The City’s Standing Committee on Public Safety discussed promoting the Citizens on Patrol program as well as Block Watch programs in the City.

“Volunteers are essentially professional eye witnesses,” explained Director of Administrative Services Eric Depenau.

“They have a link with the RCMP in the event of an incident. It’s important to note that Citizens on Patrol is not intended to replace regular police or private licenced security patrol services, but allow the RCMP to instead direct their focus to other areas of criminal activity.”

Depenau said the program operates under the guidance of the RCMP’s Community Policing Section.

It was noted there are currently 16 volunteers within the Citizens on Patrol program, and had as many as 30.

“For the size of the City of Prince George, we need to have a lot more than 30 volunteers,” said Mayor Simon Yu.

Depeneau spoke on some potential ways to promote the programs.

“Potential linkages to the website, the City may consider hosting on the webpage more dedicated community policing materials, try to make that more prominent, try to push that out and create more linkages for the recruitment,”

“An awareness campaign, so looking at more opportunities there, there’s a comment that right now a lot of the materials are in print and perhaps support with videography and things like the City’s communication department to help promote and create some of those local materials could be something that’s explored.”

Depeneau added some community events have booths set up with information on the program.

“If this is an area that we’re getting direction to have more of an emphasis, then perhaps there could be more event attendance and more of those recruitment initiatives,” he said.

“Same as attending job fairs, currently we make a point of attending the University of Northern BC’s annual job fair, but there are more.”

Depenau added there’s been commentary that existing materials on the programs are a bit dated, and updating them could be looked at.

Councillor Brian Skakun said Facebook could be a resource as well.

“Sometimes you see posts of people supposedly stealing things and I think ‘oh my god, I hope you got the right person,” he said.

“But you look at the things, what they’re doing with the porch pirates, stealing packages, warning people in their neighbourhoods about what’s going on late at night, I’m not suggesting we take it on, but it should be nice to somehow support what they’re doing indirectly.”

Yu also asked if there was an opportunity to use the Community Clean Up day to promote the program as well.

“Maybe this is also the day that we encourage the citizens while they’re picking up their neighbourhood garbage together to perhaps talk to each other, to make sure that they recognize we have a program,” he said.

“We need to treat this as almost a community campaign, a sustainable campaign on a monthly basis.”

Assistant Manager of Police Support Services Krystal Devauld also brought up the idea of having “block parties” where they would promote the block watch.

“The block watch programs does provide some funds for that party to try to get people out,” she said.

Councillor Ron Polillo made a motion to refer the item to City Council for consideration on opportunities for promotion.

Prince George RCMP continues its search for 20-year-old Ravinder Singh, who has been missing since April 2nd.

He was spotted at a restaurant along the 5500-block of the Hart Highway.

“Our Missing Persons Unit has been working diligently to uncover any further information on Mr. Singh. His last known sighting was at 5:10 p.m. on April 2, when he was observed cycling northbound on the Hart Highway near Christopher Drive,” stated Corporal Jennifer Cooper.

Investigators also have a more detailed description of Singh’s clothing and bicycle that may help the public in identifying him if he is sighted:

• Jacket: Black bomber style jacket
• Shirt: Appears pink in colour
• Pants: Blue Jeans
• Hat: Black baseball style with patch on front
• Shoes: Black hiking style boots
• Helmet: Grey Raleigh bucket style helmet with red light on back
• Backpack: Black backpack with camping gear attached to exterior
• Bike: Dark Grey Raleigh Overtake Bicycle

If anyone has seen Singh or knows of his whereabouts, they are asked to contact the Prince George RCMP non-emergency line at 250-561-3300 with the information.

Spring has arrived, which has created better conditions on the roads.

However, weather conditions and temperatures can change, with overnights still hovering around the freezing mark.

Program Director for Road Safety at Work, Trace Acres said one thing to be cautious of is pooling water.

“When you come upon pooling water, any kind of a large mud puddle on a road, it’s a good idea to approach water cautiously.”

“Especially at higher speeds you don’t want to be going too fast, because that could lead to hydroplaning, and that can lead to a loss of control and skidding of your vehicle.”

Acres said it doesn’t take much water for hydroplaning, adding that speeds 60 kilometres and up have a higher chance for one to lose control of a vehicle.

Other things to keep in mind this time of year is the increase in wildlife and pedestrians around roads.

Winter tires are still required until April 30th on most highways, but he said when switching tires over, it’s a good idea to check their condition.

One is to check if the tread depth is at a minimum of 3.5 millimetres, with Acres noting anything below may warrant new tires, and that the tire pressure is at a optimal level.

Northern Health has had the highest per capita rate of overdose deaths among all the health authorities in BC since 2020.

That’s from medical health officer Dr. Jong Kim who spoke on the nine-year anniversary of BC’s toxic drug crisis.

Kim told Vista Radio the public health crisis has rocked the Indigenous population as they are four to five times more likely to die of a drug overdose than non-indigenous residents – more resources to assist that demographic are needed.

“Some of that planning and work includes culturally safe and a more supportive approach in connecting Indigenous communities and clients with the ones who are there.”

He added more resources are needed such as treatment beds and drug checking services to turn this health matter around.

“It is a complex kind of a crisis that requires a comprehensive type of response. In each area of that continuum of care we do some additional capacity.”

“I think another key is that as a community the stigma unfortunately plays a significant part on how the people have barriers to access the care and support they need and it up to us as a community to address it.”

Kim stated over 1,000 people have passed away in the north from a toxic drug overdose since the public health emergency was first declared in 2016.

“Unregulated drug death has unfortunately been all across Northern BC from the northwest all the way to the northeast – we have seen the death relate to the toxicity of the drug and Prince George is showing a rate of one of the most impacted communities.”

PG tallied 110 illicit drug fatalities in 2024, surpassing the previous record high of 92 the year prior.

Earlier this year, newly-hired BC Chief Coroner Dr. Jatinder Baidwan told Vista Radio during a January interview hinted at taking a new data-based approach, which will better inform policy makers in their future decisions to help prevent deaths going forward.

Dr. Baidwan also echoed the troubling trend that is most prevalent in the Prince George area.

“It’s tragic and we don’t seem to be making a dent in the numbers. Further to the numbers you know about there are more women that are dying in that area than any other area as a proportion.”

“I don’t think it has crept up suddenly. I think there has always been that slightly greater number in the Northern Interior region. Do I know the answer to the questions you are asking? No. But these are the questions the policy makers in health need to delve into. There is a huge amount of data that they have in health that they can look at. We only look at the death data and there is a lot of data where people don’t succumb to potential overdoses.”

In addition, female death rates are also highest in the north at 45 per 100,000. The rate of female drug deaths is 50% higher than it was in 2020.

The number of unregulated drug deaths in BC in 2024 was 2,253, a 13% year-over-year decline (2,578).

Unregulated drug toxicity remains the leading cause of unnatural death for people in British Columbia aged 10 to 59 and accounts for more deaths than homicides, suicides, accidents and natural disease combined.

Paramedics in Prince George saw a minimal decline in their overdose call volume in 2024.

According to BC Emergency Health Services, local medics took in 1,758 drug poisoning/overdose calls last year, down slightly from 2023 where the tally was 1,833.

Despite the drop, Prince George still had the fifth highest overdose call volume among communities in British Columbia.

The northern capital trailed Vancouver (9,564), Surrey (3,335), Victoria (2,381) and Kelowna (2,032).

Here is the yearly breakdown in PG over the last nine years.

2016 – 362

2017 – 461

2018 – 594

2019 – 626

2020 – 999

2021 – 1,307

2022 – 1,466

2023 – 1,833

2024 – 1,758

A community champion, passionate advocate for northern British Columbia and trailblazer in provincial politics, will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Northern British Columbia during this year’s convocation ceremony.

Six-term Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond will be recognized for her contributions on May 30th.

Her public service began with three terms on the Board of Trustees for School District No. 57 (Prince George), before serving over two decades as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of British Columbia.

Bond held numerous influential positions including Deputy Premier, Minister of Education, Minister of Health Services and Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training. She made history as the first woman to serve as Attorney General and Minister of Justice in British Columbia.

In addition, she also served as Leader of the Official Opposition and held several Opposition Critic roles.

“It has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve the people of northern British Columbia,” says Bond. “I have always believed that no matter where you live, you deserve access to quality healthcare, education and career opportunities, and I have fought to make that a reality for people living here.”

In addition, Bond played an instrumental role in securing critical investments in infrastructure and services for the region, including the creation of the Northern Medical Program at UNBC, the Charles Jago Northern Sport Centre and the BC Cancer Centre for the North.

“I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition from UNBC,” she says. “I have always been a strong supporter of the University’s mission to provide world-class education and research opportunities right here in the North. UNBC is empowering the next generation of leaders.”

Most recently, Bond is serving as the Public Relations Director for the 2025 BC Special Olympics Summer Games that will be held in Prince George and has been part of the committee that has recently submitted a bid to hold the 2030 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in the city.

“I love where I live and one of the greatest rewards of my journey has been working alongside others to create meaningful, positive change,” says Bond. “If my efforts have encouraged even one person to get involved in making a difference in their community, that’s the greatest legacy I could hope for.”

The Red Cedar District Battle of the Books begins today, with students testing their memory and knowledge.

Roughly 90 students from around 15 schools are put in teams of 3 in a “reach for the top” competition format, answering questions from 12 nominated Red Cedar Books read this year.

Teacher Librarian at Vanway Elementary, Tina Cousins said the format comes from a 70’s gameshow.

“The Teacher Librarians have made questions and they all kind of follow the same format, and so the answer cards are all the book titles, so then the students would hold up the title of that book.”

Cousins added that student interest for this has been strong, with Vanway Elementary having 30 kids wanting to take part in the extracurricular activity.

The books are comprised of Canadian authors, with the students able to choose their favourite author and book, with the winner receiving the Red Cedar Book Award.

The game is organized by SD57 Teacher Librarians, retired Teacher Librarians, and other Educators, and has been developed over 25 years.

Cousins said they include areas such as Valemount, and McBride, with a group joining from Mackenzie.

The Battle of the Books competition is at Ecole Lac Des Bois Gymnasium from 9am to 12pm.

Some spring clearing led to a small outbuilding fire in Bouchie Lake over the weekend.

Bouchie Lake Volunteer Fire Department Chief, Harald Bartel, says a homeowner was cutting down his shed when a stray spark ignited the small building.

“He was cutting the pieces down to size to pack ’em away, and he hit a nail with his chainsaw, which threw a spark into the sawdust that was on the floor, and it caught fire.”

The BLVFD was hosting their appreciation dinner at the time of the call, and was able to get to the scene within 10 minutes. Harald says when they arrived, the building had already been knocked down, so they only had to put the pile of wood out.

Harald adds that the shed was relatively small, and all the trees and surrounding bush had been trimmed back to be fire-safe. There was no additional damage to the area.

Firefighters managed to put out the fire and clear the scene in about 30 minutes.

–Files by Teryn Midzain, My Cariboo Now

Pine Centre Save On Foods Store Manager Regan Bader presented to the City’s Standing Committee on Public Safety this afternoon (Tuesday), emphasizing the store’s concerns regarding retail theft.

“Over the years, theft has gone from being just simple, very simple things where you might grab a bottle of mouthwash from somebody heading out the door or something like this,” Bader told the Committee.

“Over the years its definitely gotten dramatically worse, there’s not only been a spike and I think the RCMP can attest to that.”

Bader referenced a court case he was subpoenaed for recently in which a prolific offender well known to the RCMP received only 150 days of house arrest.

“He was up on not only the theft-under charges, but also fraudulent purchases utilizing fraudulent purchase orders from a local group,” he said.

“It’s these types of situations that we spend a lot of time and effort in putting together packages for the RCMP because we’re compiling video, we’re getting statements and putting this stuff all together. At the end of the day, that proverbial slap on the wrist is certainly not enough to deter.”

Bader also noted he’s been after an individual that’s been in his store 22 times, claiming the individual has stolen from the store approximately 19 times.

“This is a very normal thing, we have a lot of prolific offenders that come into the store, they do not fit any of the normal things that we look for,” he explained.

“We just happen upon them by chance, it’s one little thing that happens that’s allowing me to backtrack through video surveillance to see what they’ve been doing for an extended period of time.”

“At the end of the day, just going through the system itself, I’ll just call it the inability of the court system to do anything concrete with these individuals is concerning,” he added.

Bader added PG has been deemed a hotspot for retail theft within the Pattison Foods Group.

“We’re all struggling with that, we have full buggies of groceries go out,” he explained.

“Even just on the losses for retail, they peg at between $2,000 and $5,000 a week for a retail operation, which puts Prince George alone for the five stores between $500,000 and over $1 million in thefts that really go undetected.”

Bader told reporters following his presentation that’s a retail number, not for Save-On-Foods or Pattison Food Group.

“That is a retail theft number, it’s just based on doing a little bit of research and coming up with a number because really, at the end of the day, we don’t know,” he said.

“I know that we have things called unknown shrink, I know that I find packages on the shelves all the time. I mentioned Costco, and while they have a great business model to try and curtail theft, they still have empty packages on the shelf.”

“I feel so sorry for what you’re going through and the staff,” responded Councillor Brian Skakun.

“I can’t imagine the stress that they’re under, watching this, feeling helpless, probably feeling like they should maybe get involved, but then their personal safety is at risk.”

Councillor Susan Scott said the two words that came into her mind are shock and entitlement.

“It might not be conscious, but it’s there. It doesn’t matter, I might as well tale it. It’s wrong, but it’s there,” she said.

Prince George RCMP Superintendent Darin Rappel touted the success of the Repeat Violent Offender program, saying the RCMP is looking to implement a similar program for non-violent, repeat offenders.

Mayor Simon Yu said Council would bring the file to the Union of BC Municipalities Conference as well as the North Central Local Government Association.

The Province will be reducing the administrative burden on BC’s health-care practitioners with the introduction of Bill 11.

It was announced this (Tuesday) afternoon that it will bring changes to the Employment Standards Act, eliminating the need for workers to get sick notes for short-term absences from work.

Minister of Labour, Jennifer Whiteside said doctors have had to use appointment time to tick a box on a form for those not needing clinical intervention.

“We’ll be able to save doctors in this province thousands of hours of important time to allow people with minor illnesses to stay home and get better.”

“This is something that health professionals have wanted for a long time, and it does bring us in line with most jurisdictions in Canada.”

Whiteside added they will be consulting with health-care groups, small businesses and employers over the next couple months about appropriate short-term absence time, and how many short-term absences one can have in a calendar year.

Minister of Health, Josie Osborne said this change will take away some of the pressures faced at primary health clinics, urgent and primary care centres, walk-in clinics, and emergency departments.

“Requiring someone who is sick to leave their home just to get a sick note can often do more harm than good.” said Osborne.

“It can spread infectious diseases to others, it can delay a person’s recovery, while also making it harder for people who have more urgent issues to be able to see their health-care provider.”

Osborne added this is the first step to the broader effort in making the health-care system more efficient.

British Columbians continue to take steps to safeguard their finances amid ongoing economic uncertainty.

Roughly three-quarters of provincial residents say they have cut back on spending due to uncertainty (74%), and are delaying major purchases or investments (75%), according to the MNP Consumer Debt Index.

The majority (79%) say the current economic uncertainty has made them more cautious about taking on new debt. Well over half (58%) express heightened concern about their ability to pay off debt due to ongoing uncertainty.

This concern extends to broader financial stability, with about one-third (32%) worried about the possibility of someone in their household losing their job. However, a higher proportion this quarter believes they will be able to cover living expenses in the next year without needing more credit (58%) and fewer regret the amount of debt they have taken on (40%).

“We’re seeing some signs that British Columbians may be feeling a bit more positive in their financial outlook after the Bank of Canada’s two interest rate cuts this year. While uncertainty continues – particularly around U.S. tariffs – their on-and-off behaviour may be providing a bit of hope about what the potential impact on household budgets will be,” explained Linda Paul, a Licensed Insolvency Trustee with MNP LTD.

Even with British Columbians taking steps toward financial caution, there was no positive shift in how individuals rate their personal debt situation this quarter. Those who rated their debt situation positively plateaued (37%, unchanged), while those who rated it negatively (20%) remained relatively stable.

“The results suggest that while British Columbians say they have taken proactive steps to reduce spending and lessen their use of credit as they brace for potential financial hardship ahead, those efforts may not have made a meaningful impact yet on those close to insolvency,” says Paul.

She points to the fact that slightly more residents (48%) report being just $200 or less away from financial insolvency, unable to meet their bills and debt obligations each month. Three in ten British Columbians continue to say they are already insolvent (30%).

“Close to half of British Columbians still report being on the brink of insolvency, and three in ten report having zero wiggle room, flexibility, or financial cushion. Without that buffer, many may be vulnerable as increases to living or housing costs – or an unexpected loss of income – could lead to serious financial hardship,” added Paul.

Two in five (39%) BC residents say they are bracing for an increase in housing costs within the next year.

Police in Prince George took a 17-year-old youth into custody after possessing a firearm.

Mounties responded to the call just after 3:00 p.m. yesterday (Monday), locating the youth in a parking lot on the 1400-block of Edmonton Street.

Given the suspect’s proximity to the hospital and the information that was known, police determined this report represented a high risk to public safety.

Police officers arrived at the location and had the suspect arrested without incident within minutes of the report being made.

“We train for these types of scenarios as part of our initial instruction at the RCMP Training Academy, and also as part of our yearly qualifications. I am proud of the response our Frontline Police Officers had to this dynamic and high-risk situation, responding calmly and swiftly, and resolving the situation without increasing the risk to themselves, the public or the suspect,” said Superintendent Darin Rappel, Officer in Charge of the Prince George RCMP.

The youth will remain in custody until he can attend court. The file remains under investigation.

Prince George residents will need over one-third of their pre-tax income to secure a home.

That’s according to the 2024 Housing Affordability Indicator Index from the BC Northern Real Estate Board.

PG’s rate sits at 37.6% – three points higher than the regional average of 34.6%.

The northern capital has the fourth-highest rate, trailing 100 Mile House (63.2%), Smithers (39.4%) and Williams Lake (38.2%).

In terms of home ownership, 100 Mile House remains the least affordable community in northern BC as the HAI from 2024 was 63.2%. The major factor continues to be median household income.

Kitimat recorded the most affordable Housing Affordability Indicator for a mark of 24.1% while Fort St. John placed second at 25.6%

Both communities have been in the top two for the last five years

According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, housing is considered “affordable” if it costs less than 30% of a household’s before-tax income.

Last year, the average home price in Northern BC was $461,394 – an increase of $12,625 when compared to 2023.

Prince George surpassed the $500,000 threshold for average house price – Terrace topped out at $524,409.

Once again, Quesnel and Kitimat were the only two communities that recorded average house prices below $400,000 in 2024.

Kitimat has the lowest average house price in Northern BC at $392,854.

Here is a breakdown of the percent of median household income needed to finance home ownership in the north (from highest to lowest):

• 100 Mile House 63.2%
• Smithers 39.4%
• Williams Lake 38.2%
• Prince George 37.6%
• Terrace 37.1%
• Quesnel 35.6%
• Prince Rupert 31.7%
• Fort St. John 25.6%
• Kitimat 24.1%

For a link to the report, click here.

Our BC MLA’s won’t be getting a pay boost this year.

All parties supported a motion at the legislature’s management committee to forego this year’s increase.

MLA’s pay is tied to inflation, and would have risen 2.6 per cent.

It’s the third time in three years they’ve turned aside a raise.

The base pay for our elected provincial representatives is more than 119-thousand dollars, with top ups for committee chairs, party leaders, cabinet ministers, and the premier.

Even though his party voted in favour of the salary freeze, Conservative Leader (and Nechako Lakes MLA) John Rustad doesn’t think MLAs are being paid enough.

He’s told the Globe and Mail ”when you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.”

– with files from Vista Radio news wire

Students across BC say they’re frustrated with underfunding and the number of cuts in post-secondary education.

Representatives from the BC Federation of Students met with the provincial government to demand funding levels be restored to BC’s public post-secondary institutions and highlight how cuts in education are having an impact on local communities and across all sectors.

Federation chairperson Jessie Niikoi said cuts are playing a heavy burden on students, but the harm is being felt beyond the classroom.

“The burden has never been heavier,” Niikoi says. “Rural and regional communities rely on institutions as economic anchors, and they’re losing their ability to train a local workforce and access to good paying jobs and economic growth.

“If the government doesn’t act now, the damage could be irreversible.”

Several colleges across BC, and Canada, have closed several programs since 2023 including Okanagan College’s two-year Bachelor of Nursing program and Niikoi says over the next 10 years more jobs are going to require a degree and with the current cuts there will be several holes to fill.

“Over the next decade, 76 per cent of the more than 847,200 job openings expected in the province will require some level of post-secondary education or training, yet funding commitments to save the education system aren’t being prioritized,” Niikoi said.

According to the province, the current budget already promised $700 million over three years to improve access to post-secondary education and address skills gaps.

It also includes a $4.7 billion investment in capital funding, investments in more learning facilities, and close to $200 million for several programs across the province and an interim space for a new medical school at Simon Fraser University.

– with files from Justin Baumgardner, My Cowichan Valley Now staff

While March rain may not have been ideal for outdoor activities, it helped with the snowpack in the Prince George area.

On April 1st, the Upper Fraser West basin saw an increase bringing the snowpack in the area up to 94 per cent of normal, while the Upper Fraser East saw an improvement up to 79 per cent of normal.

“The weather patterns in March were really split between the North and the South,” said BC River Forecast Centre Hydrologist Jonathan Boyd.

“Prince George was right in the middle there, anywhere north of Prince George, they all dropped relative to March 1st.”

Down south, Boyd said there was an increase across the board due to the wet weather in the province.

“For example, Kelowna was the second wettest March on record, and that’s dating back to 1899,” Boyd said.

“I think Vernon was in the top five, Penticton was number three, even Williams Lake was the second wettest, not going back quite as far, but back to 1961. It just was, we’ll say a miserable March in the sense that there were a lot of storms, a lot of them unfortunately happened on weekends as well, but it was certainly a positive from the snowpack perspective.”

Boyd noted the provincial average was at 79 per cent of normal on April 1st, an improvement from 73 per cent.

Boyd added that’s significantly higher than the same time last year, when the provincial average for snowpack on April 1st, 2024 was at 63 per cent of normal.

“Last year really was kind of the benchmark low snowpack across the entire province dating back to about 1970,” he explained.

Looking ahead, Boyd said there is a bit of concern for drought.

“What we are not wanting is a sustained period of hotter than normal weather,” he said.

“So getting into five to ten days, or what we saw in 2023, which was May ended up being the hottest May on record pretty well all across the province, and that led to a really rapid melt of the snow pack, it dried up the ground, it led to by far the worst drought season that we’ve had in the province, and as many can remember, 2023 was a really challenging wildfire season as well. The most optimal situation is never great for our own weekend activities and recreation, it’s to have a cool spring and a generally wet spring.”

According to Boyd, the April 1st Snow and Water Supply Bulletin is usually the benchmark bulletin of the year as it historically represents the peak of the snow season.

Local fire crews doused a residential blaze in Prince George.

It happened at about 9:50 this morning (Monday), PG firefighters from three halls responded to 6145 Gauthier Road for a structure fire.

Crews found smoke coming from the roof and fire inside the front door.

The blaze was quickly extinguished and confined it to the kitchen area.

Sadly, three family pets passed away in the fire.

The estimated loss is approximately $80,000.

There were no injuries to the public or fire crews.

The cause is currently being investigated.

Due to overwhelming support, PILSNER! PRETZELS! PIANOS! is returning to the CN Centre in October.

The event will turn the CN Centre into a party full of regional breweries, cideries, and wineries and music from the Dueling Piano Kings.

Tickets will go on sale on Thursday.

Two places in Prince George are receiving new Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) through the Bill Bond Memorial Fund.

These will be placed at Prince George Hospice House and the Knox Performance Centre, ensuring greater access to the life-saving devices in high-traffic, public spaces.

AEDs are portable devices used to deliver an electric shock to a person in cardiac arrest to help restart their heart.

“AEDs and placing them, that project was very important to my husband, even before he passed away,” said Shirley Bond.

“Our family wants to continue that legacy in his name, and when I think about where we’ve placed some of them, they were places that were important to us as a family, and certainly important to Bill. I am so thankful we can continue to remember Bill in this very special way.”

The Bill Bond Memorial Fund was created by the Bond family and the Prince George Community Foundation four years ago.

In addition to the announcement of the two gifted AEDs, it was announced Bond and the PG Community Foundation developed an application process for AEDs so they can be placed in parts of the community that need it most.

“An organization or an individual can apply, it needs to be in a public space,” said PG Community Foundation Executive Director Rae-Ann Noonan.

“It’s a series of very short questions of where the AED would go, why you’re requiring one, what part of the public it would serve, and then Shirley and the Foundation review the applications to make sure that they meet the right criteria.”

The AEDs are then ordered through the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

“We have some already here in Prince George that we can give out,” Noonan said.

“They will be set up by the organization and maintained by the organization that applies, but they will be listed with the Heart and Stroke Foundation.”

The applications can be found here, as well as more information on the Bill Bond Memorial Fund.

Josie Osborne, Minister of Health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, issued the following statements marking the ninth anniversary of the toxic-drug crisis being declared a public health emergency in BC:

Osborne said:

“Today marks nine years since B.C. declared the toxic-drug crisis a public health emergency. Since that time, we have lost thousands of people to poisoned drugs, each one a valued member of their community. Each and every loss leaves lasting grief for the people who knew and loved them.

“This crisis continues to have a devastating impact throughout our province, from families and communities to the front-line workers who provide care, support and compassion in the face of unimaginable loss.

“Substance use is shaped by many complex factors, including trauma, mental- and physical-health challenges, poverty, stigma and barriers to stable housing and support. Ending this crisis requires an equally complex and compassionate response, one that prioritizes care over judgment.

“We know there is still so much more to do. On this solemn anniversary, we renew our commitment to saving lives, supporting healing and working together to turn the tide on this crisis. By reducing stigma, improving access to care and meeting people where they’re at, we can help more people find their path to recovery and build a future filled with hope.”

Henry, added:

“This sombre anniversary reminds us of the ongoing tragic impact of the toxic-drug crisis that is being felt by families and communities across B.C. While we have seen some glimmers of hope in this past year with a decline in deaths, there remains much to do to ensure there are supports when needed at every point in a person’s journey.

“Whether it is being able to have a conversation with a trusted loved one, peer or medical worker, access to life-saving naloxone, or a safe place to have drugs tested, we have seen how these harm-reduction measures make a difference and save lives.

“But the increasing toxicity and unpredictability of the drugs on the street also remind us that we must continue to have the courage to be innovative and unwavering in our approach to this public health crisis. The very lives of our brothers, sisters, friends, neighbours and colleagues depend on it.”

Some changes are in store for residents who ride the bus.

BC Transit and the City of Prince George are advising customers of seasonal changes to the transit system, starting April 27th.

With the end of the semester for post-secondary students, the crown corporation will be suspending some trips on Route 15 UNBC/Downtown and Route 55 Victora.

In July, school special routes will be seasonally discontinued to mark the end of the school year.

This includes routes 12 Parkridge, 96 Shas Ti Kelly Road via N. Nechako and 97 Shas Ti Kelly Road via John Hart Hwy.

These routes will resume service in September.

Registration is open for the City of Prince George’s Annual Spring Clean Up.

Residents are invited to pitch in on April 27th to help pick up litter in parks, school yards, and along streets and trails.

Gloves and garbage bags will be provided, and a limited number of sharps containers will be available on request.

Six large dumpsters will be located around the city during the event, starting at 10:00 am on the day of the clean up.

The City says these are for the Spring Clean Up participants only, and they should not be used for personal, household, or construction garbage.

A map of where the large dumpsters will be, along with volunteer clean-up routes can be found here.

Registration for the event can be done here.

Registered volunteers can visit City Hall between April 14th and 25th to pick up their gear.

Hundreds of firefighters from across BC attended the Wildfire Resiliency and Training Summit in Penticton ahead of the 2025 Wildfire season.

“We don’t know exactly what this wildfire season will bring, but I want British Columbians to know that we are working hard every day to be ready,” said Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar.

“With year-round operations, cutting-edge technology and strong partnerships with First Nations and local fire departments, we’re putting in the work to protect our communities.”

The annual event brings together First Nations and local government representatives, emergency managers, wildfire mitigation specialists, and firefighters to collaborate and train with the BC Wildfire Service to discuss the latest developments in wildfire technology, mitigation and prevention.

The five-day event includes two days of collaborative training between structural fire departments throughout the province and the BC Wildfire Service.

According to the province, the training focuses on fireline operations, deployment of fire engines, large water supply operations and overall approach to structure protection in the wildland-urban interface.

Prince George Cougars announced that defenceman Carson Carels has been named to Team Canada’s roster for the upcoming 2025 IIHF U-18 World Championship.

This will be Carels second time dawning the Canadian jersey for an international competition, with the first being for Team Canada Red at the 2022 World U-17 Hockey Challenge.

Carels is coming off of his rookie season with the Cougars, putting up 6 goals and 29 assists in 60 regular season games, ranking him sixth among all WHL rookie defencemen.

In the Cougars seven playoff games against the Portland Winterhawks, He tallied 1 goal and three assists.

The championships will be in Frisco and Allen, Texas, and starts April 23rd, with Canada to face Slovakia, Latvia, Finland, and Norway in the preliminary round, with medal games May 3rd.

The Cypress River, Manitoba, product was the 16th pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.

CARSON CANADA IS BACK 🇨🇦

Carson Carels is headed to Texas to represent @HockeyCanada at the upcoming IIHF Under-18 World Championship!

Congratulations, CC4!https://t.co/4DRbiwel3Z pic.twitter.com/XjDdHcePJw

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) April 12, 2025

Tourism Prince George, along with support from Studio 2880 and the PG & District Community Arts Council is seeking Northern BC artists for a new mural opportunity.

This is for the upcoming container market in Canada Games Plaza, with the mural to be put on one of five shipping containers.

It’s aimed to connect locals and visitors through art, culture, and shared experiences.

Tourism PG encourage artists to apply, including painters, photographers, illustrators, and mixed-media artists, with the deadline set for April 21st at midnight.

Those selected will be awarded a project budget of up to $17,000 for design, materials, and installation, with shortlisted applicants receiving a $200 honorarium for full proposals.

More detailed information about the opportunity can be found here.

April is the start of wildfire season for the Prince George Fire Centre, and they’re reminding everyone to be cautious this time of year.

Fire Information Officer, Karley Desrosiers said we’re currently in a time known as “spring dip”, which is after the snow has melted but before vegetation has begun to green up, making for more dead grass and leaves.

Desrosiers added that this makes for a higher wildfire risk for the month.

“We’ll see a period where things do green up and more moisture generally from May and June rain before we get into what we consider the core wildfire season, which is generally June, July, August, and sometimes September.”

“At the moment, we are seeing a bit of an uptick in wildfire activity. Generally we do see an increase number of fires in April, and often in the spring they are generally human caused.”

Desrosiers said the biggest factor going into the wildfire season is the precipitation as we remain in a multi-year ongoing drought.

As of April 1st, which is considered the start of wildfire season, there have been five fires to date in the PG Fire Centre.

She noted to not do backyard burns or agricultural burning as this weekend is forecast to have winds up to 70 kilometres an hour.

When conditions are favourable for a burn, Desrosiers said to always keep an eye on the forecast, make sure there are tools on hand to extinguish that fire, never leave it unattended, have adequate water nearby, and not leaving until the fire is cool to the touch.

She added it doesn’t take much wind to cause a small fire to grow rapidly when vegetation is this dry.

The Prince George Ice Oval Society had a positive meeting with city council to move forward with obtaining a consultant’s report on what it would cost to refrigerate the facility.

The Ice Oval was open for 42 days during the 2024-25 season, up from 27 days the year prior but is still facing challenges with warmer temperatures during the winter.

Spokesperson, Kathy Lewis told MyPGNow.com a refrigeration system would be a game-changer.

“If we can guarantee our ice then we can start holding at least provincial competitions. The Prince George Blizzard Speed Skating Club is the biggest one in the province and the amount of training they can do on our long-track ice is really limited because of our natural oval is subject to the weather issues we have been having.”

“In general, the trend is with the warmer temperatures, we are opening later and shutting down sooner with more in-season thaws.”

She added outdoor ovals in Halifax and Quebec City are able to be open longer because of refrigeration – in some cases they are still able to operate in plus seven to ten degree temperatures.

Either way, the public and local sporting clubs alike would be able to utilize the local oval a lot more than they are now.

“It would enable us to be open a lot longer and serve the public a lot better because there would be way more opportunities to skate. It would be a lot easier on our volunteers because it would be easier to build the ice and we wouldn’t have to rebuild it in the middle of the season.”

Lewis said the meeting with city officials also touched on the type of surface that would be underneath the ice or to connect it with the Kin Centre refrigeration system.

The Chill the Oval Campaign is still ongoing with over $70,000 raised up to this point.

For a link to how you can donate, click here.

A recent incident in Prince George where one man sustained injuries is under investigation by BC’s police watchdog.

The BC RCMP notified the Independent Investigations Office of the Wednesday (April 9th) incident where local Mounties received a complaint of an intoxicated man with a firearm moving around a housing complex at 11:45pm.

Officers arrived and the man came out from one of the residences. He reportedly refused to follow police directions and while being arrested suffered an injury.

The IIO is investigating police actions into the incident. As the matter is now under investigation no further information will be released by police.

The Prince George RCMP are conducting a concurrent investigation into the initial weapons complaint.

A new party is taking shape in BC, aimed at filling a gap for voters.

Karin Kirkpatrick, who served as an MLA for BC United before it withdrew from the previous provincial election, created the new party called CentreBC.

Political Analyst Shirley Bond thinks this is a reflection on how some British Columbians feel after a polarizing election.

“There were two choices for voters, Independents were not elected.” said Bond.

“I certainly hear from people, especially those who are fiscally conservative, they are fiscally responsible, and they also have a social conscious. Many of those voters are struggling to figure out where they should cast their ballot.”

Bond added a concern is if this will capture new voters and fill that gap, or continue to split the vote on the right side of the spectrum, allowing the NDP to remain strong in BC.

She said there could be some interest for those already in politics to join the party.

“There are certainly elected officials, previous ones and future ones, who will be looking for a more centrist approach in our province, trying to move away from that very polarized partisan approach to politics.”

Bond said with any new party, it will take a great deal of work and effort to gain traction, adding there are still a number of years before the next provincial election.

She noted that time will tell if this is an effective and attractive option for some voters in BC.

Some students with School District 57 (SD57) will be competing against each other in the Red Cedar District Battle of the Books.

Roughly 90 Students from around 15 schools are put in teams of 3 in a “reach for the top” competition format, answering different questions from 12 nominated Red Cedar Books.

Teacher Librarian at Vanway Elementary, Tina Cousins says the format is from a gameshow in the 70’s.

“The Teacher Librarians have made questions and they all kind of follow the same format, and so the answer cards are all the book titles, so then the students would hold up the title of that book.”

Cousins says students have been reading the books all year to prepare for the questions that will be asked.

The books are comprised of Canadian authors, with the students able to choose their favourite author and book, with the winner receiving the Red Cedar Book Award.

The game is organized by SD57 Teacher Librarians, retired Teacher Librarians, and other Educators, and has been developed over 25 years.

Cousins said they include areas such as Valemount, and McBride, with a group joining from Mackenzie.

The competition will be Wednesday at Ecole Lac Des Bois Gymnasium from 9am to 12pm.

As Canada’s Federal Election campaign hits the halfway mark, pre-polling numbers are signalling that Canadians are more engaged in this election ever before.

According to Elections Canada, over 130,000 Canadians have already cast their ballots and nearly 350,000 special ballots have been issued — with 17 days still to go.

Special ballots allow voters to cast their vote at any time during the election campaign, as long as they know the name of the candidate they’re voting for.

James Hale, a spokesperson for Elections Canada, said these numbers speak to the importance of this election for Canadians.

“That’s just an anecdotal measure of how much interest there is in this election, and also how much interest there is in using that special ballot. Our observations note that this way of voting has become more and more popular because it introduces a lot more flexibility into the voting process.”

How to vote

While general voting day is still a few weeks away, voters have several opportunities to cast their vote early.

In-person special ballot voting is currently available at any Elections Canada office countrywide. Meanwhile, advance polling takes place from April 18 to April 21.

Voters can also request to vote by mail via special ballot through Elections Canada, which Hale said offers flexibility for those who may not be available on general voting day.

“If you’re going to be travelling over the five days of advance polling or on general election day — or if you’re in another country or live abroad and are eligible to vote — you can vote by special ballot, which is very convenient.”

Registration

Eligible voters should begin receiving their voter information cards in the mail in the coming days. These cards should display your name and other voter details Elections Canada has on file.

Hale added if any information on the card is incorrect — or if this is your first time voting — you’ll need to visit the Elections Canada website to register or update your address and personal information. This can also be done in person at your local Elections Canada office.

Otherwise, Hale notes that registration will be available at polling stations on both general voting day and during advance polling, although this may take extra time.

“The only downside of registering when you go to vote is that it slows down the process — both for yourself and for others. So, if you don’t want to deal with long lineups or delays, you should probably take care of that in advance. But there are numerous ways to update your information if you don’t receive a voter information card or if anything on it is incorrect.”

What to bring

Voters will need to bring proof of identification, no matter how they choose to vote.

The ideal ID includes a driver’s licence with a photo, name, and address. However, for those unable to provide this, Hale says there are other acceptable forms.

“There are myriad combinations of identification you can bring to the polls to prove who you are. It’s a long list, but it includes utility bills and various documents that can be used as valid ID.”

Why vote?

“Our message on voting is very simple. It’s captured in our tagline: ‘It’s your vote,’” said Hale.

While election night often centres around party leaders, Hale wants voters to remember they are electing a local representative who will be their voice in Parliament.

“We live in an enormous country with several time zones, but people need to remember that they’re voting for their local representative. So even though a ‘winner’ may be declared by the time polls close in B.C., you’re still voting for the person who will represent you in Parliament.”

Electoral Redistribution

The 2025 Federal Election is the first to take place since electoral redistribution occurred in 2022.

Electoral redistribution happens every ten years to ensure that ridings reflect changes in population.

This year, there are 340 seats up for grabs across the country — up from 308 seats just 25 years ago.

“That just shows you how quickly our population has changed. When it comes to redistribution, it’s really important to remember what a fluid society we live in.”

Hale added that in this election, more than 300,000 new Canadians are eligible to vote, along with another 380,000 who have reached voting age since the last election.

Additionally, over 300,000 eligible voters from the 2021 federal election have since passed away.

“There’s a lot of churn in society. What’s reflected in redistribution is the effort to ensure equal representation. You can build out population areas quite differently.”

He adds that it’s important for voters to check what federal riding they’re in, as boundaries have changed.

“This is the first election held under the latest redistribution. So it’s really important for everyone to go on elections.ca, enter their postal code, and find out where they need to vote. A lot of people may be surprised to find themselves in a different electoral district — which again just reflects how much things have changed since the last election.”

Hale couldn’t say whether special ballot numbers point to a record-breaking voter turnout, but he says the data suggests increased engagement.

“We really can only tell once the last person has voted on election day. There are so many factors at play. Anecdotally though, I think those special ballot numbers do indicate that more people are engaged this year — which wouldn’t surprise us at all, given everything we’ve discussed.”

For more information on how to vote in this election, visit elections.ca.

– story done by Storrm Lennie, My Nelson Now staff

West Fraser’s Williams Lake sawmill will soon be operating on a 4-day work week. 

Communications Director for West Fraser, Joyce Wagenaar said warmer weather than usual this winter and permitting delays have hampered log deliveries resulting in a temporary supply challenge. 

Wagenaar said employees at their Williams Lake sawmill have collectively agreed to moving to a four-day work week for the next eight weeks as we work through this challenge. 

She added the work week change should begin next week. 

– Files from Pat Matthews, My Cariboo Now staff

Single-family homes in Prince George have seen an increase through the first three months of 2025 according to the first quarter round-up from the BC Northern Real Estate Board.

As of the end of March, 152 units came off the market for an average price of $503,331 – that’s an increase of 15 transactions compared to the same time last year where 137 homes were sold ($504,700).

Past Chair, Kristine Newell told MyPGNow.com while all areas of the city are getting a piece of the pie, most of the activity is still being led in College Heights and the Hart.

“People still like to be a little out of the downtown core and College Heights and the Hart both have their own advantages such as grocery stores and their own little communities too so people like those.”

Newell added due to the increased buying power from lower interest rates, the number of days a home is on the market prior to being sold has been slashed in half, going from 63 to 31.

In the western part of the city, the median price of the 42 single-family homes that have sold was $458,000 ($462,450).

East of the by-pass, saw 40 single-family homes sold with a median value of $366,000 ($430,000).

In “the Hart”, 31 single-family homes sold for $555,000 ($542,450).

Lastly in College Heights, 39 homes have been purchased since January for a median price of $560,000 ($532,500).

At the end of March there were 621 (646) properties of all types available within the city limits.

Overall, 281 (236) properties of all types, worth $124.2 million ($116.3 million), have changed hands in the first 3 months of 2025 in Prince George.

The BC Northern Real Estate Board reported 917 sales with a value of $368,280,839  in the first quarter of this year.

This compares with 817 sales worth $327,442,096 at the same time last year.

As of March 31^st, there were 2885 properties of all types available for purchase compared to 2896 at this time last year.

A local environmental group is taking BC Forests Minister Ravi Parmar to task over comments made during last week’s COFI Convention suggesting logging in old-growth forests and provincial parks could improve wildfire resilience.

Conservation North argues logging may destabilize ecosystems, raising the risk of wildfires in our province.

Spokesperson, Michelle Connolly told Vista Radio following through with this plan would be counter-productive.

“That would very much harm the purpose of these places, which are set aside for biodiversity and wildlife. We have to remember that fires are not a novel process and natural ecosystems have gone through fires in the past and they don’t necessarily ecologically harm natural forests.”

“Wildfires are going to be fact of life as they have always been and we have to be really careful about implementing programs that might increase the chances of that happening. I am very worried about the suggestion that we should be logging old growth as a way to some how reduce the severity of wildfire is the wrong way to go,” added Connolly.

Conservation North took the biggest issue with Parmar wanting to commit to a target of harvesting 45-million cubic meters into the government’s election platform and the minister’s mandate letter.

Connolly stated many studies from Canada and the United States suggest that the narrative of logging Old Growth areas for “wildfire resilience” is false.

“Mature and old forests burn at lower severity in wildfires when compared to places that have been logged in the past.”

“The best things that we can do to protect communities is to harden against wildfire directly around communities. Research from the Pacific Northwest who have been conducting studies on community resilience to wildfires is that you can do management directly around communities but beyond that, you are not going to accomplish much.”

Connolly added Old Growth Management Areas were established to protect biodiversity and parks are important for natural and cultural values.

The B.C. government will be walking the talk after Premier David Eby directs ministries, health authorities and core Crown corporations to review all contracts with United State companies to decrease the province’s dependence on good and services from U.S. suppliers.

“As people are choosing to buy B.C. and buy Canadian, British Columbians expect their government to join them in choosing to avoid U.S. purchases wherever possible,” said Premier David Eby.

“That’s why we’ve directed our government to use its purchasing power to exclude American suppliers and support Canadian companies and trusted and reliable trading partners instead.”

“Today, we’re expanding that directive to include looking for every opportunity to move existing contracts away from U.S. suppliers and cancelling non-essential government travel to the United States.”

Other directives include cancelling US subscriptions and avoiding non-essential travel to the US.

“Minimize your participation in American trade organizations and ensure that you’re upholding the expectations that all British Columbians have. That, when possible, when there’s a viable Canadian alternative, you’re choosing that company, you’re choosing that publication, you’re choosing that organization.”

These directives will be applied, where viable, following an assessment of legal, financial, operational and other reasonable considerations.

Government continues to be directed to exclude goods and services from U.S. suppliers in new procurement activities, wherever possible.

“Now is the time to continue to support B.C. and Canadian businesses, as well as find new markets and develop deeper bonds with countries other than the U.S.,” said Eby.

“Just like when you’re at the grocery store, there isn’t always a non-American alternative, or sometimes that alternative comes at too high a price. Our goal is to find every opportunity to stand with British Columbians, support Canadian jobs and build an economy where we stand on our own two feet.”

Government is reviewing existing contracts to determine if companies from Canada or other countries can be newly sourced or replace existing U.S. suppliers.

The directive is in effect immediately and enables government to monitor and adjust purchasing accordingly to exclude U.S. suppliers of goods and services:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/tariffs.

Money is still being raised by Miracle Theatre’s two comedy’s from Canadian playwright, Norm Foster.

“Lunenburg” and “Here on the Flight Path” plays began in early March, but have continued to be sold out up to April 17th, and have added more shows.

Director Designer, Ted Price says the proceeds from ticket sales will help create the PG Seniors Emergency Fund.

“At the end of the month, they don’t have enough to sometimes make rent, there’s even been evictions, not enough for groceries.”

“This will be an emergency fund so that if they’re $100 short on rent, that fund will cover that until they’re able to get into a seniors facility or social housing. Don’t have enough groceries, same thing.”

Before the plays, Price said they had no idea how extensive the issue was in the community, finding out it extends across the country and going unnoticed.

He added there’s been a lot of community support for the cause, and has been going well because people have also enjoyed the two plays.

Limited tickets remain for April 18th, 19th, and 23rd, with extra performances for the 24th and 26th.

“Here on the Flight Path” is offered on all other dates except for Mondays.

Tickets are $39.50 can be purchased at Books and Company or by phone at 250-563-6637.

The Prince George Agriplex will be reopening next week.

The Prince George Horse Society confirmed to My PG Now through a Facebook message they will be reopening to both the public and user groups on Tuesday, April 15.

The Agriplex was closed last month after a case of Equine Herpesvirus-1, a highly contagious virus affecting horses, was confirmed.

The Agriplex was closed to prioritize the safety of boarded horses, public riders, and equine events at the recommendation of local veterinarians.

Prince George Western Heritage Society made its pitch for improvements at the Outdoor Rodeo Grounds at last night’s (Wednesday) public hearing on the City’s Official Community Plan.

“The grounds are in desperate need of covered bleachers and infrastructure updates,” said Kevin Cunin, speaking on behalf of the Society and Rodeo PG.

“These improvements, if completed with input and from the knowledgeable community of user groups, will open up endless opportunities for the city. Time and time again, across North America, a popular rodeo weekend has shown to bring huge investment and economic boom to cities and its inhabitants.”

Cunin added the improvements would not just be used by the Rodeo PG, but a multi-use outdoor grounds could attract other user groups and renters for more events and tourism draws.

“Last month, residents seemed to have one common idea, that the City should have a mandate to work with investors who want to come into our City, but to also re-invest in our current infrastructure that the City already owns, maximizing the financial benefit to our community,” he said.

“The Rodeo Grounds have degraded over time due to weather and age, and we have no more space to allow spectators, and have sold out each year, leaving people wanting at the gate.”

Cunin said they’ll continue to do what they can to keep the rodeo going.

“We know if our rodeo became a part of the Official Community Plan, and the City saw the value to invest in the Rodeo Grounds, the benefits would come back to Prince George citizens tenfold.”

Another meeting on the Official Community Plan will be held on Wednesday (April 16) at 5:00 pm.

During Tuesday night’s School District 57 meeting, the Board discussed the current strategic plan, and its expiry.

The plan is set to end June 30th, 2026, with the main concern that it falls too close to the next Board election in October that same year.

Chair, Craig Brennan says the plan is something meant to guide the board, and is presumptuous to create a new plan for a new Board.

“I think it was Trustee Holland that asked about sort of a bridge between the two Boards, and that’s something we’re hopefully going to be crafting a policy about.”

“How to respectfully hand off the stewardship from one Board to another. Right now, we don’t have anything like that. The one Board ends, the next Board starts, and to me, there should be some kind of a transition plan in place.”

The Board unanimously approved extending the end date to June 30th, 2027, with the item to be brought forward by the superintendent at an appropriate 2026/27 meeting to develop the next plan.

Another item discussed during the meeting was a new logo for the School District, and are looking for public feedback through a survey here.

More information about the meeting can be found here.

The province is providing five million dollars through its Community Emergency Preparedness Fund to help fund 113 projects.

The investment is through the emergency support services equipment and training stream.

Several communities and First Nations will benefit from the funding to assist people evacuated from their homes during emergencies.

This includes strengthening emergency response in Fort St. James and Nak’azdli Whut’en by developing a new program and building capacity, with a focus on training and mutual support.

Since 2017, the province has committed $369 million dollars into the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund.

Dolleen Logan will serve another two-year term as Chief of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation.

Logan secured 247 votes, beating out Regina Toth who was the runner-up.

She was re-elected following the conclusion of last night’s election (Wednesday).

Eight councilors were also selected to a two-year term including:

• Crystal Gibbs
• Dominic Frederick
• Clayton Poutney
• Kyle McIntosh
• Tasheena Seymour
• Jamie Bird
• Miranda Seymour
• Doug Olson

Poutney, Bird and Miranda Seymour were also voted in for the three Land Authority positions.

Prince George City Council reconvened the public hearing on the Official Community Plan tonight. (Wednesday)

Roughly 20 speakers voiced their opinions on the document, most of which once again voiced concerns over the loss of green space in the City.

After about two hours, City Council closed the public hearing and began debate.

“I just want to thank the public, whoever’s watching, and most importantly, thanks to all the presenters who came forward to give your thought, your ideas, your criticism, your praise to what is in front of you,” said Mayor Simon Yu.

“A lot of work has gone into this, for a lot of this, this isn’t a one-shot deal, they’ve been working on some of the files for many months, if not years. We as a Council, we take this very seriously, because democracy does not work unless there is participation.”

Following the closure of the public hearing, Council spent an extensive amount of time debating the process of what they would do next.

Yu said he wanted to adjourn the meeting to give time to reflect on what they had heard.

“Something this important, it requires a little bit of time to reflect,” he said.

“This is a public hearing, the hearing is done, we have no more hearing. The next step, we hear from the staff, we heard about the process, and we look at the clock, we need to do the best debate with sharp minds. I personally need a little bit of time to absorb everything.”

“I agree on one point, I came wanting to hold my thoughts and reserve my future comment until after the public hearing on what amendments I was prepared to move forward on,” replied Councillor Kyle Sampson.

“Where, I guess, maybe I differ, Mayor Yu, I felt like the process was laid out and I was prepared to, following the closure of the public hearing, move forward with some things and hear from my colleagues on what things they want to move forward on. I guess I’m a bit at a loss on where we’re at now.”

Following the lengthy debate on process, Council got started on some of their amendments.

It was recommended by Manager of Legislative Services Ethan Anderson that Council request reports back on amendments.

“What I was kind of expecting was that Council would direct staff to come back with a report on proposed amendments to the bylaw,” he explained.

“So it’s not an amendment motion that we’re dealing with right now, we were hoping to report back on proposed amendments from Council, so that we can provide additional information, options, highlight concerns.”

Council voted on and passed motions requesting reports on:

• Rezoning the city-owned property north of Moore’s Meadow to Parks and Recreation,
• Rezoning Ginter’s Green to park land and removing the right-of-way,
• Removing Future Development from the plan along Tyner Boulevard and the escarpment with the exception to the small portion of Endowment Lands for the purpose of building student housing by UNBC,
• Amending Schedule 1: Growth Management in the “City of Prince George Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 9525, 2025”, incorporating the Urban Containment Boundaries outlined as “Urban Area” in Schedule B-4: Growth Management in the “City of Prince George Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 8383, 2011.”
• Recognizing the importance of the Aeronautics Act and advising land use applicants of the airport master plan recommendations,
• Adding the Cowart Malaspina expansion into the Official Community Plan

Following the votes on reports, Council decided to schedule another meeting on the Official Community Plan for Wednesday (April 16th) at 5:00 pm.