Here are some highlights from the August 31, 2026, City Council meeting. For more information, including the full agenda listing, read the Regular Council Meeting Agenda and its attachments.
Climate action update
Council received an update on climate action initiatives and phase two of the City’s Climate Forward Action Plan (2026–2030).
Phase two builds on the first phase by continuing to set out practical tasks aligned with the goals of the Climate Mitigation Plan and Adaptation Report.
These tasks were developed through internal consultation with City departments and reflect current departmental work plans, capacity, and budgets. Actions outside current budgets would depend on grant funding opportunities.
To date, the City’s climate action work has largely focused on adaptation initiatives that prepare Prince George for changing climate conditions. The report to council noted that emissions have remained relatively consistent over the past 10 years, which is in line with trends in other interior communities.
Jiangmen Sister-City Agreement
Council deferred a decision asking administration to prepare a refreshed letter of intent for a potential sister-city agreement with Jiangmen, China. The item will be returned to the next council in February 2027.
The renewed proposal follows a May delegation visit by Jiangmen dignitaries to Prince George. A sister-city agreement would establish a more formal relationship between the two cities and support opportunities for economic development, business connections, research, cultural exchange, and cooperation.
The original letter of intent dates back to 2010, when discussions about a sister-city relationship first began. The updated letter would serve as an interim step by confirming both parties’ interest in continuing discussions and identifying specific mutually beneficial opportunities.
According to the report to council from the Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs, the sister-city agreement itself would be reviewed, amended, and brought back to council at a later date.
Hotel Tax Application
Council approved administration working with Tourism Prince George to prepare an application to the Province to renew the three per cent Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT) for another five-year term, from July 1, 2027, to July 1, 2032.
The MRDT is one of several tools available to support tourism marketing in B.C. The program is intended to increase tourism revenue, visitation, and jobs while strengthening B.C.’s tourism marketing in a competitive market. Tourism Prince George has recommended renewing the agreement at the current three per cent rate.
Council also endorsed a resolution for the upcoming UBCM convention calling on the Province to review and amend MRDT regulations. The resolution asks the Province to address situations where destination marketing organizations and local governments lose MRDT revenue when hotel rooms are occupied for extended periods by construction, industrial, or other project-related workers.
Current rules exempt accommodation rented for more than 27 consecutive days from MRDT. This means long-term workforce stays do not generate the same tourism tax revenue as short-term visitor stays.
With approximately 2,000 hotel rooms, Prince George generates about $1.75 million in annual MRDT revenue.
July building permit summary
Council received a building permit and development permit summary for July 2026. The report includes all residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional permits, and the estimated total construction value of each development.
The July total is made up of five commercial/industrial permits and 30 residential permits, worth a combined total of $46 million. The year-to-date figure for 2026 is 246 permits valued at $157.7 million. This is down on the year-to-date for January to July in 2025, where the total at that time was 238 permits with a value of $214 million.
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Media contact:
Claire Thwaites, Communications Manager
Mobile: 778-349-1386
Email: media@princegeorge.ca