Industry and Trades - Fall 2026

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INSIDE CNC PHOTO

• CNC Expands Trades programs • Ottawa’s ‘new nuclear renaissance’ • $9M granted to 56 BC communities • Jasper rebuilds

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Features

Fall 2026

04 Skilled trades are key to the province’s future 05 CNC continues to expand trades education in the North 07 Municipal Affairs minister says Jasper needs new tools to fund infrastructure 08 Proposed Alberta pipeline would cross Jasper National Park 10 City committee considers next moves in Chinese sister city talks 12 Ottawa’s ‘new nuclear renaissance’ ignites debate over Canada’s energy future 16 $9M granted to 56 communities across BC to streamline home approvals 18 Prince George positioned to supply workers for major projects and beyond 22 Peace River job fair returns to connect employers and job seekers INDUSTRY AND TRADES - SUMMER 2026 Published by: Prince George Citizen Publisher: Cameron Stolz Editor: Kennedy Gordon

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Skilled trades are key to the province’s future

GOVERNMENT OF BC PHOTO Jessie Sunner heads the BC government ministry responsible for skilled trades and other post-secondary education.

Province is building a trained workforce for new major projects British Columbia is building the skilled workforce needed to support resource-based economies like those in Northern BC. Major projects in construction, clean energy, mining and advanced technology are creating new opportunities in Prince George, across the North and throughout the province.

My own family’s connection to the skilled trades has given me a first-hand appreciation of the value of this work and the opportunities a career in the trades can provide. It is a privilege to serve as BC’s minister of postsecondary education and future skills and to support the expansion of trades training opportunities across the province.

Over the next decade, nearly 100,000 job openings are expected in the skilled trades throughout BC. These are rewarding, family-supporting careers that offer people a chance to build a good life while helping strengthen and build the province we all cherish.

That’s why our government is making a historic investment of $241 million

over the next three years to strengthen and modernize BC’s trades training system. Through our Look West: Jobs and Prosperity strategy, we are building a more independent and resilient economy while ensuring British Columbians are first in line for good-paying local jobs.

This investment will create up to 5,000 new trades training seats in 2026, with a significant number being added at public post-secondary institutions in Northern BC. More seats mean more people can access training closer to home while giving institutions the resources they need to deliver highquality education and training.

SkilledTradesBC has recently launched the Look West: Workforce Readiness Initiative to better connect training opportunities with employer needs and expand access to training in regional communities. We are building a training system that is responsive, accessible and aligned with where the jobs are today and where they will be in the future.

Complementing these investments in trades training are our workforce

development programs, funded through the Canada-BC Labour Market Transfer Agreements, which help prepare workers for in-demand jobs.

The Community Workforce Response Grant and the BC Employer Training Grant provide funding for training that enables workers to develop the skills they need to work on major projects, from basic building code training to heavy equipment operation.

These programs have supported hundreds of workers in the Prince George area, including people affected by mill closures, to train for diverse, in-demand careers in areas such as pharmacy and health care, truck driving and airfield maintenance.

These investments are about more than training seats and funding. They are about ensuring people have the opportunity to gain the skills they need to succeed while giving local employers access to the workers they need to grow.

I am optimistic about what we can achieve together. By investing in

people and expanding pathways into the skilled trades, we are building a stronger future for Prince George, Northern BC and the entire province.

The province’s significant ongoing investments in post-secondary education are creating more opportunities for people, supporting economic growth and helping address the workforce needs of today and tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Jessie Sunner Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills

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CNC continues to expand trades education in the North

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COLLEGE OF NEW CALEDONIA PHOTO Students take part in the College of New Caledonia’s Heavy Duty Mechanic program.

Programs like heavy equipment training will meet a growing need Matthew Hillier Citizen Staff The College of New Caledonia (CNC) is bracing for an increase in both students and demand following provincial calls for more industry expansion, particularly in mining and critical minerals, among other areas.

“Trades are quite literally essential to the economy here,” said Troy Werrell, associate dean of trades at CNC. “It’s what keeps it going, especially in the North. People talk about AI replacing people’s jobs, and unfortunately it will replace a few jobs, but I really can’t see it replacing trades at all.”

About 1,200 students enter trades programs at CNC each year.

CNC’s current offerings at its various campuses are: • Carpenter Foundation: Prince George, Quesnel, Burns Lake, Mackenzie, six months or less • Apprentice Residential Building Maintenance Worker: Campus not specified, six months or less • Apprentice Automotive Glass Technician: Prince George, six months or less • Power Engineering 3rd Class: Prince George, 30 weeks • Welder Foundation: Mackenzie, Quesnel, Prince George, one year

• Apprentice Welding: Prince George, six months or less • Apprentice Heavy Mechanical Trades: Prince George, six months or less • Electrician Foundation: Prince George, six months or less • Automotive Service Technician Foundation: Prince George, one year • Apprentice Electrical: Prince George, six months or less • Apprentice Carpenter: Quesnel, Prince George, six months or less • Pipe Trade: Prince George, Vanderhoof, six months or less • Trades Discovery: Burns Lake, Vanderhoof, Prince George, six months or less • Automotive Collision and Refinishing Foundation: Prince George, one year • Apprentice Automotive Collision and Refinishing: Prince George, six months or less • Professional Cook: Prince George, 42 weeks • Apprentice Pipe Trade: Prince George, six months or less • Apprentice Industrial Mechanic: Quesnel, Prince George, six months or less • Industrial Mechanic Foundation: Quesnel, Prince George, Vanderhoof, six months or less • Power Engineering 4th Class: Prince

George, Quesnel, one year The college also offers trades discovery and sampler programs for those out of high school or those looking for a change and wanting to discover which trade may suit them best.

Available programs depend on campus size and community need, something Worrell said is a defining aspect of which programs CNC offers — and where.

“When I went out last fall to one of our information sessions, I simply put it to the community and asked them, what does this community need? What have they been asking for over the years?” said Werrell.

“I’m not going to say they were surprised, but the response that I got back was very, very good, and because of that, we’re running programs that they asked for and are in need of. The big ones that are required in the Vanderhoof and the Nechako Lakes region are heavy-duty mechanics.”

This push for new heavy-duty mechanical workers is not a new one, with the province estimating that more than 1,000 new mechanics will be needed in the province to support mining developments over the next five years.

Werrell said CNC is working to make heavyduty mechanics training in Vanderhoof a

reality. However, he noted one problem.

“The biggest hurdle right now, really the only hurdle, is we have nowhere to put it,” said Werrell. “We require a certain size shop and equipment. That in and of itself, if we had the shop, we could be running this. But I have been going out with the campus manager, and we’ve gone out to industry in the area and we’ve asked them, ‘Do you have any spare space for us to run this program?’ Well, they’re happy that we’re trying to run the program, but they are out of space.”

Shops that Werrell visited in Vanderhoof are even running evening hours to keep up with increased demand, making finding a location to train students even more challenging.

He said this infrastructure hurdle will become a major one faced by trades schools across the province, not just CNC. “This is probably what has become the biggest stumbling block for institutions,” said Werrell.

“Can we increase our training? Yes. Are we getting more funding? Yes. Where are we going to put the students? Where do we get the instructors from? That’s the thing.

We haven’t had a whole lot of funding for additional infrastructure.”

If this hurdle is overcome, at least in Vanderhoof, Werrell said he believes the cont. pg 6

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FALL 2026 | INDUSTRY & TRADES

program would meet a real need.

“I foresee Vanderhoof being kind of the hub of that area, more so than Prince George being the hub of the nortth,” he said. “If we need to gear up a region for certain mining aspects or heavy duty, such as what’s happening, then that’s the direction we need to go.”

Werrell is hoping to start a new program in Quesnel in the next 12 months called Fundamental in Mining, and is currently looking to purchase equipment for the program.

He added that welding and heavy mechanical trades are the most popular programs right now at CNC, with electrical and construction trades a close second.

With the BC government increasing mining investment and interest in the northern and Interior regions of BC, Werrell doubts these programs will be knocked off their top spots as trades education becomes more essential.

“The mining industry is taking an upswing in the last year or so, as well as the transport industry,” said Werrell. “I wouldn’t say there are more trucks on the road, but they’re certainly doing more hours on the road, which is necessitating more heavy mechanical technicians.”

One of the province’s most recent investments in northern trades education

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is the $1 million given as part of the Community Workforce Response Grant and Community and Employer Partnerships programs.

This investment will support training and education projects in Fort Fraser, Fort St. James, Fraser Lake and Vanderhoof.

CNC is receiving part of this funding to support its DRIVE program in Vanderhoof, which provides an 18-week, fully funded Class 2 and Class 3 driver training program that includes occupational skills training, industry certifications and more.

“The constant influx of sponsorship such as that and funding really helps,” Werrell said. “The drive program in Vanderhoof is fully sponsored. That really removes a huge barrier for a lot of folks. I know in these regions, especially Vanderhoof, they’re very good at tapping into the funding sector and finding money.”

With recent pulp mill closures still at the front of many people’s minds and a noticeable push to shift industry in the region to critical minerals, some are worried that forestry trades may be left behind.

However, Greg Rose, instructor and coordinator of the Natural Resources Enforced Technology Program, says opportunities for forestry trade education will remain.

“It does become a major issue, especially

COLLEGE OF NEW CALEDONIA PHOTO Elementary school students are given a tour of the College of New Caledonia’s trades training facilities earlier this year.

when we’re looking at community deployment for jobs, but at the end of the day, the jobs that are produced through the program here are more associated with data collection,” said Rose.

“What that means is being able to go out and evaluate the forest, be able to look at volume,

but also the growth and development of the forest over time. When we look at stewardship and forest stewardship, forest management, the students that come out with their graduate degree, their two-year diploma program are fully equipped for all the challenges that they face.”

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Municipal Affairs minister says Jasper needs new tools to fund infrastructure

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GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams announces the creation of a minister’s council on infrastructure financing while visiting Jasper on June 23.

Alberta government panel will explore new financing options for municipalities facing rising infrastructure costs without increasing taxes.

Peter Shokeir Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The Alberta government says it will look into alternative ways for municipalities to finance critical infrastructure without raising taxes.

While visiting Jasper on June 23, Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams announced the creation of a new minister’s council. The council, Williams said, will identify new tools for funding infrastructure. The initiative will include municipal leaders and building industry representatives from BILD Alberta.

“I want to look at ways to try and make sure we’re building and we’re building for the future,” Williams said.

“I don’t want it to have to result in more property taxes or an increase in provincial and national taxes, through effectively grants, so I’m looking at new and innovative solutions.”

Williams described how many Alberta communities are facing a growing infrastructure gap, citing how Calgary has experienced two major water main breaks in recent years.

He also noted how tourism puts increased pressure on Jasper’s infrastructure. According to a 2022 report prepared for Banff, Canmore and Jasper, Jasper spent $6.5 million, or 32 per cent of its expenditures, to support its visitor population in 2021.

“We have to make sure that we’re proportionately supporting that infrastructure and that it’s maintained and that it continues to operate to serve Canadians from coast to coast to coast, as a national park should,” Williams said.

The Municipality of Jasper has argued the province should account for Jasper’s shadow population of visitors and seasonal workers when it comes to infrastructure funding. British Columbia does this by designating some communities as resort municipalities, which provides them with additional funding for visitor services and infrastructure.

Williams said the minister’s council would not consider options that resulted in more taxes and levies, but rather options such as municipal bonds or having smaller municipalities come together to collectively borrow and spend at scale.

“I’m not saying every tool is a solution to every problem, but right now, I think we’re limiting what our municipalities can use,” he said. “I want to look at what other jurisdictions have done that doesn’t result in a higher tax burden but says there’s a smarter way of financing and investing in these big projects.”

The three-year Budget 2026 capital plan includes $7.1 billion toward municipal infrastructure. Through the Local Government Fiscal Framework (LGFF),

the province will provide $820 million in 2025 and $800 million in 2026 to communities for local infrastructure.

Williams assured that exploring alternative funding tools was not an attempt to download more costs onto municipalities and that his office would not be changing LGFF funding.

“This is not about robbing Peter to pay Paul or changing where the money and funding comes from,” he said. “This is about adding more tools and more potential access to capital for projects.”

Williams said the minister’s council will decide the date of its first meeting, but he hoped to receive feedback before the end of the year.

Jeff Acker, chair of Alberta Mid-sized Cities Mayor’s Caucus and mayor of Spruce Grove, said during the announcement that this “proactive step” would allow mid-sized municipalities

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to meet the infrastructure needs of growing communities.

“By exploring new approaches and opportunities through the minister’s council, we can help ensure municipalities have the flexibility and tools they need to build for our future,” Acker said.

Scott Fash, CEO of BILD Alberta, added that growth only occurred when communities had core infrastructure such as roads, water, sewer and stormwater pipes. He said upfront costs remain a major hurdle for development and must be borne by either municipalities or developers.

“We need to explore additional financing models that support more cost-effective and timely delivery of all types of infrastructure,” Fash said.

This article originally appeared in The Jasper Local

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Proposed Alberta pipeline would cross Jasper National Park

CITIZEN STAFF PHOTO If Alberta goes ahead with its planned pipeline to the west coast, part of it would pass through Jasper National Park.

Alberta’s proposed West Coast Oil Pipeline raises questions about environmental risks, Indigenous consultation and development in protected areas.

Peter Shokeir Local Journalism Initiative Reporter A proposed Alberta oil pipeline would pass through Jasper National Park, reviving questions about industrial development in one of Canada’s most protected landscapes.

According to Alberta’s submission to the federal Major Projects Office, roughly 7 per cent of the West Coast Oil Pipeline would pass through the park while transporting more than one million barrels of oil per day.

The submission does not specify what infrastructure would be required inside the park, but says temporary or permanent access roads may need to connect to municipal road networks near Jasper.

Alberta Energy and Minerals did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding how the province would address environmental concerns or what would be required to build a pipeline through a federally protected area.

To consider listing the pipeline as a project of national interest, which would

streamline federal approval processes, the Major Projects Office is expected to conduct initial outreach and engagement with Indigenous groups.

Parks Canada referred questions to the Privy Council Office, which provides advice to the prime minister and cabinet. Pierre Cuguen, spokesperson for the Privy Council Office, said in an email that the pipeline route has not yet been finalized and will continue to be developed through the next stages of the project.

“Regardless of the route, the West Coast Oil Pipeline proposed project would still undergo a regulatory review, including impact assessments, as well as Crown consultations with potentially impacted Indigenous communities,” he said.

Cuguen added that this would ensure “specific technical conditions” were developed to mitigate project effects, “including measures to protect the environment and Indigenous rights, and where appropriate, accommodation measures for Indigenous Peoples.”

Kecia Kerr, executive director of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society

Northern Alberta, said the proposed pipeline route was better for nature in Alberta than the alternative northern route that would have crossed through more caribou habitat.

“Of course, any new pipeline is going to bring new risk of spills,” Kerr said, adding there would be an impact from new disturbances.

The Canadian Energy Regulator stated in an email that there have been no leaks or spills on the existing Trans Mountain pipeline in Jasper National Park since the regulator’s pipeline incident data was digitized in 2010.

According to the Canadian Energy Regulator’s website, the Trans Mountain Pipeline has reported 17 incidents since 2008 that resulted in some volume of product being released, with crude oil (sweet) being the most commonly released substance.

Historically, there have been six other incidents in the Jasper area: • April 1966: Pipeline rupture of 6,000 to 7,000 barrels of oil, including around 10 barrels released into the Miette River.

• June 1973: Pipeline rupture resulting in about 800 barrels, with some released into the Athabasca River.

• June 1985: Mist from a cracked cooling line released at the Jasper Pump Station.

• May 1992: Around 270 gallons of aviation fuel released during a helicopter fuelling operation.

• February 1994: Around 3,700 litres released from a pump station.

• September 1995: Around 1,000 litres of crude oil released from a pinhole leak at a pump station.

Paul Butler, executive director of the Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce, said the expansion of the existing Trans Mountain line nearly two decades ago created a temporary boom for local hotels and restaurants, but “came with a combination of challenge and opportunity for the business community.”

“While that loop was being put through Jasper, it was like we had another industry in town,” Butler said.

“It created economic opportunity, for sure, particularly for the visitor accommodation sector and for the food cont. pg 9

INDUSTRY & TRADES | FALL 2026

PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN

service sector.”

At the same time, the project caused “compression” because crews occupied hotel rooms normally meant for tourists.

However, Butler suspected any recent capacity issues caused by the Jasper wildfire would be resolved by the time construction on the new pipeline potentially begins.

Butler said he hoped to learn more about the size of the workforce and have advance discussions about how workers

could be accommodated.

As for environmental concerns, he expressed confidence in the federal government’s ability to protect Jasper National Park’s natural resources.

Kerr’s bigger concern was the impact the pipeline and associated increase in oil tanker traffic would have on southern resident orcas and chinook salmon.

The federal government has also released a discussion paper proposing legislative changes that would exempt specific

projects from the jeopardy test. Kerr said this would allow the West Coast pipeline to be built without consideration for the orcas.

The changes would also allow for the creation of special economic zones covering areas such as transportation corridors, telecommunications networks, energy production and transmission, and industrial regions.

According to the discussion paper, establishing these zones ahead of major

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developments would remove the need for separate project reviews. Kerr said she was unsure what the implications could be for national parks such as Jasper.

“Is Jasper going to have a corridor going through it that’s considered a special economic zone where environmental regulations are going to be much reduced or exempt?” she asked.

This article originally appeared in The Jasper Local.

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City committee considers next moves in Chinese sister city talks

JASON HU/PEXELS PHOTO Jiangmen is a city of about 4.8 million people in China. The City of Prince George is exploring a ‘twinning’ relationship with Jiangmen.

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Colin Slark Citizen Staff A draft twinning agreement between Prince George and Jiangmen, China was back up for discussion on Monday, Aug. 10, three months after a delegation from the Chinese city visited the area.

The delegation came after a letter from Jiangmen Mayor Wu Xiaohui was presented to city council during a meeting on April 27. It announced that the city of almost five million people was going to send a group to Prince George with the aim of restarting talks over establishing a sister city agreement that fizzled out more than a decade earlier.

After the visit on May 7 and 8, the city received a draft twinning agreement for consideration that was then discussed at the committee’s Tuesday, July 7, meeting.

At that meeting, committee members asked Mayor Simon Yu for a report on the delegation and forwarded the agreement to provincial and federal partners for feedback.

The agenda for the two-day visit was created by the delegation, Yu said, based on “sectors, organizations and

community locations it wished to learn more about during its time in Prince George.”

Visits were made to city hall, the University of Northern BC, Northern Lights Estate Winery and Canfor facilities.

At UNBC, the delegation visited the bioenergy plant, the Enhanced Forestry Lab, the Centre for Technology Adoption for Aging in the North, the medical school building and the First Nations Centre.

At Canfor, the visit “included discussion of Prince George and British Columbia operations, sustainable forest management and manufacturing, innovation, safety culture, products and global markets, together with a facility tour.”

During the trip, the delegates met with representatives from the city, UNBC, the College of New Caledonia, Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, Tano T’enneh Enterprises, Canfor, the winery, the Central BC Railway and Forestry Museum and the Barkerville Heritage Trust.

In an accompanying report, senior cont. pg 11

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CITY OF PRINCE GEORGE PHOTO Prince George Mayor Simon Yu (left), Lheidli T’enneh First Nation Chief Dolleen Logan (centre) and Jiangmen, China Mayor Wu Xiaohui speak during a visit from Jiangmen officials to Prince George on May 7 and 8, 2026.

adviser for intergovernmental relations Annie Doran outlined the consultation work that has gone on regarding the proposed sister city agreement since the committee’s last meeting.

Doran wrote that both Global Affairs Canada and BC’s Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat suggested the city “should carefully consider certain revisions to the agreement tone, language and timeframe to ensure there are actionable and measurable outcomes that benefit both parties, rather than entering into the agreement as currently proposed.”

Regarding length, the city was told that instead of the 20-year term proposed

by Jiangmen, it should seek a fiveyear agreement, which is the general standard. There should also be provisions for termination or extension for both parties.

Speaking at the meeting, Yu said the historic ties between the Prince George area and Jiangmen date back to when workers from the latter city came to the region during the Cariboo Gold Rush of the 1860s.

He said that, as he sees it, the sister city agreement would not include any financial obligations on the city’s part, but feedback is needed on whether to amend or change the proposed agreement.

Doran then summarized the feedback

on the agreement from higher levels of government.

Coun. Brian Skakun asked whether Global Affairs Canada had reviewed the exact agreement proposed by Jiangmen.

Doran said the draft agreement was shared directly with the department and that the feedback was based on that document, adding that the department cautioned the city to make sure it was a friendship agreement and not a business one.

City manager Walter Babicz said the original 2010 letter of intent has gone dormant and it would be prudent to review today’s circumstances before entering a binding agreement. He suggested building the relationship with Jiangmen back up over time, including proposing a new declaration of intent, before a sister city agreement is signed.

Coun. Kyle Sampson said the concerns raised by the provincial and federal governments are similar to his own, including the length and renewal of the deal. He said the city should more clearly identify its objectives in detail before assessing its relationships with any municipality, not just Jiangmen, adding that the city should avoid putting the cart before the horse.

Babicz said either of the options proposed by staff would advance council and administration’s discussions, sending a non-binding indication that

Prince George wants to further pursue talks. Sampson said he didn’t want to recommend pursuing a letter of intent yet, instead directing council to further examine the situation.

In response, Babicz said staff would be happy to return with a report containing additional information if council wanted to slow the process down.

Coun. Susan Scott said she felt the committee could do the legwork to prepare a more formal recommendation before forwarding the file back to council.

Prince George-Valemount Conservative MLA Rosalyn Bird, attending the meeting to present on another item, said she’s generally in favour of these kinds of agreements, but concurred with the concerns raised by other levels of government and Sampson.

She suggested that a “spirit” agreement discussing the tenor of Prince George’s relationship with Jiangmen would be better than any formal business arrangements.

Coun. Trudy Klassen, an ex-officio member of the committee, asked the longer-tenured members of council

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about the intent of the original agreements with Jiangmen.

Frizzell said the original trips by Prince George delegations to Jiangmen were funded by grants and that when they arrived in China, the Barkerville and gold rush connections with the region were remembered.

He said he spoke with a former mayor of Calgary about his work exploring the establishment of a sister city agreement with Daqing, China, and he said it was important to figure out common goals.

For example, both Calgary and Daqing have important oil sectors.

Skakun moved for the committee to recommend updating the 2010 nonbinding letter of intent and have followups on that file return to council.

In updating that letter, Babicz said staff would draw on information from consultations with other levels of government and the economic development team to form its language, but that it would be a very high-level document.

The committee approved updating the letter of intent unanimously.

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Ottawa’s ‘new nuclear renaissance’ ignites debate over Canada’s energy future

KYLE MILLER/PEXELS PHOTO A traditional nuclear reactor facility is seen in an undated photo. The federal government has launched a new national strategy for nuclear power.

Ottawa’s push to expand nuclear power is drawing support from some energy experts and criticism from environmental advocates over costs, timelines and alternatives.

Anushka Yadav Local Journalism Initiative Reporter “There is no credible plan for Canada to become an energy superpower if we choose not to build upon one of the strongest energy advantages we have.”

While unveiling a new national strategy for nuclear power on June 22, Energy Minister Tim Hodgson made it clear that under the Mark Carney government, Canada was entering a “new civilian nuclear renaissance” with the country’s electrical grid capacity expected to double by 2050, “driven by

digitalization, electrification and artificial intelligence.”

“If our goal is to double our grid and build a low-carbon economy in less than 25 years, there is no credible plan to do that without nuclear energy and the clean, reliable baseload power it provides.”

For decades, nuclear energy has remained one of the environmental movement’s most polarizing issues.

Many experts have continued to oppose it over concerns about radioactive waste, catastrophic accidents, project

delays and soaring costs. But some are warming up to it, viewing it as an essential tool for decarbonizing electricity systems and tackling climate change.

Environmental Defence’s senior program manager of Ontario climate, Emily Hunter, was “disappointed” by the recent announcement, fearing it signals the Carney government’s doubling down on an energy path that overlooks Canada’s vast renewable potential.

She believes the country has the land, wind and solar resources, and battery storage potential to become a clean energy leader while expanding electricity exports to neighbouring provinces and the United States.

“Instead, we continue to delay the energy transition that a lot of other

countries are enacting and modernizing their grids with,” she told The Pointer.

“We’re going very much backwards towards outdated energy, in many ways, towards our particular fossil fuel agenda.”

In Canada, approximately 82 per cent of emissions stem from energy as Canadians use more energy due to extreme temperatures, dispersed population and vast landscape.

In 2022, fossil fuels made up 77 per cent of Canada’s total energy supply (oil: 33 per cent, coal: two per cent, natural gas: 41 per cent) while 16.8 per cent came from renewables and eight per cent from nuclear, a 2024-25 Natural Resources Canada report stated.

Jatin Nathwani, Ontario research chair in public policy for sustainable energy cont. pg 13

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HANDOUT PHOTO A GEH small nuclear reactor is shown in a concept sketch. The reactors have been proposed as part of future nuclear power growth.

and founding executive director of the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy (WISE), makes the case that nuclear is necessary to tackle the “serious challenge” of displacing fossil fuels that are deeply embedded in the energy system while meeting climate goals.

“People get married to the idea of solar, wind or water being the answer. It’s really a combination of resources and strategic thinking that is necessary,” Nathwani added.

A reliable, affordable and low-carbon electricity system comes from a “judicious” energy mix that depends on each province’s geography, existing infrastructure and natural resources: Quebec can continue to rely heavily on hydropower being geographically flush with massive river and lake systems while Ontario has largely “tapped out” its hydroelectric potential and must increasingly turn to a mix of wind,

solar, batteries and nuclear.

On June 12, Ontario, through the Independent Electricity System Operator’s Second Long-Term Request for Proposals (LT2), secured 640 megawatts of new, low-cost battery storage capacity from three projects capable of powering about 640,000 homes during peak demand.

“In an open, technology-agnostic competition, where batteries faced off against any resource able to deliver dependable capacity, battery storage won every contract,” said Clean Energy Canada’s Clean Economy Program manager, Oliver Sheldrick.

“What is particularly encouraging here is that fundamentally this is a story about technology costs. Batteries, wind and solar are demonstrating that they will often be the cheapest, fastest way to add reliable capacity to a growing grid, and it is ratepayers that will benefit most.”

Nathwani acknowledged that rapid declines in battery costs over the past decade have made wind-and-solarplus-storage systems a far more credible alternative to fossil fuels than they once were but renewables also require vast land and transmission infrastructure, making them better suited to some regions than others.

In remote locations, utility-scale solar installations of 1,000 megawatts or more are feasible due to strong solar resources and available land; electricity can be generated at scale and integrated into the grid but only if significant transmission infrastructure is built to move power from where it is produced to where it is needed.

When combined with battery storage, wind and solar can increasingly approximate “near baseload” performance, though they still require careful economic and planning tradeoffs around land use, community

impacts and system reliability.

As reported by The Pointer previously, a solar project proposed in Kawartha Lakes, Ont. on one of the world’s rarest habitats for endangered species including Eastern Loggerhead Shrike has brought forward the unique challenge of balancing renewable energy development with biodiversity conservation.

Nuclear energy, on the other hand, is a high-density source of power, capable of producing large amounts of electricity on a relatively small land footprint, albeit with high upfront capital costs.

“Ontario is actually the leading jurisdiction of this when it comes to nuclear in Canada,” Nathwani said, referencing proposals to develop the Wesleyville site near Port Hope, Ont. into a potential 10,000-megawatt nuclear facility on 1,300 acres of existing brownfield land.

cont. pg 14

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While new plants that can take seven to ten years to build come online, the grid is still being supported by fossil fuels, that is: natural gas.

By pushing out a high, heavy nuclear energy pathway, the federal government and Ontario are giving leeway to the fossil fuel industry to be legitimized as a necessary backup energy for our grids

By comparison, achieving equivalent output with solar and storage could require hundreds of thousands of acres, which might not be able to catch up to the rising electricity demand.

In its latest electricity strategy, Ottawa projects that by 2050 electricity generation will range from 30 per cent higher to more than double current levels across different scenarios while the share of non- and low-emitting sources rises from about 80 per cent today to over 96 per cent in all cases.

New generation capacity will be led overwhelmingly by wind as the largest source of additional supply.

It signals the focus is not shifting away from renewables, rather nuclear is being added to the mix as a complementary source that can “help make the energy sector’s journey away from unabated fossil fuels faster and more secure”, as the International Energy Agency (IEA) has noted.

“It’s a lot easier to decarbonize the grid and achieve net zero emissions if nuclear is a viable option,” Clean Prosperity’s vice-president of policy, Brendan Frank, told The Pointer.

“It just expands the number of pathways you can take to get to net zero. It’s not essential; I wouldn’t say

any single source is but it does make things easier in the long run.”

Ottawa’s new strategy envisions a major expansion of that footprint with construction beginning on two new large-scale reactors by 2035, five more reactors planned or under development by 2040 and at least one reactor under construction outside Ontario by 2035.

It also sets a goal of developing a Canadian-designed Generation IV microreactor by 2035 “to support defence facilities and operations and, in the longer term, remote and northern communities.”

A proposed project at Darlington, which has been referred to the Major Projects Office, would deliver the first small modular reactor (SMR) in the G7 with a total capacity of 1,200 megawatts, enough to power about 1.2 million homes, while Saskatchewan is targeting SMRs by the mid-2030s.

Alberta has also hopped on board, committing to developing a nuclear power strategy with Ottawa.

A day after the federal government’s announcement, Ontario confirmed a historic $700 million equity investment from the Williams Treaties First Nations in the Darlington New Nuclear Project, marking the first time First Nations have become full equity partners in a Canadian nuclear project.

“Through this investment, we are not only creating opportunities for our own communities – we are helping advance a project that will play an important role in meeting Ontario and Canada’s growing energy needs,” Chiefs of the Williams Treaties First Nations said in a statement.

“This investment demonstrates what is possible when First Nations are able to participate meaningfully in projects taking place within their territories, not only as rights holders, but as investors, partners, and participants in the long-term success of the project.”

In 2024, a Clean Prosperity report suggested new commercial reactors could become a major source of zerocarbon electricity nationally but high upfront costs and policy uncertainty were limiting the sector’s growth.

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“Ambitious nuclear policy doesn’t make sense without ambitious climate policy,” Frank said at the time as the lead author of the report.

“Canada only needs to build more nuclear reactors if we plan to achieve net-zero by electrifying our economy.

Federal and provincial governments need ambitious climate policies to convince the market that growing demand for electricity will support the economic case for new reactors.”

The federal strategy mirrored many of the report’s recommendations including committing to a fleet-based approach to reactor deployment, expanding the domestic supply chain and increasing Indigenous participation.

Unlike Canada, where the existing fleet is built around Canada Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) technology (powered by natural uranium, a resource Canada possesses in abundance and has always produced domestically), the United States operates 96 commercial reactors across 54 plants, which account for roughly 19 per cent of total U.S. electricity generation, using a wide variety of designs, making it more difficult to build engineering, construction and project management expertise from one project to the next.

“Reaffirming a limited number of reactor designs for each application or use case is really good policy,” Frank said.

The strategy also leaves one critical issue unresolved: financing.

While Hodgson did not indicate how Ottawa would pay for the reactors, the government is estimating it could cost more than $100 billion. The plan only mentioned a federal financing policy for new nuclear projects by April 2027 through loan guarantees, green bonds and other risk-sharing tools to help de-risk large-scale reactor construction.

“The strategy at a very high level is the federal government’s acknowledgement of its role in derisking these projects, both through financial and regulatory,” Frank noted, describing the new strategy as “comprehensive.”

“This is not just about electricity; it is about economic growth, economic diversification, reshoring supply chains and innovation.”

Unlike wind and solar manufacturing, where global production is largely concentrated outside Canada (heavily dominated by international markets like China, the EU and the U.S.), Canada’s “very active” nuclear supply chain that has been strengthened through reactor refurbishments at Darlington and Bruce gives the country a chance “to really seize a hold of what seems to set to be a growing market in a way that we just couldn’t for winds and solar.”

“China has completely cornered the manufacturing; there’s not a ton of value in the manufacturing component of the supply chain—that is not the case for nuclear,” he added.

Proactively identifying potential shortages in areas such as specialized manufacturing and expanding the nuclear supply chain beyond Ontario will be essential if Canada hopes to scale up reactor construction.

“An ambitious nuclear policy can make sense if it’s paired with [an] ambitious electrification policy,” Frank remarked.

“And the federal electricity strategy is very ambitious: a doubling of supply in 25 years is unprecedented. A big challenge here, of course, is that electricity is largely the domain of the provinces, and each province kind of has its own setup.”

However, Frank awaits a clear federal financing policy, given the high capital costs associated with nuclear projects.

These costs add up when coupled with execution risk, projects going over schedule, which almost inevitably drives them over budget.

Even relatively small delays arising from a mere late component delivery can push construction back by an entire season in countries like Canada, where work is highly seasonal. Vogtle in the United States completed seven years behind schedule as massive delays and complex logistical failures made it the most expensive power project in U.S. history, with final costs exceeding $36 billion. Europe’s cont. pg 15

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Hinkley Point C in the UK has been delayed to 2030 with a budget that has climbed over £40 billion.

“There are good reasons to believe that Canada can do better, Ontario can do better than all of those projects,” Frank said, noting Ontario’s Bruce Power Unit 3 reactor refurbishment was completed seven months ahead of schedule and under budget, saving ratepayers $150 million.

Even though refurbishments are not directly comparable to new builds, he is confident with improved supply chains, standardized designs and stronger institutional capacity, “pursuing a small handful of nuclear projects in the coming years seems like a reasonable hedge.”

“Nuclear is not going to compete on cost with wind, solar, and batteries, but it’s also not clear how much wind, solar, and batteries you can actually get on the grid,” he added, pointing to limitations Nathwani outlined.

While most of the system should be built around fast, lower-cost renewables, a smaller share of long-

lead, high-reliability resources like nuclear can provide insurance against the upper limits of renewable integration and rising electricity demand.

While Frank and Nathwani are cautiously optimistic, and Hunter has expressed dissent for the latest strategy, all three converge on two key beliefs: they still have a lot of unanswered questions from the nuclear strategy and they support ditching fossil fuels.

“While new plants that can take seven to ten years to build come online, the grid is still being supported by fossil fuels, that is: natural gas,” Hunter stressed.

“By pushing out a high, heavy nuclear energy pathway, the federal government and Ontario are giving leeway to the fossil fuel industry to be legitimized as a necessary backup energy for our grids.”

But that’s not the only concern.

While the latest nuclear strategy can be viewed through the lens of climate action and emissions

reduction, questions remain about whether those gains could be offset by the government’s recent energy decisions including softening of Clean Electricity Regulations and the Ottawa–Alberta agreement advancing a potential West Coast oil pipeline, which could carry up to one million barrels per day and be designated a project of national interest with possible approval by September 2027 despite strong opposition from British Columbia and coastal First Nations over environmental and jurisdictional concerns.

The move doesn’t seem to align with the Carney government’s push for sovereignty against “hegemons.”

Geopolitical tensions, recently between Iran and the United States, have already exposed the fragility of oil and gas dependence, as disruptions to global supply chains forced countries to confront energy insecurity and hastened the push toward renewables.

The new reactors being pushed by Ontario Power Generation, including

the GE-Hitachi BWRX-300 planned at Darlington, are also Americandesigned light water reactors which require low-enriched uranium fuel (about five per cent Uranium-235) that Canada cannot produce.

Enrichment services are concentrated in the U.S., France, and most dominantly, Russia.

In 2023, OPG announced that it intends to source fuel enriched at a U.S. plant in Eunice, New Mexico, supplemented by France’s Orano.

This means Canada would, for the first time, depend on the United States for the operation of its nuclear fleet.

An Ontario Clean Air Alliance report warned the new U.S. GE-Hitachi nuclear reactors are the highest-cost option to meet Ontario’s electricity needs, costing two to eight times more than new solar and wind power.

“If we’re really trying to have energy sovereignty and economic sovereignty, renewables are the pathway forward,” Hunter emphasized.

This article originally appeared in The Pointer.

Together we can unlock the full potential of our economy by growing our industry and trade sectors - driving innovation, creating jobs, and securing a sustainable future for all.

Rosalyn Bird MLA

Prince George-Valemount P: 778-744-8598 E: rosalyn.bird.MLA@leg.bc.ca

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Kiel Giddens MLA

Prince George-Mackenzie

P: 250-612-4194 (Prince George) P: 250-997-5281 (Mackenzie) E: kiel.giddens.MLA@leg.bc.ca

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CITIZEN FILE PHOTO Fifty-six communities across BC will receive $9 million to streamline the approval process for new home construction. The City of Prince George, however, did not apply.

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$9M granted to 56 communities across BC to streamline home approvals Yashvika Grover Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Communities across the province are receiving funding from the BC government to speed up the delivery of homes.

The Local Government Development Approvals Program, directed by the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM), “helps local governments develop innovative ways to improve development-approval processes to

help non-profit housing organizations, developers and other stakeholders deliver homes quicker and increase housing supply.”

The government has allocated $9 million across 56 BC communities to streamline development approvals for a variety of projects.

“The province is building the housing people in BC need, with more than 99,000 homes built or underway,” cont. pg 17

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said Brittny Anderson, minister of state for local governments and rural communities. “We’re going to continue our strong partnerships to build so British Columbians are able to afford to rent, to own and stay in the communities they work in, where their families are and where they call home.”

Cori Ramsey, a City of Prince George councillor and president of the UBCM, said getting homes approved, built and available requires all orders of government and industry to work together to improve development approval processes.

“Across BC, local governments are investing in practical solutions to streamline approvals, including digitizing permitting systems, adopting standardized housing designs and modernizing processes.”

Prince George did not apply for the funding program.

Some innovative solutions communities have developed to fast-track housing include: • The City of Fernie will make enhancements to improve record retrieval speed, ensure compatibility with the BC

Building Permit Hub and build alignment with future provincial systems.

• The District of Lake Country will identify opportunities to support the adoption of modern methods of construction, review the zoning bylaw and make recommendations to improve development approval processes.

• The City of Burnaby will implement targeted development approval process improvements to support housing delivery, with a focus on small-scale multi-unit housing, standardized housing designs and modern construction methods.

The $9 million funding is the third intake in the program, which received more than 70 applications for the 2026 intake.

Local governments awarded grants: • Abbotsford: $150,000 • Burnaby: $199,980 • Castlegar: $158,215 • Central Coast Regional District: $200,000 • Central Kootenay Regional District: $145,130 • Central Okanagan Regional District: $95,256 • Chilliwack: $124,000 • Colwood: $155,000

• Comox: $200,000 • Courtenay: $200,000 • Cumberland: $200,000 • Dawson Creek: $97,000 • Delta: $199,900 • Fernie: $200,000 • Hope: $150,000 • Houston: $150,000 • Islands Trust: $46,820 • Kamloops: $200,000 • Kaslo: $190,000 • Kent: $72,000 • Kitimat-Stikine Regional District: $45,000 • Lake Country: $83,000 • Logan Lake: $99,500 • Masset: $200,000 • Nanaimo Regional District: $200,000 • North Coast Regional District: $50,000 • North Cowichan: $49,680 • North Vancouver District: $200,000 • Northern Rockies Regional Municipality: $100,000 • Oak Bay: $200,000 • Oliver: $125,000 • Peachland: $200,000 • Penticton: $70,000 • Pitt Meadows: $120,000 • Port Edward: $120,000

• Port Moody: $100,000 • Powell River: $19,810.72 • Prince Rupert: $155,000 • Revelstoke: $200,000 • Richmond: $200,000 • Saanich: $199,969.50 • Silverton: $98,245 • Smithers: $200,000 • Stewart: $95,000 • Summerland: $200,000 • Taylor: $200,000 • Thompson-Nicola Regional District: $50,000 • Tofino: $100,000 • Trail: $200,000 • Ucluelet: $200,000 • Vancouver: $199,800 • Vanderhoof: $190,000 • Wells: $170,000 • West Kelowna: $200,000 • Whistler: $29,036.20 • Williams Lake: $22,000 This article originally appeared in Williams Lake Tribune.

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Prince George positioned to supply workers for major projects and beyond

GIBRALTAR MINE FACEBOOK PHOTO Mining students from the College of New Caledonia toured the Gibraltar copper-molybdenum mine on July 22, 2026.

City ponders how to pivot from construction jobs to permanent positions in natural resource development Ted Clarke Citizen Staff As the largest city in the northern half of the province, Prince George is well-positioned geographically as the servicing and supply hub for 20 of the 35 major natural resource projects expected to pump $88 billion into BC’s economy over the next three decades.

The potential is there for 60 per cent of that proposed capital investment — an estimated $50 billion — to be spent in Northern BC. It’s a rocket burst for the local economy that could create 16,000 construction jobs within the next decade.

But what comes after the power lines

and roads are in place, the mines are built and the pipelines begin to flow?

“This is an exciting opportunity for Prince George and it’s the kind of thing, if we blink we miss it, said Liam Kelly, a UNBC economics assistant professor.

“Prince George is the logistics and service hub for the whole North and for the region, so these projects do have a lot of potential benefits to us, but not necessarily obvious benefits beyond the construction jobs.”

Major project engagement is one of the city’s five top strategic priorities for 2026.

City staff are obliged to help businesses navigate city policies to obtain permit approvals promptly with an emphasis on positioning the downtown core as a

place to invest, work and do business and build on the city’s role as an industrial/logistics centre.

As the hub for so many new projects, the city’s economic development office will be kept busy connecting local businesses with project proponents through the procurement stages of construction while also monitoring job postings. The city will also have a role in convening business workshops, workforce recruitment and leadership events as those projects develop.

Based on the number of city staff hours needed to operate the offices of LNG Canada Terrace and Kitimat during six years of construction of the pipeline and processing plant from 2019-25, Kelly says Prince George city council will have to consider expanding of its economic development office beyond the current two full-time equivalent staff to take full advantage of opportunities presented by the major projects coming to the region.

“There is a need for greater capacity, these opportunities and benefits aren’t going to flow to Prince George without some work and two people working there (at the city) is probably not sufficient to capture all of those benefits,”

said Kelly.

“In the big picture, when you look at where all those jobs are coming from it’s not just in one area, it’s things like wholesale products, administration and professional services, a lot of work in transportation and warehousing, so it’s hard to capture all those benefits with one action, you have to have a diversified approach.”

Time is on Prince George’s side, with most of the bigger projects currently in the proposal or procurement stage.

But without a plan in place, longer investment opportunities will be lost once they are built. That happened in Fort St. John and the Site C dam project where employment grew to 6,069 workers during the peak construction period and within two years has shrunk to only a few dozen.

“That’s exactly what will happen here,” Kelly said. “The more we can do now to prepare, the better. If you look at the suite of major projects that are likely to move forward over the next decade or two, we’re going to have a relatively steady stream of these opportunities for a while, but there’s a lot of that boombust cycle, and we’ve seen that in forestry cont. pg 19

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GOVERNMENT OF BC MAP This maps shows 35 major projects proposed for BC and 22 of them are in the northern half of the province.

in Prince George.

“Forestry has always been a major player here and it will likely always have a role in the future, but its importance is diminishing over time, so finding areas to replace that activity, replace those jobs and not just maintain the status quo but find ways for Prince George the North to grow the economy is going to take careful planning and strategy and the city has a major role to play in that.”

Kelly, who has a private-sector background as a natural resource economist and worked as an economic development consultant with northern BC First Nations, says it’s critical that city officials and business leaders meet directly with project proponents to develop an understanding of the scope of each project and its timelines from start to finish. Developing those relationships is key for local companies or new businesses in the region to show they’re capable of meeting the needs of the project.

“In a place like the North, if we don’t have that capacity ready they will outsource, they’ll hire engineering firms

in Vancouver and fly them in and it will cost them a bit more, but it’s easier because those companies exist and they’re ready to go,” said Kelly. “A lot of these proponents, in my experience, would love to hire local and love to work as much as possible with the region, but they have to have the confidence that it is sustainable on their side as well.”

Prince George Coun. Garth Frizzell, chair of the city’s Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs, said planning for a major project boom is like the owner of a marina suddenly discovering it will become a port of call for cruise ships.

“We’re sort of anticipating a cruise ship, or five, will show up and you don’t want to spend millions of dollars for a cruise ship that doesn’t come, so what will the future bring?” said Frizzell. “The impacts coming towards the city over the next four to eight years are potentially staggering.”

Of the major projects earmarked for northern BC, seven are already impacting the Prince George region:

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We’re sort of anticipating a cruise ship, or five, will show up and you don’t want to spend millions of dollars for a cruise ship that doesn’t come, so what will the future bring? The impacts coming towards the city over the next four to eight years are potentially staggering.

North Coast Transmission Line Name of project: North Coast Transmission Line Cost of project: $6 billion Number of jobs created: Approximately 1,400 workers at peak construction Construction began earlier this summer on BC Hydro’s $6-billion project to build a new 500-kilovolt North Coast Transmission Line and twin it to the existing 340-kilometre power line that runs from Prince George to Terrace.

The electricity is needed to power new mines, liquid natural gas processing plants and other industrial ventures earmarked for northwestern BC. Phase 1 of the project will stretch 165 kilometres from Prince George to Glenannan, near Fraser Lake.

In July, four north-central BC First Nations — Lheidli T’enneh, Stellat’en, Nadleh Whut’en and Saik’uz — announced a partnership to purchase the shuttered Canfor Plateau Sawmill, which closed in 2024. Part of the 1,070-acre industrial park will serve as a laydown area for the hydro poles to be used on the new transmission line. The site will also be used for a worker camp during the nine-year construction period.

Phase 2 of NCTL will run 275 km west from Glenannan to Terrace.

A third phase is also planned to connect the line to Ksi Lisims LNG export facility north of Prince Rupert, to be served by the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline now under development.

Phased completion is projected from 2032-34. With Prince George serving as the hub, it’s anticipated 1,400 workers will be needed during the peak construction period.

Ksi Lisims LNG is a $30 billion joint venture identified for fast-tracking by the federal major projects office. In July, Ksi Lisims and a German buyer, Uniper, announced a binding 20-year agreement to purchase one million tonnes of liquid natural gas annually to be shipped by tankers from the West Coast facility.

Blackwater Mine Name of project: Blackwater Mine – Expanded Phase 2 (gold and silver) Cost of project: $1.44 billion Number of jobs created: 800 construction jobs and 170 permanent operations jobs Since it opened in January 2025, the Blackwater Mine 160 km southwest of Prince George has been producing record amounts of gold each quarter.

Owner Artemis Gold Inc., has invested more than $1 billion since 2022 to build the mine, with its Phase 1A expansion expected to be complete later this year.

The mill upgrade will boost mining capacity from six million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) to eight million by the end of 2026.

The Expanded Phase 2, a $1.44-billion investment to be completed by the end of 2028, will triple capacity to 21 Mtpa.

On track to produce between 260,000 and 290,000 ounces of gold this year, EP2 is expected to raise productivity to 500,000 ounces and create 800 construction jobs and 170 operations positions, adding to the current 900-person workforce. Construction has been completed on a 612-bed camp to support those new workers.

Artemis is also spending $5 million on 25,000 metres of exploratory diamond drilling this year on its 1,500 squarekilometre property, targeting areas to the north and northwest of the mine site.

Mount Milligan Mine Name of project: Mount Milligan Mine Expansion (copper and gold) Cost of project: $400 million Number of jobs created: Not specified In January, the province approved a $400 million investment by Centerra Gold Inc. to expand Mount Milligan in

PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN

a project that will add 10 years to the lifespan of the mine to keep it operating until 2045.

Located a 210-km drive northwest of Prince George, Mount Milligan has been operating since 2014. As of the start of 2026 it had an estimated 4.3 million ounces of gold reserves and 1.78 billion pounds of copper reserves.

The project encompasses a 80-hectare disturbance area used for construction materials, and deepening the pit to allow production to increase from 60,000 tonnes to 66,500 tonnes of ore per day.

Centerra has already raised the level of its tailings storage facility dam height from 1,095 metres to 1,121 metres above sea level, created a new waste-rock stockpile on the site and updated the reclamation/closure plan.

Cariboo Gold Name of project: Cariboo Gold Mine (gold) Cost of project: $881 million Number of jobs created: 1,138 Construction began late in 2025 on Oskisko Metals’ $881 million underground mine project near Wells, 191 km southeast of Prince George, with completion expected in 2028.

The deposit is expected to yield 220,000 ounces of gold annually and 1.89 million ounces in the mine’s 10-year lifespan.

Milling will happen at the mine site complex above the deposit, while waste rock to be trucked to the Bonanza Ledge Mine just south of Wells, between Lowhee Creek and Stouts Gulch. The target peak processing capacity of the mine is 1.8 million tonnes of gold bearing ore per year.

The mine is expected to create 613 direct jobs during the peak construction phase and an operational staff of 525.

Gibraltar Mine Name of project: Gibraltar Mine (copper-molybdenum) Cost of project: More than $800 million invested since 1972 Number of jobs created: 700 direct jobs and approximately 2,860 indirect regional jobs Since it was reopened by Taseko Mines (now Trekor Metals Ltd.) in October 2004, the Gibraltar mine near McLeese Lake, 60 km north of Williams Lake, has produced one million tonnes of copper.

Gibraltar employs a workforce of 700 and sustains 2,860 indirect jobs in the region. The mine annually produces 110-115 million pounds of copper and generates $800 of economic activity.

In 2007 the company reported the mine

is sitting on an estimated 2.5 billion pounds of copper and 69 million pounds of molybdenum. It produced 148,000 ounces of gold in 2025 and 50 million pounds of copper.

As the second-largest open-pit mine in Canada, more than $800 million has been invested since it opened in 1972.

Vitreo Minerals Angus Mine Name of project: Vitreo Minerals Angus Mine (silica sand) Cost of project: $300 million Number of jobs created: 150 construction jobs, 140 operational jobs and 150 product-delivery jobs — 440 total Used primarily for hydraulic fracturing in the oil and gas industry, high-purity silica sand is in high demand and the $300 million project will establish a mine 60 km north of Prince George (10 km east of Bear Lake). The project is expected to generate 150 construction jobs, 140 operational jobs and 150 product-delivery jobs.

Vitreo received its environmental assessment to proceed with the project on July 13. Upon completion, it’s anticipated it will be Canada’s largest high-quality silica mine, to serve fracking operations in the Montney Basin that straddles the northern border of Alberta and BC. The mine has an anticipated 20-year lifespan.

Nilhts’I Ecoener Wind Farm Name of project: Nilhts’I Ecoener Wind Farm Cost of project: $425 million Number of jobs created: 300-500 workers during peak construction; permanent operational employment not specified A joint venture of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation and Spanish renewableenergy company Ecoener, construction of this $425 million wind power project 15 km east of Hixon is expected to begin in 2028.

BC Hydro has awarded the contract and the proponents are awaiting permitting approvals. A full submission has been submitted to the BC Energy Regulator, whose response is expected sometime next year.

Between 300 and 500 workers will be needed in the peak construction period.

Once Phase 1 becomes operational (expected in 2031) with 20 or 21 wind turbines in place it will generate close to 144 megawatts of power — enough to power 31,000 homes per year. A proposed Phase 2 would add nine or 10 turbines to generate an additional 63 Mw.

cont. pg 21

INDUSTRY & TRADES | FALL 2026

PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN

A contract with BC Hydro specifies the energy giant will purchase power from Nilhts’I Ecoener for 30 years, after which the site would be decommissioned.

UNBC PHOTO UNBC economics assistant professor Liam Kelly says Northern BC businesses will benefit from a surge in major resource project activity expected over the next few decades but there’s an urgent need to build the capacity of the services and supplies to serve ongoing operations on the major employers once the infrastructure is in place.

Acute patient care tower Name of project: University Hospital of Northern BC Acute Patient Care Tower Cost of project: $1.6 billion Number of jobs created: Not specified Construction is slated to begin this fall on the 11-story acute patient care tower at University Hospital of Northern BC. The new building, to be built on the site now occupied by the Northern Interior Health Unit, will add 109 new beds to the hospital, including an 83-bed mental health and substance-use unit, increasing overall bed capacity from 276 to 385.

The $1.6 billion project will build five new operating rooms, two cardiac catheterization labs and a new hybrid operating room to create northern BC’s first cardiac care unit. Completion is expected in the summer of 2031.

Tidewater Renewables Name of project: Tidewater Renewables Aviation Fuel Facility Cost of project: $1.2 billion Number of jobs created: 400–500 construction jobs over three years and 60 permanent operational jobs Tidewater Renewables, which operates a light oil/renewable diesel refinery in Prince George, has proposed a $1.2 billion aviation fuel facility to be built adjacent to the existing refinery.

The project would generate 400-500 construction jobs over a three-year period as well as 60 permanent operational jobs to add to its existing workforce of 165. Once operational it would produce 90-100 million gallons of aviation fuel annually.

Tidewater is still evaluating the feasibility of the expansion project.

Prince George planners and politicians are also considering how to get the city involved in the proposed $35 billion oil pipeline from the Alberta tar sands near Fort McMurray to Burnaby, announced July 2.

Canada announced last month it intends to make a $100 million investment in a submarine fleet, which raises questions about how northern BC businesses can

21

get involved in that venture.

Other projects Sixteen other large-scale resource projects have been proposed for the northern half of BC. Eight are natural gas projects: Cedar LNG, Enbridge T-North expansion (Aspen Point); Enbridge T-South expansion; NorthRiver Midstream Northeast BC connector; Pembina natural gas processing pipeline expansion (Birch to Taylor); Pembina natural gas pipeline expansion (Taylor to Gordondale); Ksi Lisims LNG/Prince Rupert Gas Transmission; and LNG Canada Phase 2.

Five are critical minerals and mining: Red Criss Mine block-cave underground expansion (copper-gold); Baptiste Nickel project (awaruite nickel-iron alloy); Eskay Creek Mine (gold-silver); Kerr-Sulphurets-Mitchell project (gold-copper-silver-molybdenum); New Polaris project (gold-antimony); and Red Mountain Gold project (goldsilver).

Three other wind turbine projects — Stewart Creek and Taylor Wind and Ni Ti Mountain Wind — are on the cleanenergy radar for the North.

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FALL 2026 | INDUSTRY & TRADES

PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN

Peace River job fair returns to connect employers and job seekers

DENNIZ FUTALAN/PEXELS PHOTO Employers in the Peace region will be looking for new workers at a job fair in September.

Emily Plihal Local Journalism Initiative Reporter If you are looking for a job or a business looking for employees, Peace River is ready to welcome back its popular Peace River and Area Job Fair on Sept. 16.

Event organizer and Peace River business owner Brandon Dous says the event is a great opportunity to connect potential employees from Peace River and area with employers looking to hire.

“The job fair started out originally as a Town of Peace River economic development initiative four years ago,” Dous said.

“Since it was in the interest of the business community, the chamber was always a natural partner. Right from the beginning, they have done all the administrative work for the job fair, and eventually over time their involvement grew. Now it’s a chamber event and is organized through them with a separate

job fair committee.”

The fair will take place at Riverdrive Mall, 10122 100 Street in Peace River, on Sept. 16 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Dous said employer booth registration and job seeker registration will begin Aug. 4.

“Any type of business that is looking for easy access to job seekers should attend,” Dous said.

“In the past, we have had everything from small companies seeking one individual to grow their team, to national franchises, to local trucking companies, all the way up to large forestry companies looking to hire for a number of positions.”

Dous said organizers continue to host the event at Riverdrive Mall because the management team has provided a strong partnership.

“They are always willing to work with us to make our vision a reality,” he said.

“They have a large space, right downtown, that can accommodate nearly 40 employer tables. Plus, they are right downtown, allowing easy access to people who are walking, and there are several parking lots nearby. It brings in additional traffic to the mall.”

Dous said employees drive the economy and the job fair provides an opportunity for businesses to recognize the benefits of adding employees.

“When you don’t have the proper workforce, companies struggle,” he said.

“They can’t meet deadlines, take advantage of opportunities and, in the case of small businesses, it might even stop them from opening. So having access to a multitude of individuals who are actively seeking employment is a great use of a business’s often stretched time and resources.”

He added that the event offers a wide range of opportunities for job seekers.

“Where else can you gain access to over 30 employers in one spot?” Dous asked.

“Rather than having to walk up and down the street stopping into businesses to see if they are hiring, you are in one spot and you know the companies there are looking for people.”

This year, the organizing team is working to make the Peace River and Area Job Fair a regional event.

“We are in partnership with our neighbours, Northern Sunrise County, and would like to extend an invitation to businesses in the surrounding region to take part in the job fair,” Dous said.

“We were also fortunate to receive grant funding through the chamber, so they are the main sponsor for the event.”

Dous said anyone looking to hire or find employment should consider attending because of the access the event provides.

“It brings people looking for jobs cont. pg 23

INDUSTRY & TRADES | FALL 2026

PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN

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SERGEI STAROSTIN/PEXELS PHOTO Employers in the Peace region will be looking for new workers at a job fair in September.

together with companies looking for staff,” Dous said.

“This is the fourth year for the job fair and we feel like we have a good handle on the event, so we are reaching out to our neighbouring communities to make it the biggest job fair yet.”

Table registration opened Aug.

4. For more information, visit peaceriverchamber.com. To book a table, email info@peaceriverchamber. com or call (780) 624-4166.

This article originally appeared in The South Peace News.

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