Mayor Optimistic About P.G. Future

By 250 News

Prince George, B.C. -  Mayor Colin Kinsley   is optimistic about  the year ahead for Prince George.  In his “State of the Community “ address,  Kinsley  talked about the successes and challenges, here is his address:

Last  year  City Council embraced a  new  approach to our corporate planning which brought the 2007 and 2008  priorities together and organized them under sustainability themes.  The intent of this was to ensure greater integration  of the many  diverse programs, services, issues and needs that we have here in Prince George.

The approach will also allow greater collaboration between the many agencies  that  meet our community needs and provide our community with  its full  range of services.

In summary, the four  key  elements that form the structure of our sustainability  planning are:

1. Providing for an innovative economy
2. Ensuring social and cultural well being,
3. Resonsible stewardship   to provide for healthy eco systems
4. Committment to Leadership.

In terms of  specific economic development strategies,  the City continues to coordinate with its  economic development agency, Initiatives Prince George,  and other stake holders  to ensure or economy remains strong  through these  transitional times.

Though the U.S. housing slowdown and the Canadian dollar's rise has put additional pressure  on our Canadian exporters and has caused curtailments   in the saw milling industry,  our  economic performance indicators showed many other positive signs  that the economy is responding to  new growth opportunities.

According  to Export Development Canada, the value of B.C. Forest products exports is projected to increase  in 2008 for the  first time in many years as demand  from Asia  outstrips lower shipments to the U.S.

The 2010 Olympic and Paralympic games  will assist  greatly in allowing us to showcase our  city, our products and our quality to the world.

Increased energy prices  with  continued strong demand from the Asia  market  for coal and natural gas will fuel the increase in  the value of our energy exports.  Higher  prices and steady demand resulting from urbanization  in Asia will push the value of our forestry exports up as well. 

 Further, Prince George is positioned as the key transportation  corridor to the new  container port in Prince Rupert  will help  our economy open up new markets  for new products to be exported.  CN rail's new $20 million dollar  transload and intermodal facility  will in fact  position Prince George as an export centre.

New  manufacturing and processing opportunities are also  expected to develop in the region because the first  vessels have docked in Rupert with better than expected  service times  in fact, records for containers to Chicago making again,  Prince George, and ideal  spot for manufacturers to access Asia. 

Prince  George is hosting an exciting number of foreign delegations interested in a range of  ventures,  including, manufacturing sites, value  added manufacturing and  strategic partnerships. 

Mining and petroleum interests  in the region are also being explored as  we see a resurgance of committment  from firms   to grow and  diversify their business and their customer lists.

Employment  rates  have increased for some months,  over last year, indicating the contiuation of  strong  economic activity and employment  opportunities. 

Real estate sales continue to be strong in northern B.C.  the first 9 months of 1007, real estate  properties changed hands in  Prince George, totaling $298 million dollars. with the  average value of property value, significantly higher  compared to  last year.    Building permit values, here at the City at the end of December  were  $154 million  compared to 95 million in 2006.  This too reflects the continuing positive outlook  for housing anc commercial demand in the city.

Business license applications  in the past year were  also up over '06 indicating a continuing  confidence of  entrepreneurs and  consumers. 

At the airport,  the traffic there,  has increased by 2.7 % over  the previous year.

Apart from these indicators we are also collaborating with others on the 16 - 97  Economic Alliance diversification  initiatives, a feasibility on a proposed performing  arts centre strategic land assembly and revitalization of the downtown.

Mitigating the effects of the mountain pine beetle infestation  through pine betle planning action  initiatives and lobbying senior  governments for funding assistance.

And  on going efforts to market our community through a recruitment and retention program and enhanced  export  opportunities for medium and small businesses, ongoing  pursuit of  new business opportunity attraction,  promotion of the  2010 Olympic and Paralympic sport training opportunities to  attract foreign athletes and  contiuation of the tourist in your  town program as well as assisting in the imple entation of the  Regional Cultural  plan.  All of this will contribute  to growing our tax base and help us diversify our economy.

In terms  of environmental stewardship,  we continue  to work on the development of a community energy system, preparation of an energy use and conservation plan  which will align the community energy system  using bio fuels in our fleet  and our  transit buses and micro turbine technology for electrical power generation  from our waste gases at the sewar treatment plant.

Air quality remains as a main area of focus and City Council's  received  and is reviewing  recommendations from the Mayor's Task Force on Air Quality Improvement.   And the City continues to support the  work of the  Air Quality Plan Implementation Committee and also  the steering committee.

Waste reduction services  through recycling reuse and  composting service  continues in a partnership with the  Regional District and we are leaders in the Candian  Federation of Municipalities Partners for  Climate protection Program.  We also  continue to work on plans for our community forest,  the water supply and consumption plan  a storm water management plan and  we will begin implementation of  the City's energy and greenhouse management plan in the near future.

For transportation and our civic facilities and infrastructure, we are working hard  to position Prince George as a major transportation, intermodal , air cargo and  logistics centre.  We will build a new and much needed police facility.  A  new asset management project will see us  through the evaluation of the age, condition and  replacement costs of our major infrastructure.

Competitive bidding for construction of the new Camaeron Street Bridge has gone forward and  wil lbe finished in this first quarter. 

A new and more sustainable road rehabilitation  program  was instituted  and paid  from  each current year revenue rather than borrowing and it was  introduced successfully this year.   In 2008 nthe road rehabilitation programe has projects such as Graves Road,  St. Johns Crescent,  Cranbrook Hill Road,  P.G. Pulpmill Road,  Old  Summit Lake Road, Chief Lake Road,  Ferry Avenue , First Avenue, Foothills Boulevard, and Tenth Avenue.  A very agressive program again this year, some $3 millon dollars. 

A study to evaluate space planning  and  library expansion options for our  public library  should  be completed this year as well.

A consultation concerning  the downtown traffic and parking  study  that was released early this year is still underway and final  consideration  will be given  by Council in early 2008.

The Corporate Services staff have been busy with a number of initiatives  that will see on going  improvements in how  we deliver city services  and  meet our customers needs.  Of specific  note is the City's  success in being awarded the National Quality  Institute's silver award  for Canada, Excellence.

When it comes to our FIrst Nations Neighbours,  and Regional District partners, we plan to hold a community forum in the New Year and evaluate  urban-aboriginal strategy opportunities in partnership with others.

For our Social Development strategy we are preparing  a  community safety plan  coordinating lobbying efforts with Northern Health and the Fraser Fort George Hospital District and working on services and programs to attract and retain  seniors through improved housing options, enhanced mobility  support, relevant  recreation services  and  appropriate access to health services. Helping with the plans iand implementation of these initiatives  are the seniors themselves  through our  partnerships with ther Council of Seniors, Northern Health, the Mayor's Committee on Senior Citizens and our new social policy facilitator,  who  is also developing sector plans for our sustainability  plan and there is  a safety,  health and wellness, recreation, culture, arts, literacy and housing.

Our fiscal policy efforts have focused on taxation diversification.  Including fuel and other tax sharing.  Work on our  capital expenditure plan to ensure it  is  complimentary to our sustainability planning  and asst managing program and evaluating options  for City generated revenue opportunity.  It is also  a policy to partner whenever we can with senior governments on  major capital projects. 

Land use planning  programs  continue as we update our official community plan. Prticipate in the Regional District industrial land study , prepare a brownfield development strategy and develop specific neighbourhood plans.  Not the  least of which will be the development plans for the  lands located  at our two major highways that's  the Pine Centre Golf Course neighbourhood plan.

Our City continues to  address thr short, mid and long term implications  of the dramatic ice jam and flood events  which began in December '07 and carries on today.  This is an item for more detailed discussion this evening, but I wanted io indicate that together with business, First Nations, senior government partners will seek as a matter of urgency the technical evaluations needed  to identify  mid and long term solutions to flood control of the Nechako and Fraser River systems  in our city.

We've been very busy   learning, planning , and acting on community initiatives, and I extend sincere thanks to everyone  because it is certainly  a community effort that makes these kinds of achievements and growth possible.  As we move on I am confident  in saying  thanks to the spirit and committment  of our community, the host of opportunities and quality of life  we enjoy here in Prince George  will continue  to grow and develop.

In the spring we will be reporting on our  2007  goal achievement  and mapping future  actions and  plans to achieve the 2008  goals.

As we build on our successes,  we will be a global leader in sustainable communities, and recognized for  best practices  in local government  and community leadership. I wish you all a very Happy New Year  and good luck  with the ongoing challenges,

Thank you.

Email | Print | Facebook | Twitter | Digg | Del.icio.us