Council meeting summary - February 28, 2023

Type(s)
Media Releases
Council Media Release

Here are some highlights from the February 27, 2023 City Council Meeting. For more information – including the full agenda listing – consult the February 27, 2023 Regular Council Meeting Agenda and its attachments.

Freedom of the City award

  • Council awarded former mayor Lyn Hall with the Freedom of the City for his decades of community service.
  • The Freedom of the City is a designation that is infrequently awarded and only done so with Council’s full support. The award is reflective of exceptional merit and public contribution.
  • In addition to Community Charter benefits, Council passed a policy in 2005 that grants Freedom of the City recipients the privilege of being invited to special City Council functions like volunteer appreciation dinners, free parking at City lots and parkades, and the honour of having their photograph displayed at City Hall.

 

Tourism Prince George and Northern BC Tourism Association

  • Council received an update on the 2023 BC Tourism and Hospitality Conference from host destination partners Tourism Prince George and the Northern BC Tourism Association.
  • The conference will run from March 1 to March 3, 2023 and is the first time this annual conference is being held in the north.
  • More than 300 BC tourism professionals from across BC (roughly equalling 1,000 hotel room nights) will visit Prince George and the event is expected to provide a boost to local businesses.
  • The conference provides opportunities to highlight and grow tourism in Prince George and northern BC.

 

Building permit statistics and Development Services summary

  • The City’s Planning and Development department reported building permit values in 2022 set a new record.
  • The 2022 $250 million in permit values exceeded 2021 by $14 million (roughly a five per cent increase).
  • Residential developments experienced a slight decline but continue to provide the highest total permit numbers and total permit values.
  • Commercial and industrial projects made significant contributions to last year’s permit values.