Highlights from the January 13, 2025 Council Gathering: Key Decisions and Insights

Below are some key points from the City Council meeting held on January 13, 2025. For further details – including the complete agenda – refer to the Regular Council Meeting Agenda and its accompanying documents.

Comprehensive Community Evaluation

The Council has received the results of the City’s Comprehensive Community Evaluation (CCE) conducted from August 2023 to November 2024.

This evaluation was financed through a grant from the Union of BC Municipalities and executed by the consulting agency Urban Systems. The aim of this assessment was to augment the ongoing Official Community Plan review and to gain a deeper insight into effectively steering the City’s future development. Emphasis was placed on maximizing the utilization of current infrastructure and improving access to essential services.

Significant suggestions from the CCE include emphasizing new residential construction in locations with access to daily necessities, a connected transport network, and adequate existing infrastructure to sustain growth. More recommendations involve overseeing infrastructure capacity, coordinating essential infrastructure investments, and simplifying the development approval process to lure investment.

2024 RCMP Annual Review

Officer-In-Charge of the Prince George RCMP, Superintendent Darin Rappel delivered a presentation to the Council, giving an overview of police service calls for the year 2024 in comparison to previous years, including statistics from downtown and notable occurrences and trends. Highlights reveal a reduction in property crime and an increase in charges sent to Crown.

The presentation discussed upcoming topics for 2025, such as a focus on mental health support collaborations, youth crime, and the impact of body-worn cameras on workload.

Approval of Citizen Recognition Program terms of reference

The Council sanctioned the terms of reference for the Select Committee on the Citizen Recognition Program. 

The suggested program was introduced in a motion notice last November, aiming to celebrate individuals who have made noteworthy contributions to the community in various domains.

Four councillors were selected for the committee: councillors Frizzell, Sampson, Scott, and Skakun. The Council has now instructed administration to initiate the recruitment process for up to three community members to join the committee. The committee is projected to present a report to Council by the end of September 2025, with the program expected to commence in 2026.

Advancement of Apartments at 4500 Ospika

The Council authorized the removal and substitution of a section 219 covenant related to a proposed development at 4500 Ospika Boulevard. 

The applicant, Praxis Solutions, submitted the request on behalf of the developer to nullify and replace the Section 219 covenant to facilitate a 118-unit apartment complex aimed at offering congregate housing for independent seniors.

The report to the council clarifies that in February 2023, the council rejected a request to alter the development from the initial 256-unit student housing to senior living accommodations.

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