Ft. St. John...SMMMOKIN! One Man's Opinion

Wednesday, July 26, 2006 03:56 AM

Premier Gordon Campbell says the 250 is now leading the 604 in terms of growth in the province.

That is most evident when you travel through Ft St John. There is so much development, one wonders if it will become increasingly more difficult to keep up with the infrastructure.

Former Mayor Steve Thorlakson pointed out at breakfast the other morning, the community is building 200 homes this year. That is on par with Prince George save the fact that Ft St John is less than one quarter the size of this city.

To put it mildly they are smoking! Help wanted signs are every where and the Alaska Highway seems like the Junction of highway 16 and 97 day and night.

What is the future?

Well back when the bottom fell out of the gas and oil industry no one would have predicted that would happen. Those who have spent any time in the Fort will remember the days when hotels sat empty, some motels were simply torn down rather than trying to supply the necessary heat and power.

You get the feeling that this time around, things will be different and the industry driving the oil boom will be around no matter what the swing.

There is little doubt it has the air of something happening and while Prince George and Prince Rupert have been picked as the communities for the future, don’t ever under estimate Ft St. John and the neighboring area. They are leading the charge today and unless some thing major happens to the oil industry, will be leading the charge tomorrow and well into the future.

I’m Meisner and that is one man’s opinion.

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Posted on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 03:56 AM in Views by Ben Meisner

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Comments

Posted by: andisama on July 26 2006 9:15 AM

You're right - FSJ is smoking. Its unlike the growth i've seen anywhere else - Its not booming out of control like Fort Mac, its got a diversifed economy with Forestry, Oil and Gas and Farming, and with the looming Site C on the horizon - good things are ahead for the Energetic City - Former Mayor Thorlakson and the new council with Jim Eglinski are doing a good job of managing the growth - Fort St. John is sure one of the bright spots in the country.

Posted by: owl on July 26 2006 5:08 PM

The only thing I can see happening is that they will run out of oil and gas. Anyone wish to bet otherwise? I can set up my estate to collect on it.

.... but, I guess it is not in our time, so who cares ...

By that time the region will be much warmer, BC will have a population in the 15 to 20 million range, and the many North Korean and Chinese immigrants will be happy to settle into the area and work to provide farm products to the overbuilt GVRD and Lower Fraser Valley area.

;-)

Posted by: owl on July 26 2006 5:18 PM

"Premier Gordon Campbell says the 250 is now leading the 604 in terms of growth in the province."

We must remember that the 250 includes the Island and everything from Chilliwack east and north.

Posted by: Chester on July 26 2006 6:30 PM

Have you ever thought we may be set up? After all, everything we have been hearing is just rumours. The frenzy is happening, the house prices are rocketing and really, nothing has really changed yet. Has it??

I really hope all of the promises were based on real plans. I am an optimist by nature, but it just occured to me that often, we are just pawns in someone elses game. Chester

Posted by: Palopu on July 26 2006 9:47 PM

Ft St John is booming, and so is Grande Prairie, Dawson Creek, and Tumbler Ridge to a somewhat lesser degree. These areas have Oil, Gas, Lumber, Coal, Cattle, Farms, etc; so the economy is not based solely on Oil/Gas. Grande Prairie has grown dramatically in the last 10 years, and continues to do so. Tumbler Ridge is getting busy because of a few new coal mines opening in the area. Kudo's to them all.

Prince George on the other hand has a lumber and pulp mill industry that is approaching it twilight years. In the next 10 years we could see 2 or 3 planer mills close, and maybe one Pulp Mill. No farms to speak of, no oil or gas, no coal, or mines, no cattle to speak of in the immediate area. We do have a little construction going on at this time, but this mini boom is precarious at best.

New housing starts are down in the US and are predicted to stay down for sometime. Lumber prices are down. Some mills have already taken down time.

Nothing new on the horizen except a few ventures by the City to spend some taxpayers money, the Sports Plex on the hill which after it is built will be of no consequence whatsoever.

Some talk of a Container Terminal, that even if it was built would not gain anymore jobs than it would eliminate.

Airport runway expansion, if it ever happens. They are in the process of building the new parking lots, however if the economy slows down they will have little if any use for the extra spaces. If you look at the new terminal building that was completed with all the hype last year you will notice that the Customs area is absolutley empty except for a vehicle parked there from one of the rent a car companies. That will be all the revenue that area of the Airport will generate until and if they get their once a week flights to Mexico going in Oct/Nov. Pretty expensive parking space for one vehicle.

Prince Rupert, Ft St John, Dawson Creek, Tumbler, and Grande Prairie look good for the next 5/10 years, however the rest of the Country from Hope to Terrace/Kitimat, including Prince George, can at the best hope to maintain the status quo.

Most of what we are hearing is hype put out their by vested interest groups, but at this point in time the only thing that we can rely on for a certainty will be that the Mayor and Council will spend millions on the following

(1) New Cameron St. Bridge. Not needed but will be built (Steel Superstructure) at a cost of roughly 10 Million

(2) New Police Station. Not needed but will be built for a cost of roughly 7 Million

(3) Some form of Water Heating project to heat downtown buildings by burning woodwaste. Not needed but will be built at a cost of roughly 9 Million

I havent heard of one significant project that is in the works by private enterprise other than the so called Metropolis downtown which is very minor, and the sub divisions in the Fraser River Bench Lands which is being planned over a 20 year period. New Sands Motel, and a Rona on 16 West and thats about it.