Here are some highlights from the January 12, 2026, City Council meeting. For more information – including the full agenda listing – read the Regular Council Meeting Agenda and its attachments.
Stormwater utility bylaw change
Council approved an amendment to the new stormwater utility bylaw and gave a third reading to the amended version.
At the December 1, 2025, meeting, Council approved the first three readings of the stormwater utility bylaw, stormwater reserve bylaw, and amendments to the comprehensive fees and charges bylaw to make way for a new dedicated fund for stormwater infrastructure for required ongoing operation and maintenance.
After the December meeting, the City shared more information about the proposed changes which led to questions about properties that are not in any way benefiting from the City’s stormwater system. With this feedback in mind, a new item has been added to the bylaw under section 6 exempt properties. The new item, 6.b) states, “All properties that are not in any way connected to any part of the Stormwater System, or do not in any way benefit from any part of the Stormwater System, as determined by the Director”.
RCMP year in review
Council received a 2025 year in review presentation from the Prince George RCMP.
The presentation showed that the total file count was 42,531, slightly down from 42,577 in 2024. Charges forwarded to Crown Counsel were also similar year over year, with 1,801 in 2025 and 1,928 in 2024. Council heard that property-related offences were down in 2025, but missing persons files saw a steep increase from previous years at 1,207. Looking ahead to 2026, Superintendent Darin Rappel said downtown social concerns and partnerships in the community remain a top focus.
Downloading report
Council voted in support of directing administration to prepare a ‘downloading report’ for use as an advocacy tool by Committees, Council, and staff.
The report explained that at the recent Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs meeting, the Committee discussed the impacts of costs and responsibilities that have been downloaded from senior levels of government to municipalities and further discussed the effectiveness of data as an advocacy tool. Recent reports produced by other BC municipalities have identified millions of dollars in downloaded costs that are being borne by local governments, taking budget away from municipal services such as roads, water, parks, and snow removal.
Preparation of a downloading report detailing the data and financial impacts of provincial and federal downloading on the City of Prince George is recommended by the Committee to be used as an advocacy tool to strengthen conversations held between the City and other levels of government.
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Media contact:
Kendall Robertson, senior communications advisor
Mobile: 778-349-5393
Email: media@princegeorge.ca