
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Prince George, BC – It was a big year for the City of Prince George in 2024. Council is now officially halfway through its term. A lot of progress has been made and there are a number of projects and issues to watch continuing into the new year.
January
- City Council approved adding site preparation costs for the proposed transitional housing facility on 3rd Avenue to the 2024 – 2028 Financial Plan with a total budget of $468,126. The decision was made at a special council meeting on January 15 after BC Housing sent a request for contribution and provided a servicing brief for the project. The City advocated for the province to create a transitional shelter facility to address the city’s immediate need for safe shelter space for the unhoused.
- After two days of deliberations, City Council passed a 6.78 per cent tax levy for the 2024 municipal budget.
February
- Wildfire fuel mitigation work kicked off at Broddy Road between the Vanway fire hall and the Vanway transfer station. Wildfire fuel removal activities reduce the amount of combustible material that can be used as fuel for a fire. This includes thinning trees, pruning branches and removing dead wood, reducing the amount of litter and debris on the ground, or creating buffer zones between homes and wildlands.
- The City asked the public to report accessibility concerns in the community. The request came on the back of the 2023 – 2026 Accessibility Work Plan, which was received by council in January. The plan is part of the legal framework established by the province within the Accessible British Columbia Act.
March
- The City of Prince George was a proud funding partner of the 2024 Para Biathlon World Championships and the Para Nordic World Cup Finals that took place from March 5 to 17.
- Council voted in favour of the Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs pursuing an advocacy delegation to Victoria to follow up on and introduce items of concern. The purpose of the delegation was to meet with provincial leaders to discuss requests that could enhance service delivery and reduce costs to items that are of importance regionally. The trip took place at the end of April.
April
- A new off-leash dog park was announced for College Heights. The dog park is next to the community ice rink on Southridge Avenue between St. Anthony Crescent and Dakelh Ti. This location was picked as it has off street parking and is in a centralized location. The off-leash park opened to the public June.
- The final open houses for the Official Community Plan review project were held on April 9 and 10. Phase three included opportunities for community members and interested parties to provide their input on policy development.
May
- A section of Ferguson Lake Road in the Hart was damaged due to flooding and closed to the public. On May 10 a temporary bridge around the damaged area was brought into place to allow vehicle access. Work to install a permanent bridge at the creek crossing was completed in October.
- The City set up a permanent Emergency Support Services (ESS) Reception Centre location for 2024. Thanks to provincial funding, four trailers were leased and delivered to the back of the Kin Centre, where they served as the cornerstone of the city's summer emergency response efforts. Comprising of three large trailers and a dedicated washroom facility, this setup ensured that the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) had a permanent and well-equipped reception. The timing of the set up worked well with the ESS activated to support evacuees from Fort Nelson.
- Rehabilitation work started on the Heritage River Trail in Cottonwood Island Park. An area of the trail between the Replica Bridge and the Cameron Street Bridge was closed while the upgrades took place which involved removing sections of asphalt from the trail and replacing them with gravel. The new gravel path created a smoother trail and increased accessibility for users.
- The City launched a survey to gather resident feedback to determine how stormwater management will be funded to ensure the system operates safely and efficiently for years to come. The City is creating a dedicated stormwater management fund and sought input through an online survey and an in-person pop up session at the Pine Centre Mall. The survey allowed residents to choose from four different options for funding stormwater management programs. In September council considered the feedback and voted to proceed with option four which will create a utility fee based on the actual measurement of the hard surface area in a sampling of all property types. Option four was the most popular with survey respondents.
- A Community Safety Town Hall meeting was held on May 28 at the Prince George Conference and Civic Centre. Feedback received focused on downtown conditions, with specific attention to the lower Patricia Boulevard encampment (LPBE). Key concerns voiced by residents included housing, air quality, and transition plans for the court-protected encampment. The feedback received is being used to shape future engagement and inform ongoing efforts.
June
- CN Centre kicked off its 30th anniversary celebrations in 2025 with a special announcement that CRYSTAL - Cirque Du Soleil's one-of-a-kind production that brings circus arts to ice would be returning to Prince George for six performances from March 6 to 9.
- The public were invited to have their say on the future of Chancellor Park in University Heights. The 17,000-square-metre parcel of land, situated between Chancellor Boulevard and Maurice Drive, has been scheduled for a potential upgrade in 2025. Residents were invited to have their say and share suggestions, with the most popular request being a playground. The input collected has been reviewed by parks staff to inform a capital project request, which will be presented to council as part of the 2025 budget review.
- On June 21the City of Prince George, Regional District of Fraser-Fort George (RDFFG), and Lheidli T’enneh First Nation (LTFN) came together to sign an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The signing took place at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park as part of the 2024 National Indigenous Peoples Day (NIPD) celebrations.
- The City announced a plan and a series of actions aimed at enhancing community safety and addressing issues related to the lower Patricia Boulevard encampment (LPBE). These measures reflect the City's commitment to ensuring a safe, healthy, and clean community for all residents. A phased approach to better manage the encampment was endorsed by council at the June 24 meeting.
July
- The Alternate Approval Process (AAP) to borrow funds for upgrades to the Aquatic Centre kicked off on July 5. Enhancements and repairs at the Aquatic Centre, approved by council on April 22, total $22.15 million. This funding will be borrowed from the Municipal Finance Authority (MFA), which required approval from electors. In August it was announced the AAP was completed and the necessary approval was obtained to proceed.
- Popular weekly event Foodie Fridays returned to downtown Prince George with an exciting kick-off on July 5. Foodie Fridays brings food trucks, vendors, entertainment – and hungry residents – to Canada Games Plaza over the summer months.
- Wildfire caused Jasper residents to evacuate and many made their way to B.C. overnight. The Alberta Government ultimately asked evacuees to return to Alberta for emergency support services but staff at the City’s Emergency Reception Centre were available to provide guidance and helped evacuees find their way back to their home province.
August
- The Province of British Columbia issued a Housing Target Order under the Housing Supply Act, aiming complete 1,803 net new housing units in the City of Prince George over the next five years. This target, calculated as 75 per cent of the estimated housing need (2,404 units) for the city, represents a significant step towards addressing local housing challenges. Prince George was one of 10 municipalities who had their housing targets released at this time. The first progress report will be published in early spring 2025, following six months of the Housing Target Order's implementation.
- Canada Games Plaza was a sea of red and white on August 16 as a send-off event for local athlete Joel Ewert was held before he departed for the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
September
- Representatives from all levels of government gathered at City Hall on September 4 to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at addressing regional gaps and advocating for improved mental health and addiction treatment options in the area. The MOU was signed by MPs Bob Zimmer and Todd Doherty, MLAs Shirley Bond and Mike Morris, Chief Dolleen Logan of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, Prince George Mayor Simon Yu, and Regional District of Fraser-Fort George Chair Lara Beckett.
- The City of Prince George announced enhancements to Connaught Hill Park, one of the city’s premier parks, were set to begin. The project aims to improve the visitor experience by upgrading key areas of the park, focusing on the significant flower bed site located at the top of the hill before accessing the loop. The enhanced space is envisioned as a picturesque location, ideal for hosting weddings and special events.
- The City of Prince George and the Prince George Cougars Hockey Club announced the signing of a new four-year license agreement for the CN Centre. The previous agreement between the City and EDGEPRO Sports and Entertainment Ltd. (the owners of the Cougars) expired on July 31, 2024. The new agreement extends through 2028, with an option to extend for an additional four years. Under the agreement, the City will receive an annual flat fee for ticket sales and commissions on additional ticket sales, food, and beverage revenue.
- Council members and staff spent the week from September 16 to 20 at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) convention in Vancouver advocating for key policy issues affecting the region and engaging with various levels of government. For the City of Prince George, top priorities at the conference included homelessness, housing, and mental health and addictions.
October
- Preliminary work began on the John Hart Forcemain Replacement Project, aimed at upgrading essential infrastructure servicing the north side of the Nechako River. This project was first identified in 2019 after an inspection of the sanitary forcemain crossing over the Nechako River on the John Hart Bridge revealed areas of reduced pipe thickness and deteriorating hanger components. The new pipeline will span approximately 1,300 metres, running from lift station PW117 on Richard Road to the intersection of Highway 97 and 5th Avenue where it will tie into the existing line. The project is expected to be fully completed by late February 2025, with awarded contracts totalling $6,791,978.
- The City ramped up budget consultation with an online survey and a community townhall session on October 30 with the city manager and directors. The citizen budget survey launched on October 7 and the check-up surveys were launched in September. More than 900 residents participated in the budget survey.
- Starting on October 16, parking regulations in the hospital zone near the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia (UHNBC) were changed as part of a strategy to address on-street parking challenges. These updates follow a review and decision made on July 8 by council. As part of the proposed changes, two-hour free parking remains in areas immediately surrounding key medical facilities affected by construction of the new parkade, including UHNBC, the Northern Interior Health Unit, and others. In addition to the continued availability of free parking, the City introduced pay parking in the remaining streets within the Hospital Zone.
- Work began on the removal of the playground equipment at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park (LTMP), ready to make way for the new playground. The old playground, installed in 2000, no longer meets modern safety standards. The new playground is scheduled for completion by autumn 2025. The design pays tribute to local landmarks, including the Little Prince Train Engine and a vintage fire truck feature that honors the original playground. The project’s estimated budget is $3 million, pending council approval.
November
- The draft OCP was released along with a survey for residents. In this final phase the City released the draft OCP for public review, then staff will refine it based on public input, and prepare it for council consideration in early 2025.
- The City announced it has filed a claim in BC Supreme Court seeking compensation for the deficiencies in the design of the Canfor Leisure Pool. In its Notice of Civil Claim , the City asserts the design of the pool was deficient, amounted to a breach of the contract between the City and the designer, and was negligent.
- The annual Civic Light Up returned to Prince George coinciding with the Festival of Trees event at the Prince George Conference and Civic Centre. The popular local event featured live entertainment, crafts, hot chocolate, and more.
December
- The Finance & Audit Committee recommended approval of the projects listed within the Draft 2025-2029 Capital Plan report. Approval of capital projects early in the budget process allows procurement to begin now to meet deadlines for work to be done in the spring. The report highlights there are two new debt funded projects being proposed for 2025: the Civic Centre Building Automation System & Chiller Replacement with a budget of $3.26 million and Stormwater System Renewal at $2.62 million.
- At the December 16 meeting council voted to move forward with a concept plan for the Civic Core District Plan upgrade and directed staff to proceed with technical studies and site planning. The approved plan as highlighted in the report to council includes:
- A performing arts centre situated on the former Four Seasons Pool site.
- An ice arena on the current site of Kopar Memorial Arena.
- A mixed-use hotel next to the proposed performing arts space and a mixed-use residential development on the current Knights Inn property.
Council’s selection means the City will now procure consultant services to prepare detailed site design, servicing feasibility studies (including sanitary sewer, water, and stormwater), parking and pedestrian analysis, and project renderings. These steps will ensure a clear vision for implementation.
- The City unveiled its updated 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, which outlines priorities to guide community development and resource allocation through 2026. The plan was informed by a council workshop that was held in the fall and reflects their vision of fostering a resilient, sustainable, and inclusive community. Highlights include enhancing City services, fostering economic diversification, advancing climate action initiatives, and improving livability for all residents.
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The City wishes everyone a happy new year and we look forward to continue serving the community in 2025.
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Media contact:
Claire Thwaites, senior communications advisor
Mobile: 778-349-1386
Email: media@princegeorge.ca