IPG Puts Forth Budget and Plan for '08

Wednesday, February 20, 2008 07:58 PM

Initiatives Prince George says 2007 was a good year for Prince George, and the plan for 2008 will build on those successes.

Some of the highlights of 2007 include:

5-10 "mega project" prospects
CN intermodal
airport runway investment
sharp increase in business enquiries
Horizon Airlines

CEO Gerry Offet says the plan for 2008 includes:

Air, road and rail
The region
Logistics capability
infrastructure inplace
First Nations as Partners
workforce availability and capability
partnerships
new businesses, new jobs, new families
being connected to the world.

One of the key projects will be the creation of a logistics park tied to air, rail and roads . This means a site will have to be identified, there will need to be rezoning and servicing of lots that will be brought to market.

The plan also calls for the establishment of a heavy industrial park outside of the Prince George air shed. IPG will set up formal economic partnerships that include export, education,training recruitment, and the development of a logistics, park, heavy industrial lands and the development of the downtown.

IPG plans to use its budget to leverage more dollars for capital investment and hopes to create 1,000 new jobs by 2012 and facilitate growth of revenues for at least 100 Prince George businesses selling into mining, and the oil and gas sector by 2009.

In an effort to grow tourism , IPG proposes to lead the creation of a partnership between the tourism industry and the CIty in order to create a "Destination Marketing Organization" which could be operated under the "additional Hotel Room Tax" which is used by many small communities. The city would be required to make an annual contribution to the operating funds of the DMO. Initiatives Prince George suggests the new hotel room tax would be in place in time for the 3rd quarter of 2008.

City Centre Ventures ( which operates under the IPG umbrella) is viewed as an asset of IPG that can be more effective if it focuses on a number of projects:

Performing Arts Centre
Public Market and mixed use development
Northern Lights Festival
Smart growth planning

IPG’s budget calls for $2,063,832. of that amount, $1,307,451 would come from the City.

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Posted on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 07:58 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Harbinger on February 20 2008 8:25 PM

A good year for me here in PG would have meant fewer potholes.

Posted by: Chester on February 20 2008 8:40 PM

Check out Montreal and their pothole problems. Ours pale in comparison. On the national news yesterday. Just a symptom of an infrastructure wearing out and in need of more than just repairs. It's a national problem. Chester

Posted by: Harbinger on February 20 2008 8:56 PM

I realize that, Chester. Do you suppose if I close my eyes and click my heels together three times and say "There's no place like PG", my wish for fewer potholes will come true?

Posted by: Eagleone on February 21 2008 8:36 AM

I like the industrial park outside the city airshed and the focus on infrastructure projects (future opportunities generated plus tax dollars recirculating in our region).

I however am not so sure about the new DMO. It sounds like it would have no difference from what Tourism PG and Northern BC Tourism Association are already doing for tourism marketing with our tax dollars. There is a need for a regional eco-tourism DMO that can provide certification and organization of the industry, but that is not what it sounds like IPG are talking about.

Posted by: Harbinger on February 21 2008 12:15 PM

Tourism? We don't even have a public campground. But then again, we can leave that to Wal Mart.