Here are some highlights from the September 17, 2025, City Council meeting. For more information – including the full agenda listing – read the Regular Council Meeting Agenda and its attachments.
Future of the Little Prince Train
Council considered three options regarding the long-term operating agreement for the Little Prince Train and the construction of a storage shelter. In 2020, Council approved replacing the train shelter, which is undersized and leaking, but the project was deferred due to the pandemic. Annual operating agreements have since kept the train running.
A new shelter based on the 2020 design is estimated at $1.25 million, though costs may change with required archaeological and environmental assessments, design, and Transport Canada regulations.
Council voted to approve the new storage facility as an unfunded project in the 2026 capital plan, which means the project will be weighed against other projects on the capital plan before Council makes a final decision. Council also directed Administration to explore alternative options and associated costs from the 2020 rendering for the Little Prince Storage Shelter, and referred the issue to the Intergovernmental Committee to engage in strategic advocacy with the federal government, in particular the Department of Canadian Heritage.
Electric scooter pilot
Council voted to join the Electric Kick Scooter Pilot Project being run by the provincial government.
The pilot project, which was initially rolled out in 2021, permits the use of “e-scooters” on public roadways within participating communities. The report to council explains the goal of the program is to research, test, and evaluate the safety and efficiency of e-kick scooters, with the goals of reducing carbon emissions and encouraging greater use of alternative and sustainable transportation modes.
Administration will now prepare bylaw amendments to Highways Bylaw No. 8065 to include the definition of e-scooter to accommodate the pilot project. The projects runs until April 2028 and data collected through this program will help determine how e-kick scooters are addressed under the Motor Vehicle Act.
Public washrooms
Council received a report with information with respect to the four resolutions on access to public washrooms in downtown Prince George made at the December 2, 2024 Council meeting.
The report covered costing, feasibility, grant opportunities, surveys, comparisons with other cities, and advocacy.
Council passed an additional motion requesting staff engage the general public in a survey on downtown washrooms including consultation with Downtown Prince George.
Parking study implementation
Council considered a number of recommendations to improve parking in the downtown and hospital zones, guided by feedback received from residents earlier this year.
At the July 28 meeting, Prince George City Council received an update on the parking modernization study from Manager of Transportation Planning at LEA Consulting, Robert Keel.
The study makes 25 recommendations and provides comment on a possible implementation strategy to improve the parking experience for residents and visitors in both the downtown and hospital parking zones.
Council voted to transition towards a consistent 3-hour free parking window in the Downtown and Hospital Zones, with now the added flexibility for users to pay for additional time beyond the free period.
Other motions approved included converting 2nd Avenue into a two-way traffic area as part of the 2026 Capital Plan, increasing the number of physical pay stations, and asking administration to review the feasibility of dictating all incremental revenue from on-street paid parking to downtown safety and cleanliness initiatives.
August building permit summary
Council received a building permit and development permit summary for August 2025 with 37 permits issued for the month. The report includes all residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional permits, and the estimated total construction value of each development.
The August total is made up of six commercial/industrial permit and 31 residential permits, worth a combined total of $17.1 million.
The year-to-date total as at the end of August is 280 permits worth a combined $231.8 million. The year-to-date total for the previous year 2024 was 284 permits totaling $206.8 million.
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Media contact:
Claire Thwaites, communications manager
Mobile: 778-349-1386
Email: media@princegeorge.ca