby Little Bear Lake campground. Article content 'There's nothing left. Everything's gone,' she said, after receiving aerial photos from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency showing the aftermath.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
'There's fire all over the place': Wildfire forces mass evacuation of Pelican Narrows as only escape route threatened
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel A rapidly advancing wildfire has forced the evacuation of people living in Pelican Narrows, a remote community in northern Saskatchewan, as flames threaten the sole access road and nearby Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN), which governs Pelican Narrows, declared a state of emergency on Tuesday(May 27) morning. Chief Peter Beatty emphasized the urgency: "It's a single road that goes south to Hanson Lake Road. The fire itself, when the winds shift late tonight or early tomorrow, it's going to drive that fire toward the access road into Pelican Narrows. That's why we're trying to get people out of the community, as many people as we can today."Residents were instructed to register at Pelican Narrows High School to board evacuation buses starting at 1 pm CST. Approximately 2,000 people remained in the community of 4,000 and were urged to leave immediately, either by bus or personal wildfire has already forced hundreds to relocate to centers in Saskatoon, Prince Albert, and Flin road between Pelican Narrows and Sandy Bay, Highway 135, remains closed, and residents are advised not to use this route. Highway 106, known locally as the Hanson Lake Road, and several roads around Narrow Hills Provincial Park are also closed due to fires, the Campfire and the Shoe fire, which have been burning since early May north of Prince Albert, have merged into one, now referred to as the Shoe fire. This fire has prompted evacuations at Lower Fishing Lake, Piprell Lake, East Trout Lake, and Little Bear Lake, with a pre-evacuation notice for Whiteswan/Whelan of Tuesday morning, the fire had grown to more than 216,000 Ballantyne, a resident of Pelican Narrows, described the harrowing experience: "It's so scary. My hometown is burning. There's fire all over the place." He is now among the evacuees housed at the Saskatoon Hall Lake, about 230 kilometers north of Prince Albert, the Pisew wildfire expanded rapidly from 14,000 to 44,000 hectares within 24 hours. A mandatory evacuation affects about 380 people. A back burn was conducted to protect the community, but concerns remain. "We're kind of worried about if this back burn will hold," said Lac La Ronge Indian Band Coun. Norman Ross. "Yesterday, people were starting to panic because of the smoke [from the back burn], but it was doing what it's supposed to do."The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) reports 21 active wildfires across the province, with only five considered contained. Many communities, including Little Bear Lake, Lower Fishing Lake, and East Trout Lake, are under evacuation orders. Southeast of Prince Albert remains under a pre-alert, and special air quality statements are in SPSA has expanded the provincial fire ban to include all vacant Crown land, provincial parks within the provincial forest, and the provincial forest itself, effective as of 5 pm on May 26, ban prohibits any open fires, controlled burns, and fireworks in the designated areas. "An extreme fire risk exists across most of the province," said SPSA Vice-President of Operations Steve Roberts. "The majority of the active fires in the province are caused by human activity. Everyone needs to know that human-caused fires are preventable."
National Business Review
21-05-2025
- Business
- National Business Review
Naomi Ballantyne joins Tower board
Insurance company Tower has appointed Naomi Ballantyne as an independent director to its board to fill a casual vacancy. In 2023, Ballantyne sold Partners Life Limited, an insurance company she founded in 2010. She is currently the managing director of KNK Consulting Limited, chair of insurance distribution group TAP Group Limited, and a director of Dai-ichi Life Asia Pacific Limited, the regional office of International Life Insurance Corporation. Other insurers she has previously founded or worked for include Unique Solutions and Advice Limited, ING Life (now Chubb), and Sovereign (now AIA). Her previous directorships include Accuro Health Insurance, Newpark Financial Services, Club Life, and New Zealand Superannuation Services. Tower chair Michael Stiassny said in a statement that her extensive experience would be invaluable to the company. 'Naomi has forged an impressive career, having founded, built, and led successful financial services companies for more than 40 years.' Tower's board has determined that Ballantyne is an independent director and the appointment is effective from May 21. As required by the NZX Listing Rules, she will retire at the annual shareholder meeting in February next year and be eligible for re-election. Meanwhile, the board has also decided that director Marcus Nagel is now an independent director, following the sell-down by Bain Capital of all of its shares in Tower. This is supplied content and not commissioned or paid for by NBR.
