City Supports Bid for Paralympic Event
Prince George, B.C.- The Caledonia Nordic Ski Club has submitted a bid to host the 2019 International Paralympic Committee’s Nordic World Championship and Prince George City Council has approved financial support.
If successful, it is estimated the two week event would bring more than 220 athletes and officials to Prince George for a two week event that would require the support of up to 100 volunteers.
It is estimated the event could have an economic impact of $1.6 million for the City.
Council has approved providing up to $250 thousand dollars in support of the bid, with the dollars coming from the Major Events Reserve.
“This is exciting” says Councillor Garth Frizzell “I am all for this”.
There is just over $300 thousand in the Major Events Reserve as of the end of 2015, and $200 thousand is dedicated annually.
City Manager Kathleen Soltis says the City and Nordic Club will seek other sources for funding, and the real cost is expected to be about $50 thousand.
“I think what we are seeing by way of this opportunity is the legacy of the Canada Winter Games” says Mayor Lyn Hall, with that, he called the vote, and the support was unanimous ( Councillor Frank Everitt was absent).
Comments
WTG, We keep ourselves in the limelight of the event scenes.
I am sure a few naysayers will have their usual rhetoric.
I do wonder how these economic benefits work though. How does the 1.6 million actually benefit PG in exchange for the $250,000 the city may have to kick in. I realize CNSC will try and raise $200,000 from private donors, but to me, that just means $200,000 less for other worthwhile causes, because private donors only give so much, and if it’s for this, then there’s nothing for say, new medical equipment.
But it seems to me there’s a bit of smoke in mirrors. If visitors are buying gas, pretty much 95% of what you pay at the pump, goes to an oil company and taxes.
Restaurants, much better, food cost is about 40%, so the owner has 60% left over.
Hotels, mostly corporate owned, so most of cash goes to their shareholders.
For once, it would be nice to get an explanation of what economic impact really means. Because it sure isn’t 1.6 million going into the city’s pocket.
So for $250,000.00, how does PG actually end up better off, vs say, fixing a sewer or improving healthcare, or heaven forbid, pay down some debt.
But it seems to me there’s a bit of smoke in mirrors. If visitors are buying gas, pretty much 95% of what you pay at the pump, goes to an oil company and taxes. ????? Bingo !! That’s the very cycle that makes the argument FOR electrification of transport . It keeps the money in the community instead of going to the oil companies whom put zero into the communities . Except for perhaps for photo ops .
Though not a popular concept in PG, Portland Oregon spent hundreds of millions on bike lanes, and one of the economic benefits they found, is the cash that was going into fuel, instead of leaving the city, ended going into local businesses.
I think you make a valid but apparently unpopular point. Considering BC is hydro electric self sufficient, especially with site C, if we pushed for electric driven transportation where practical, the cash going to oil companies would go to BC Hydro – who is conveniently owned by us.
But that could have the undesirable effect of making Christy Clark look smart.
Glad to see at least one person in PG is keeping their eye on the money rather than getting caught up in ideology. It is understandable that a few used car sales mutts would be so vocal against the electrification of transport . Vested interest can cloud ones thinking . They wonder why governments are so bent on electrification of transport . You said it yourself . It’s about the money staying inside ones borders and not ending up in the Koch brothers pockets . That’s why Peabody and the Kochs spend well over 27 million $ a year on oil shill think tanks every year .
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