a city unlocking opportunity

Prince George is the capital of Northern British Columbia. The question isn't whether we hold that title, it’s what we're going to do with it.

For too long, cities across North America have approached growth one project at a time. A housing development here, a road project there, a recreation facility somewhere else. The most successful communities take a different approach. They establish a clear vision for what they want to become and align investment, infrastructure, housing, economic development, advocacy, and partnerships around that vision. That's the approach I believe Prince George should take.

As the largest service centre in Northern BC, Prince George provides healthcare, education, transportation, recreation, government services, and economic infrastructure used by people across the region. That creates tremendous opportunity, but it also leaves local taxpayers carrying costs that extend far beyond our municipal boundaries.

Over the next decade, major opportunities in mining, energy, transportation, healthcare, housing, manufacturing, aviation, logistics, and industrial development will help shape British Columbia's modern economy, and western Canada’s new economic future. Prince George must be at the centre of that growth. Prince George needs to fight to attract the investment that will help unlock what Northern BC can offer the world, and the Mayor must lead those efforts.

Those opportunities will not wait for us; the communities that succeed will be the ones that are prepared. They will have the infrastructure, industrial lands, workforce, partnerships, housing, transportation networks, and the efficient city processes necessary to compete for major projects before they arrive, and Prince George must be one of those communities.

We need to be proactive, not reactive – we need to be project ready, investment ready, and growth ready so that when opportunities emerge, PG is positioned to lead rather than compete from behind.

Prince George is competing with regional centres across Western Canada for investment, talent, infrastructure funding, and opportunity. Fortunately, we have all of the ingredients needed to compete – our challenge is ensuring PG is positioned to seize those opportunities.

We need to be actively making our case in Victoria, Ottawa, and in boardrooms and offices of companies that need what we have. We need to be part of the conversations around critical minerals, clean energy, sustainable fuels and aviation fuels, transportation corridors, aviation, supply chains, and Canada's future economic and security priorities from the outset.

When mining companies are looking for services, suppliers, expertise, equipment, talent, transportation connections, industrial capacity, or logistics support, they should be looking to Prince George. The same should be true for clean energy, hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production, value-added manufacturing, aviation logistics, warehousing, cargo distribution, and defence related industries supporting Canada's future economic and security needs.

Prince George has the potential to become the resource, transportation, service, and supply chain hub of Western Canada, connecting Northern BC's resources and industries to markets around the world. Our strategic location, transportation network, industrial capacity, and airport also position Prince George to play an increasingly important role in Canada's economic resilience, emergency preparedness, and national security objectives – both with purpose built and dual use infrastructure.

We have strategic transportation connections by road, rail, and air, including one of the most important airports in Western Canada given its location, proximity to natural resources and industry, cargo potential, and connectivity to Asia-Pacific markets. We have affordable, serviced, and expansive industrial lands. We have reliable, low carbon hydroelectric power. We

are home to Northern BC's largest and only referral hospital, a growing healthcare sector, a university, and a college that position Prince George as the healthcare and education hub of the North. We have a skilled workforce, entrepreneurs, innovators, and businesses already doing incredible work. We have the physical capacity to accommodate thoughtful growth and major investment.

People are PG’s greatest asset. We must continue strengthening partnerships between education, industry, trades, healthcare, Indigenous partners, and government so local residents can access good careers and opportunities while ensuring our community remains a place where people choose to build their future.

Prince George already serves as Northern BC's healthcare, education, transportation, and service hub. We should also be the place where more decisions about Northern BC are made.

Too often, decisions that affect Northern communities are made hundreds of kilometres away by people who do not live here, work here, or experience the realities of life in the North. The people making decisions about the North should increasingly be in the North.

That means attracting regional business headquarters, government agencies, regulatory functions, professional services, and decision making roles to Prince George so more of the expertise, leadership, influence, and economic value connected to Northern BC remains in Northern BC. This can be achieved – because the people who work in those jobs also want what we can offer: affordability, close community, and connection to abundant nature.

What we need is leadership focused on bringing all of these pieces together around a clear direction. Prince George must be a city that competes aggressively for investment, jobs, housing, talent, and opportunity. A city that is prepared. A city that is ambitious. A city that knows where it is headed.

I want Prince George to be the city companies think of first when they are looking to invest, the city families choose when building a future, and the city governments turn to when it comes to industry, clean energy, transportation, and economic opportunity in British Columbia.

We have the foundation and the opportunity; now we need the leadership and direction to bring it all together.

I have the experience, the passion, and the ability to help get us there.

MY 5 PRIORITIES TO GET US THERE