The City of Prince George sits on the traditional lands of the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation, whose name means "people where the rivers come together" in the Carrier language. The City's logo reflects this "coming together" in the way it depicts the confluence of railways, highways, and rivers that give rise of PG's reputation as Northern BC's service hub.
Today, Prince George is city of 74,000 people and is the largest city in northern British Columbia. It is a community with assets that include a university and college, affordable housing, well-paying jobs, and comprehensive transportation infrastructure. Prince George's highways and railways, in particular, are complemented by an international airport and these vital transportation links connect local residents and businesses, resources (primarily forest products energy, minerals and metals), and agricultural products to markets around the world.
Furthermore, Prince George offers unparalleled access to outdoor recreation that contributes to the city's high quality of life and standards of living. The Fraser and Nechako rivers are focal points of an extensive park and trail system and there are more than 100 parks and green spaces that comprise an area about five times the size of Vancouver's Stanley Park. Other attractions include five ski hills within a two-hour drive from the city an many opportunities for year-round outdoor activities from camping to snowshoeing.
Location
Prince George is located near the geographic centre of British Columbia where Highway 16 and Highway 97 meet. It is 778km north of Vancouver and 737km west of Edmonton.
Government and Political Representation
Prince George is located in the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George. The Prince George City Council is represented by a Mayor and eight (8) Councillors.
Learn more about PG's Mayor and Council
Provincial Ridings
- Prince George - Mackenzie
- Prince George - Valemount
Federal Ridings
- Cariboo - Prince George
- Prince George - Peace river
Climate and Temperatures
Prince George's location allows it to experience all four seasons in full. With an average of 2,000 hours of sunshine per year, PG residents enjoy the outdoors all year round. The average summer temperature is 16 degrees Celsius, though it's normal to see temperatures peak in the low 30s. In the winter, while the average temperature is -6 degrees Celsius, temperatures can range from above zero to the thirty below.
Housing
In 2016, the average selling price of a home in Prince George was just under $300,000. About two-thirds of Prince George's housing stock is comprised of single-family homes and homes in Prince George are larger than the BC average.
Economy
Prince George's economy is diversified across multiple sectors. PG has developed over recent decades from a mainly forest-based economy to a city that has a strong natural resource base, but also supplies goods and services for a broad range of sectors throughout northern BC, within Canada, and internationally.
Compared to other mid-sized cities covered in the Conference Board of Canada's Mid-Sized Cities Outlook 2016, Prince George was top for economic growth. Following growth of 2.6 per cent in 2015, Prince George's economy is forecast to make further gains with real GDP rising by 2.4 per cent in 2016 and 2.8 in 2017. In 2016, private sector investment in the community was higher than any year since 1990.
Prince George is situated in the Cariboo Development Region and the region's five largest employment sectors are:
- Wholesale & Retail Trade
- Manufacturing
- Healthcare & Social Assistance
- Accommodation & Food Services
- Construction
Education
The University of Northern British Columbia opened in 1994 and its 3,400 students are registered in a range of undergraduate and graduate programs that include engineering, medicine, and doctoral programs. It was ranked for the past few years by Maclean's magazine as #1 among Canada's two-dozen small universities and is currently ranked #2.
The College of New Caledonia has its main campus in Prince George and delivers a range of trades and university-transfer programs.
Complementing the post-secondary institutions are School District 57 and a selection of private schools.