Local dives into the Fraser River Challenge

Local resident Michelle Connolly is participating in a relay swim from Tete Jaune down to the Salish Sea to raise awareness and encourage protection of the Fraser River watershed as part of the Fraser River Challenge started in 1995 by Fin Donnelly. Photo Credit - Ian Gregg

August 5, 2026

Resident of Prince George–Lheidli T’enneh, Michelle Connolly will leap into the Fraser River along with two other participants near the river’s headwaters at Tete Jaune on August 7th to swim its length to the Salish Sea as part of the Fraser River Challenge. The initiative, originally undertaken by Fin Donnelly in 1995 and again in 2000, is now spearheaded by two charities in partnership: the Fraser Riverkeeper, and the Indigenous Stewardship Fund. The organization and participants seek to raise awareness and funds to work towards protecting the watershed by 2030, as it carries significant cultural and ecological significance. Connolly summarizes, “something like this is meant to bring attention to how precious the watershed is, encourage people to care for it, and formalize protection of some of these places.”

While white sturgeon, along with salmon, populations in the Fraser have declined over time and spotting one would be an exciting prospect on the journey, Connolly stated, “I… I’m, I’m cool with the sturgeon staying at the bottom.” 

Trained as a forest disturbance ecologist and tirelessly advocating as a director of Conservation North, Connolly looks forward to this 30 day challenge which others may find intimidating. She not only likes spending time in the water, but the endeavour aligns with her passion for conservation, and comes with the added bonus of being away from a screen for a while. Despite recalling being inspired as a teenager in 1995 by Donelly’s original river marathon swim, Connolly has a possible downside to the experience in the back of her mind. She remembered red blotches appearing on Donnelly’s face as he emerged from the mouth of the Fraser, possibly caused by something that wasn’t naturally occurring in the river. On September 4th, witnesses will see for themselves what impact the journey has on the walker, canoers, and swimmers all participating in the rejuvenation of this expedition.

20260805 - Michelle Connolly Fraser River Challenge - LJI2

Due North

The Angels Interview - 20260801

Tune into this interview with the lovely Nelson based Trio, The Angels! The Angels were such a pleasure to chat with about how the trio met, a bit of behind the scenes info and future music goals :)

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Let's Talk Music - 20260730

First new episode of Let's Talk Music in a while! Check it out for some fun Indie tunes picked out by our Summer Intern, Kristian!

Northern Static Series - Genevieve Jaide S2 Ep9

We are stoked to showcase our Station Manager, Genevieve Jaide for this episode of the Northern Static Series. Tune in to hear more about Genevieve’s upbringing, songwriting process, and to hear an acoustic performance featuring some new tunes! 

Support Genevieve Jaide’s music here: https://genevievejaide.bandcamp.com/album/why-am-i-like-this 

Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7rXTjKygRDeE43jjE8EZM9?si=FVUbeGfwTkaCx1wa9BbVyA  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfuradio_88.7/ 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/Gls4qSUHsKE   

Catch new episodes of the Northern Static Series on CFUR 88.7FM every Wednesday at 7pm, re-broadcasted on Sundays at 10am. All episodes will be posted on our website, mixcloud, youtube, and can be found on podcast platforms “Northern Static Series”!

Interviewed by Grace Hoksbergen in CFUR Studios

Performance edited and recorded by Connor Pritchard 

Audio mixed and mastered by Connor Pritchard 

This initiative is made possible by the Community Radio Fund of Canada

Enbridge Lugs Four Billion Dollars of Loops into Prince George–Lheidli T’enneh

Enbridge announced a four billion dollar pipeline expansion project to take place along Highway 97 with the partial investment of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation and the consent of the City of Prince George. Provincial and Federal Ministers took notice. Photo Credit - Ian Gregg

On Monday July 20th a crowd that included local politicians, labour reps, and employers gathered in Prince George–Lheidli T’enneh’s BCR site to hear Enbridge’s executive vice-president of gas transmission, Matthew Akman, and CEO of Enbridge, Greg Ebel, announce the initiation of their $4 Billion dollar Sunrise Expansion Program. The project will install pipeline expansion loops in our region approximately between McLeod Lake and Hixon. The executives were flanked on-stage by Lheidli T’enneh Chief, Dolleen Logan, Federal Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Tim Hodgson, and BC Minister of Jobs and Economic Development, Ravi Kahlon who welcomed the news.

That much investment in the pre-existing Westcoast Transmission System brought a lot of attention, with Ministers of this stature rarely making joint visits to our region. It also promises to bring a lot of opportunities and tax revenue to the area, including a $3 Billion estimated GDP growth for the country at large. Obstacles were navigated to bring the project to this point, and not just in terms of regulations and logistics, which were overcome with relative haste. To that effect, Minister Hodgson stated, “The Sunrise Expansion project has gone from approval to groundbreaking in just three months, showing how in 2026 Canada has gone from delay to delivery,”

Enbridge has had difficulty gaining traction in the area since its Northern Gateway Pipeline Proposal was cancelled in 2016, and a gas pipeline the company operates  ruptured in 2018, 15km from Prince George’s city centre, in Shelley, that resulted in a fireball visible from several kilometres away. These trials have been handled with fortuitous results, but some questions remain.

Looking past local ecological impacts, or climate change factors that go along with fossil fuels, and the Woodfibre LNG facility incorporated into the greater pipeline network’s net-zero feature, the risks that “man camps” associated with industrial projects of this nature bring into communities are now on the company’s radar. Enbridge developed a Community Gender Safety (CAGS) Plan for the project in an attempt to address and mitigate the impacts that a temporary influx of working men can bring into a community. The plan fosters increased cultural awareness, incorporates human trafficking prevention, and outlines codes of conduct, among other aspects that intend to create respect for community policies.

Human resources are another challenge the project and community face, with an estimated 1,300 local jobs to fill. The timing of Enbridge’s announcement follows Canfor’s announcement of the Northwood Pulpmill closure by mere days. That closure represents about 300 layoffs, and hope has been expressed by Ministers in attendance at the BCR stockyard that a labour transition can occur between the two entities. When it comes to upskilling that cohort, or training a new workforce locally, the College of New Caledonia is the obvious choice for education. That institution made over 100 cuts to its workforce over the last two years though. To that end BC Minister Ravi Kahlon expressed, “Quite frankly the thing that stresses me out most from all the economic development, is how are we going to train enough people up for those opportunities.” The College had already taken advantage of the province’s doubling of trades funding amidst its cuts, but Federal Team Canada Strong funding Minister Kahlon referenced sounds promising.

While signatures now adorn a section of the 42” diameter pipe, and tires currently turn towards Minister Hodgson’s vision of Canada becoming an energy superpower, little Prince George–Lheidli T’enneh lays in the middle of a path where big interests shape a big picture.

20260720 - Enbridge Pipeline Announcement - Loops for the Sunrise Gas Expansion

Due North

Northern Static Series - Kristian Janzen S2 Ep8

We are stoked to showcase Kristian Janzen on the Northern Static Series. Kristian is an indie artist from Prince George, BC. who gravitates toward the raw, bedroom-recorded sound of artists like Current Joys and Alex G. His music is emotionally driven, slightly nostalgic, and built around guitar, drums, and synth textures that feel intimate and unfiltered. 

Support Kristian Janzen’s music here: https://www.subvert.fm/kristian-janzen 

Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2A9GPKToBD720tuX3WmkfK?si=W-WWgEV-Qf2-idFj_uo1rQ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfuradio_88.7/ 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/tdj5-L83RRM   

Catch new episodes of the Northern Static Series on CFUR 88.7FM every Wednesday at 7pm, re-broadcasted on Sundays at 10am. All episodes will be posted on our website, mixcloud, youtube, and can be found on podcast platforms “Northern Static Series”! 

Produced, recorded, interviewed and edited by Genevieve Tucker in CFUR Studios with help from Ian Gregg

Performance edited by Connor Pritchard 

Audio mixed and mastered by Connor Pritchard 

This initiative is made possible by the Community Radio Fund of Canada

Dominick Antonelli Interview - 20260720

Tune into an interview with the touring, Colorado based artist, Dominick Antonelli. Tune in to hear more about his music journey, how the tours been so far and what's next for 2026!

2025 collective agreement ratified between University of Northern British Columbia and UNBC Faculty Association

In a situation that doesn’t often make headlines in labour politics, a collective agreement was ratified between the University of Northern British Colmbia's Faculty Association and its employer, UNBC, over a number of months of professional and respectful dialogue. Image Credit - UNBC & UNBCFA

20260708 - UNBC Collective Bargaining Agreement Reached

Due North

The University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) and its Faculty Association (UNBCFA) have officially ratified their collective agreement under the University’s Mission Statement, representing stable relations between the institute and the lion’s share of the instructional staff for another three years. This may come as a relief to students, and all parties, who may recall instructional interruptions experienced during past negotiations. Both Administration and Faculty report a relatively smooth bargaining process. Chief Negotiator for the Faculty Association, Dr. Jaqueline Holler noted that compromise is an expected, and possibly necessary feature of the process, she appreciates that common ground was found. Holler also expressed the importance of making room for newer members of the collective “Let’s make sure that we’re doing things for our most precarious and vulnerable members, not just for the folks like me who have been here for 23 years in a professorial position.”

UNBC’s Provost Dr. Michel S. Beaulieu weighed in as well with the hope that communication and resolution won’t stop at the bargaining table, and that conversations will carry on between now and the next collective agreement negotiation in 2029. Commenting on the nature of these negotiations more broadly, he offered, “It’s not,’you’re going in to build bridges’. You already have bridges that exist, and you’re teasing out different aspects about how you walk along those bridges together.”

With that labour process satisfied, the University continues to negotiate with UNBC Food Services UNITE HERE Local 40 union and CUPE 3799, with both of those outcomes to be determined.

20260716 - Let's talk Europe - Ep 3

This episode of Let's Talks features my time in Ischia, Italy! Tune in to hear some cool stories :)