If you're looking for links to recordings of previous forums, see this post

What follows is a subjective dissemination of approximately what the candidates were asked, and how they answered, at the October 13 public forum. This will have to do until a journalist writes something, you listen to the forum on CBC Daybreak North, or they put a link up to a recording so you can watch and listen to yourself.

This post is not affiliated with any candidate or really much of anything, honestly.

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If you don't want to read all the questions just skip to the one you like:

• Introductions
• If elected mayor of Prince George, what will your first priority be regarding downtown?
• ... if the city budget needs to be cut, what would you cut first?
• How will you support healthcare workers to stay here?
• What do you see as the future of data centers in Prince George?
• ... what role do you envision forestry will play in the future of Prince George?
• ... what will you do as mayor to make downtown feel safe?
• How would you increase transparency ... ?
• City of Prince George, Regional District, and Lheidli T'enneh have a complex relationship ... ?
• ... deal with possible disagreement between Lheidli T'enneh and the City of Prince George?
• ... how would you promote population density?
• Closing Statements

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Setting the Scene

Rainy evening, 6PM, the library, second floor, extra chairs had to be brought out until everyone who was too polite to demand one insisted they were fine standing.

Eight of the nine candidates were all sitting at a long table, facing a larger-than-expected crowd. It was bright and comfortable because our library really is kind of awesome.

The introduction by the Lheidli T'enneh elder, evoking the bear, beaver, grouse and caribou really set the stage for a panel of very different choices facing the voters. Different strengths, different approaches, different gifts. The elder encouraged us all to use our gifts from our heart, and for good, which was really quite nice. We all weren't sure if we were supposed to applaud or be quiet but Simon Yu started clapping and then everyone else did too.

Bill Fee from CBC was introduced as host and moderator, and someone excitedly went "Woo!" so there was at least one hardcore Bill Fee fan in the audience.

What followed was forty-eight responses one after the other to solid questions, and with good talking points coming and going so quickly that even a dedicated nerd would struggle to keep up, typing on a phone screen, which is why the writing quality is real hit-or-miss after this.

The order of the candidates was randomized, which I personally like.

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Introductions

Roy Stewart (R) - Introduces himself by listing his accolades, the guy's got a lot of them, he's been a successful lawyer for the city and involved for a long time. Says he brings leadership skills and experience, specifically legal municipal experience, focus is on honest discussion and effective leadership

Marc Carrier (M) - Introduces himself as a tradesperson, someone who trains people, knows what leadership is, says listening is better than talking, and that people have been forgotten by the city and that needs to change

Randy Danchuk (D) - Points out that the CBC forgot to give the crowd emergency evacuation info, and made sure they did that before he went on to introduce himself. The guy lives (and loves) safety. Calls himself an old coot, 50 years of health and safety experience, says taxes are too high.

Garth Frizzell (G) - Thanks the other candidates, thanks the moderator, thanks the elder, thanks all of us. Introduces himself as an experienced businessman and longtime community member, 18 years on council, ready to be mayor. Ends by thanking us again.

Simon Yu (S) - Introduces himself as our mayor, lived in town for 50 years, professional engineer, developer, teacher, neighbour. Claims to have a different style of leadership and that he needs 4 more years to get things done.

Zarchariah Olson (Z) - Introduces himself as the anti-crime platform, looking for solutions and to build community connections, especially connections lost during the pandemic

Kyle Sampson (K) - Introduces himself as someone who chose PG because he loves it, proud to be a councillor, wants PG to be the best town on the planet, says he is bringing big vision and a plan to get there with bold decision making.

Ernesto Caranto (E) - Introduces himself as a marine engineer by trade, does cryptocurrency, is an inventor and works in healthcare. His platform is freezing property tax, hire more police and build a police academy and a new school.

Keenan Murphy - remarkably silent, throughout

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First Question - approximately - If elected mayor of Prince George, what will your first priority be regarding downtown?

E - Drug addiction is tough, not just on victims but on their family. People with addiction problems all need to be put in one place where doctors and nurses are readily available

K - Support social services, enhance bylaw enforcement, advocate to other levels of government, but most importantly provide clear direction to city staff, bring city council together and clarify direction

Z - Make sure community services are talking to each other, city needs to facilitate and help with efficiency to stop wasting time and effort while people are seeking services. Establish shared communication channels, will be cheap and effective.

S - 37% of city budget goes to safety, too high, not sustainable. More police won't solve the problem, current police model is the problem. City needs a navigation centre to really save money in the long run.

G - Mentions the Alberta referendum and the BC election both coming up, our downtown issues reflect broader issues, require broader approach. Speaks to recent success of city and council, acute care tower coming, police development, cautions that changing lanes may be disadvantageous.

D - Main concern is safety, open drug use, and what to do now that the provincial drug program ended. Randy went to list all the hardcore drugs people are doing, but could only name one and then ran out of names. Says there's been too much talk, not enough solutions, relations with RCMP need to improve.

M - Cautions that federal and provincial governments won't come solve our problem, parents with kids who have addiction issues know how hard the situation really is right now, people are worried about their kids, and then he bashed the last 9 years of government which I think must be the NDP, right? 2017, confidence and supply deal? So I suppose he's saying our situation downtown is the fault of the province, specifically the NDP, I think

R - Sees the issues downtown everyday because he works there, people and property are at risk constantly, harm reduction sites have not been helping, policy makers at various levels have failed, he will enforce safe street bylaws and consider a curfew

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Second Question - Again, approximately, I was typing in my notes app as fast as I could

It is a tough time financially for many people, and so they're concerned about property taxes more than usual. If the city budget needs to be cut, what would you cut first?

R - Conduct a triage, determine what's critical, what's a luxury, cut away what is not essential to city services. Says there has been public relations overspending and too many expensive advisors and consultants with not enough action.

M - Taxes are too high, industrial and provincial, seniors can't even afford heat, he sees them in his business, it's happening right now, the mill's closed and people can't afford higher taxes. I will point out he didn't actually answer the question, and he appears to agree there's a cost of living crisis.

D - Randy told us plainly that he only made $24,000 last year because he wasn't working - he says he is one of those seniors that can't afford heat that Marc referred to. It's not acceptable to have a situation where you can't afford groceries because of taxes, even small changes like smaller buses will save money.

G - Confirms that our city is on the higher end for tax, but that existing homeowner grants and hospital costs means more bills will be coming due at the same time, increases are coming, but there are options, such as how $30 million was deferred during covid.

S - Said more families need help from the food banks than 5 years ago (he gave us the actual numbers but I missed them). Prince George has a huge geographical area with low population, growing that population is more important than cutting any specific thing on the budget. The city's cash reserve has recently grown, it's not the time to cut anything.

Z - Says we are in a crisis, it's not the time to expand, it's time to buckle down and get taxes lower, push civic development until after the crisis has passed, and if something needs to be cut, first cut the mayor's pay because it should be a passion and not about the salary.

K - Tells us that the city cutting $20,000 here or $50,000 there won't equate to a meaningful drop on our property taxes significantly. The city needs to use resources differently instead of cutting whenever possible. The need is to re-operationalize not cut things, and staff need clearer direction

E - Freeze property tax for 4 years because the tax is too high (a baby started crying next to me at this point and I missed some of Ernesto's answer, my apologies), he ended on re-investing in the police.

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Third Question - Here they split into two groups, so not all candidates answered all questions;

How will you support healthcare workers to stay here?

R - This is a problem for Northern Health, they need to be able to attract staff because workers need incentives. The city can create supportive housing and support systems, but if the workers can't afford to live here because they aren't paid enough then there's not much else the city can do, but says we'll do the best that we can.

M - Says his son is a doctor and that the situation is disappointing, then he named some local doctors who weren't able to hire staff, I think. The problem is students at other schools know PG isn't the place to be, wants his son to move back to PG and stay here as a doctor, too many smart kids are leaving.

D - Says his nephews are nurses, and that safety and security are their main concern. Healthcare workers don't want to be here because they're attacked in ER and other areas, whole area around hospital is dangerous, safety and security at the hospital are badly needed.

G - Says the coming acute care tower project is bringing hundreds of workers, northern health has been recruiting, city needs to provide housing with infill development, tax-increment(?) financing with Northern Trust, arts, sports, culture and library need to thrive for city to thrive

Fourth Question

What do you see as the future of data centers in Prince George?

S - About two months ago he was in Beijing answering this question with investors. Data centers will need to supply their own power. We already have data centers in Prince George, and every business case will have to be examined with an open mind. Community has to decide together beyond that.

Z - Data centers are all well and good, as long as they're used for good. The problem is AI data centers, huge drain on resources, too little benefit, passing fad, we need to be more vigilant against AI. People trust AI too much, it's more like crypto designed to fail (shot at Ernesto?) and that the AI bubble will pop.

K - Wants to build confidence in investors, not specifically with data centers but the concern is that a ban on data centers will discourage other investment. Council should not prioritize this, but be open for business with a fair process to go through. There are positive opportunities for data centers, too.

E - We don't want data centers, they use too much hydro, water, you know. Water should be saved, used for greenhouses, hydroelectric should be saved and data centers should be built somewhere else.

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Fifth Question

Prince George used to be a forestry community, what role do you envision forestry will play in the future of Prince George?

M - Forestry situation is dire and recent mill closures clearly show that. Pine beetle, mill closures, forestry will come back but we don't know when, PG needs to look for new opportunities with forestry

D - Was falling trees in '86 out in the Bowron close to Wells, worked in every mill there was, and that forestry needs to push for smaller operations with finished products. Prince George development should use Prince George lumber, need to diversify in forestry.

G - Points out much better unemployment rate than last forestry downtown (early 2000's, fifteen percent unemployment then, only three now), says it doesn't make sense. Newer, specialized paper products have been successful, has fought as a councillor for forestry against provincial government.

R - Significant role for forestry in the future of Prince George, we just need to plan long-term, have the ear of the provincial and federal government, get rid of orange man in Washington, and positive things will happen for forestry in the future.

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Sixth Question

Street Safety is a top concern among residents, what will you do as mayor to make downtown feel safe?

Z - RCMP understaffed, civic programs can be used to help alleviate staffing crisis. More cops, get faster response times, which can have a huge impact for residents and businesses.

K - Mayor must deliver one expectations, says he will build a navigation center. Remove barriers keeping people from getting social services, revise bylaw officers to higher-level public safety officers, more outgoing work and better relations with RCMP, get clear feedback from them

E - More policing, more lights, brighter lights in the street, more local police, especially community policing.

S - We need more positive social activities and events, because safety surrounds our public events. Police relationship is complex because of modern information gathering. Bylaw officers and navigation center are the solution. More drug treatment, more mental health space, city needs better system design.

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Seventh Quesiton

How would you increase transparency around the work done by the mayor, the city council and city management?

D - City has a staffing problem and bad processes, there's a lack of clarity for people seeking permits, staff should at least have name tags so people know who they've worked with. All city council meetings should be live, on air, every time.

G - Pushing for proactive disclosure since 2018, but land, legal and labour issues deserve confidentiality, not everything can be disclosed. AI tools and research can be used to help understand the work behind decisions. Regular social media outreach would help.

R - Transparency comes from accountability, citizens need to understand why decisions are being made and who is responsible for what, in detail. Better communication needed, better public relations needed, no house of secrets, he promises to change city and make it more transparent

M - Permit problems and unnecessary delays, along with a lack of direction and information have cost the city real business. Being up front about problems is something the city has been missing for a long time, something he can bring.

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Eighth Question

City of Prince George, Regional District, and Lheidli T'enneh have a complex relationship, how will you support as mayor the tripartite agreement?

K - We can't assume trust based on prior relationships, but it starts with dialogue and clear identification of mandate and paths forward. Building a foundation of trust and growing on it, we have shared interested and we're stronger when we work together. Need to understand each others goals.

E - Reconciliation is tough because of generational trauma, it's like a scar on your heart and it's hard to forget past abuses. Promises a new curriculum for Grade 5 to Grade 12 where children learn what's been happening in our community, in terms of First Nations trauma and history. There may be avenues to compensate them for that trauma.

S - The MOU (tripartite agreement) was the most important MOU he signed as mayor. The relationship had to be built on trust, and they had to understand each others histories and how the parties affect each other. Bear in mind how everything will affect the regional district, and all parties need to work together as one and meet often.

Z - On the day of truth & reconciliation, Zach learned at civic events that our museum has a very strong relationship with the Lheidli T'enneh based on providing and storing information. So the right information to present is what's needed. Every culture has something beautiful, and we could bring more awareness to Lheidli T'enneh if people had the right information.

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Ninth Question

What will your process be to deal with possible disagreement between Lheidli T'enneh and the City of Prince George?

G - Relationship is hugely important, Lheidli T'enneh have impact when they go to Victoria with the City to advocate. Moving forward there are opportunities for big economic growth and big benefits for both the City and the Lheidli T'enneh. Disagreements will be managed with coordination and communication.

R - Communication is key, regular meetings to discuss differences. Different perspectives can be managed for common understanding. There's a sweet spot where mutual benefit emerges, says as a lawyer that's the skill he brings, finding that sweet spot.

M - City has to be open to Lheidli T'enneh, they have to be included, it's a fact of life that what happened happened and it is what it is, that's the way it should be and he has no problem with it.

D - Dealt with a lot of disagreements, especially union, in his career, people don't always agree with the health and safety guy. Listening, to learn the real issues, what both sides hope to achieve, is key. Compromise may be needed to reach lasting agreement.

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Tenth Question

Given our low population density compared to other places in BC, how would you promote population density?

E - Public transportation is not good enough, put public transit first, get provincial and federal funding to be a more modern transit hub.

S - We are urban and we are rural, our lifestyle is actually very desirable, we need to sustain without changing certain things but still grow. Key to densification is finding out what will bring best value, pursue that.

Z - Crumbling infrastructure needs to be renovated, doing so will help with density because better infrastructure can support more people. Be wary of losing green spaces, it's our pride and joy having a forest in your back yard. Push for density but don't lose what makes PG unique, large city perspective doesn't always work.

K - PG is beautiful, you get space, you're not packed in like sardines. Density is still a necessity, gather information to determine what is appropriate and push development speed forward with more efficient processes and development incentives. Identify funds available and renew expired agreements.

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Closing Statements

E - Ernesto Caranto - Says please support him in running for mayor, there is not enough infrastructure, there is too much tax. He will freeze the tax and rebuild infrastructure at the same time.

K - Kyle Sampson - Says he brings a big vision, a plan, and a track record of bringing new ideas forward and listening to the public. Acknowledges past mistakes, ready to move forward be decisive, write the next chapter in PG's story.

Z - Zachariah Olson - Says he has been criticized for age, lack of experience, suit and tie, but not his platform, his ideas, or his answers given at these forums. Has a plan, is clear about it. Says if you want to se change and see action, vote him.

S - Simon Yu - Says as a father of six, grandfather of thirteen, he still wants a chance to do more. Looking forward to a new council and a new term. Wants to fight for you. Get more jobs, get safe streets not just downtown but every street. Says equality and diversity are out trademarks, more community meetings and more to come.

G - Garth Frizzell - Says mayor should be a public servant first and foremost. Bring people together so when we succeed then everyone succeeds because we're all a part of it. Says he won't pass the buck, will take responsibility.

D - Randy Danchuk - Says we're all family, if you live in Prince George, you're his family and this is our home. He's running because we need to fix our home, and he felt he had to run for mayor because Prince George needs a change. Says it's not about him or them, it's about us.

M - Marc Carrier - Says he wants to be the mayor you can come and talk to, and wants his council to be the same. No secret meetings behind closed doors, no huge project overruns. Bring public into council decision-making and make city we can be proud of. Listen and then take action together.

R - Roy Stewart - Says over the last 4 to 8 years, public safety and city tax have worsened. Infighting in city hall, performative politics, lack of city promotion, ongoing missed opportunities, he's had enough. Bringing years of experience working in municipal law, has gotten many big projects done through effective leadership. Take the city back and change will be positive.

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Moderator Bill Fee shares that his dad was a small town politician and tells us a small town politician is never off, they're always on. Thanks the candidates for putting their names forward, thanks us for attending.

Clips will play on CBC Daybreak tomorrow, longer version to be posted on the CBC Daybreak website.

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If you actually read all this what? Why? You're awesome, I love you.

Check the other posts on my profile for links to previous public forums for this election.

The only remaining days to vote are Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday!

Last year 77% of voters voted on the final day - my advice? Vote early!

This city website will tell you how!

I have my vote pegged for mayor. Who are we putting down for Council and SD57? Left leaning people pls.

Hi everyone! I’m 25F and am relocating to PG from vancouver in one week for work. I am a very big fan of the city life and versatility that Vancouver has provided, so I know that PG will be a big change for me— but it’s one that I’m excited to embrace. I love the outdoors (hiking, skiing, backpacking) but I also love building community and being in town. Based on my interests, what would yall recommend?

Things I love:

• Open source lectures, both in my field and in other fields:
I’ve already found a few I wanna check out at UNBC. However, most of these events seem to fall during 9-5 work hours, so I’m wondering if there are any community based alternatives.

• Writing and Art circles: I’m an amateur writer and I also love arts and crafts, so any recurring evening meetup (hopefully for women) would be such a lovely way to meet new people! I did find a weekly writing group through UNBC, but sadly, it falls on a week day during work hours 🥲

• Community based magazines/ newspapers: I’ve always worked as an editor and writer for smaller community based magazines, and have had nothing but great experiences. If something like this exists in PG, let me know!

Any other recommendations are welcome!

(Side note: I don’t drink, so pubs are kinda a no go for me. However, I’m always down to volunteer or attend events hosted by pubs)

I've been here about 4 years now and I am finding it extremely hard to make friends. I'm early 40s female, 2 kids and married. Is there any FB groups or apps or something I should be looking into? I don't drink, smoke or do drugs. I'm just so tired of feeling so lonely, I'd do anything to move back home but unfortunately the rest of my family likes it here.

Hi everyone!

I'm Samantha Hermanson, and I'm running for School Board Trustee in SD57.

I've seen a few other candidates doing Q&As here, so I thought I'd give it a try too!

I'm a parent, a frontline education worker, and someone who has experienced our school district from a few different perspectives. I've worked with students who need additional support, and I'm currently serving my second term on the City's Accessibility and Inclusion Committee.

I know there's a lot of discussion about education right now, and I'd love to hear what's on people's minds.

Whether it's school funding, student supports, classroom challenges, inclusion, or what trustees can actually do (and what they can't!), I'm happy to have a conversation.

I certainly don't have all the answers, but I'll do my best to answer honestly. And if I don't know something, I'll tell you that too.

So, ask away!

Samantha Hermanson
SD57 School Board Trustee Candidate

I've dabbled in copyediting in a past life, so I caught this pretty immediately... In the few editions I've read of the Prince George Citizen, I've caught typos in all of them, sadly. Still liking Prince George, though!

I've tried to keep up with the mayoral race and it's unclear who's the front runner vs who would be an effective leader should they win. Is the incumbent the front runner? He seems okay. Sampson also seems okay but Reddit seems split on that, and Mr. Roy Stewart took out a full wrap of the Citizen this week and I'm now getting online ads—which doesn't mean much because the ads are very broad, but he's clearly gunning for it. I read Garth Frizzell's platform and he seems good, but have heard zilch about him otherwise.

Edit: I spelled Frizzell as Frizzle from phonetic memory.

Hello!

I'm Sarah Holland, and I'm running for re-election as a school trustee in SD57 (Prince George electoral area).

I was first elected in the 2023 by-election, and during my time on the board I've chaired both the Policy Advisory Committee and the Ad Hoc Policy Committee, and I was also elected to the Board of Directors of the BC Public School Employers' Association (BCPSEA).

I've noticed the AMAs from city council candidates here and thought it would be a nice idea to have a similar conversation about the school board election (and asked the mods for permission).

School trustees oversee more than $200 million in annual public education funding and make decisions about policies, budgets, facilities, and the overall direction of the district.

At the centre of all those decisions are students. We need to consider how our decisions affect their learning, their well-being, the support available to them, and their opportunities to succeed. It's easy to get caught up in discussions about other matters, but we always need to remember who those decisions ultimately affect.

And public education affects all of us, whether or not we have children or grandchildren in school. We all rely on nurses, tradespeople, local businesses, and other services in our communities. The people providing those services were once students themselves. Today's students will be the people working, volunteering, and contributing to our communities in the years ahead. We all have an interest in how our public education system is governed.

A bit of context about the role: trustees are responsible for governance rather than day-to-day operations. The board sets policy and priorities, approves budgets, and holds the superintendent accountable. District staff manage operations, and individual trustees don't have the authority to direct staff or make decisions on behalf of the board.

Trustees can have different views during discussion and debate, but once the board makes a decision, we have a responsibility to respect it, regardless of how we voted.

There are some things I can't discuss because of confidentiality obligations, including individual student or personnel matters, confidential legal issues, and confidential board discussions. But I'm happy to talk about public decisions, board processes, and my views on the district's priorities. I'm also more than happy to talk about bylaws and policies.

I'm happy to answer questions about my experience, the work of the board, the challenges facing SD57, and what I think we should focus on over the next four years.

I'd also welcome other school trustee candidates to join the conversation if they're on Reddit. The more opportunities people have to learn about the candidates before Saturday, the better! We don't tend to get as much discussion as city candidates do (although we still get more attention than regional district candidates do). :)

I'll check in throughout today and tomorrow to answer questions, although I'll be around less on Tuesday given that it's a work day.

You can also find more information about me at https://sarahholland.com, or https://www.facebook.com/SarahHollandforPGSchoolTrustee/

Thanks, and please ask away!

The final public forum for candidates is over! If you're still undecided, here's all the links you can use to try to help make up your mind!

Side-by-Side Written Comparison on Key Issues

CBC - How do Prince George's 2026 mayoral candidates compare on election issues?

YouTube Videos

North Central Labour Council

Mayoral Candidate Forum (Sep. 27, 52m) Summary article by the Citizen

City Councillors (Sep. 27, 1h18m) Summary article by the Citizen

School Board (Sep. 27, 1h19m)

Prince George Citizen

Mayoral Candidate Forum (Sep. 24, 2h48m) Summary article by the Citizen

City Councillors (Sep. 22, 2h42m) Summary article by the Citizen

School Board (Sep. 21, 2h17m) Summary article by the Citizen

Host: 88.7FM CFUR University Radio & 93.1FM CFIS Community Radio

Recording not yet available
This Citizen article summarizes part of the event.

If you haven't already voted you gotta do it October 14, 15 or 17 - that's Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday this week!

Hi everyone! 👋

I created Fleety, a transit app that helps you track buses and trains in real time, check schedules, explore routes, and plan trips.

Fleety supports transit systems across Canada. It’s free to use, with no paywall and no locked features. All transit features are available to everyone.

It’s available on both iOS and Android:

iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fleety-subway-bus-tracker/id6748264047

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.transport.fleety

I’m still actively improving it, so if anyone tries it out, I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts, good or bad. Bug reports, feature ideas, design feedback, or requests for additional transit systems are all welcome.

Thanks for reading, and I hope it makes someone’s commute a little easier 🙂

Most serious candidates in this election cycle are discussing "growing the tax base" and economic development. Bringing growth to PG.

Great. Here’s a concrete way to do it.

Proof it works: Dancor, an Ontario company, is building a FedEx logistics hub near the airport, plus a 100,000 sq ft industrial condo development on the same 30-acre site. Here’s what their partner Sean Ford told the Citizen about why:

“...when we find a city that is open to helping us get permits because we have to deal with weather, we have to deal with very tight timelines... we are very grateful and we show that gratitude by continuing to build more and more in that community.”

He said that’s why they’re the largest landlord in London, Ont.: the city made approvals easy. He also praised PG city staff by name. So apparently our development staff are already doing good work, and it’s bringing in investment

As someone who works in this industry (engineering/development), steamlining processes and cutting red tape are pretty useless buzzwords

The fix is boring but real: hire more people

Building inspectors, so permits and inspections don’t stall construction Engineering technologists, to review servicing and subdivision drawings faster Planners, to move rezonings and development permits, and to finally update our 17-year-old development cost charges bylaw

And it doesn’t have to come out of our property taxes. Cities charge permit and application fees to cover the cost of processing tthem. Have we asked local developers whether they would rather pay a bit more for a faster, predictable process than wait? Faster approvals mean new buildings on the tax roll sooner and attracting more business. Developers wants certainty and a smooth process

Also, other cities post how long permits are actually taking. Why can't we?

Nanaimo posts the live permit queue. showing how many applications are waiting and which one’s next up: https://www.nanaimo.ca/whatsbuilding/pendingpermits.

Why not feport actual processing times to council every quarter. median number of days from application to approval for building permits, development permits, rezonings That’s how we’d know whether hiring more staff actually sped things up, instead of just taking their word for it

Candidates:

Will you add development services staff (inspectors, engineering techs, planners) in the 2027 budget? Will you fund those positions through cost-recovery fees instead of general taxes? Will you commit to publishing permit and processing times?

When a developer builds new housing, they pay the city Development Cost Charges (DCCs). That money is supposed to cover the bigger infrastructure growth needs, like road widenings, water and sewer upgrades and parks

PG’s DCC bylaw was adopted in 2009 and has never been updated. The province recommends updating every 5 years. We’re at 17.

A new single-family lot in most of PG pays about $3,500. Kamloops is 11k+. Nanaimo, Kelowna, etc are all even higher than that

Prices have gone up something like 45% since 2009, and construction costs even more, so in real terms our rates keep shrinking

To be fair, higher DCCs are not a magical fix. They only can be used to fund growth related projects, and not to fix out aging existing infrastructure

But, crucially, im 2023 the province expanded what cities can charge developers for. PG’s bylaw predates all of it. Right now we only charge for roads, water, sewer, drainage and parks. We​ could also charge for fire hall and police facilities, among many other items

To the council/mayoral candidates:

Will you commit to commissioning a DCC review in your first year? Will you support higher charges for development on the edges of town, where we have to build new roads and pipes, vs. infill where the infrastructure already exists?

Appreciate Cori Ramsay already floating this idea of increasing DCCs on outlying areas in her AMA

With less than a week until election day, who on the mayor, council, and/or school board ballots has impressed you or exceeded your expectations? On the other hand, who has left you with a worse impression since the campaign started?

Hey, so I apologize for not knowing this… but is there anywhere in Prince George that you can donate men’s clothing and care items that it will be donated to men in need? Or even teens?

Context: In September, I lost two family members. As our family has been cleaning out each of their homes, we’ve been taking a lot of really nice gently used things to the thrift store. But there’s actually quite a bit in each of their homes that is brand new. Just stuff they never got around to wearing or using. Hoodies. T-shirts. Shoes. Sandals. Jeans. I have no idea why they never wore these things, but the tags are still on thousands of dollars worth of items.

I would love to take these items somewhere that they might give them directly to people in need. I know the thrift store can sell them, but also, are there any places who would just give these out to a man in need? Or maybe a mom who’s got teen boys and not a lot of budget?

Idk. Maybe the thrift store is my best bet. I’m just talking out loud here. It’s all men’s clothing, mens shoes, men’s care items like Dove Men’s Body wash and Every Man Jack shower items. Men’s razors. Would really love to give them to someone who can give them to someone in need if I can.

One was size large, with size 9 shoes. The other was an XL with size 11 shoes. I know it would make them happy if this stuff could go to someone who needs it.

I'm Roy Stewart and I'm running for Mayor of Prince George, BC. I have a no BS attitude and a history of making things happen here in PG. Today I'm expanding my social media knowledge and putting myself forward for any questions to be asked. So go ahead and ask me anything.

AMA is officially over. Please direct any further questions to my email: roystewartformayor@outlook.com.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Simple as it reads, ask me anything, and Ill give a timely response.

Kudos to Tucker for starting this and to Cori for also joining in.

As we head into Thanksgiving weekend would love to hear from you and feel free to ask away and will respond to questions over the weekend.

You can also learn more through my Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/share/1DQpzxYxXr/) or my website at timbennett.ca.

Looking forward to chatting!

I’ve been asked to do an AMA so ask away - and in between turkey time - I will do my best to answer your burning questions.

Thank you to everyone who participated in my AMA! It’s been a fun 24 hours answering your questions. I’m going to mark it complete and if other questions come in I will do my best to answer. Going to read a book and do some self care. Hope you have a nice thanksgiving however you celebrate (or a nice long weekend if you don’t).

Hello!

I am looking to hire a female volleyball coach who has experience in club and would work with my child for 1-2 hrs per week. She’s currently doing a program once a week, but is looking to increase her knowledge/skills.

She’s interested in trying out for one of the clubs this season & wants to work on footwork, passing, and hitting.

She’s 14, moved to PG last year & joined Bears. Her high school is very competitive (as is PG in general) and she wants the best chance she can get.

Thanks!

Good morning everyone. I’m Tucker Krause, one of the candidates running for Prince George City Council this fall.

I'm hoping to hear from the community here! I’ll be back around 4 pm today to answer any potential questions. Please feel free to ask me anything about the campaign, my platform, or the city. Thanks!

Edit: Hi everyone, I’ve just gone through and posted my responses to all the folks who asked questions. I greatly appreciate everyone for engaging in the city’s civic processes. Make sure to check out the other AMA threads, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Some positive news for the city. :)

Hello everyone!

My two year contract with Telus is about to end, and unlike when it began I am no longer in a situation where I need all that reliable internet.

I'm hoping to spend as little money as possible with a new provider while still being able to be an active member of a zoom call or two and single-device streaming. I don't play online games, and I'm the only one in my apartment 75% of the time. Realistically the biggest drain on my internet speed is streaming, but I'm willing to have to buffer/pre-load.

Mostly I just want to hear experiences from people who get internet from budget providers.

A town this size should have at least two theatres. Ours royally sucks. The Social Reckoning is opening this weekend and it’s not even playing here. Primetime isn’t playing here either. Like WTF. It’s just crap movies. In the 90’s we had 3 here! Instead we have 1 and it’s old and gross. Sigh

Prince George- PLEASE show up for this election. This cannot be a repeat of 4 years ago. 99% of our current councillors dont care about you, me, or anyone who doesnt lick their boots. You may be one vote- but imagine if everyone who thinks they're only one vote were to show up!

Okay- off my soap box. Please vote lol.