We Need Some Serious Planning for the Future

Friday, October 14, 2005 03:58 AM

All three levels of government federal, provincial and municipal had better start addressing the big picture of the futures of our towns and cities in the central and northern part of BC or the future problems will address themselves.

The word is already out in the east that if you’re planning on investing in this part of the world, make sure the investment is paid for within the next seven years, the date many believe the economy will come crashing down.

Depending on who gives you the estimate, the figures are damning.

The amount of fiber available within the next seven to ten years will drop by between 40 and 60%. What are the big players like West Fraser and Canfor doing about it? Well they are trying to position themselves by constructing mega mills that will churn out more than the 600 million board feet currently being processed at the mega mill in Houston which boasts of being the largest mill in the world.

The Vanderhoof mill is expected to displace the Houston mill and take the bragging rights with it.

With West Fraser set to construct a Quesnel mill with a 600 million board foot production and the writing is on the wall.

Six Mega mills with a fraction of the work force are what we can look forward to, but alas there is more if you figure in the short supply of fiber to run these operations. I

f you think that the word has not gotten around, ask the developer of a brand new shopping center on highway 16.

At one point Safeway was poised to return to the city along with Rona building supplies and a major hotel chain.

That all has been thrown in the air as the companies and the developer look over their future options with a major down turn in the economy. Safeway, in spite of having a good crowd reaction to their plan is having a second look, so it is not a slam dunk development anymore.

Now the plans for the redevelopment of a portion of the down town by an American investor may get yet another look when they see what’s on the horizon for this region. Bearing in mind of course that they don’t have any major money invested in the project. The letter of intent is best described by local realtor Harry Backlin who says,”The road to hell is paved with good intentions’.

So where does that leave us?

Well rather than devoting their time to trying to get re-elected they might want to spend some time addressing the problem because it is a problem that will reach catastrophic proportions with the next seven years .

I'm Meisner, and that is one man's opinion.

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Posted on Friday, October 14, 2005 03:58 AM in Views by Ben Meisner

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Comments

Posted by: ammonra on October 14 2005 9:22 AM

This is undoubtedly the most serious problem to face Prince George in a very long time. Using lumber as a driving force for the City's economy is so deeply ingrained into the PG consciousness, that the thought it may go away is not seriously contemplated. However, that is precisely what may happen.I could make a few facile suggestions about secondary manufacturing or using other wood species, but I think that would not materially contribute to a resolution of the problems to come. Rather I think this is an area where differences of opinion should be put aside, and all sectors of the community should work together for a solution. I suspect considerable support, logistical and financial, will be required from the Province, but it will be unconscionable if in a decade's time citizens of Prince George are scrambling to find some way to make a living. Since Round Tables are in the news lately, why not start there. Set up a round table discussion to look into this problem, and get the ball rolling.

Posted by: Chadermando on October 14 2005 4:50 PM

The clear facts are that PG's future is in the transportation sector as the new Chigaco of the north.

Transportation jobs are higher paying then forestry in a lot of cases, have little environmental issues, and are the foundation of a growing economy.

PG has a huge oportunity on the horizon with the container port in Prince Rupert, adn a potential inland port in the Central interior serving the North (cutting off Edmonton in importance), serving the South, serving the US mid-west, and most importantly being North Americas most economical route to Asia where over have the worlds GDP is positioned and growing by leaps and bounds.

All of this critically hinges on the investements into the transportation infrastructure in PG. Its a city issue, a regional issue, a provincial issue, a federal issue, and is critical to growing global trade, and it should be a priority of all those listed above.

This is to say nothing of the huge benefits that PG should see in the comming years from projects like the Gateway project by Enbidge among other potential deversifying projects that are not talked about in the media.

The perception for PG should be of unmatched growth potential anywhere in Canada, but this takes leadership from our elected officials which is nowhere to be seen.

Is it because we have bad leaders or is it because we have no power in our democracy to direct our own future. I blame both.

Time Will Tell

Posted by: Chester on October 14 2005 10:42 PM

We have been talking about downtown revitalization for years and years. Yet, the decisions our influenced and elected officials have made continually push development away from the downtown.

Talk is one thing, but action speaks volumes to me.

Just who's vision are we following anyway?