Northern Mayors Seek Common Ground
Mayors, city managers and regional district chairs have all gathered at the Prince George Civic Centre today – photo courtesy City of Prince George
Prince George, B.C. – From 100 Mile House to Fort Nelson and from Haida Gwaii to Valemount– 24 mayors, 17 chief administrative officers, six regional district chairs and a smattering of support staff have gathered at the Civic Centre in Prince George today.
They’ve met to discuss issues of common concern and ways of working together to address them. It’s the first meeting of its kind in the 62-year existence of the North Central Local Government (NCLGA).
“I’m thrilled that we were able to get together and under the NCLGA banner,” says meeting co-chair and Prince George Mayor Lyn Hall.
“It has never been done and when I became mayor one of the focus points I really wanted to address was getting all of the communities that are represented together in one room and for a first time meeting I think we’ve really knocked it out of the park.”
He says the meeting has been broken into three categories: economic development, social responsibility and environmental stewardship though he didn’t bring any specific issues from Prince George to discuss.
“We just wanted to see where that conversation went and ironically enough, the conversation really comes back to economic development – as economic development in a community goes you face different issues around environmental stewardship or social responsibilities.”
District of Mackenzie Mayor Pat Crook also sees great value in the meeting.
“We should be working as a cohesive unit. I think this is the first step for standing up for the north and working as one large body,” he says.
“It’s all about sustainability, building coalitions with First Nations, economic development and sustainability. They’re all there for the north, I mean everything goes south, all the revenue, all the taxes, very little comes back.
“Forestry for example still accounts for 40% of the provincial budget. Some of that money should be coming back in a more realistic form, it shouldn’t all stay in the 604 area.”
Comments
This photo op brought to you by the already over taxed citizens of the north.
Well a good start would be about rescinding the carbon tax scam and discus forming our own province outside of the lower main land and Okanagan.
I really don’t understand the issue with the PHOTO!
I mean the meeting was going to take place anyway so there is ZERO extra expense in having a photo taken of the occasion especially when the photo is taken by a news organization.
Do you have an issue with the reason for having the meeting
I would suggest that our Northern Mayors and councilors need to be reading from the same script, and be speaking with a common voice in order to have chance at being heard by the powers that be down south.
24 mayors, 17 chief administrative officers, six regional district chairs and a smattering of support staff have gathered at the Civic Centre in Prince George today.
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Can you begin to imagine the cost of this photo op? Any idea what a “smattering” is? I don’t but since it’s the municipal government I’m guessing it’s a lot.
Municipal governments are out of control when it comes to spending taxpayer’s money. This is one gravy train that needs to be derailed.
So they should have had a secret meeting?
Why is the photo op a problem?
If you think that they are spending too much money, that is another matter all together.
But, that is just an opinion you are making us aware of. You are not providing us with a comparative supporting argument.
I wish you and JGalt and others would back up your assertions with some facts.
No matter whether on left or right, you guys all sound like Trump … shoot from the hip without facts.
Your communication purpose is to complain not to enlighten. The key is you know how to do it better …. until one asks you what have you done to make it better.
Nada! Niente! Nichts! Nothing!
My goodness gus, you are a pretentious old windbag.
My communication purpose is to give my opinion. I’m not here to enlighten the masses, my ego is not nearly big enough to even imagine I could take on such a task.
“This is one gravy train that needs to be derailed.”
It is not a gravy train.
They are trying to keep up with maintenance that prior mayors failed to keep up with
They are trying to keep up with the extreme inflation in the construction industry which is the prime component of maintaining civil infrastructure.
They are doing this while maintaining a lower than average cost to property taxpayers and user fees of the entire range of municipal spending in this province.
If anyone think this is BS or a blowhard writing, just check the figures of the cost to the median taxes paid by the owner of a median house in all municipalities in BC. Of the municipalities with similar and higher levels of population, PG is in the lowest quartile of taxes paid.
If anyone wishes to dispute that, then come out and speak up or write it.
Until you are able to do that, it is you who are the windbags.
This City is, for some reason, not willing to tell that to the local citizens. Why, has always been a mystery to me.
BTW, thanks for your normal ad hominem attack, ax!!!!
I know, it takes a bit more mental capacity to attack in a more meaningful way!!!
Over 50 million dollars in salaries and benefits for City employees. Regardless of how that compares to other cities it still too high, lots of dead wood walking around city compounds and driving city trucks. That’s the gravy train that needs to end. 27 bucks and hour to pick up garbage at CN Centre? Good grief. That’s a job that’s worth 18 tops.
PS. it wasn’t an ad hominem attack. I was merely making an observation. One that is shared by a great many people.
You mean kind of like School Board Trustees from across the province being represented by the BC School Trustees Association, who this government doesn’t listen to anyway?
And yes, lets rescind the carbon tax, but at the same time lets rescind all of the tax cuts that came with it. I mean fair is fair.
What a pile of crap. The provincial government has already told our previous mayor and council as well as all other British Columbia mayors- they will only deal with the UBCM. ( Union Of British Columbia Municipalities) Remember that Murray Crouse !!
This is on par with spending $70,000 of the taxpayers money to do a study on bike lanes last year.
Just the arrogance of this council and mayor.
Help me understand, I have seen plenty of past comments on here complaining about how to the rest of BC, nothing exists north of Hope. So mayors from neglected northern towns a cities organize to become a more effective voice for us in the north, and yet some on here chite on them.
The only reason the North Central Local Government (NCLGA), and the BCSTA for that matter, would be ineffective, is because of a uncaring and unresponsive government in Victoria.
But hey, this is just my opinion.
I m very glad they met and discussed issues that have a direct impact on everybody in the part north of the Lower Mainland!
As for the usual negative comments, forget it! Some people complain when they get together, other people complain when they do not! They should meet regularly from now on! Personal contact is very important!
Hear, hear! JGalt and PrinceGeorge! Isn’t it obvious that it’s always the same individuals who bitch and complain about pretty much everything! Sure wouldn’t want to be living under their roof!
It’s a good thing to share your city’s concerns, sometimes called brainstorming! We vote them in to do the best they can. Personally the present PG mayor has been the most pro active one we’ve had in many years…….
I am in complete agreement with you!
Yes, I agree! It is indeed a good thing that we have a great mayor now who cares about the community! He welcomes constructive criticism and new ways of doing things! Routinely bitching about everything is a total waste of time!
Allow me to add more to my comment:
We live in a free democratic country that is the envy of a hundred or more other countries!
And we are not suffering from foreign occupation or a government that ignores our freedoms which are enshrined in our constitution!
We are free to come and go as we please! We can vote freely in democratic elections!
We live in a province that is doing very well in spite of remaining challenges!
We live in a great city!
Constructive criticism and the bringing forth of new ideas and suggestions about how to make improvements are much better than endless negativity and finger pointing!
Go out and make a difference by becoming an active contributor!
Naw… you added too much!
@maplebud Well said!
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