Keeping students and young professionals in Prince George remains one of the goals for Mayor Lyn Hall.
He’s attending the Union of BC Municipalities Convention this week in Vancouver.
Hall will be touting affordable housing like the Parkhouse Condo development, a housing project on 7th Avenue along with a 200-unit development aimed at students right beside the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel.
“I want our younger generation coming up to stay in Prince George. They have an opportunity to be educated here in Prince George, they have the opportunity to get good jobs along with a great lifestyle and the flip of that is I want our seniors to stay in Prince George.”
Hall adds the housing piece is the final element in keeping that demographic in the northern capital.
“It’s important to provide the amenities and I think we have those here. We’ve talked about the university, we’ve talked about the college and that’s why housing is another one of those very important pieces to provide at all levels.”
Tackling the opioid crisis head-on is another goal of Hall’s while down in the Lower Mainland.
The Mayor will be promoting the city’s proposed 100-unit affordable housing project in conjunction with Northern Health and BC Housing that would provide a wrap-around service for housing, health, and a needle exchange.
“We really feel that’s one of the best models we can out into our city. We’ve seen it at a couple of other locations and we’re excited about it we know we have a couple of regulatory pieces we have to go through like a re-zoning on the property.”
He adds the recent proposal has raised a few eyebrows.
“And that’s garnered some conversation throughout the province and I’m looking forward to talking with other mayors about what we’re doing with that integrated health model.”
The proposed facility would be located at the current NR Motors building on 1st Avenue..