There is a reputation that PG has which is being ingnored. Ignore the air quality of the city and plunge ahead with all the pipe dreams. After the air quality issue that hit the news a while back, everyone knows we stink. RE-Testing needs to be scheduled immediately! Until the air quality is fixed all your hard work will be for nothing. Sorry.

According to the latest information the sample taking equipment has arrived and as soon as there is an inversion air samples are going to be taken.

It's not unreasonable to keep publishing our advantages in the meantime.

Every village, town and city in B.C. is doing it.

If anything Prince George is guilty of not having done enough of that in the past.

Dear Munnica,
Here is a news flash; this is not a perfect world.
I deal with new people moving here to work and or retire in our City.
I have been a resident here for 30 years.
My children and grandchildren are all still here and love the City and all it stands for.
Yes the air is not perfect, but it is a lot better than it was 30 years ago. I prefer to take the high road and I look forward to the future here.

It is so bright I gotta use shades.

Ron J Davis

Thank you PrinceGeorge! Finally someone knows something about the air testing. I am very happy to hear the news. :}

Finally good news in promoting Prince George. Talking about air quality, other major centers have ozone problems which is as bad as particulate matter. dJust not as visible as particulates.

Municca, clearly you are not happy living in Prince George so why not find someplace better to move to. Stop trying to dampen any enthusiasm others have for trying to move this city forward. We all know there are some air quality issues and we all know something is being done in order to improve the situation. I sense though that regardless of what is done you will quickly find something else that doesn't sit right for you. Maybe you need to find a hobby and start looking at the positives.

municca,

Move to the Hart our air is fine, or summit lake or the Tabor lake area or, or, or. The bad air in the bowl is largely due to the inversion factor, it is a natural consequence of the geography, yes industry is contributing but at least they are trying to improve the problem. If they completely shut down the mills, refinery etc, the air will be great... but nobody will be here to enjoy it....

"If they completely shut down the mills, refinery etc, the air will be great... but nobody will be here to enjoy it..."

We are not the only community that is built in a valley and has inversions. We are also not the only community with heavy industry virtually identical to what we have. We also have no more trains than many of those, nor more tranport trucks than many of those, nor more cars, more winter sand, etc. etc.

We do have the continuing dubious honour, given all those elements that are common to many Candian mid sized and small communities, of having the highest or close to the highest concentration of pollution.

I am do not know why people do not understand that.

Other communities have found solutions without getting rid of jobs. Why can we not do so? Surely we are not that stupid, or stubborn or whatever it takes to make many so complacent.

Moving to the outskirts of the city is most certanly a solution. In fact, when one looks at the census population over the last 10 to 15 years, the number of people living in the immediate area surrounding the City limits have increased while the population in the City has decreased. I assume that air quality would be not the only reason, but one of the reasons.

As far as people still moving here .. am not sure waht that is supposed to mean.

Some people still buy houses on arterial roads. Some still buy corner lots. Some still buy houses a stones throw away from railway tracks. Some people still buy houses with backyards open to view from apartment dwellers next door.

People all have different sensitivities.

What we do know is that there are still people moving to this community. What we also know is that there are also people moving away form this community. But, we do not talk about them.

All we know, is that we have less and less people over the last 15 years. So, the net difference from the moving and from the desaths and births is a substantially negative population growth.

The question is, what part does air quality play in it? What part does crime play in it? What part does weather play in it? What part does access to health care play in it? What part does employment play in it? What part does remoteness play in it?

Is anyone doing an exit survey? Does anyone care?

Gus,

Your last three paragraphs raise some important points. It would be nice if we could get some answers to those questions. I would speculate that the top two are employment and crime. The third I would say would be young people moving to larger cities to see what that kind of life is like. But, that is pure speculation based on person experience.

Gus: "Other communities have found solutions without getting rid of jobs. Why can we not do so? Surely we are not that stupid, or stubborn or whatever it takes to make many so complacent."

I need to see a list of names of those communities.

Why is it so difficult to see why people are moving away from Prince George? The economy is shagnet plain and simple. We have these people with their head up there you know what that think that tax dollars can fix it all. It never will.

We may be the best place in the world to do business but if the population of the city is decreasing no one will invest in Prince George. Communities that grow will keep growing and the others will be hangers on..

Young families will not come here as the Provincial government has destroyed the primary education system. The university is great but its for those finishing off their education getting ready to LEAVE Prince George. Youth is always our hope but we have broken that cycle. The young no longer stay but leave the community. The pastures are much greener elsewhere.
Cheers

"Young families will not come here as the Provincial government has destroyed the primary education system."

Um, no... but nice try. Declining enrollment has taken its toll on the education system.

People are having smaller families and fewer kids. There is no reason to keep so many schools open when there are fewer kids than there was in the old days.

I am in the process of moving along with the other 1000 or so in the last few years. Air quality is a big factor due to illness. I do not hate PG! I keep bringing up the air quality issue only because it seemed to have been forgotten. I know now that it has not and testing is still planned. I believe that PG will never be a first choice place for people to move to. Sorry but it is what it is. The population has dropped dramatically so I am not alone in my beliefs. But it is good for all of you to keep a positive outlet. Good luck.

I didnt say what the Provincial government ruined in ouir primary education system . You are just assuming that its a lack of students.

In fact the Provincial government has ruined everything thats of social value to us.
Cheers

"You are just assuming that its a lack of students."

I'm not assuming anything. The numbers don't lie. Look them up for yourself, especially SD57.

We keep saying how great pg is but actions are louder than words and it seems to me there are way to many words and little action.
This is just another anouncement that hold no water. The list of these political anouncements is getting to be a joke. Airport expansion and all of the cargo traffic we will be getting comes to mind among many others.
Facts are PG is not a destination for tourists or business because of its air quality, backwards way of thinking city planners and the list goes on.

I for one will be moving my family from PG
and sorry the future is not that bright atleast not for PG.

"In fact the Provincial government has ruined everything thats of social value to us. Cheers"

You are speaking only for yourself and it is too bad that you have to come to such a sad conclusion.

I for one don't allow the political hype of one party versus another party get to me.

We have good schools and dedicated teachers(international tests show that our students are doing very well compared to other countries), we have good hospitals (our healthcare stacks up very well against the healthcare in many other countries, we get good pensions (both government and private), we have one of the highest per capita rate of volunteers in the world, we contribute annually to charities at an astounding rate, we have the lowest provincial income taxes in the country, we have a safety net for hardship cases and all kinds of government and private organizations which can be called upon when the need arises.

I am very proud of the social values and programs that exist and are a benefit to the citizens of our country and especially in our province.

Nothing has been ruined! Don't believe the hysterical hype - it's only politics.

Thank you!

This report means absolutely nothing. We have had many such reports over the years. We keep beating out drum but no one hears.

Do you people really beleive that because those Bozo's put out this report that business will come to Prince George???

Most of the things mentioned in the report have been here for years. Where's the business. Other than a few dumpy call centres, and maybe a pellet plant there has been NO, new business for years and years.

This is not going to change unless there is a serious change of attitude in this town. Some private investors have to spend some money. The only money spent in any amount over the past 30 years has been Government money. Without a serious commitment from Private Business, and Private Money, this town is going nowhere.

I predict a continuing downward spiral for the next 10 years. Then perhaps a leveling off and we will settle in as a small city in the middle of a big wilderness. Whats wrong with that???

Let's have a report card from IPG in a year's time and see what new businesses have been attracted based on the basis of the KPMG report. How much did the population grow, and how much tax revenue increased for the city.
It's always nice to beat the drum but a few tangible results would be better. Let's not forget the airport runway or CN terminal have not exactly been runaway successes. The only major spending in PG in the last few years has come from gov't and we all know where those dollars come from.

I have absolutely no objection to our governments having done some major spending in PG. I pay both federal and provincial taxes and I am glad when plenty of it is being invested here.

If they don't spend it here they will spend it somewhere else, because on way or another they will spend the money set aside for annual projects.

I haven't heard of any other city turning down government funded projects.