FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Prince George, B.C. – Members of the Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs are pleased with recent progress to advance the City of Prince George’s priorities with the federal government.
City representatives took part in more than 20 meetings with parliamentarians in Ottawa in June to showcase Prince George’s strategic role as an economic hub that is well-positioned to support joint local and federal priorities including economic security, infrastructure, trade diversification, energy resilience, housing, and northern readiness. Conversations focused on how existing assets, partnerships, and opportunities in Prince George can help advance these shared goals, provided they are paired with targeted federal investment and strategic policy change. The City presented four priority areas:
- Investing in trade-enabling infrastructure.
- Scaling local industry and advancing energy sovereignty.
- Supporting northern defence readiness.
- Securing a place in Canada’s energy future.
Continued conversations with Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Gregor Robertson highlighted Prince George’s strong housing delivery record and the need for targeted infrastructure investment to support growth in northern B.C. Following these discussions, Minister Robertson, Premier David Eby, and Prime Minister Mark Carney made an announcement in B.C. for more than $5 billion through the Build Communities Strong Fund to accelerate homebuilding and invest in critical infrastructure. In this announcement, the government cited the importance of port communities such as Prince Rupert to Canada’s economic sovereignty, which signals that they are paying attention to the north. The need for investment for inland ports was central to discussions with parliamentarians, with specific emphasis on bolstering the rail line between Prince George and Prince Rupert and directing funding to projects such as the Lower Hart Water Main replacement.
As a result of the trip, several Members of Parliament (MP) expressed interest in delegations to Prince George, as well as submissions to several government consultations and funding applications, and ongoing engagement with Ministers and the broader Pacific Caucus. This work follows the committee’s spring advocacy efforts in Victoria, which is part of Council’s strategic approach to advocate more directly for the community and includes participation in the BC Urban Mayors’ Caucus and representation through the Union of BC Municipalities.
Public safety petition
In early 2026, the City initiated a petition focused on improving public safety in the region which was tabled by MP Todd Doherty in the House of Commons. In the same week, the federal government’s Bill C-14 became law, introducing a range of changes to the Criminal Code aimed at strengthening public safety measures. The City met with the Office of the Minister of Justice following the passage of the legislation to discuss the ways in which Bill C-14 addresses the recommendations put forth in the petition, while also focusing on next steps to ensure these measures are effective.
Federation of Canadian Municipalities support
At the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) conference in early June, the City’s resolution for increased federal support for the forestry sector was endorsed with 86% support. The resolution urges to federal government to make resolving the softwood lumber dispute and any trade agreements affecting Canadian forest products a top priority. It also calls on Ottawa to enact procurement policies to source Canadian lumber first and to increase investment and work to open markets to Canadian forest products with all international partners, particularly for smaller, Indigenous-owned, or women-owned businesses.
Quotes
“Meeting face-to-face with local leaders is essential to ensuring northern British Columbia’s priorities are heard in Ottawa. Prince George is the economic and transportation hub of northern BC, with significant opportunities in forestry, critical minerals, energy and trade. I appreciated the opportunity to meet with Councillor Kyle Sampson, Susan Scott and others to discuss how we can work together to advance Prince George’s and Northern priorities to support growth, investment and good jobs for the -region.” – Bob Zimmer, Member of Parliament for Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies
“There’s no substitute for being in Ottawa and having face-to-face conversations with decision-makers. It was a pleasure to welcome members of Prince George City Council and City staff to Parliament Hill and support their efforts to advance Prince George’s priorities. Their visit provided an important opportunity to build relationships, share local perspectives, and advocate directly for the investments and policies that matter most to our community. By working together and presenting a united voice, we can help ensure Prince George’s priorities are heard and understood at the federal level.” – Todd Doherty, Member of Parliament for Cariboo-Prince George
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Media contact:
Kendall Robertson, senior communications advisor
Mobile: 778-349-5393
Email: media@princegeorge.ca