After a stint of posting public notices on their website and Facebook page, the City of Prince George may be moving back to print.
At Wednesday’s meeting Prince George City Council will receive a report from Mayor Simon Yu, recommending city administration bring an amendment to the City’s Public Notice Bylaw that would include local newspaper as a required means of publication of public notices.
In his report, Yu said this comes from careful consideration, conversations with Council colleagues, and overwhelming community feedback.
“To my understanding, Prince George is one of the only municipalities in British Columbia that opts to disseminate its notices exclusively through the City website and Facebook page, rather than relying on the local newspaper,” Yu wrote.
“The purpose of public notices is to foster transparency and accountability by providing the public with information about opportunities to express their views and engage in local government decision-making processes.”
The previous city council voted to do away with the newspaper notices in June last year, and the policy was implemented in November.
At the time of the vote, it was estimated the move online would save the city over $100,000 in advertising costs.
“Given Facebook’s response to the recently passed Bill C-18, the City of Prince George has an opportunity to show support for local journalism and bolster its alignment with the local newspaper, rather than directing attention to a U.S. social media conglomerate,” Yu added.
Last month, the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George followed suit, but added a new policy where newspaper advertising could be used as an additional method of notification.
Other items on Wednesday’s agenda include a building permit summary for June and July, and an update on the 18th Avenue Roundabout Project.
The full agenda can be found here.
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