Prince George Citizen - Thursday June 25, 2026

Civic Core business case tmeline laid out for council

Colliers will develop a business plan for the area’s redevelopment

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

The Civic Core District is a part of downtown Prince George containing many important municipal facilities like the Prince George Public Library, the Conference and Civic Centre, the Two Rivers Art Gallery, Canada Games Plaza, Prince George City Hall, Veterans’ Plaza, the former Knights Inn, Kopar Memorial Arena, the Canfor Leisure Pool and the gravel lot that used to house the now-demolished Four Seasons Leisure Pool.

In December 2024, city staff presented two conceptual plans for the redevelopment of the district while Mayor Simon Yu submitted an alternative he designed himself.

Council ended up going for the second of staff’s options, which included redeveloping the former Four Seasons lot into a mixed-use residential development, Performing Arts Centre and park, the former Knights Inn into a mixed-use hotel and building a larger replacement for the arena further to the north where Fire Hall No. 1 used to sit with a park where the old Coliseum used to sit.

The mayor told The Citizen later that same month that he felt the chosen concept lacked vision.

A report written by city staff for a council meeting on Monday, June 22 said that since January 2025, administration has been working with representatives from various groups who would use the new facilities, like Theatre NorthWest, the Prince George Symphony Orchestra, the Community Arts Council, the Prince George FolkFest Society and the Prince George Spruce Kings to determine the best way forward.

This February, the city opened bidding to consultants interested in working on developing a business case for the redevelopment.

Through that process, real estate company Colliers was awarded a contract in May.

Representing the firm on Monday were Erin Lloyd, Colliers’ director of land use strategies and Gordon Easton, vice-president of land use strategies.

Introducing the item at the meeting was the city’s manager of long-range planning, Tiina Schaeffer, who said that while the presentation served as a kickoff of sorts, work on the business case started earlier in the month.

Lloyd said that on top of Colliers staff working on the project, representatives from another firm called Arcadis were being engaged to help with public engagement and graphic design elements.

She described Colliers’ role as “carrying the torch” and continuing the work started by staff and guided by consultations with user groups.

At the same time as the Civic Core

Plan business case work goes on, Lloyd said another team is completing a civic facilities master plan and both teams are sharing information as things progress.

She said Colliers is currently working on Phase 1 of its work, which involves analyzing the current state of things, assessing market conditions and talking to stakeholders.

Part of Phase 2, which includes a case study analysis, evaluating space needs and distilling options has also begun.

Phase 3 will include presenting the options and refining them.

Phase 4 will be a cost-benefit analysis.

Phase 5 will form the final roadmap and business plan, culminating with a presentation to mayor and council.

The current timeline predicts the business case to be completed by the end of August and presented to mayor and council in September, before October’s municipal election.

After the presentation, Coun. Susan

Scott said she had been contacted ahead of the meeting by residents who want greater clarity on the parking situation in the redesigned Civic Core District.

Schaeffer said the needs for each of the facilities in the plan, including parking, would be included in the business case.

Coun. Garth Frizzell asked whether there was enough time set aside to complete the public consultation, especially with the summer and an election coming up.

Lloyd said the engagement is being scheduled already with the help of city staff, including experts who understand the needs of the new facilities. She said council may eventually choose to request additional input.

Frizzell also asked what other communities will be analyzed as part of the business case.

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

Whatever final version of the Civic Core Plan is eventually approved by council, it will likely mean significant redevelopment of what is now Canada Games Plaza and the adjoining publicly owned buildings, including Kopar Memorial Arena and the Civic Centre.

Future user groups expected to stay part of the process

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Lloyd said they’re looking for comparable communities, especially mentioning Kelowna as a community that has gone through a similar process.

She said other communities like Edmonton and the Township of Langley present lessons from their own civic core developments to learn from.

Coun. Kyle Sampson asked how Colliers will identify the stakeholders who will be consulted during this process and whether feedback from the general public will be considered as well.

Right now, Lloyd said, they’re working at a high level and as the needs and trends of the district are determined, the community partners needing to be consulted will be identified.

Schaeffer added that the city has already been speaking with key stakeholder groups and ice arena user groups since January and staff will continue to involve them in the process.

Fuelling BC’s growth, together

Across British Columbia, our natural gas system does more than deliver energy—it supports local jobs, skilled trades and the small businesses that communities rely on every day.

Beyond our operations, we invest locally with Indigenous and community organizations that know their communities best—supporting programs and initiatives that make a real di erence close to home.

Together, we’re helping build strong, vibrant communities across BC, today and for the future.

> Visit enbridge.com/bc to learn more.

Sampson expressed concern over the desire to get the study done before the municipal election as council’s work is always continuing regardless of when elections are held.

Director of planning and development

Deanna Wasnik said the timeline could be revisited if consultations run behind schedule, with council being updated if and when that happens.

Turning to the crowd, Sampson said there were plenty of representatives from user groups in the audience who will maintain interest in this process.

Coun. Cori Ramsay said she had similar concerns about the timeline, asking for more details about what completion of the project means.

What is intended for delivery in September, Lloyd said, will be a roadmap for the development, a financial feasibility study, a list of possible risks, funding requirements, capital requirements and what options are available.

That will include a list of trade-offs as

well, she said, like what facilities might need to be closed while others are built.

Coun. Trudy Klassen asked how parking is being considered early in the process as Prince George is a winter city and might have different needs compared to other cities. Schaeffer again highlighted that the early work is including consideration of the needs for each facility, which will include parking.

Lloyd said one of the comparable cities under consideration is Grande Prairie, for that reason. Klassen said Grande Prairie doesn’t have a big arts district and said she thought Quebec City and Montreal should be included.

Klassen asked how the business case will consider Kopar Memorial Arena and whether it will assume that the 1958-built arena will be replaced. Lloyd said they’re not assuming anything and are keeping an open mind.

Coun. Tim Bennett said this council and previous ones have spoken endlessly about the need to revitalize

downtown and how to do it.

He referenced a recent tour of Kopar Memorial Arena and discussion with the Prince George Spruce Kings over the state of that building, what’s good about it and what needs to be improved.

Mayor Simon Yu was originally scheduled to put forward a motion requesting staff to develop a report on the financial state of the arena and future capital costs of renovating or replacing it, but it was delayed for a second straight meeting as he was absent.

As this process continues, he said similar discussions are needed with the city’s arts community. Bennett added that there could be a chance to include fundraising or philanthropic campaigns as part of the business case and Lloyd said her team has experience in coming up with creative solutions.

Both Ramsay and Bennett said there’s a strong chance the spending related to the eventual redevelopment of the Civic Core District will go to a referendum.

Transit fare increases approved for this year and next

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Bus fares in Prince George will go up later this year and again next year after city council approved a new set of rates after hearing the results of a study by staff and BC Transit at its Monday, June 22 meeting.

At council’s Monday, April 27 meeting, council approved the annual operating agreement between the city and BC Transit for conventional and accessible bus services in the 2026-27 fiscal year.

At that meeting, it was said a review of local fares would be coming to council soon as prices have not been adjusted since 2019. The transit system fare review is now set to be presented at the June 22 meeting.

The study, which is attached to the meeting agenda, said that among Tier 1 transit services in BC, Prince George’s revenue per trip is at $1.14 compared to the median of $1.20.

With each passenger trip costing the local transit system an average of $5.37, that means that only about 20 per cent of costs are being recovered.

Among other Tier 1 services, the median cost per trip is $4.60 and the recovery rate is 28 per cent.

Tier 1 transit services are the largest regional transit services in the province, including communities like Kamloops and Kelowna but excluding areas like Greater Victoria and Greater Vancouver.

Prince George’s current price of $2.50 for a single adult bus fare is also lower than the Canadian average of $3.50, the study said.

While revenues have rebounded from lows experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, a chart in the report shows that they also aren’t growing while expenses are steadily increasing.

“Looking ahead, operating costs are projected to continue rising due to inflationary pressures, fuel and maintenance costs, and service demands,” the study said.

“Without additional revenue sources, the ability to maintain and expand transit services will be constrained.

To ensure financial sustainability and continued service improvements, it is essential to explore options for increasing revenue such as fare adjustments and new funding sources.”

To try to address the local transit system’s financial situation, the study proposes two possible options to increase fares. It would see prices go up in both the 2026-27 fiscal year and again in the 2027-28 fiscal year.

Currently, single rides are $2.50. Under both proposed options, fares would go up to $2.75 in 2026-27 and to $3 in 2027-28.

Books containing 10 tickets currently sold for $22.50 would be entirely discontinued under both options.

Option 1 would see the cost of a 30-day adult pass go up from $60 to $65 in 2026-27 and $72 in 2027-28. Option 2 would see the same pass go to $60 in 2026-27 and $65 in 2027-28.

Cheaper than the adult pass is the 30-day concession pass for kids aged 13 to 18 and seniors aged 65 and older.

One of those passes currently costs $50. Option 1 would hike the rate to $55 in 2026-27 and $60 in 2027-28 while Option 2 would keep it at $50 in 2026-27 and raise it to $55 in 2027-28.

High school students can purchase

four-month semester passes for $135 currently. Option 1 would increase them to $165 in 2026-27 and $180 in 2027-28 while Option 2 would boost it to $150 in 2026-27 and $165 in 2027-28.

Students at the College of New Caledonia and University of Northern British Columbia’s Prince George campuses are charged a mandatory $60 for a fourmonth bus pass called a U-PASS.

The price of these passes would align with the cost of a 30-day adult pass as described in both options 1 and 2.

Finally, there’s the ProPASS, a transit program that employers can sign up for their employees and paid for through payroll deductions. Recipients receive 30-day adult passes at a 15 per cent discount.

Currently, a one-month ProPASS costs $51.50. Option 1 would increase that to $55.25 in 2026-27 and $61.20 in 2027-28 while Option 2 would actually see prices drop slightly to $51.30 in 2026-27 and up to $56.10 in 2027-28.

What’s the impact on someone’s pocketbook? Well, there are 252 weekdays in 2026. If someone bought a DayPASS each of those days, it would currently cost $1,260. Under both options, the cost would be $1,386 in 2026-27 and $1,512 in 2027-28.

If you were to buy a 30-day adult pass for each month of the year under current rates, it would cost $720. Option 1 would take that up to $780 in 2026-27 and $864 in 2027-28. Option 2 would keep the price the same in 202627 but raise it to $780 in 2027-28.

BC Transit estimated that Option 1 would see revenue go up by about eight per cent a year while decreasing overall ridership by two per cent. Option 2 would see revenues go up by three per cent in the first year and seven per cent in the second while decreasing ridership by one per cent in the first year and by two per cent in the second.

In an accompanying report, city administration recommends that council approve Option 1.

Presenting on the topic at the June 22 meeting were Iris Brown and Midhat Malik from BC Transit and Daniel Pearce, the city’s own transit planner. Malik said that the local transit system was unable to raise fares until last year as one of the conditions of Prince George having received COVID-19 safe restart funding from the federal government during the pandemic.

She added that all of the revenue generated by BC Transit locally stays in Prince George to help contribute towards the city’s share of funding for local services.

Malik said BC Transit needs to provide 12 weeks’ advance notice of a fare increase, which would likely mean implementing the new prices in September. In the lead-up, Malik said there would be a marketing campaign to let riders know.

Vote summary

Motion: Council approves Option 1 for increasing bus fares as outlined in the Prince George System Fare Review Report presented at the Monday, June 22 city council meeting.

• In favour: Scott, Frizzell, Klassen and Sampson

• Against: Ramsay, Polillo and Bennett

Result: Approved 4 to 3, with Mayor Simon Yu and Coun. Brian Skakun absent.

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

A BC Transit bus heads up University Hill in Prince George on Saturday, April 19, 2025.

Council backs proposed Tidewater expansion

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Prince George city council voted at its Monday, June 22 meeting to write a letter of support for the operator of a local renewable diesel refinery looking to expand its operations to include the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Back in December 2024, Tidewater CEO Jeremy Baines told The Citizen that issues with subsidies for renewable diesel was making it difficult to maintain profitable operations at its Prince George refinery and could thwart its goal to eventually produce SAF in the city.

Then, in January 2026, council approved a different letter of support requested by Baines in support of Tidewater’s application for funding for the SAF project from British Columbia’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard program.

In a letter dated June 22, Tidewater Midstream and Infrastructure Ltd.

CEO Jeremy Baines said his company is still evaluating the feasibility of the SAF project, which it estimates would bring 400 to 500 construction jobs over three years and 60 full-time operating positions once the facility is built.

This time around, Baines asked for council to write a letter to the federal government “regarding the importance of the Prince George Refinery to the economic future of Prince George and northern British Columbia.”

“The long-term competitiveness and viability of the Prince George Refinery are fundamental to enabling future

investments of this nature,” Baines wrote.

“Continued operation of the refinery supports not only existing employment and economic activity, but also the opportunity to attract additional capital investment, create new jobs and further diversify the regional economy.

“Tidewater believes the City of Prince George is uniquely positioned to communicate the importance of these benefits and the need for a competitive policy environment that support continued industrial investment in northern British Columbia.”

During the meeting, Coun. Trudy Klassen said the project could be what gets the local airport to be utilized to its full potential and said she supported it.

Coun. Kyle Sampson said SAF has been a hot topic in council’s discussions with officials in Ottawa, not just for its benefit to the airport but Prince George’s potential as a future defence hub. He said the letter wouldn’t just support Tidewater, but other potential industrial opportunities in the city.

Council approved sending a letter of support unanimously.

Vote summary

Motion: Council approves the writing of a letter of support to the federal government regarding Tidewater’s proposed sustainable aviation fuel facility for its Prince George refinery.

Result: Approved unanimously, with Mayor Simon Yu and Coun. Brian Skakun absent.

CITY OF PRINCE GEORGE PHOTO

Tidewater Renewables operates a refinery in Prince George.

Mayor, council taken on tour of Kopar Memorial Arena

At 68 years old, the downtown hockey barn is really showing its age

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

As the City of Prince George facilities foreman, Josh Derhousoff is well aware of the future of Kopar Memorial Arena, and what to do with the city’s oldest arena is an expensive bridge that will soon have to be crossed.

Built for $6 million, the 68-year-old rink is near the end of its lifespan and, ultimately, city taxpayers will be on the hook to either pay for its replacement or refurbish it. Either way, the cost will make it one of the most significant infrastructure projects the city has ever had to tackle.

The roof and walls are in reasonably good shape; it’s the guts of Kopar that are failing the test of time. The building foundation, brine lines for the refrigeration system, plumbing, electrical lines, HVAC system, stairways, interior construction and storage capacity are all considered substandard. The pipes that deliver brine refrigerant to make ice are one major leak away from a rink shutdown that could take as much as a full year to fix.

The place that used to be the go-to concert hall to see everybody from Bryan Adams to Johnny Cash and The Guess Who, and hosted hundreds if not thousands of Mohawks, Spruce Kings and Cougars hockey games, is no longer cutting the mustard.

“I think everybody is nostalgic about the building, but we need to come to the realization that when something becomes this age we need to make the big choice of whether we want to continue putting big dollars into this or is it time for this community to grow and move on to a new facility that you see in a lot of other communities that has lots of features that this facility just can’t provide,” said Derhousoff, who was among several city staff and council members who led local media on a tour

of Kopar Memorial Arena on the morning of Wednesday, June 17.

“Even with all the upgrades, it would never have those qualities a new arena would provide. If you want to restore an old classic car, where do you start and where do you end? How much do you want to put into that vehicle and do you want to bring it to what it was built as or are you taking it to a whole other level where you’re adding the safety features and the bells and whistles?”

The concrete pad that hides the network of refrigerant pipes is in good shape; it’s what’s underneath that could be troublesome. The same thin steel brine lines have been there since the rink opened in 1958. In the event of a minor break, a smaller-diameter PVC line would have to be snaked through the concrete floor, and there’s just one header trench access point to allow that smaller pipe to be clamped into the system.

“The mechanical side is great, but we can’t touch a lot of what’s under here,”

said assistant facilities foreman Duncan Bachand. “It could have 10 years left, or a year left. It’s almost impossible to say.”

There have been small leaks that required fixing, and the brine tank has to be topped up occasionally, evidence of a constant minor leak under the surface. A small section of concrete at the end of the rink deteriorated and had to be repaired a few years ago because it was creating frost and an uneven ice surface, but there’s very little staff can do to conduct a brine line repair.

“If a line bursts when we start it up this fall, we’re done. We shut it down; it’s not repairable without ripping up everything,” said Andy Beesley, the city’s director of civic facilities and events. “That’s the risk we’re at.”

A major refurbishment would require the complete demolition of the floor, which would have to be extended. Kopar’s rink is currently 10 feet shorter than a 200-foot-long, 85-foot-wide NHLsized rink. Those additional 10 feet

would have to extend into the Zamboni storage area, which would then have to be expanded and would require permanent removal of seating.

In 1994, before the CN Centre was built, the Cougars WHL franchise moved from Victoria to Prince George and played one season in what used to be known as the Prince George Coliseum. To make room, the Spruce Kings played the 1994-95 season at Kin 1.

A temporary move to Kin 1, which has a capacity of 800, is not feasible due to BC Hockey League requirements that specify each rink must have a capacity of at least 1,500 spectators, and it would meet very few of the other rink standards the league has adopted.

“If a brine line does go, a serious leak, we’re in big trouble,” said Spruce Kings general manager Mike Hawes.

“To close the building and refurbish it, it probably means the end of the Spruce Kings.”

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

CITIZEN PHOTO BY TED CLARKE

Duncan Bachand, third from left, the city’s assistant foreman for Kopar Memorial Arena, leads a tour of the rink on Wednesday, June 17 for a city delegation that included Mayor Simon Yu, fourth from left, and members of council.

Replacement or refurbishment? That’s the big decision

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

“We cannot move our operation to Kin 1; we cannot share CN Centre with the Cougars. It just doesn’t work. We need the advertising in the building, the concessions, the beer garden; we need that revenue to survive, and we wouldn’t get that at CN Centre. So to share the advertising with the Cougars, we can’t interchange the advertising. That does not work, and the two leagues would never allow it.”

The BCHL has upgraded its rink standards over the past three years, and Hawes said Kopar is now considered the worst and most unsafe rink in the league. The biggest concern the league has identified is the unforgiving boards at Kopar.

Modern buildings such as CN Centre have boards and glass around the rink that flex when players make contact. The Kopar boards are attached to concrete bases on the floor and front row of seats, and there’s no give to them, making injuries more likely to occur.

“These boards are like running into a brick wall, and our league is not good with that; it’s a safety issue for the players,” said Hawes. “We have more concussions occur in games in our league in this facility than any other building in the league because the boards are as hard as rocks.”

Hawes says it is vital the team stay in a downtown location and that they continue to play in Kopar until a new rink is built.

“We’ve been in the downtown since 1972; we’re proud to be downtown and want to be part of the downtown revitalization,” he said. “We think a new facility in the downtown would help with that, and we want to be part of it.”

The city has spent $1.6 million over the past decade on updates to Kopar, including mechanical room components, updated washroom fixtures and construction of a $40,000 broadcast booth last year, but the building deficiencies remain. A bucket now rests on the roof of the booth to catch water from a leaky roof drain joint tucked somewhere above the ceiling.

Although the exterior roof was

repaired a few years ago, the area under that roof on the other side of aluminum panels that form the rink ceiling has extensive mould issues. The air quality in public areas is constantly monitored for mould, but any roof repairs from the contained area would require a building closure.

That would also complicate and add to the cost of replacement of the score clock to install a video screen needed to bring Kopar up to current BCHL standards. Beesley said a complete mould mitigation project would cost $2 million.

Asbestos was used in the original construction for fireproofing wall panels, and any major repair needed to the front entrance or other public areas would require a temporary shutdown of the entire rink.

The building is heated with natural gas-powered radiant heaters that occasionally wear out. One developed a pinhole last year that was blowing fire, which was immediately detected by a staff member and the system was shut down for repair before anything else in the wood building caught fire.

The stands that support the seats and concourse of the arena are made mostly of wood, and Kopar was built before fire-suppression sprinkler systems became standard features in public building codes.

The latest cost estimate of a new arena to replace Kopar is in the $40-million to $50-million range. Coun. Garth Frizzell said the Kopar question will likely be discussed during the run-up to the municipal election on Oct. 17 and could result in a referendum.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a major election issue; it’s finally coming to a head and decisions are going to have to be made sooner rather than later,” said Frizzell. “We got a very good tour and we can see the staff has been keeping it together with duct tape and bailing wire for a long time. It’s a safe place right now, but the decision has to be made and it’s going to be expensive.

“There’s a lot of costs up ahead for this arena, but we’re going to see that for a lot of buildings across Prince George.”

CITIZEN PHOTO BY TED CLARKE

The aging sump sewer system at Kopar Memorial Arena is seen on Wednesday, June 17.

Future councils should listen to what mining experts say

KENNEDY GORDON Citizen Managing Editor

Forestry built Prince George, put food on countless tables and continues to support thousands of jobs throughout the region.

Even as the industry faces challenges, it remains one of the cornerstones of our economy and deserves the continued support of city council and the community.

But if we’re talking about where Prince George is headed over the next 10, 20, or even 40 years, it’s becoming pretty clear that mining is an essential part of that conversation.

Future city councils should make supporting it one of their key priorities.

The message coming out of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum’s North Central Conference last week was hard to ignore.

Industry leaders weren’t talking about modest growth. They were talking about a potential trillion-dollar opportunity for British Columbia.

That’s trillion with a “T.”

The Mining Association of BC has identified 31 proposed new mines or mine expansions across the province. Twenty-four of which are in northern BC.

If only a few of those projects go ahead, the economic impact could still reshape the region for decades.

And Prince George is right in the middle of it.

As Mining Association of BC senior

vice-president Tim McEwan pointed out, Prince George already has many of the ingredients needed to become the province’s leading mining service and supply hub.

This is something we know about. We have highways, rail connections, contractors, suppliers, educational institutions, healthcare facilities and the capacity to build and train a skilled workforce.

One thing stood out for us: McEwan said Prince George is currently the second-largest mining supply hub in the Interior behind Kamloops. He said that could change as more northern projects move forward.

“I get goose bumps because Prince George is going to be right in the middle, and I love this place and just want to see that happen,” McEwen said.

It’s not every day someone stands

in front of a room full of mining and resource industry leaders and says, essentially, “You could be No. 1.”

Local leaders (and would-be council members) should pay attention to him.

None of this means turning our backs on forestry. But the lesson of the past several years is that relying too heavily on one sector can leave us vulnerable when markets shift and mills close.

Mining won’t replace forestry, but it has the potential to grow alongside it.

The people investing billions of dollars certainly seem to think that’s where things are heading. Governments are talking about speeding up the issuing of permits. Major transmission projects are being planned to support future mine development. Colleges and universities are preparing workers for jobs that don’t even exist yet.

When industry, government and

post-secondary institutions all start moving in the same new direction, it’s usually worth paying attention.

Municipal governments don’t approve mines, but they do influence whether communities are prepared to benefit from them.

Our next elected mayor and council will decide how the City of Prince George approaches business development. Especially important will be their support for industrial land development. These factors will be key to determining whether Prince George benefits from the economic spin-offs of new mining or watches (and gripes) while other communities take advantage and gains the benefits.

The city has spent decades establishing itself as the capital of northern BC. Mining offers a chance to strengthen that position and create opportunities for the next generation of residents.

Forestry will always be essential. It deserves continued support and investment. But looking after today’s economy and preparing for tomorrow’s aren’t mutually exclusive goals.

The mining sector has just sent us a very clear signal about where northern BC may be headed. Prince George has the opportunity to be at the centre of that growth.

We’re gearing up to elect our next mayor and council. As the campaign progresses, pay attention to whether candidates recognize mining as the opportunity it is, or if they simply have it listed as yet another action item.

We acknowledge the fnancial support of the government of

Nous reconnaissons l’appui fnancier du gouvernement du

Kennedy Gordon Managing Editor

OFFICE (8:00a - 4:00p)

505 Fourth Avenue

Prince George, B.C. V2L 3H2

FRONT DESK & CLASSIFIED frontdesk@pgcitzen.ca 250-562-2441 NEWS AND SPORTS news@pgcitzen.ca

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR editor@pgcitzen.ca

OWNER / PUBLISHER owner@pgcitzen.ca NATIONAL NEWSPAPER AWARDS 2025 EDITORIAL WINNER

TASEKO MINES LTD. PHOTO

Gibraltar Mine is located north of Williams Lake. There’s a big future for mining in BC, a recent conference in Prince George heard.

Cameron Stolz Owner / Publisher

Terresa Randall-Stolz Owner

Canada.

Canada.

OPINION

Culture maters: When recogniton is no longer enough

ELI KLASNER Guest Columnist

Last week, Prince George city council unanimously passed motions directing administration to collaborate with the Community Arts Council on the future redevelopment of Studio 2880 and to explore opportunities for proceeds associated with the eventual disposition of the property to continue supporting arts and cultural infrastructure.

The motions were positive and constructive.

They reflect a city council that understands the importance of arts and culture to our community. At the same time, they raise a larger question that extends well beyond Studio 2880 itself.

Over the past several years, Prince George has become increasingly comfortable acknowledging the value of culture. Municipal plans reference cultural vitality.

Downtown planning initiatives identify cultural assets as important components of economic and community development.

Elected officials regularly recognize the contributions of arts organizations, festivals, community events and cultural facilities.

The conversation surrounding Studio 2880 is no longer really about whether cultural infrastructure matters. That question has largely been answered.

My perspective on these issues has been shaped by decades of work in finance, community development, music, volunteer leadership and philanthropy.

Along the way in Prince George, I witnessed some exciting cultural advancements, ranging from the reopening of the Playhouse to the creation of the Knox Performance Centre and the restoration of the Bechstein grand piano. Those experiences have reinforced a recurring observation: Communities rarely struggle to recognize the value of culture.

The more difficult challenge is

deciding what obligations arise once that value has been acknowledged.

When pools require renewal, recreation facilities need expansion or libraries undergo major upgrades, discussion typically centres on financing, design and implementation.

The underlying assumption is that these facilities are important community assets worthy of long-term planning and investment.

Cultural infrastructure often occupies a more uncertain space. Communities may recognize its value while remaining

less certain about what commitments should follow. As a result, discussions can return repeatedly to questions of recognition even when recognition is no longer the issue.

That is why the recent council discussion is significant.

The proposed redevelopment of Studio 2880 is not simply about preserving an aging building.

It is about transforming a site into a new community arts hub integrated with seniors housing and broader civic objectives.

What remains unresolved is how Prince George intends to steward the value created through that transformation.

Council has directed administration to explore options. That is a reasonable next step. However, exploration should soon lead to a precise discussion about principle.

When a public asset with a long cultural purpose creates new value through redevelopment, what responsibilities follow?

Should that value simply return to general municipal accounts, or should some portion — if not all — remain connected to cultural purposes? What obligations, if any, exist to ensure the cultural purpose of a site is carried forward into the future?

At some point, every community must decide what it is prepared to do for the things it says it values.

Recognition is an important beginning, but stewardship ultimately requires decisions about investment, governance and long-term responsibility.

The recent council motions have opened that conversation. They have not concluded it.

In future columns, I hope to explore some of the broader questions that emerge from this discussion. How do communities decide which forms of infrastructure are essential? Why do some civic assets move naturally from recognition to investment while others remain in a perpetual cycle of discussion? What lessons can Prince George learn from other communities that have successfully integrated cultural infrastructure into long-term civic planning?

Those questions extend far beyond Studio 2880 and speak to how communities define their priorities and the future they hope to build.

Eli Klasner writes about community development, civic infrastructure and the role of culture in building strong communities.

STUDIO 2880 PHOTO

The Studio 2880 site is due for redevelopment, with the Community Arts Council and the city involved in a plan to turn the 15th Avenue land into a mixed-use property.

OPINION

Civic Core Plan back in front of council Monday

In my opinion, there is no point doing anything until the social issues downtown are fixed. Why tax the heck out of everyone to build new facilities if no one will bring their families downtown?

Derp

Civic Core Plan back in front of council Monday

Where are all these people going to park? Trying to park during swimming lesson season is a joke at the pool. Prince George is not going to change its ways. People will drive themselves to where they want to go. Our public transit sucks in the north.

Shark Tank

Civic Core Plan back in front of council Monday

Removing the event parking lot that is often at least half full and replacing it with things that will draw more people is interesting.

George Williams

Councillors to pitch large household waste collection days

Years ago in spring there were large garbage containers placed around town for spring yard waste and other trash.

Pick-up at the curb would be a great service for elderly and disabled people and those without access to a pickup truck.

Dumping fees at the landfill can be another cause for illegal dumping.

We pay for garbage collection, and many people who recycle have very little in their weekly garbage pickup but pay as much as those with overflowing containers.

I know people who refuse to pay for gas and dumping fees and will dispose of garbage over the course of several weeks as they have space in their garbage can.

This sounds like a useful idea that will be of great assistance to many people.

Kudos to the sponsors. Renoguy24

Citizen trio recognized for long service to journalism

Great work. We are so fortunate to have a good local paper.

jennifer ferries

Citizen trio recognized for long service to journalism

Congratulations from your No. 1 commenter, me. Well deserved!

BGeez

Councillors

to pitch large household waste collection days

While I do not disagree with this, I feel like the people doing the illegal dumping are often rural people who may not have collection and may be unwilling to wait for a day twice a year.

I have often wondered why someone would drive all the way down some old logging road to dispose of their waste. It is doubtful you are saving any money.

I know there used to be a fee for disposing of refrigerators and freezers and limits on tires.

Maybe consider making it easier and cheaper to dispose of these items by eliminating fees and restrictions?

I was tasked with cleaning an elderly person’s home they were moving out of. They had many tires, very old cans of paint, etc.

When I went to the transfer station, they informed me they could not take that many tires and they would not take the paint cans, even though they had long solidified.

This stuff has to go somewhere, and maybe a professional who works in waste management is better equipped to handle disposal?

Zangief

BC Nurses Union rejects tentative agreement

I always laugh at the lengthy, wordy reasons given by union executives when in the end it always boils down to money. Just money.

More money always makes the complaints about other issues go away.

If the government offered nurses a 12 per cent wage increase each year, then trust me, all that concern about workplace violence would disappear.

Money makes the world go round.

BGeez

Mayor to push for report on future of Kopar Memorial Arena

When your car tires wear out you buy new tires, not a new car. Fix the problems with the arena; do not tear it down!

W PG

More than 2,000 worshippers ll Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park

This is so good to see. As a former pastor in Prince George, I think it is wonderful that so many churches gather at least once a year in this fashion to worship Christ together and to declare the Good News of his salvation.

Edwin Drewlo

Modern new ambulance base opens on 12th Avenue

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

Prince George residents will see enhanced paramedic response services and support with the opening of a new ambulance station in the downtown core.

Station 540, the city’s newest ambulance station, is located at 1566 12th Ave. It opened after extensive renovations to the former Prince George Greyhound bus station, located next to Parkwood Place.

The station spans approximately 25,450 square feet and will bring expanded ambulance response, logistics and support services to the city and surrounding region.

Station 540 will serve as a hub for 83 paramedics, including 60 full-time and 23 casual positions.

Features of the new station include:

• Enhanced ambulance deployment capabilities

• Dedicated crew rest areas, including 10 individual rest pods

• A fully equipped gym to support crew health and wellness

• A bright, open common area with kitchen and lounge space designed to accommodate multiple ambulance crews

• Improved facilities for cleaning, stocking and preparing ambulances for service

• Secure vehicle parking

• Expanded storage space

Renovations to transform the former bus station into a modern paramedic facility and ambulance bay were funded by the province and cost approximately $14.7 million.

The downtown station will replace Station 535 in the Hart and Station 531 on Edmonton Street. As part of the transition, staff and equipment from both stations were amalgamated into Station 540 on April 1.

One ambulance will continue to be deployed from Station 535 for emergency response, while Station 531 will now house Prince George’s two Link and Referral Units. It will also include workspace for staff travelling from other

communities, office space for the Indigenous patient navigator, and facilities for the Connect and Recover programs.

Station 540 held its official opening ceremony on Monday, June 22 and welcomed local politicians, health-care professionals and first responders for a tour.

Those in attendance also watched BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) leadership raise the Lheidli T’enneh flag over the station.

Lheidli T’enneh artist Kym Gouchie also contributed artwork to the station, including carvings displayed on glass panels in the office and administrative areas.

Mayor Simon Yu spoke during the opening ceremony and expressed enthusiasm about the new facility.

“I could stay here for the next halfhour and tell you how excited I am. This is not just for Prince George. This is for the entire region,” said Yu.

Leanne Heppell, chief ambulance officer for BCEHS, emphasized that Station 540 is among the newest and most modern facilities in the province. She spoke to local media about the benefits the station’s amenities will provide to employees and the community.

“This really is a flagship for BCEHS,” said Heppell. “This brings together some older facilities in Prince George under one roof, and it’s a centre for wellness for staff — a place where they can come after difficult calls, rest and

more efficiently.

“This is a much more efficient station and model for our paramedics,” said Heppell. “They can come to work, their ambulance is ready to go and they can head out on calls. If their vehicle needs to be restocked or cleaned, they can come back here and have that done by trained technicians. In some of our other stations, paramedics have to do that work themselves, which isn’t the best use of their time. We’d rather have them out on the streets answering 911 calls.”

have something to eat. Combined with this ground centre and the BCEHS facility at the airport, where we have our fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, Prince George is becoming home to one of the most modern BCEHS operations in all of BC.”

Heppell said the downtown location was an ideal choice for the new station because of the demand for emergency services in the area.

“The thought behind it was that when this opportunity came along, it would be an ideal location,” said Heppell. “We do have a large number of clients who use 911 services in the downtown core, so it is an ideal place to have an ambulance station.”

A centralized station with a larger regional presence will also benefit BCEHS recruitment efforts, Heppell said.

“We actually have an amazing lineup of people who want to come work for BCEHS. Sometimes we can’t get them in the door fast enough. We really want to hire within the communities where people live, and that’s partly why we have our high school program and training opportunities,” said Heppell. “If we train you in the North, you’ll stay in the North. That’s our model. We think it’s so important to work, live and play in the community where you’ve grown up.”

The larger facility will also house additional support and logistics staff who will help paramedics respond to calls

Jonathan Brnjas, clinical operations director for the Northern Districts at BCEHS, said Station 540 will include a range of support staff working behind the scenes and highlighted one position he believes will be particularly valuable.

“We also have a paramedic educator who is stationed here during the day and can attend calls involving critical patients,” said Brnjas. “They’re also here to support our paramedics. Paramedicine is a rapidly evolving profession. We’ve had multiple expansions in scope, so paramedics can administer more medications and perform more procedures than they could even three years ago. That educator helps ensure everyone is following best practices and providing the best possible care to patients in Prince George and the surrounding area.”

He added that 10 additional primary-care paramedics have been hired in the past 12 months, allowing for one additional 24-7 ambulance to be staffed in Prince George at all times.

“We are looking at bringing additional resources online, and we’ll continue to evaluate the needs of the city and surrounding area,” said Brnjas.

He added that he hopes the new downtown station demonstrates BCEHS’ long-term commitment to the community.

“I think it’s important that we have a very visible commitment to Prince George — that we’re here, we’re here to stay, and we’re here to serve residents of the downtown core as well as all citizens of Prince George and the surrounding area,” said Brnjas.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY MATTHEW HILLIER

Local politicians, BCHES and healthcare leadership as well as community members and paramedics gather in the ambulance bay of the new Station 540 on 12th Avenue on Monday, June 22.

SD57 trying again for D.P. Todd repair or replacement

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Another year, another request from School District 57 to renovate or replace D.P. Todd Secondary School.

At the board of education’s Monday, June 22 meeting, trustees voted unanimously to request funding from the provincial government for three major capital projects at local schools.

The first request asked for around $10.75 million to add four classrooms, daycare space and a multipurpose room to Springwood Elementary School at 4600 Zral Rd. in Prince George.

This request was also unsuccessfully made in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.

When the request for Springwood was first made in 2020, the estimated cost was $5.6 million.

School District 57 wants the province to replace or rebuild D.P. Todd Secondary School to allow for expected growth in student population in coming years.

The board also approved capital plan submissions for either the renovation of D.P. Todd to increase the school’s capacity from 600 to 900 students at an estimated cost of around $90.28 million or build a completely new school at an estimated cost of around $131.5 million.

The district has requested the renovation for the aging high school since at

least 2019, when the estimated cost was just over $40 million.

In 2020, the board instead asked for the full replacement of the school at an estimated cost of $75.3 million. Starting in 2023, the board started to submit requests for both the replacement and the renovation each year.

When the requests were once again approved at a June 10, 2025 board

meeting, it was said that the school was built in 1977 and opened in 1978.

After that meeting, Supt. Jameel Aziz told The Citizen that the student population at D.P. Todd was relatively stable and the urgency for a repair or replacement had settled somewhat while still being necessary. He added that there were no operational or safety concerns with the school at that time.

At Monday’s meeting, SD 57 director of facilities Brett Apolczere told the board the district has spent “a significant amount of funds” this year on the D.P. Todd roofing project. Apolczere said there are many other schools within the district where the Facility Condition Rating (the total cost of replacement divided by the replacement value) is much higher than that of D.P. Todd.

With files from Ted Clarke

School board adjusts meetng schedule, sets calendar

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

School District 57’s board of education slightly tweaked its schedule for the 2026-27 school year and approved the school calendar for the 2028-29 academic year at its meeting on Monday, June 22.

To align with the BC School Act, the board approved changing the inaugural meeting of the new board elected on Saturday, Oct. 17 to Tuesday, Nov. 10. After that meeting, the new board won’t meet again until Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2027. It also approved adding a final closed meeting before election day on Tuesday, Oct. 13.

Trustee Sarah Holland expressed her concern that in the absence of an October board meeting there could be issues that arise that require public discussion outside of the closed meeting on Oct. 13 and asked the board to consider scheduling a placeholder meeting in case that meeting is required. Holland said any concerns over electioneering during the trustee

campaigns could be addressed by limiting the agenda to essential business while restricting board members from making any campaign comments.

“There’s a number of things that happen after the beginning of the school year and the business of the district continues on whether or not there’s an election campaign and by default our business is carried on in public,” said Holland.

“If we do need an open board meeting it could be on the date that the closed meetings are held, but I think it’s important to leave that option open.”

Trustee Shar McCrory asked if the absence of public meetings in the run-up to an election is standard procedure in other school districts, highlighting the fact the existing board will be required to conduct regular business until the new board takes over in November and trustees will resume updating the district’s policy procedures in September.

SD 57 chair Craig Brennan said it would be a simple procedure for the board to call for open meeting if required, rather than having one

pre-scheduled.

Superintendent Jameel Aziz said he’s not concerned about conducting the business of the board openly and said there would be no problem scheduling a public meeting if one is needed.

In the approved 2028-29 school calendar, the first day of school is set for Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2028 and the final day of school will be on Thursday, June 28, 2029.

Non-instructional days are scheduled for:

• Monday, Sept. 18, 2028

• Friday, Nov. 25, 2028

• Monday, Jan. 29, 2029

• Friday, April 27, 2029

• Monday, June 4, 2029 (Indigenous Day of Learning)

The winter break is scheduled to take place from Saturday, Dec. 23, 2028 to Sunday, Jan. 7, 2029.

Spring break is scheduled to take place from Sunday, March 17, 2029 to Monday, April 2, 2029. That will encompass both Good Friday and Easter Monday.

The National Day for Truth and

Reconciliation, Sept. 30, lands on a Sunday that year. That means the holiday will be observed on Monday, Oct. 2, 2028. Thanksgiving is one week later on Monday, Oct. 9, 2028.

With Remembrance Day 2028 set to take place on a Sunday, the statutory holiday will be observed on Monday, Nov. 13, 2028.

Aziz said while the ‘28-29 school year is still two years away, having the holiday periods defined will be helpful for parents and staff planning vacations.

Holland was the lone trustee not in favour of approving the revised 2026-27 board meeting calendar.

SD 57 also approved in Monday’s meeting a staff recommendation to appoint secretary-treasurer Lynda Minnibarriet as the chief election officer for the Oct. 17 election and appoint superintendent secretary Jan Cote, as the deputy chief election officer.

Voters in the 2026 municipal election will elect seven trustees. Minnibarriet will have the power to appoint other election officials as required.

With files from Ted Clarke

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

Grievance over ant-SOGI comments can proceed

BOB MACKIN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

An arbitrator ruled that a teachers’ union grievance related to a Prince George school board trustee’s statements about sexual orientation and gender identity can proceed.

In the April 29 decision, published June 15, arbitrator Jacquie de Aguayo dismissed the objection by the BC Public School Employers’ Association and Board of Education of School District No. 57 (Prince George).

“Arbitral authority over the dispute vis-à-vis the employer would not have the effect of limiting political debate central to the democratic process envisioned under the Act, nor would it open the door to any grievance based on the union’s disagreement with the political or personal views of an elected trustee,” de Aguayo wrote.

The BC Teachers’ Federation and Prince George District Teachers’ Association accused the board of failing to address what they said is a “toxic, discriminatory, and harassing work environment” that adversely impacted teachers who identify as 2SLGBTQ+ and their allies, despite the Human Rights Code and collective bargaining agreement.

At issue are statements at board

meetings, social media posts and media interviews by trustee Rachael Weber, the school board chair in 2023, when anti-SOGI protests took place at city hall and school board meetings.

“They also relate to anti-SOGI and anti-2SLGBTQ+ expression by members of the public, including parents and students, through social media posts, protests, and direct online messages that targeted teachers that included violent and threatening language,” said the ruling.

Some of the alleged behaviour included “doxxing,” the malicious publication of private or identifying content by email and social media.

De Aguayo said a grievance against the board is not a civil action for damages against Weber, who is not a party in the arbitration. Nor is it about unpopular views or disagreements up for legitimate political or personal debate.

“The material question is whether the dispute engages the board’s rights, duties and obligations to employees under the Code and the Agreement,” she wrote.

Weber can engage in debate about rights of vulnerable groups or school teachings, but de Aguayo said arbitrability exists when “those views rise to the level of exposing them to discrimination or to harassment in the workplace.”

Donaton will help protect wildfre evacuees’ animals

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

If ever there is a wildfire evacuation, Prince George is the designated north-central BC hub for evacuees forced to leave their homes.

The city’s Emergency Reception Centre (ERC), a cluster of trailers set up in the Kin Centre parking lot, is equipped to support people and offer referrals on where they can stay overnight.

But what about their animals? There is not a hotel in the city that accepts cows, goats and horses as overnight guests.

Fortunately, there is a rodeo grounds close to the reception centre at Exhibition Park, and a local farm supply store — Four Rivers Co-op — has stepped up with a $20,000 donation to the Prince George Western Heritage Society to buy 22 metal fence panels that would be used in an emergency to temporarily pen farm animals evacuated to the area.

“It is a very worthwhile cause to be involved in, and it also has a tie-in to our Capital Feeds store in Prince George,” said Allan Bieganski, CEO of Four Rivers Co-op. “That store is driven by the (agricultural) economy, their horse feed, their pet supplies, their animal health supplies, and we have to support them back.

“We’re helping promote the rodeo association and helping them be successful in their venture.”

Bieganski said the region where he lives around Vanderhoof has had very little rain this spring, and he expects the wildfire threat will only increase as the summer progresses.

“It is not looking good this year,” he said. “Some of the hay farmers are really concerned about the yield, and some might not cut the hay if we do not get some growth soon.”

Four Rivers Co-op members invest profits into community initiatives, and it last allocated $150,000 for its community support fund. More than 180 applications were received. Each fence panel is 25 feet long and seven feet high, and when they are not being used during an evacuation

up with a great plan on how to receive equine,” said Spooner. “Kevin and the society approached us with this grant application and asked us if this would be something we would support and how we would use those panels if they were successful.

“We are really pleased that they have been able to get it and create a relationship with the BC Rodeo Association to be able to add to our capability to receive people’s animals when they come to Prince George to evacuate.”

they are available to the society for its Rodeo Prince George, which happened last weekend (June 20-21), or for other events it sponsors in the city. The society now has about 1,100 linear feet of fence panels for pen space that can be arranged in various patterns on the 7,000-square-foot rodeo grounds.

“This is a gamechanger for us,” said Prince George Western Heritage Society president Kevin Cunin. “Typically for loading (rodeo animals) we are borrowing from Vanderhoof, so we are trucking and trailering for setup purposes. Having the ability to change pens and have more inventory on hand, it is a nightand-day difference and we would not be able to do what we are able to do.

“They are good heavy-duty panels, and this stuff will be lasting for years and years.”

Cunin says it takes only a couple of hours to set up the fencing, and it can be moved to other communities to help provide emergency relief for livestock in the event of a fire.

Tanya Spooner, the city’s emergency program manager, said having the extra fencing available, paid for by Four Rivers, saves the city and the province money, and because it is perennially used by the rodeo society, it also means the city does not have to find storage space for the steel structures.

“We have been able to work with the Prince George Horse Society to come

The ERC has been in place since May and can quickly be made ready to register evacuees. In May 2025, it was a gathering place for residents of the Boardwalk Apartments when their building complex was partially destroyed by an early-morning fire, and it was used in September to support Cariboo wildfire evacuees. About 300 people registered there last year, slightly fewer than in 2024 when the Wells-Barkerville and Fort Nelson fires forced nearly 500 people out of their homes.

This marks the third year the temporary site has been used, and Spooner said the city will continue its efforts to convince the province to fund a permanent facility.

“It has worked for us the last couple of years and, the current weather notwithstanding, it is likely to be a hot, dry summer and we fully expect that they will be put into use this year,” said Spooner. “Every time we see a bit of rain we think it is a reprieve, but really it is only a one- or two-day reprieve; it is not going to change the outlook for the entire season.”

The need for the ERC was highlighted in 2017 when wildfires in the Cariboo and Chilcotin regions prompted the evacuation of the entire city of Williams Lake, which brought 10,000 people to Prince George, and the College of New Caledonia was used as the staging area to register evacuees.

2018 was another busy year, with 3,000 people uprooted and sent to Prince George, and in 2023 the ERC was used steadily throughout the fire season as a remote phone-in registration site for people fleeing fires in the Okanagan.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY TED CLARKE

Four Rivers Co-op community support engagement co-ordinator Meagan Woods (left), Co-op Capital Feeds store employees Jasmin Siemens and Ashly Schile, Prince George Western Heritage Society (PGWHS) secretary Dawn Procter, PGWHS president Kevin Cunin, Four Rivers Co-op CEO Allan Bieganski, PGWHS vice-president Chris Scott and Desiree Paterson of Four Rivers Capital Feeds celebrates after Four Rivers donated $20,000 to the Prince George Western Heritage Society on Friday, June 19.

CITY OF PRINCE GEORGE PHOTO

This is the Prince George Emergency Reception Centre near the Kin Centre to be used in the event of a wildfire evacuation.

New federal bail and sentencing reform bill now law

BOB MACKIN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Seven months after it was announced, the federal Liberal government’s bail and sentencing reform bill is law.

Bill C-14, officially known as “An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and the National Defence Act (bail and sentencing),” includes reverse-onus bail for major crimes, allows consecutive sentences for multiple offences, imposes harsher penalties for organized shoplifting and restricts house arrest and curfews for certain sex crimes.

Royal assent was granted June 16, meaning the new laws will take effect in 30 days.

BC’s top law-and-order ministers both lobbied for the amendments.

“I am especially encouraged by changes to reverse-onus bail provisions, one of BC’s top priorities in our proposals to the federal government,” Attorney

General Niki Sharma said in a statement.

“Too many families in British Columbia have experienced devastating loss because of repeat violence. These changes will help better protect people before harm occurs.”

Solicitor General Nina Krieger said: “These reforms respond directly to the concerns raised by local governments, the business community and the people of British Columbia who have been calling for tougher measures to address crime and improve public safety.”

Those accused of violent and orga nized crime, home invasion, auto theft and human trafficking will have a harder time obtaining bail. In some cases, accused persons will be required to satisfy a judge that release from custody while awaiting trial would not put public safety at risk.

Those convicted of multiple counts of violent auto theft, break and enter, extortion and arson will face consecu tive sentences.

Judge nixes bid by Mount Polley defendants to quash charges

BOB MACKIN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Defendants facing 15 Fisheries Act charges stemming from the 2014 Mount Polley tailings storage disaster failed to convince a BC Supreme Court judge to quash five of the charges.

“Given my finding that the five separate waterbodies are legally and factually distinct from one another, there is no duplication in the counts,”

Justice Miriam Maisonville wrote in a June 12 ruling.

Imperial Metals, Mount Polley Mining Corporation and Wood Canada Ltd. are charged under a Fisheries Act indictment stemming from the Aug. 4, 2014, dam breach near Likely that saw 25 billion litres of tailings and water flood lakes, creeks and forests, including Polley Lake, Bootjack Creek, Hazeltine Creek and, ultimately, Quesnel Lake.

During sentencing, judges will be able to consider crimes against first responders, public transit workers, organized retail theft, and mischief and theft that damage essential infrastructure as aggravating factors.

House arrest will no longer be available for certain sexual assault and child sexual offences, and driving prohibitions are returning for manslaughter and criminal negligence causing bodily harm or death.

incomplete information. He also said monitoring and enforcement of those on bail need improvement.

Toronto-based Boris Bytensky was president of the Criminal Lawyers’ Association when he testified.

He was appointed a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice earlier this month.

Bytensky said the system is neither lenient nor perfect and argued that remand centres — which hold those

Ten of the counts are under the Fish eries Act section prohibiting the deposit of a deleterious substance, while the other five are under the section prohib iting the harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat.

“First, the five separate waterbodies are distinct from each other in make-up, location and in the species they contain. Second, the charges are distinct and not duplicative, nor has the Crown exer cised its discretion improperly in laying charges,” Maisonville wrote in her ruling. “Finally, there is no prejudice to the accused by reason of the separate counts.”

Maisonville also wrote that a corpo ration “does not suffer prejudice or stigma, it cannot be imprisoned and does not experience psychological stress or harm, nor does it possess human dignity or other Charter-pro tected human interests.”

Friday, July 10, 2026

City Hall-Veteran’s Plaza

An Elegant Long Table Dining Experience

Join us for an unforgettable five course dining experience featuring a secret menu by The White Goose, curated wine pairings from Hillside Winery presented by Winemates.

Man who sexually assaulted girl, 15, placed on registry

He’ll also serve 2 1/2 years behind bars

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A 49-year-old man who admitted to sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old girl was sentenced June 17 to 30 months in jail.

In a hearing at BC Supreme Court in Smithers, Nathan Stanley Nicholas was also banned from possessing weapons for 10 years and placed on the national sex offender registry for 20 years.

In her oral ruling, Justice Sandra Sukstorf said the Crown asked for a three-year sentence, emphasizing the seriousness of the crime, the age of the victim and her vulnerability and the invasive nature of the sexual assault. The defence proposed a conditional

sentence order and probation.

On Feb. 11, 2023, after they both consumed alcohol during a gathering at his house. Nicholas and the victim had sexual intercourse without a condom.

The victim did not consent nor was she old enough to do so legally.

“After approximately 15 minutes, Mr. Nicholas left the bedroom, and (the girl) then fell back asleep for a few hours,” Sukstorf said in her ruling.

Several hours later, the girl told another what had occurred. She contacted police before 5 a.m. on Feb. 12, 2023 to report the incident. Police came and arrested Nicholas.

The girl was examined in hospital and suffered pain for several days.

In a statement to police on that day, Nicholas admitted he was intoxicated and engaged in sexual activity with the girl, who he said was also drunk. He believed the girl was older than she

actually was, but admitted he did not know her age and had not asked her age.

The girl’s victim impact statement described “emotional, psychological and practical consequences of the offence.

“She explains that the incident has affected many aspects of her life and left her fearful of encountering Mr. Nicholas. She states that the offence ‘made it hard for me to trust people and feel safe” and expresses a desire to heal and move forward’,” Sukstorf said.

Nicholas, a member of the Lake Babine Nation, was born in Burns Lake and spent time in foster homes and group homes, where he was subjected to physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. He later worked in sawmills, roofing, firefighting, caregiving and food services, but lost his job as a cook after the arrest.

Nicholas and his family were evicted after the arrest from their on-reserve residence. He now lives with his brother.

“Mr. Nicholas’ degree of responsibility is significant,” Sukstorf said. “The offence was committed in circumstances where he was aware of the complainant’s vulnerability. He knew she had consumed alcohol and was asleep in a bedroom in his residence.”

Sukstorf acknowledged the guilty plea, which spared the victim from having to testify in a trial. When he apologized in court, Nicholas stated that he wished he could take back what occurred.

Sukstorf accepted his genuine regret, but called it self-serving.

“Much of his statement focused on the impact that these events have had on him and his family rather than on the harm suffered by (the girl), the judge said.

House arrest for man found guilty of assaultng partner

BOB MACKIN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A man sentenced to 20 months of home confinement almost a year ago was back before a provincial court judge on June 15 in Prince George, where he pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting his partner.

Judge David Simpkin heard that the couple argued on Dec. 5, 2023, because the man was jealous of his partner having male friends.

He pushed her in the chest with both hands, causing her to fall to the ground. On the way down, she hit her head on the corner of a coffee table and suffered a goose-egg bruise.

Less than a month later, on Jan. 23, 2024, they argued at their daughter’s birthday party about his alcohol consumption.

She did not want him to get more alcohol, nor did she want him to leave the residence. He pushed her with both hands, causing her to fall onto a stool and a wooden sled.

Crown prosecutor Astitwa Thapa

A man sentenced to house arrest for assaulting his female partner was already serving a sentence for sexual assault, Prince George court heard June 15.

emphasized to Simpkin that the man is already serving a conditional sentence order for sexual assault.

Simpkin ordered a Gladue report on the impacts of the man’s Indigenous upbringing, as well as a pre-sentence report. The next court date is Sept. 9.

The man was sentenced on June 25, 2025, after pleading guilty the previous

October to a 2021 sexual assault.

A publication ban was ordered to protect both the offender’s identity and that of the victim.

He admitted becoming sexually intimate with the woman, who asked him to wear a condom. He initially stopped, but then continued to force himself on her without her consent.

In that case, a report to the court said he had suffered disadvantages related to his Indigenous heritage, as well as lengthy periods of homelessness and unemployment.

The first 16 months of his sentence were ordered to be served under house arrest, with the final four months subject to a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew.

More jail tme for man caught sleeping with handgun

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A man who fell asleep in a pickup truck with a handgun more than two years ago was sentenced June 19 to spend another two years and eight months in jail.

In Prince George provincial court, Judge Charles Hutchinson agreed to a joint submission for a gross 36-month sentence and a 10-year weapons prohibition for Liam Teddy Niessen.

The sentence was reduced by 113 days for credit for time served.

In January, Niessen pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition and unauthorized possession of a firearm. Hutchinson said the incident could have been deadly.

“I’ll echo Crown’s comments that the public is fortunate that there were no firearms discharged that night, either by Mr. Niessen or by the police officers,”

In Prince George, criminal proceedings are held in the courthouse in the city’s downtown.

Hutchinson said.

Court heard Prince George RCMP received a report of a possibly impaired man passed out in the driver’s seat of a running white Chevrolet pickup truck parked across the street from the Ramada Plaza on May 11, 2024.

When officers arrived at 3:20 a.m., they found Niessen, who appeared to be asleep.

One of the officers knocked on the

Man pleads guilty to assaultng, robbing woman at gas staton

A provincial court judge set Sept. 2 as the next court date for a man who pleaded guilty to robbery and dangerous driving.

Scott William Jacob Teece, born in 1994, admitted on June 17 that he exited his vehicle at an Esso gas station on the Hart Highway on Oct. 7, 2025, wearing a balaclava.

He approached a woman, struck her on the shoulder with a wrench and grabbed her bag.

The blow caused the victim to spin around and drop her possessions.

He returned 75 seconds later with a sword-like weapon, attempted to smash the driver’s-side window of an SUV, took the woman’s vehicle and drove away at a high rate of speed.

The crime was captured by the gas

Prince George RCMP were called after a man attacked a woman with a wrench and grabbed her bag.

station’s surveillance video system. Teece also admitted to driving on the wrong side of the highway.

driver’s-side window. Niessen awoke and was directed to roll down the window. He unlocked the door but opened neither the window nor the door.

An officer opened the door and noticed a handgun with a suppressor on the vehicle floor between Niessen’s feet. Niessen was arrested and searched. An officer found ammunition, a bag of suspected methamphetamine and a wallet containing more than $3,018.

Niessen did not have a valid Possession and Acquisition Licence that would have permitted him to lawfully possess firearms or ammunition.

Hutchinson said the handgun was an aggravating factor.

The guilty plea was a significant mitigating factor, along with those contained in a report that examined Niessen’s Indigenous upbringing.

Hutchinson acknowledged Niessen’s detachment from his culture, as well as the abuse and neglect he suffered, which led to a dependency on drugs and alcohol.

“He has suffered from a number of adverse childhood experiences. Substance misuse, unfortunately, followed,” Hutchinson said.

“Mr. Niessen, however, has gained insight into his substance misuse. He’s on a path of sobriety, has been for the last year, and there is strong hope that he’ll be able to continue that path moving forward.”

Judge Cassandra Malfair ordered pre-sentence reports, including a psychiatric assessment, a risk assessment and a Gladue report, to consider the impacts of Teece’s Indigenous heritage.

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Mining leaders eye PG as hub of $938B opportunity

North Central mining conference highlights BC growth potential

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

Local and provincial mining leaders, contractors and suppliers gathrered in Prince George at the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum North Central 2026 Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM).

The conference was held at the Courtyard by Marriott from June 15 to 17.

Attendees heard technical presentations and operational updates from mining, metallurgy and petroleum projects across the North and BC.

On June 16, participants heard presentations on off-grid electrification, an update on the Blackwater Mine project and how mineralogy can support operational activities. Experts also heard from keynote speaker Jackie Przybylowski in her presentation on commodity price forecasting.

One of the speakers at Tuesday’s events was Tim McEwan, senior vice-president of corporate affairs with the Mining Association of British Columbia (MABC).

McEwan has also sat on the Deputy Ministers Council of BC, been a member of the Board of Governors of the Business Council of BC and previously served as the economic development authority of the City of Prince George. At the conference and AGM, McEwan spoke about how mining has the potential to make BC stronger and provided an update on MABC’s involvement in the mining sector.

During his presentation, he explained that mining in BC is poised to be one of the province’s, if not the country’s, key economic drivers, with Prince

George potentially at the centre of this progress.

“There are no magic bullets, but provincial and federal governments need to delve into their commitments to interlock their efforts to work together symbiotically to execute on this once-ina-lifetime mining opportunity,” McEwan said. “If this happens, BC can secure its economic future, and Prince George, with its key roles in transportation, education, skills training, healthcare, contracted services and buyers, with all those things and attributes here in Prince George, is poised to be right in the middle of the action.”

To emphasize that BC mining is at a critical juncture, he showcased a study

edge of Asia-Pacific markets, supply chain integration with the United States over the next four years and increased demand for critical minerals both domestically and in North America.

“We’ve got 18 currently operating mines and two world-class smelters; between the smelters and the two refineries we have provided a lot of the critical minerals that are needed by the US defence complex … we’re really well placed to build on the strengths we’ve got.”

During his presentation, he stated that Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier David Eby have made a significant commitment to breaking government inertia related to mining regulation and permitting, but that execution remains incomplete.

“Incomplete isn’t a fail. It’s just there’s more work to be done and the work that’s underway is foundational; they’re investing in infrastructure … It’s all very positive. It’s just there’s more work to be done,” McEwan said.

McEwan shared four areas that MABC has raised with the federal government as priorities to bring mining to the economic forefront.

The first was speeding up permitting and authorizations.

by MABC that proposed 31 new mining sites or mine expansions, with 24 of these proposed projects in northern BC.

During an interview, he said that if followed through, these mines could potentially provide the province with a massive new revenue stream.

“It’s a $938 billion, nearly $1 trillion opportunity for the province,” McEwan said. “Getting as many of those through the regulatory process is very important for the province. In the wake of the forest industry downturn, it can help fill the gap alongside the energy industry that’s developing.”

One of the drivers behind this potential revenue is the province’s location on the map, with BC’s position at the

“There are often multiple permits that are required for a project. We’ve been very clear that we think, to the greatest extent possible, government needs to do that permitting concurrently where they can rather than consecutively, and it’s all about shrinking timeframes,” McEwan said.

The second was ensuring First Nation communities and mining corporations remain on equal footing.

“The key issue is ensuring that First Nations have the governance, administrative and technical capacity to participate on an equitable footing in regulatory processes,” McEwan said. “Quite often the permits that companies need do need to be referred to a First Nation and they don’t have the capacity. So if the federal and provincial governments can assist with that, that can help projects get done faster.”

BARKERVILLE GOLD PHOTO

A magnifying glass shows the gold in a core sample obtained by Barkerville Gold Mines at its Cariboo Gold project near Wells. Representatives of the mining industry were in Prince George earlier in June for a conference.

McEwan

Building up workforce will be crucial, conference hears

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

The third is building up the workforce, which McEwan noted may be a significant blockage to the mining industry’s growth.

“From a skills training perspective, we’re going to be faced with fairly significant attrition within the sector,” McEwan said. “Under a modest scenario, we’re going to require five to 12,000 new workers. That’s going to require senior government support. We’re working with the province on that.”

Last but not least, he said energy infrastructure needs to be in place to support continued growth in the sector.

“Ensuring supply chain fluidity is the way I put it,” McEwan said. “The first thing there is the North Coast Transmission Line, which is a project of national significance; keep that going, it’s great and that will be the great enabler for a number of the mines that are afoot. Keep an eye on the need to invest in the Northwest Transmission Line at Highway 37 corridor to enable new mine development in that region in the Golden Triangle.”

While the mining sector still needs investment and some red tape removal to sustain growth, McEwan said that if this happens, Prince George in particular may become the next boom town.

“Prince George has all the foundational attributes to be the hub city that

it is and to be much bigger,” McEwan said. “There’s the intersection of the roads here, the railways, the service and the supply businesses … once you get new mines in operation or even on the path to operation, that attracts new businesses to town.

“Prince George is just behind Kamloops. It’s the second-largest supply hub in the interior of British Columbia for mining, but I think with all the activity and the 24 proposed mines in northern British Columbia that are possible, I would bet Prince George will be number one and I’ll be happy to see it.”

McEwan continued by saying Prince George can also help address a potential labour shortage, with local schools such as CNC and UNBC able to fill local gaps.

In addition, with the city’s central location, McEwan noted Prince George could see significant growth as a major service and supply hub for the sector.

With Prince George poised to be in the middle of major growth in the sector, McEwan said he hopes the mining industry and the provincial and federal governments can seize the opportunity in front of them.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I think we’ve all got to row together and seize it,” McEwan said. “I get goose bumps because Prince George is going to be right in the middle, and I love this place and just want to see that happen.”

FIRST 100 $10 BONUS PLAY

First 100 patrons through the door will receive $10 in bonus play for free May 1st - August 31, 2026 VISIT US

EVERY DAY!

Please see Guest Services for more details. For exciting updates, follow us on Facebook! Treasure Cove Casino & Bingo

Please see www.treasurecovecasino.com for Terms & Conditons

EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT

STARTING JUNE 2026

This drone shot taken in May 2026 shows the open-pit Blackwater Mine located 160 km southwest of Prince George.

Dome Creek Recreaton Centre replacement in works

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

MCBRIDE — A little celebration was not only welcomed but encouraged to become more boisterous at the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George board of directors meeting on Thursday, June 18, at the Robson Valley Recreation Centre in McBride.

When up to $600,000 in spending to replace the aging Dome Creek Recreation Facility was unanimously approved, one of the members of the local community association let out a quiet but distinct “Yay!”

“You can cheer,” board chair Lara Beckett said.

That led to a warm round of applause from everyone in the room.

Earlier in the day, those same women from the Dome Creek Community Association — president Laura Trimble and director Wendy Howe — let The Citizen inside for a brief tour of the old but wellloved facility about 10 kilometres north of Highway 16, roughly halfway between Prince George and McBride.

The building was originally the Dome Creek School, a fact visitors are reminded of by a sign still hanging above the entrance.

“One classroom was built in the 1940s,” Howe said. “This classroom here was built in the 1950s and they were joined together sometime between ‘68 and ‘70.”

When it closed in 2001, the community worked with the regional district to convert it into a recreation centre. The centre is on Crown land, but the regional district holds tenure for the property until 2037.

Permission has already been received from the Agricultural Land Commission to build a new facility on the parcel.

These days, there are a couple of washrooms, a small kitchen, a branch of the McBride & District Public Library called the Lena Schultz Reading Room, and a former classroom that has become a multipurpose room.

The first problem is evident right away. The building does not have an accessible entrance or accessible

washrooms. Then there is the issue of heating.

“We’ve lost the ability to retain heat in the building,” Trimble said. “The windows are very old.”

A lot of propane is used in the winter to maintain a comfortable temperature.

The kitchen is too small, becoming cramped once five or six people occupy it.

The community’s preference used to be renovating rather than replacing the old school. However, estimates have shown it would cost about the same to fix it up as it would to start from scratch.

Howe said there is some disappointment about losing a piece of local heritage, but the community hopes to salvage some items, including the Dome Creek School sign.

The current facility only has room for about 30 people.

The association wants the new one to accommodate up to 100 people at once, partly because the community is growing.

Three new homes have been built in Dome Creek this year. Another

longstanding farm property has recently been sold and is earmarked for a new house as well.

“It’s a beautiful place to live,” Howe said.

“With the changes in technology, now you can work from here to far away,” Trimble said.

Trimble said when she moved to Dome Creek in 2012, cellphone access cost almost $1,000 a month. Since a new Telus cell tower was installed, it has become much cheaper and easier to access the rest of the world.

Despite their sadness about losing the old school, they said they are grateful for the work regional district staff have put into advancing construction of the new facility, especially general manager of community and development services Kenna Jonkman and manager of community services Terri McConnachie.

They also said local resident Stephanie Hooker deserves a lot of credit. Her grandfather attended Dome Creek School and, although the family eventually moved away, they said she returned to the community and has helped with

much of the planning work.

At the regional district meeting later that day, directors were asked to approve spending up to $600,000 from the Community Works Fund — previously referred to as federal gas tax funds — to pay for construction of the new centre, with the remainder of the estimated $750,000 coming from other sources.

A document provided to directors estimated it would take 15-16 months to build the new Dome Creek Recreation Facility.

Speaking in favour of the spending was Director Dannielle Alan (Robson Valley-Canoe), who emphasized its importance to the community.

“It’s a centre for people to come to when there’s an emergency or a power outage,” Alan said.

“It is what turns Dome Creek into a community from a collection of individuals.”

After the spending was approved, directors voted later in the meeting to authorize district staff to enter a bidding process to find a contractor for the project.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY COLIN SLARK

Sun shines on the Dome Creek Recreation Centre in Dome Creek, BC on Thursday, June 18. The old school was earmarked for replacement at a Regional District of Fraser-Fort George board of directors meeting that same day in McBride, BC.

Rebuilding planned for Nukko Lake Community Hall

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Regional District of Fraser-Fort George staff will enter negotiations with a Prince George-based contractor for the replacement of the Nukko Lake Community Hall after getting approval from the board of directors at a meeting at McBride’s Robson Valley Community Centre on Thursday, June 18.

The centre, which is owned by the regional district, was levelled by a fire in the early morning of Nov. 6, 2025.

Since the fire, district staff have been working with both community members and the Municipal Insurance Association of British Columbia (MIABC) to sort out a replacement.

That included a public information session at Nukko Lake School on Feb. 23 with more than 100 attendees.

At the board’s May 14 meeting, directors heard that the insurance was still in process but approved a development

variance permit aimed at making a rebuild easier.

A report attached to the June 18 agenda said that the MIABC and district administration held a competitive bidding process over eight weeks for construction of the new hall and received three bids.

The specifics of those bids were not disclosed, but MIABC and administration are recommending that the board authorize full negotiations with

New pickup truck for Valemount volunteer fre department

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

MCBRIDE — The Valemount & District Volunteer Fire Department secured permission to look for a used pickup truck to tow its structural protection trailer from the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George’s board of directors at a Thursday, June 19 meeting at McBride’s Robson Valley Recreation Centre.

A report prepared by district staff said that the department bought a trailer, bought equipment and trained personnel to establish a structure protection unit in 2024 and 2025 through funding from the Columbia Basin Trust.

At the meeting, Director Owen Torgerson — the mayor of Valemount — said the department’s current truck it uses to tow the trailer is good and has

been used to help rescue many bikers from a local mountain biking park, but it simply doesn’t have the towing capacity to properly bear the weight of the trailer.

Normally, such a purchase would have to go through a competitive, formal bidding process and result in the acquisition of a new truck.

However, the department asked for the procurement policy to be waived so that it can secure a used one-tonne pickup truck at a lower price using Columbia Basin Trust and reserve funds up to a maximum of $70,000.

On top of towing the trailer, this truck would also be used to transport rescue equipment, bring firefighters to emergency scenes, access sites that larger vehicles cannot, transport wildfire fighting gear and other tasks.

The purchase was approved unanimously.

Prince George-based contractor Bragg Construction.

This required the board to waive a procurement policy prohibiting sole sourcing for contracts worth more than $5,000.

“This will allow administration to continue to work with MIABC service providers and Bragg Construction on a detailed approach and final cost of project,” the report said.

“A report would be returned to the

Board to consider entering into a contract, should the Regional District and Bragg Construction agree to contract terms and conditions.”

The report further states that insurance proceeds will be used to build a hall as close as possible to the specifications of the previous one while meeting current BC Building Code requirements.

Any improvements would have to be paid for by the regional district and approved by the board.

The construction would come in four major parts:

• Rebuilding the hall itself

• Rebuilding the sewer system for the property

• Rebuilding the water system for the property

• Landscaping the property to prefire conditions

During the June 18 meeting, directors voted unanimously to proceed with negotiations and to waive the procurement policy without debate.

Rubble left over from the Nukko Lake Community Hall fire is seen on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025.

What’s happening in PG

Gregg Bolger Music goes Thursday, June 25 at 8 p.m., Friday, June 26 at 9 p.m. and Saturday, June 27 at 9 p.m. at the Black Clover 1155 Fifth Avenue.

Bolger is a country music artist from Calgary who is best known for his chart-topping single I’m All In along with It Ain’t Come to That, When The Moon Comes Up and many others. For more information about Bolger visit https://ccfpg.ca/en/activites/ saint-jean-baptiste-3/

Prince George Secondary School

Class of 76 Reunion goes Friday, June 26 and Saturday, June 27 at the Coast Prince George Hotel, 770 Brunswick Street. There is a walk through at the secondary school, followed by a meet and greet on Friday night at 5 p.m. at the Coast and then on Saturday there is a dinner and dance starting at 5 p.m. For more information visit https://www. pgssreunions.ca/

Northern Angel Summit Finale goes Friday, June 26 at the PG Conference & Civic Centre. This high-energy event brings together entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, and community supporters from across central and northern British Columbia to witness six visionary startups compete live on stage for a $100,000 angel investment. For more information and tickets visit www.eventbrite.ca/e/ northern-angel-summit-finale-tickets

Virsa 2026 Waris Brothers Live Concert goes Saturday, June 27 at 6 p.m. at CN Centre. Proudly presented by Northern Sport and Cultural Club and features the talents of three virtuoso brothers: Manmohan Waris, Kamal Heer, and Sangtar. Together, the Waris brothers create a vibrant family-friendly atmosphere that celebrates Punjabi heritage. Whether you’re a longtime Punjabi music fan or simply looking for a unique cultural experience, VIRSA 2026 promises an unforgettable evening. Don’t miss being part of this grand cultural event. For more information and tickets visit www.ticketsnorth.ca/event/ virsa-2026-waris-brothers-live-concertPG 24-Hour Relay for Life 2026 goes

Learn about lawn bowling at a free trial session on Sunday, June 28 at the corner of Third Avenue and Watrous Street. It begins at 2 p.m. and is open to everyone.

June 27 at 8:30 a.m. to June 28 at 11:30 a.m. at Masich Place Stadium. Let’s come together and honour those who have cancer, survivors, caregivers and support cancer research. Come out to see local vendors, participate in themed laps, join us for the luminary ceremony, indulge in local entertainment, hear from local community members who are impacted by cancer, and wrap it all up with a survivors and participants brunch. To register as a participants visit https://support.cancer.ca/site/TR/ RelayForLifePG We are also looking for volunteers to make this event possible. Those who volunteer for 8 hours or more will be given a free volunteer meal and have a chance to win a $200 gift card. For more information and to register as a volunteer visit forms.office. com/r/gDz69trnvY

Heatseeker & Vagabond goes Saturday, June 27 from 7 to 10 p.m. at Omineca Arts Centre, 369 Victoria St. Heatseeker is a heavy duty two-piece ensemble pumping out a unique strain of hard and heavy stoner

rock. Vagabond has been a fixture of Northern BC festivals and dive bars since 2018. They will rock your socks with their heavy melodic blend guaranteed to please. Their debut album Few and Far is available to stream and on vinyl. For more information and tickets visit www.eventbrite.ca/e/ live-music-heatseeker-vagabond-tickets Move to Cure ALS Walk goes Sunday, June 28 at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park with registration starting at 10 a.m. and walk starts at 11. The Move brings together communities across British Columbia and the Yukon to honour those we have lost and provide vital support to the individuals currently living with the disease and their families. People are invited to join the event either by walking, running, rolling, or simply joining in spirit. To register or for more details visit movetocurealsbc. donordrive.com/PrinceGeorge2026

Creative Space Sundays go from June 28 to December 20, 2026 from 1 to 4 p.m. and is presented by Two Rivers Gallery and starts with Fidget Spinning

Rainbow Dowels at Canada Games Plaza by the Nanguz ‘An container market during the gallery’s closure for upgrades. For more information and to register for this free event visit https://tworiversgallery.ca/programs/ fidget-spinning-rainbow-dowels-2/ Lawn Bowling goes Sunday, June 28 at 2 p.m. at Watrous Park at the corner of Third Ave and Watrous St. This is a free trial session where the group will provide equipment, a short lesson and refreshments. Everyone is welcome to attend.

29th annual Prince George Pride Parade goes Saturday, July 4 from 11 a.m. to noon from Downtown PG to Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park and followed by the Pride Picnic until 4 p.m. There will be a colourful procession of floats, community groups, and local organizations, all coming together to uplift 2SLGBTQIA+ voices and visibility in Northern BC. For the first time the parade will lead directly into the Pride Picnic in collaboration with the Northern BC Queer Connection Society, transforming the day into one continuous, high-energy celebration. As the parade wraps up, the festivities continue with a lively picnic featuring vendors, performances, food trucks, and lots of opportunities to connect with community. For more information visit www.facebook. com/eventsprideparadePG

The Graveyard Shift: A Horror Writing Workshop goes Monday, July 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Integris Building, 530 Central St. E. Presented by the Northern BC Writers Association. This event hosted by Lizzie Van Bakel is open to everyone fond of the horror genre, whether they have written about it before or this is their first time. For more information about all the workshops available visit https:// nbcwritersfest.ca/events/ To register for the horror writing workshop at no cost visit https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ ticketing/the-graveyard-shift-a-horrorwriting-workshop

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE SUBMITTED

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

SunFrolics 2026 goes Wednesday, July 15 to Sunday, July 19 at Pineview Hall, 6355 Bendixon Rd. This is the Pineview Recreation Commission’s annual community celebration featuring activities and events for all ages. There is a volleyball tournament, pickleball tournament, slow pitch tournament, crib tournament, a classic car show, a junk in the trunk market, kids games and activities and concession. Whether you’re looking to compete, shop, enjoy great food, spend time with family or reconnect with friends and neighbours, there’s something for everyone at SunFrolics. For more information and updates visit https://www.facebook. com/pgpineviewhall

Foodie Friday Soccer Spectacular goes Friday, July 17 at 4 p.m. at Canada Games Plaza will see food vendors on site and Tourism PG’s Nanguz’An Market open, along with live entertainment showcasing Hey Day, Good Juju and Chris Goodwin Band.

Cowboy Challenge goes Sunday, July 19 at 8:30 a.m. at Dusty Trail Riders, 10597 Blackwater Road starting at 8:30 a.m. Riders will spend some time working around and with obstacles then each rider will get a chance to ‘run’ the pattern. Order of go will be assigned at random. Current HCBC required. All riders are required to wear a helmet when mounted. Lead Line: for those unable to ride alone, regardless of age (free for Dusty Trail Riders member/ $15 non), Little Britches: age up to 7 ($5 member/ $15 non), Pee Wee: 8-12 ($5 member/ $20 non), Junior: 13 to 18 ($10 member/ $20 non), Adult: 19 to 49 ($10 member/ $25 non), Jack Benny: 50+ ($10 member/ $25 non). Event will run depending on weather and condition of the arena. For more information visit www.facebook. com/events/DustyTrailRiders

Quebec Street Night Market goes Sunday, July 19 from 5 to 9 p.m. Celebrate the excitement of the world’s biggest soccer tournament with a community Watch Party and Night

Amanda Wood performs at a previous Foodie Friday event at Canada Games Plaza. The event returns this year with a Soccer Spectacular on Friday, July 17. Live music includes Hey Day, Good Juju and the Chris Goodwin Band.

Market that will feature local vendors, live music, delicious street food. Gather with friends and family, wear team colours, and enjoy a night filled with fun, food, shopping, and celebration. Best of all, proceeds from the event will help support the Canadian Mental Health Association, making this a night that gives back to our community.

Canadian Cancer Society is looking for Wheels of Hope drivers who make a significant impact on the lives of those battling cancer. For more information contact Wheels of Hope at 1-800-9393333 or email volunteer@cancer.ca or visit www.cancer.ca//living-with-cancer/ how-we-can-help/cancer-travel-and-accommodation-services-bc

Craft & Chat at the main branch of the Prince George Public Library goes every Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. in the magazine corner, second floor, where fibre artists are invited to bring their latest projects to share, vent frustrations, brag about successes, get and give help and join in lively discussions. Snacks

provided. This event is in partnership with Great Northwest Fibre Fest.

Myeloma Support Group goes every third Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. at Commonwealth Financial, 575 Victoria St. Everyone is welcome who has been diagnosed, those who are caregivers, family members and friends. Wheelchair accessible parking at the back of the building. For more information call Viv Lougheed at 250-981-2618.

Parkinson Support Group meetings are the first Saturday of each month at 1 p.m. at the Spruce Capital Seniors Centre, 3701 Rainbow Drive. Meetings are informal and are for sharing information about slowing down the progression of PD. There are guest speakers, special events and biweekly exercise sessions and positive social interaction. Use lower parking lot beside ball diamond to access the seniors centre.

Chronic Condition Support Group takes place the first Tuesday of every month from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Nechako Branch of the Prince George Public Library, 6547 John Hart Hwy. This is a

community social group where people with any chronic condition can come together to socialize, connect and learn from each other. This is a free drop-in event.

Curious Art Workshop goes Tuesdays until June 23 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Studio 2880, Upstairs Workshop Zone, 2880 15th Ave. This series of workshops are filled with art, mindfulness, letting go of control and building community, and of course, fun! Participants will explore watercolours with instructor Anne Beauchemin who is new to Prince George. For more information and to register visit www. studio2880.com/programs/art-classes/ curiousartworkshop

Trivia Night at Nancy O’s goes every other Wednesday at 8 p.m., 1261 Third Ave. Book a spot by calling ahead at 250-562-8066. Open Mic at Nancy O’s goes every other Wednesday from 8 to 11 p.m. Open mic is hosted by Danny Bell and friends. Come on down and share songs, poetry, dance, stories, and anything else you can think to do on stage. All are welcome.

Teen Summer Art Club goes Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon at Studio 2880, 1880-15th Ave. Presented by the Community Arts Council Prince George & District these sessions feature a variety of artists. July 8 and 27 Watercolour Splash & Flow with Liana Ziemer takes place, T-shirt Madness with Cat Sivertsen goes July 15 and August 19, Acrylic on Canvas with Marylin Schmaus goes July 22 and Aug. 12 and Art Journaling with Si Transken goes July 29 and August 5. Each session is $50 and these events are geared for those ages 13 to 17. For more information and to register visit www.studio2880.com/programs/ youth-programs/summer-arts-camp

If you’ve got an event coming up email us at news@pgcitizen.ca to offer details including name of the event, the date, time and location, ticket price and where to get them and a little bit about what’s happening, too. LOCF

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

ABOVE: Briella Mayes, 6, seems to concentrate on the beat of the drum as she takes part in a Community Drum Circle led by the UHNBC Drummers.

BELOW: Sophia, 5, and Keanu Thomas, 3, join in the drumming.

Sunday in the park

Families head out to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples’ Day and take in the annual Father’s Day Cruisin’ Classics Show ’n’ Shine at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park on Sunday, June 21

BELOW:

CITIZEN PHOTOS BY CHUCK NISBETT

ABOVE: Cree singer Siibii performs with Joshua Cunningham and Megan Griffin.

RIGHT: Artist Ren Anderson works on a quick sketch of Iris, 9, Sarah and Reed van Leeuwen, 12, before doing a full-size caricature.

Members of the audience dance while taking in Siibii’s performance of their hit YOY.

ABOVE: A beautifully restored 1971 Opel GT is displayed at the 50th annual Father’s Day Cruisin’ Classics Show ’n’ Shine.

LEFT: Motorcycles are lined up along the Fort George Railway track.

BELOW: Gary Howard admires the 1927 Model T Two Door hot rod owned by Ron and Linda Metz.

Every year, we celebrate Canada Day with a trivia contest featuring 25 questions, some of them multiple choice, about Prince George, British Columbia and Canada.

After you’ve put your knowledge to the test, the answers are on Page 28.

1. What was Canada Day originally called?

2. In what year did British Columbia join Confederation?

3. Prince George officially became a city in what year?

A) 1908

B) 1915

C) 1925

D) 1935

4. Which two rivers meet in Prince George?

5. What is Prince George often called?

A) The Northern Capital

B) The Gateway to the North C) The Heart of the Rockies

D) The Forest City

6. This major Canadian city is 792 kilometres, or a 9.5-hour drive, from Prince George

A) Calgary

B) Edmonton

C) Vancouver

D) Victoria

7. Who was Canada’s first and only female prime minister?

Welcome to The Citzen’s annual trivia challenge CANADA DAY Celebrating

8. Who was British Columbia’s first female premier?

9. Who was Prince George’s first female mayor?

10. What hotel stood where the Wood Innovation and Design Centre is now located in downtown Prince George?

A) The Fraser Inn

B) The Prince George Hotel

C) The George Inn

D) The Maple Leaf Hotel

11. Which famous Canadian runner completed his first marathon in Prince George in 1979?

12. What was the original name of

the Kopar Memorial Arena?

13. Which Canadian city does not have a street named for it in Prince George?

A) Kingston

B) Winnipeg C) Toronto D) Windsor

14. What are the call letters used by Prince George International Airport?

A) YPG

B) YGR

C) YXS

D) YPR

CANADA DAY Celebrating

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

15. Which Indigenous people have lived in the Prince George area for thousands of years?

A) Haida and Tlingit

B) Lheidli T’enneh

C) Blackfoot

D) Cree

16. What does “Lheidli T’enneh” roughly mean?

A) People of the Mountains

B) People of the River Mouth

C) People Where the Two Rivers Flow

Together

D) People of the Great Bear

17. What major railway helped Prince George grow into a city?

A) Canadian Pacific Railway

B) Grand Trunk Pacific Railway

C) Burlington Northern Railway

D) BC Rail

18. What animal appears on the coat of arms of British Columbia?

A) Beaver

B) Moose

C) Elk

D) Stag

19. Who is the first Prince George athlete to play for a Major League Baseball team?

20. Which of these is not the name of a local sports team?

A) Cougars

B) Spruce Kings

How well do you know your city, province and country?

C) Timberwolves

D) Foresters

21. What is the provincial flower of British Columbia?

A) Pacific Dogwood

B) Wild Rose

C) Purple Violet

D) Trillium

22. Prince George was named after whom?

A) King George V

B) Prince George, Duke of Kent

C) Prince George, fourth son of King George V

D) An early settler’s dog

23. What is the approximate elevation of the City of Prince George above

sea level?

A) 275 metres (902 feet)

B) 575 metres (1,886 feet)

C) 875 metres (2,871 feet)

D) 1,175 metres (3,855 feet)

24. Which of these does NOT appear in the name of a local retail plaza or mall?

A) Pine

B) Spruce

C) Fir

D) Alder

25. What is Canada’s national animal?

A) Moose

B) Beaver

C) Polar Bear

D) Caribou

CANADA DAY

Canada Day festivities get under way Wednesday, July 1 at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park. Here’s a photo from last year.

Let’s see how well you know your city, your province and your country:

1. Dominion Day

2. 1871

3. B) 1915

4. Fraser River and Nechako River

5. B) The Gateway to the North

6. A) Calgary

7. Kim Campbell

8. Rita Johnston

9. Carrie Jane Gray

10. B) The Prince George Hotel

11. Terry Fox

12. The Prince George Coliseum

13. D) Windsor

14. C) YXS

15. B) Lheidli T’enneh

16. C) People Where the Two Rivers Flow Together

17. B) Grand Trunk Pacific Railway

18. D) Stag

19. Jared Young

20. C) Foresters

21. A) Pacific Dogwood

22. B) Prince George, Duke of Kent

23. B) 575 metres (1,886 feet)

24. C) Fir

25. B) Beaver

Duchess Park ready to celebrate at 50-year reunion

The high school’s !rst Grade 12 class graduated in 1976

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

Duchess Park Secondary School’s first Grade 12 graduating class was in 1976, and they are celebrating with a 50th reunion on Sept. 18 and 19 at the Coast Hotel in downtown Prince George, where they had their original graduation ceremony.

Terry Robertson (née Demman), Ernie Freimuller and Brian Martinson, members of the graduating class and the organizing committee for the upcoming two-day event, sat down with The Citizen to talk about the good old days and the upcoming reunion.

“You know those people who say they never had fun in high school? Well, I say they never tried hard enough,” Martinson said. “We always had a lot of fun because we did stuff. In Grade 12, we abducted Mr. Fox, the science teacher, and held him for ransom, and that money was donated to charity.”

“He was slow to pay, and he was under no duress,” Robertson added with a laugh.

“Because he was a character, too,” Martinson said. “That kind of thing was right up his alley.”

“And Mr. Fox was the teacher who said we should start the student government,” Robertson said.

“He was the one who said, ‘You guys should have a voice’ — and I thought, ‘Oooh, a voice?’ and I ended up being the president.”

Freimuller and Martinson talked about the days at Duchess Park when a pool table showed up in a spare room close to the classroom where Mr. Rutherford taught math. The deal was that if you finished your work early, you could go play pool.

“I was good at math, so I got to play quite a bit,” Martinson said. “Then at the end of the year, we would have a little competition with the Grade 9 math classes.”

The reunion committee members talked about Ken, who was always up for a dare; Reg, who jumped out a second-storey window into six feet of snow and was a great ball player; and Les, who drove his motorbike down the hallowed halls of the high school ahead of a ’50s-themed dance.

They also recalled the time when two rival-school cheerleaders in their uniforms came out to the parking lot to discover Martinson stuck in the snow after a Duchess Park vs. PGSS basketball game.

“My older brother always had a car, so he lent me his car when I went to the basketball game. He was great at maintaining his car and had winter tires on it, but they were apparently bald, as I recall. There was about six inches of snow in the parking lot, and could I get out of there?” Martinson said with a

offering some history about the graduating class of 1976.

“And the people on the organizing committee — there’s five of us — have been together since Grade 3, when we were at Central Fort George together.”

Of the 144 students who graduated in 1976, 17 people — that they know of — have passed away.

“So we feel like we need to get this done,” Robertson said.

“This is probably going to be our last big event,” Freimuller added.

“It takes a lot of effort — and communication — to put something like this together.”

One of the biggest challenges was finding people, especially women who dropped their maiden names when they got married and didn’t keep in touch, Robertson added.

The other challenge was finding people who had flung themselves far afield, like Claire, who lived in Hong Kong for a time, while others were spread across Canada and the United States.

As far as the reunion goes, there are going to be a few guests people might not expect.

“There will be some teachers in attendance on Friday night,” Freimuller said.

shake of his head.

“So I get out of the car to clear some snow away from the back tires, and I look over and a couple of the PGSS cheerleaders are walkin’ my way. So I’m thinking, ‘Oh God, I gotta get outta here!’ I tried one more time, and they could see I’m not going anywhere. One of them knocked on my window and said, ‘Brian, do you need a hand?’ It was Carrie, who I had known since I was 12 years old, and her friend. They actually pushed me out, and that’s one of the embarrassing things that happened. I still laugh about it to this day.”

During their last year of school, the graduating class raised funds for their graduation celebration by providing firewood, raking leaves and even selling Amway products.

“A lot of us have been together since elementary school,” Robertson said,

“And I think we’re going to do an open mic to allow people to share stories,” Robertson said.

They’ve also got door prizes to be drawn for those in attendance and are always looking for more donations.

The reunion schedule is as follows:

On Friday, Sept. 18, at the Coast Hotel, the event starts with registration at 6 p.m. and a welcome at 7 p.m., and features appetizers and a no-host bar.

Then on Saturday, Sept. 19, doors open at 5 p.m. and dinner is at 6:30 p.m., followed by a social and dance with a no-host bar, where the time capsule will be unveiled.

The deadline to register for early pricing is June 30.

For more information, including how to register and book a discounted room, visit the Duchess Park Class of 1976 50th Reunion Facebook page and click on Files at www.facebook.com/ groups/652253321544558.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHRISTINE DALGLEISH

Brian Martinson, left, Terry Robertson and Ernie Freimuller are part of the 1976 Duchess Park graduating class and now are part of the organizing committee for the 50th reunion that will be held in September.

Woman looking for son she was forced to give up in ’69

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

She was 18. He was a few years older.

Sandra and Larry were in love, planning a future together.

They even went downtown in Prince George to look at engagement rings. Then the unthinkable happened.

Larry died when the private plane he was in crashed in southeastern BC in early August 1968.

Sandra Hawkes didn’t even get a chance to tell him she was pregnant.

The trajectory of her life was suddenly sent in a completely different direction.

And the decision to keep the baby was taken out of her hands.

“I didn’t make the decision,” Hawkes said. “My parents did. And I struggled with that.”

At 19, she was still legally (at the time) a minor, living under her parents’ roof.

“My parents talked me out of keeping the baby,” Hawkes said.

“The words, ‘Do you want your child to be known as a bastard?’ were said. And I’m shocked at how different life was in 1969. It doesn’t feel that long ago to me, but it was definitely different when it came to unwed mothers and forced adoptions.”

Her son was born in March 1969.

“I don’t know why March 17 keeps coming up, but that’s when I think he was born.”

“I don’t remember a lot about giving birth,” Hawkes said. “It was 57 years ago, after all.”

Her family took a closed-mouth approach to life’s challenges.

“Just forget about it — we will never speak about this again,” came the parental order to Hawkes.

She was programmed by her parents to erase the experience, erase the memory and erase her son.

“My parents denied that I was ever pregnant,” Hawkes said.

“My parents were very controlling, obviously. I did ask them for help finding my son in the late ’90s, and the way my mother spoke to me over the phone rattled me. Her response, in a

very nasty tone, was, ‘You were never pregnant.’ So there you go.”

In her own way, she kept the experience front and centre without saying a word.

“I kept one of my maternity tops,” Hawkes said.

“For about 10 years, I wore that thing — until it fell off me.”

She has been looking for her son, on and off, formally since about 2012, but without any record of the private adoption to be found, she fears she will never find him.

On the off chance, she even submitted her DNA to registries that connect family members.

“But no luck there.”

Hawkes said she believes he still lives in Prince George for no other reason than a gut feeling.

“So I did all the formal searching in BC that one can do — a number of times,” Hawkes explained.

“I spoke to people in person at Vital Statistics, wrote to the family doctor in Prince George in 1996 and, of course, the response was, ‘We don’t have those records anymore.’ It was really frustrating until I did more research to help me understand what happened.”

It was a very different world in 1969 when it came to adoptions and unwed

Hawkes said.

At this point during our phone conversation, I thought we could touch on her family dynamic and how they found their way to Prince George.

Her family, including her parents and two brothers, moved to Prince George in the summer of 1967 because her father was in the military and stationed at Baldy Hughes, she explained.

They lived on Upland in Prince George for a few months before moving to Lyon Street, and Hawkes remembers living in that house when she was pregnant.

mothers.

“There was a sense of shame,” Hawkes said.

“In 1969, you were considered a whore and a slut if you were unmarried and wanted to go on the birth control pill. In fact, you couldn’t get it until you were married back then.”

When she started looking for her son, she was horrified by how the whole experience seemed to have been erased, as though it never happened, just as her parents demanded.

“Officially, there is no record of the adoption,” Hawkes said.

She believes the family doctor was involved in a private adoption of her baby.

“Because that’s one of the ways the record completely disappears. A private adoption in the doctor’s office, with the birth certificate listing the adoptive mother’s name, and my name disappears,” Hawkes said.

“Just disappears.”

The research she did helped her understand how this could have happened, and she found that somewhere there could be a sealed file that will never be opened.

“I even phoned the Prince George Court Registry, and they had a look around, so I am up against a brick wall,”

Hawkes’ mother worked at Woodward’s. Hawkes worked at Marty’s Inn and Summit Carpets. The three children formed a band called Through the Eyes of Youth, as documented in The Prince George Citizen, the newspaper of record for the city, on March 23, 1968, when they won the Canton Inn Talent Show at Spruceland Shopping Centre.

Hawkes left Prince George in December 1975 and moved to Vancouver.

Over the last 57 years, Hawkes has speculated about countless variables in her son’s life.

She often wonders whether her son was ever interested in finding her or whether he even knew he was adopted. Hawkes said she has considered scenarios in which he never learned he was adopted or, if he did know, felt a strong allegiance to his adoptive parents and did not want to hurt their feelings by searching for her.

“So there are all kinds of things that could have happened,” Hawkes said.

And she is always left wondering, fearing there will always be more questions than answers.

And her next step?

“You’re my Hail Mary,” Hawkes told me.

And then comes the tough question: What would you like to say to your son?

“I’m sorry I didn’t have the strength to hold on to you,” Hawkes said.

“I just wasn’t strong enough.”

If anyone has information that might help Hawkes locate her son, please reach out to her by email at openmarriagerecordsnow@live.com.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Sandra Hawkes, after having her son and being forced to put him up for adoption, silently protested by wearing a maternity top for years afterwards.

Kopar ofers new home for Prince George Men’s Shed

The group offers a community space that helps local men connect

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

A three-year search for a space that can accommodate the PG Men’s Shed’s needs is over after Kopar Administration agreed to allow the group to use its indoor woodshop.

The PG Men’s Shed is a community group that provides a space for local men to work on projects for personal and community use while connecting with like-minded men from across the city.

The group builds carpentry projects for local seniors, Hospice House, the Autism Society and other organizations. These projects are constructed by skilled craftspeople at the PG Men’s Shed and help improve quality of life for those who benefit from them.

The PG Men’s Shed was previously located at the Canadian Mental Health building. However, the space was too small to serve the needs of the growing organization and often resulted in members working outside.

Administrator Andrew Darbyshire of the PG Men’s Shed told The Citizen that the lack of space has resulted in a drop in membership.

“The reason we’re branching out is our space. We just don’t have the room.

We have guys coming out, they see our small space, and we never see them again. We just don’t have space to build and store things for our projects.”

However, after a post was made in the Hell Yeah PG Facebook group highlighting the Men’s Shed’s need for a new space, Kopar Administration stepped up to help.

Ken Newell, operations manager at Kopar Administration, said the program seemed like a natural fit for both organizations.

“The real big thing was that we have our own BladeRunners construction training program for youth. Then we saw this, and we realized it was a

natural evolution,” said Newell. “We run the construction program here Monday to Friday, and it was just a perfect scenario. We have a large shop area, and when I saw the request on Hell Yeah PG, I thought, ‘Well, can we make this work?’”

The Kopar Administration BladeRunners program helps people between the ages of 16 and 30 who are looking to enter the construction trades build their skills at no cost. Participants also gain experience by working on community-based projects.

Currently, the BladeRunners program operates Monday to Friday, while the Men’s Shed is set to use the space on

Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., with hopes of expanding those hours in the near future.

Darbyshire said access to the space was a godsend for the organization, which has had to make do with cramped quarters, particularly during the winter months.

“The past year we’ve been pretty slow, especially in winter, because we take a lot of our tools out to the parking lot to work, so we’re very limited in what we can do. I can’t express what this is going to mean to the Men’s Shed. With the space and the partnership, I think it’s just going to blow up,” said Darbyshire.

He added that the Men’s Shed currently has a significant task ahead in moving its tools and equipment into the new space and will focus on that until the facility is ready for shared use.

That includes constructing wheeled tables for tools so they can be moved in and out as needed to accommodate both groups.

Newell said he hopes both the BladeRunners program and the Men’s Shed can flourish in the shared space.

“When we’re not using the space, they can use the space. It was just a natural marriage in that regard,” said Newell.

“Hopefully we can see where we can bring the two together through this process as well. Maybe we can get some mentors involved or something like that. It’s all part of the community-minded approach that Kopar likes to take.”

CITIZEN PHOTO BY MATTHEW HILLIER

Ken Newell, left, operations manager at Kopar Administration, and Andrew Darbyshire, administrator for the PG Men’s Shed, visit the group’s new shared space.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY MATTHEW HILLIER

The woodworking shop at Kopar Administration will soon be used by members of the PG Men’s Shed after the local group reached a deal with the company.

Scary stories on the agenda during Writers’ Fest in July

One of the events is a free workshop on writing horror !ction

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

The newly formed Northern BC Writers Association is hosting a Writers’ Fest during most of July in Prince George.

There’s a long list of workshops for practical things like how to avoid a scam, an intro to writing, guidance on how to revise and edit and there’s even a book launch or two to attend.

Then on the flip side there’s workshops that are genre specific for comedic writing, ghost story writing, while others offer advice on how to bring characters to life and poetry how-tos but the one that seems to be far away from all the others is the Graveyard Shift: A Horror Writing Workshop set for July 6.

For those of us who don’t enjoy the genre, this subject remains wholly unexplored.

For those of us who love the genre, would it ever occur to you that you could create your own horror stories? Isn’t it best to leave these matters to the experts already established?

Apparently not, presenter of the Horror Writing Workshop, Liz Van Bakel, assured me during our chat about the upcoming event. The entire concept was intriguing, not only the topic but almost more importantly who was curating the move into this terrifying perspective as an art form.

Van Bakel, who just graduated with her bachelor’s degree in English, will do her master’s at the University of Ottawa. She had three poems recently accepted to be included in Beautiful Tragedies, A Dark Poetry Anthology 5, published out of the States.

“I wasn’t into horror at all when I was a kid,” Van Bakel, who was born and raised in Prince George, said.

“But what really got me was the 2017 film It based off Stephen King’s book and I was obsessed with that movie and then just fell into the horror genre

and started exploring more films and my brother, Tanner, was recommending all the classics — slasher films like Halloween, Friday the 13th — all that kind of stuff.”

Van Bakel explained that It had such a good story line, she was about the same age as the kids in the movie and loved the premise. Before she watched that movie all she had seen was gore fests and for her horror is not all about shock value.

That’s when Van Bakel delved further into King’s novels, and he quickly became her favourite author.

“Then I read one of his collections of short stories called The Bazaar of Bad Dreams,” Van Bakel said.

“The way he wrote it was so cool because at the beginning you got a tidbit of how he got the idea for each story, which I love! I love hearing from other creators, writers, directors, artists, how they come up with their ideas, especially in horror, because so many people can be like ‘how can you even think about this? Why would you even want to imagine something like that?’ but then reading that collection made me think this could be kinda fun.”

That’s when she took a creative writing class at the College of New Caledonia, she added.

“That class was run by Graham

Pearce, who is such a great mentor and friend to me, and his big mantra is always ‘go deeper, give me more and don’t let outside voices tell you this is too much, just keep going,’” Van Bakel said.

“And I ended up writing a 10-story horror collection for that class and in each story I just kept getting darker and creepier and Graham and my classmates just said ‘we love it, we want more’ and I always loved writing but horror just really spoke to me. There have been times when I thought I should get out of this genre but I found my weird little corner and I like it there. It’s so fun. I like creeping people out. And I love that it’s this niche genre because you find the best people there.”

And speaking of the best people, Van Bakel is inviting anyone interested in the genre to attend the Graveyard Shift: A Horror Writing Workshop on July 6.

“This is for anyone who has either written horror or has never written horror and just thinks that this could be fun – so seasoned writers and beginner writers are welcome to join and they are also welcome to bring pre-existing work they have done like short fiction or poetry or even like longer fiction if it’s part of a novel but I will also be

providing prompts so we can do some writing together as well because I think it’s fun to write to just see what comes out because who knows, you could find a prompt that really speaks to you and it could waft them into something more.”

Van Bakel offered an example of a prompt. “You are looking in the mirror and something is looking back at you — just something super-vague,” Van Bakel said.

“And the prompt I use to get me out of a slump is just two words — ‘what if’ and add that to thinking of something that would scare me and you just think what if this happens and that blossoms into a story and I know this might sound gruesome and grim to anyone who doesn’t like horror but I will think of the worst thing that can happen and then think of something to add to that.”

The Graveyard Shift workshop will cover that and more.

When attending the workshop, make sure to bring pen/pencils, notebooks, laptops, or whatever else you use to write.

“I’m really excited about this workshop,” Van Bakel said.

For all the information and to register for this free workshop visit https://www. zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/the-graveyard-shift-a-horror-writing-workshop

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Liz Van Bakel is offering The Graveyard Shift: A Horror Writing Workshop on Monday, July 6, as part of the Northern BC Writers’ Fest taking place throughout July.

Throwback Thursday: Week of June 25

June 25, 1970: Ronn Rosenbaum, 11, celebrated the last day of school at Highland Elementary as teacher Lois Chudley looked on. CITIZEN FILE

June 26, 1999: Ironworker Mark Hunter stood on a hoist to feed an air hose to Barry Anderson, who was using an air gun to tighten bolts on the new art gallery’s curved steel frame. The building that would become Two Rivers Gallery was slowly taking shape beside the Civic Centre.

June 25, 1987: Folkfest Week began with a ag-raising at city hall with First Princess Veronica Potts (left), Miss Folkfest Roxanne Pidruchney, Multicultural Society vice-president Mary Jarbek and acting Mayor Monica Becott. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY DAVE MILNE

PHOTO BY DAVE MILNE

June 25, 2012: Cole Bernier jumps his Kawasaki during Intermediate MX-1 racing at Blackwater Motocross Park during the BC Motocross Association North Series Race. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY DAVE MILNE

Daughter-in-law walking 150 km for woman with ALS

Move to Cure ALS happens Sunday

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

When your daughter-in-law, along with her beloved weiner dog, Allen, walks 150 kilometres during ALS Awareness Month in your honour, you know that’s love.

And Barb Wilson is feeling it.

Ten years ago Wilson was diagnosed with ALS at 48 years old and unfortunately has not gone unscathed. Confined to a wheelchair because she is not able to use much of her body, including her arms, Wilson continues to be part of her family’s lives as much as she can. She requires full-time care and is grateful to have the support of her family and her caregiving team, she said in a speech-totext email message to The Citizen.

Jessica Hainstock, Wilson’s daughterin-law, and Allen the weiner dog will not only walk 150 kilometres in June but also be participating in the upcoming Move to Cure ALS Walk in Wilson’s honour, which will be held in Prince George on Sunday, June 28 at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park.

One of the organizers of the Move to Cure ALS Walk, Kristi Francis, said that ALS is one of those diseases that often doesn’t get the funding or support it so desperately requires. Approximately 400 British Columbians are currently living with ALS.

Unlike many chronic diseases where the number of people living with the condition grows over time, ALS numbers remain relatively constant because it is a terminal illness, Francis added.

Each year, new diagnoses are balanced by those who have passed away from the disease, Francis said, and she is committed to helping organize the walk to continue to raise awareness and funds because she lost her mother to ALS in 2021 while Francis’s husband Parker was 12 years old when he lost his 32-year-old father to the disease. Hainstock and Wilson wanted to share their story with The Citizen to

help raise awareness for this important cause.

“I have been dating Avery, Barb’s son, for five years now, we got a weiner dog puppy together and Barb loves him,” Hainstock said.

“So when I was looking for something to do because I wanted to start her a team for the Move to Cure ALS Walk I made her a campaign page. I was thinking of a way to raise awareness and raise funds in an interactive way that

Hainstock, a recent graduate of UNBC, said she wants to help get the word out about ALS and the Move to Cure ALS Walk happening on Sunday, June 28.

“Barb was my introduction to ALS,” Hainstock said.

“I didn’t know about it and I did hear about the ice bucket challenge (ALS fundraiser) but I was pretty young and I didn’t know what ALS was until I met Barb. So the question was how to do this so I can introduce more people to what ALS is?”

And walking 150km was her answer.

“I feel like I won the mother-in-law jackpot as Avery was my introduction to Barb,” Hainstock said.

“Over the last five years she’s been a very key part of my life and she is a lot more than a mother-in-law to me - she is Avery’s mom and they are very close and she is very supportive of all of us, including her daughter Marlee. Despite her ALS she plays a very instrumental role in all of our lives and she’s always very there for us and she’s just always been a little light.”

Hainstock said that Wilson attends Avery’s ski competitions and supports Hainstock in her educational journey.

“She is a very supportive person in my life,” Hainstock said.

“Barb is a very well-educated person so she’s supported me all through my education and I just earned my bachelor’s degree in political science and I am now starting my masters in September.”

The focus of her master’s will be health science, focusing on health equity and she hopes to pursue a career within Northern Health once she has completed the degree, Hainstock added.

wouldn’t call for any effort from her or her caregivers so I vowed to do it myself and make sure that I wasn’t placing more work on them. I thought a good way I could do this is by vowing to walk 150k m over 40 days with Allen, who is our weiner dog, and I post a weekly update on our Facebook page and I post pictures of how far we’ve walked and how far we have to go and pictures of me and Allen so Barb can see them on Facebook.”

“Barb is very passionate about the Move to Cure ALS Walk,” Hainstock said. “She loves the event so we would just like people to get involved.”

To further support the Move to Cure ALS campaign Wilson uses her artistic talents she discovered through her years with ALS by selling greeting cards that have her mouth paintings on the front with proceeds going to the fundraising effort, Hainstock added.

Barb Wilson, centre, is surrounded by her family: from left, Jessica Hainstock, daughter-in-law; Avery, son; Blair, husband; and Marlee, daughter. The Move to Cure ALS Walk takes place in Prince George on Sunday, June 28.

Northern Health announces newest award recipients

SANJA KNEZEVIC Northern Health

The Dr. Charles Jago Awards, named after Northern Health’s former board chair, recognize and celebrate those who have made outstanding contributions to Northern Health’s organizational goals while reflecting the health authority’s values in the process.

NH’s values are:

• Empathy: seek to understand each individual’s experience

• Respect: value each person’s unique perspective and contribution

• Collaboration: work together to build partnerships

• Innovation: seek creative and practical solutions

On May 6, Northern Health celebrated teams and individuals who embody these values during a virtual awards ceremony held at the spring Leadership Forum.

Lesley Ash, executive director of total rewards and recognition, opened the ceremony with a reminder of our organizational values and the importance of providing meaningful recognition to our peers and colleagues.

President and CEO Ciro Panessa presented the awards and acknowledged the contributions of both nominees and recipients. Testimonials from the nominations were also shared, highlighting the incredible work of this year’s recipients.

The 2026 Jago Award recipients recipients (in bold) and nominees for

this year are:

Empathy

• Team: Ksyen Community Oncology Network (CON) Clinic

• Brandee Nelson

• Deanna Hembroff

• Dr. Shannon Douglas

• Nancy Cody

Respect

• Ashley Pannozzo

• Christina Pucknat

• Barb Krause

Collaboration

• Alanna Chretien

• Angus Watson

• Ibolya Agoston

• Jean Parent

• Judy April

• Leanne O’Neill

• Team: GoHealth BC Operations

• Team: Ksyen Regional Hospital Pharmacy

• Team: Mental Health Service Network

• Team: Tumbler Ridge Nursing

• Team: Northern Gender Clinic

• Team: Haida Gwaii Hospital and Health Centre Interdisciplinary

Innovation

• Dana Cole

• Julian Barnbrook

• Rai Read

• Susanne Watson

• Tamara Checkley

• Team: Northwest Withdrawal Management

Allen the weiner dog joining owner for fundraising walk

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

After reading Wilson’s email The Citizen decided to include in its entirety because her voice needs to be heard and it is our honour to share these words as a message to the community who we know will support her as she continues along her path with ALS.

“After living with some truly bizarre symptoms I was diagnosed with ALS in August of 2016. It felt like I was handed an incredible weight to bare. My memory took me back in time to when I was young and Sue Rodriguez was on the news fighting for the right to die. I didn’t understand why she would want that so my mom explained it to me. I decided right then that is one disease I don’t want. But guess what happened? My childhood fear came true.

“I was 48 years old and I had plans for the rest of my life. My big blackboard in my brain needed changing. I needed to erase getting old with my husband. I had to erase meeting my grandchildren. I had to erase travel and being a part of my adult children’s lives. I had to erase being present during any university graduation my kids might have. I even

had to erase being present at their high school graduations. It was not guaranteed.

“Once you do all the erasing and you

see what is left all you can do is pour love over everyone who is important to you. So that is what I did. I became aware of the small joys in life because

they really are important. I was fortunate to see both of my children graduate high school. It was absolutely magical. Then when my daughter graduated to become a registered nurse I was there and my son graduated to become a red seal electrician and I was there. I do not take that for granted. I was there. Now my son has a wonderful partner who is such a bright light. My daughter helps calm my fears and shares my love of dogs. Her partner loves her so deeply. I do not take any of this for granted. I hope to be around as long as I can.

“This is only possible because of the absolute best team of support you could ever ask for. ALS requires round the clock care. And I have the best people. What we really need now is funding. ALS would be curable if enough funded research would be available. Since the time of Sue Rodriguez very little research has been done. Now we can change all that if enough people care about the issue. In my dreams ALS would be a manageable disease!”

To support Jessica Hainstock of Team Barb visit www.movetocurealsbc.donordrive.com/participants/TeamBarb

Allen the weiner dog will join Jessica Hainstock to walk 150 km during ALS Awareness Month to honour Barb Wilson, Jessica’s mother-in-law, who has ALS.

Local Sports

Competton in Kamloops: Calling all 55+ athletes

As the city starts a bid to host the 2029 or 2030 Games, local competitors gear up for this year

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

As the City of Prince George puts together a bid package for the 2029 or 2030 55+ BC Games, older adults interested in getting into the swing of things can look at one of the 27 sports and activities offered during this year’s event, held in Kamloops from Sept. 8-12. There’s something for everyone at the Games, which are being held closer to Prince George than they have been in years.

The Games offer a place to excel for both elite and recreational athletes who compete in track and field, pickleball, cycling, hockey and slo-pitch.

Those who want to be part of one of the largest tournaments for people 55 and older in the province can sign up for cribbage, eight-ball, cornhole — yes, you read that right — and many more activities and sports that give seniors a chance to showcase their unique skills in a social setting with like-minded people.

At last count, just more than 2,100 participants had already signed up for the Games. That means participants and their supporters will descend on Kamloops like only seniors can do — we bring the cash, we want to explore, we want those souvenirs and we will try all the food. And I say “we” because I am one of those 55-plusers who will be competing in track and field, where the highlight is throwing all the things in one day during a throws pentathlon. It’s a lot, and it’s the best kind of fun because when I go there, I know I am among friends. I can talk about the hammer and not one person thinks I’m a carpenter. I can go

Tom Ukonmaanaho, who will be participating in the 55+ BC Games in Kamloops from Sept. 8 to 12, is seen here during the 2025 Spruce Capital meet held at Masich Place.

on and on about it ’til the cows come home, and no one rolls their eyes or nods off because I am with my people, who are all as enthusiastic as I am. And that’s what the 55+ BC Games are all about — the people.

Prince George and the area from 70 Mile to Mackenzie to McBride make up Zone 9. There are 124 people from our zone registered for the 55+ BC Games in Kamloops right now, and about 35 of them have never competed at a 55+ BC Games before. It’s exciting to have newcomers.

Ron Gallo, director for Zone 9, and Linda Meise, treasurer for Zone 9, talked about the upcoming event and its benefits.

“When we have big sports events like the Olympics and even FIFA, everybody thinks about these athletes that are way up here,” Gallo said, holding his hand high.

“We want to make sure that people understand that this is competitive, but it’s not all about the competition. It’s about participation, it’s about the

social aspect. There are sports that require endurance and athleticism, but there are also a lot of sports that are not physically taxing.”

Gallo talked about sports that are more about precision and specific skill sets, such as archery, carpet bowling, cornhole, cribbage and darts.

“And all those are getting people off the couch,” Meise said. “And that’s really important.”

“So we want to make sure people know that it’s not just about being a physical specimen. It’s about participating, it’s about being with your peers and, as we get older, our network shrinks and there are fewer opportunities to meet people who share similar interests. This is one of the best events to experience that,” Gallo said.

Gallo and Meise said they’d like to see more slo-pitch athletes participate, more cyclists and even a 55+ hockey team consider joining the 55+ BC Games.

There’s still room in pickleball and

most other events and, of course, there is always room in track and field.

“I really want to see the 55+ BC Games grow and, although it’s for competitive athletes, because they are out there, you have to make sure that people know it’s for everyone who wants to participate,” Gallo said.

Meise has fond memories of her first 55+ BC Games in 2004, when they were called the BC Seniors Games.

“When I went to my first 55+ BC Games, I hadn’t done any of those events since high school,” Meise said. “The only thing I had done was play a little recreational ball in the community, but I liked track and field and my husband, Syl, was in slo-pitch. There was another woman at a game and I told her I was a lousy slopitch player. She said she was in track and field and that I should come join her. I had really enjoyed that when I was a kid, and I did not do too badly. Your muscle memory brings it back when you go out and try it. CONTINUED

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHRISTINE DALGLEISH

Many people return to ftness and sports later in life

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

“I was not one of those people who had been involved in sports all my life. So you just walk into it — not totally cold — but I know anybody can do it if I can do it. And we can all certainly learn a new sport at our age.”

When Meise started in 2004, shortly after turning 55, she entered every single track-and-field event available to her because she could.

Now participants are limited to eight events in track and field, but she was a busy competitor back then.

“I went in every event for two or three years,” Meise recalled with a grin.

“Then I pared it down to the ones I was better at and then they started to limit the number of events you could enter. My favourites were running and jumping.”

Meise was a strong triple jumper, long jumper and 800-metre runner.

“And the only reason I did the 800 was

because it was in the pentathlon,” Meise said.

The pentathlon sees athletes compete in 60-metre hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and the 800-metre run.

“And triple jump was my favourite. And I would go after work and I would jump and jump and jump and jump.”

Meise said when she started she was 30 pounds heavier and lost the weight fairly quickly because she became more active. She later moved away from track and field and into curling, a sport she still plays.

Gallo came to the 55+ BC Games a bit differently.

“Before I turned 50, I was pushing 300 pounds and, for me, like Linda, I really hadn’t done anything highly competitive or highly athletic since high school. My weight-loss journey ended up putting me on a bike and, all of a sudden, I found something that I enjoyed. It was like, ‘Oh my God, this is amazing,’ and I just wanted to do more and more and

more. I realized that I do have some strength, I do have some ability and, if I could improve my technical skills, I could be fairly decent.

“And when you talk about an athlete being competitive, that certainly wasn’t me during my first Games. I went in there — if I can use the word cocky — thinking this was going to be my coming-out party. I got a big wake-up call. I didn’t come home with a single medal.

“There are definitely competitive cyclists in my age group out there and then the next year was COVID, so I got an extra year to practise and get better. When the Victoria Games came around, I had a much better showing and ended up picking up a gold medal in the time trial.

“So if this is your first Games and you’re going in there, don’t forget the social aspect of it. I still have some very, very, very good friends from the first year I went there. We talk on a regular basis and continue to connect at these

events and even outside of the Games. That’s huge because it’s an opportunity to be social and to cheer on a friend. Even when you are on the playing field trying to achieve that podium finish, you’re still cheering for your friend as well.”

“And that’s one of the biggest things I found too,” Meise added.

“Everybody is there and we’re all in a group. We’re cheering each other on and offering advice on how to get better. People help each other and I made really good friends that I’ve had for a long time through the Games. You’re not there against each other, you are there with each other.”

The deadline to enter this year’s Games is June 30, 2026.

For more information about the 55+ BC Games, being held in Kamloops from Sept. 8-12, visit https://55plusbcgames. org/. To connect with Gallo, Zone 9 director, email zone9dir@55plusbcgames.org.

PG fghter Gabe Black pulls match win out of the fre

‘He has an unreal heart, so impressive’

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

When he’s not practicing his martial arts skills as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu/kickboxing specialist, Gabe Black is immersed in his work as a firefighter with the BC Wildfire Service, ready to spring into action with his crew wherever they’re needed.

Now in his second year training with Kaiten Mixed Martial Arts Academy gym in downtown Prince George, the 23-yearold Black was put to the test in his first amateur MMA bout on Saturday, June 13 in Grande Prairie at the Extreme Fighting Challenge 12 fight card.

He took on Mark Dyke of Grande Prairie and pulled out a unanimous decision in the three-round 185-pound (middleweight) bout.

After a rough start that nearly ended in a stoppage with Dyke raining down blows in full-mount position, Black came out for the second round a much different fighter and did what it took to impress the judges.

“He has unreal heart, so impressive,” said Karm Manhas, his Kaiten MMA coach.

“It was so back and forth, the other guy put the pressure on him and (Black) was mounted for 45 seconds at the end of the first round and was absorbing shots and in an amateur fight in BC I’m sure they would have stopped it, but we

fighter Carter Johnson on Saturday, June 14 at Extreme Fighting Challenge 12 in Grande Prairie, Alta.

were in Alberta, I was quite surprised.

“He sat on the stool and he looked fine so I wasn’t even going to talk about it. I just ignored what happened and

said, ‘you did a great job, you’ve just got to win this fight,’ and he just pulled out the craziest performance in the next two rounds. It had everything,

submissions, reversals, he landed a couple of those high-crotch lifts in the air and slammed him a few times. There were some judo, wrestling strikes and a Superman punch that landed and there a couple times where he could’ve ended it if he’d just disengaged and just tried to strike him, boxing.”

Black tuned up for his MMA fight on May 23 in Edmonton at the Vengeance Continuous Muay Thai amateur tournament. Manhas plans to get him involved in more jiu-jitsu matches before his next MMA fight in October at a Prince George boxing/MMA fight card.

“His work schedule is tough, he’s up at five in the morning training,” said Manhas. “That’s the most impressive thing, how he pieces it together.”

The 17-bout fight card was promoted by Prince George native Bill Mahood, a former UFC/TKO heavyweight who brought MMA to his hometown in 2002 with the first of the Extreme Fighting Challenge fight cards.

Mahood now lives in Grande Prairie and in April opened a new gym — Mahood Jiujitsu & MMA.

Saturday’s card was the first since 2019 in the Extreme Fighting Challenge series.

In the main event, Mahood fighter Ian Stoby of Grande Prairie defeated Ash Mashreghi of Vancouver in a welterweight matchup.

“Bill is very experienced at doing it, the fights were really good, he really nailed it,” said Manhas. “There were five or six knockouts, one submission, the quality of fights was great.”

Cougars to open new season against Vees Sept. 18-19

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

The Prince George Cougars ended this past season with a heartbreaking second-round playoff loss to the Penticton Vees.

They won’t have to wait long to try to get back at their BC Division rivals.

The Vees and Cougars face each other

in a season-opening weekend at CN Centre, Sept. 18-19.

That will launch the 32nd Western Hockey League season for the Cougars since the franchise moved north from Victoria in 1994.

Season tickets are available on the Tickets North website.

The WHL also announced the Cougars’ first road game of the season is set

for Saturday, Sept 26 in Seattle.

In other Cougar news, former Cats defenceman Cole Moberg had the primary assist on Isaac Nurse’s Kelly Cup-winning goal, 15:24 into the second overtime period, to give the Florida Everblades a 5-4 win over the Kansas City Mavericks in Game 6 of the final series Monday in Independence, Mo. That’s the third ECHL championship

in four years for Moberg, a 25-year-old native of North Vancouver, who joined the Everblades in 2022. They went on to claim the Kelly Cup in 2023 and 2024.

Moberg, a seventh-round draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2019, played three seasons for the Cougars, from 2017-20. He was an assistant captain for the Cats in the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

A victorious Gabe Black of Kaiten Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Prince George poses with, from left-to-right, Kaiten MMA coach Antonio Cuzetto, head coach Karm Manhas and Kaiten

Life Events

Ronald A. Edgar

September 14, 1953–June 2, 2026. July rd PM at Prestge reasure Cove otel ballroom in Prince George.

Bety Neufeld

March 26, 1945 - May 6, 2026

Bety Neufeld passed away peacefully in her sleep. Predeceased by husband Jack Stock and son Greg. Survived by daughter April (Rod), Sister Suzanne, brother David, grand children Cassidy, Quaid (Maddy), Melissa and great grand children Madison, Jaclyn, Kaydence and James.

A longtme resident of North Nechako Rd., she enjoyed many years of canning the harvest from her garden and fshing weekends out at Francois lake. She will be deeply missed.

A celebraton of life will be held at a later date. Love you Mom

Celebration of Life

William Kenneth “Bill” Shane

November 11, 1936 – May 28, 2026

Please join us for a celebraton of life for Bill Shane, who passed away on May , . he service will be held at the art Pioneer Centre on July from PM.

Please come together with family and friends to share stories, re ect on cherished memories, and celebrate Bill s life.

Karla Lydia Paciejewski

August 16, 1954 - May 3, 2026

Karla le us suddenly and too soon. A Celebraton of Life will be held at ion Lutheran church in Prince George on July at pm, abor Blvd S. ou can view the full obituary online at Assman s Funeral Chapel. Messages are welcome.

Dennis Nadeau July , March ,

!t is with deep sadness that the family of Dennis Nadeau announces his passing on March , , at the age of , a er a courageous batle with cancer.

Dennis will be dearly missed by his beloved wife of nearly years, Mary Nadeau. ogether, they built a life grounded in love, faith, and devoton. e was a proud father to Dionne and Brandon, and a loving grandfather to Cheyenne, yieda, and avier, who brought him great joy.

A man of many talents, Dennis was a gi ed artst and musician, known for his quick wit, intelligence, and warm sense of humor. e was also a highly skilled welder fabricator whose dedicaton, cra smanship, and strong work ethic earned him great respect throughout his career. Above all, Dennis took pride in providing for his family and will be remembered for his kindness, talent, and

December , May ,

Fred Bagg, my partner, best friend, and the love of my life le this world on May th.

Fred made friends everywhere he went. e teased, joked, and had serious discussions and sometmes cried with people he d just met and le with a new friend. Fred was passionate about his sports. ockey was his frst love and he took lots of knocks about his Maple Leafs but that didn t bother him at all. As a proud supporter of our Cougars and the Spruce Kings he appreciated seeing the younger players progress. is nd love was baseball and again he stayed true to an original team the Dodgers. e was always very proud of his coaching in Litle League and outh hockey as well as his refereeing. remember him in tears a er a former team member called him to tell him what a di erence he had made in his life.

Fred loved his retrement years. e played pool with his buddies at the art Pioneer Center. e loved playing poker with a di erent group of buds. e camped and fshed in the summer and in the winter he d slip away to the casino. e did breakfasts with friends and cards with a few drinks (haha). rips to see our children, grandkids, and other family members made our lives full.

Fred leaves behind Spouse Lois Boone, Son Graham (Gillian) Grandchildren Parker Carter Son Mark Grandchild Meirra Stepdaughter Sonia all (Jim) Stepdaughter anis Boone Grandchildren Liam, Peyton ate Sister Berniece Craggy, Mother of sons, sabelle McKague as well as many e tended family members and friends.

e are celebratng Fred s life on July th, pm, at the art Pioneer Center. Please join us in celebratng by wearing something to represent something he loved hockey, baseball, country music or fshing. Bring pictures you d like to share. here will be an open mike so people can tell their stories...especially the funny ones.

Frederick “Fred” Bagg

Manuel Soares Branco

January 9, 1942 - June 16, 2026

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend, Manuel Soares Branco born January 9, 1942 in Agua Retora, Sao Miguel, Acores to Idalina and Manuel Branco.

Predeceased by his best-friend and younger brother, Luis. Manuel passed away peacefully at the Prince George Hospice on June 16, 2026.

For more than 60 years, he was the loving and devoted husband of his cherished wife, Maria. Together, they built a life flled with love, family, and unwavering commitment.

Manuel was a proud and devoted father to Leonor Blanche (John), David (Wendy Pelkey), Gabriel (Sue Peterson), and Juliet (Mirco Muntener). He was also a cherished Vavo (grandfather) to Zachary Blanche (Allison Giles) and Lucas Blanche (Elizabeth), Tomar and Bianca Branco, and Amelia and Eliot Peterson-Branco. He was a loving great-grandfather to Theodore and Oliver Blanche.

He also leaves behind many extended family members and friends who will miss his straightorward attude, sense of humour, and commitment to a good argument.

A special place in his heart was reserved for his loyal companion and best friend, Bella. Her devoton brought him great comfort and joy over the years.

Known afectonately as “Pai” to his family, he dedicated many years of service to Canadian Natonal Railways (CNR), a career he took immense pride in. He loved sharing stories from his railroading days and was especially proud to have been the last Road Master at CNR before signifcant changes transformed the railway. His strong work ethic, leadership, and passion for the railroad lef a lastng impression on all who worked alongside him. Pai will be remembered for his strength, perseverance, sense of humour, and, above all, his deep love for his family.

Though he faced many health challenges over the years, he did so with courage and determinaton. His memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.

A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at Prince George Funeral Services at 1014 Douglas Street.

In lieu of fowers, please consider donatng to the Prince George Hospice Palliatve Care Society or The Prince George Humane Society.

The family extends their heartelt grattude to the many healthcare professionals who provided compassionate care and support.

Forever loved, forever remembered.

Evelyn Violet Ploeger

November 28, 1940 - April 23, 2026

With great sadness we announce the passing of Evelyn Ploeger, our matriarch and the glue that held our family together. She is much loved and missed by all who knew her, Evelyn was a sister, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend. A life lived for others always giving and helping, she was a driving force in the building of Blackburn community hall and moving of Blac burn house to its new locaton.

celebraton of life will be held on uly th from am to 1pm at Blackburn community hall.

A Life Well Lived

Lillian Evanof ay , ay ,

illian vanof passed away peacefully on ay , ust days before her nd birthday.

She had a wonderful life, with years full of family, love and friendship. illian was caring, ind and generous. Her family was of the upmost importance to her, and her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren were a source of great pride and oy. il was fercely independent, strong willed and inspiring. She was a lover of the mountains, travel, food and fowers. She en oyed living in her own home, of over years, untl ust a few days before she passed away.

Pre deceased by her loving husband George in . e are so luc y to have been a part of her full and beautful life.

orever remembered,

elia en , Craig Bonnie Grandchildren ana Geof , Talia Kris Great Grandchildren Harleigh, llis Charlie, Bla e, exi

There will be no service by illian s re uest

Neil Peterson

February 6, 1934 - May 23, 2026

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Neil Peterson, who passed away peacefully in hospital on Saturday, May 23, 2026, at the age of 92.

Neil was born on February 6, 1934, in Comox, Britsh Columbia. He lived a long and meaningful life mar ed by hard wor , service to others, and a deep connecton to family and community.

For most of his working years, Neil was employed as a truc driver with Imperial il, where he earned a reputaton for dedicaton and reliability. Beyond his career, he generously volunteered countless hours as a tracker with Search and Rescue, using his skills to help those in need and contributng greatly to his community.

Neil was predeceased by his beloved wife and life partner, Amelia Peterson (née Zimmaro), whom he dearly missed. It brings comfort to those who loved him to think that they are now reunited once again.

He is survived by his sister, olly udlow, and numerous nieces and nephews who will cherish his memory. special than you goes to his devoted nieces, Terry and Angela Robinson, who kept a watchful eye on Neil and provided care, support, and companionship throughout his later years.

The family would also li e to extend their heartelt grattude to Neil s dear friend, red os. Their regular dinners together and Neil s trips to red s farm brought him great enjoyment, companionship, and purpose in his later years. red s friendship meant a great deal to Neil and enriched his life immeasurably.

Neil will be remembered for his quiet strength, generous spirit, and wonderful sense of humor. He always seemed to have a o e on hand and was uic with a wi y remar that could bring a smile to those around him. His stories, laughter, and willingness to help others will be fondly remembered by all who knew him.

Neil will be deeply missed by his family and friends, but his memory will live on in the hearts of all who new and loved him.

In eeping with Neil s wishes, no service will be held.

Classifeds

NOTICE OF DISPOSITION

To: Daniel Hunter Lebreton

Re: Mobile home on rented site #187-9207 82 Street, Fort St John, BC, V1J 5G5,

Take notce that the landlord, Yukon ProCo, LP., 5520 Explorer Drive, Mississauga, Ontario, L4W 5L1, c/o Drouillard Lawyers, Suite 1910 – 777 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1S4, mld@drouillardlawyers.com, intends to dispose of the home in accordance with the Regulaton to the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act, unless the Tenant takes possession of the home, establishes a right to possession of it, or makes an applicaton to the court to establish such a right within 30 days from the date this notce is published.

NOTICE OF DISPOSITION

To: Tyson Hildebrand

Re: Mobile home on rented site # 81-9207 82nd Street, Fort St. John, BC, V1J 5G5

Take notce that the landlord, Yukon ProCo, LP., 5520 Explorer Drive, Mississauga, Ontario, L4W 5L1, c/o Drouillard Lawyers, Suite 1910 – 777 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1S4, mld@drouillardlawyers.com, intends to dispose of the home in accordance with the Regulaton to the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act, unless the Tenant takes possession of the home, establishes a right to possession of it, or makes an applicaton to the court to establish such a right within 30 days from the date this notce is published.

KITSUMKALUM INDIAN BAND

EDUCATION ADMINISTRATOR

Full-Time (40 hrs/week)

| Terrace, BC

Kitsumkalum Indian Band is seeking an Education Administrator to coordinate and administer education programs for the community.

Qualifcations:

• Post-secondary diploma in Business, Public Administration, or equivalent experience

• Knowledge of ISC K-12 and Post-Secondary education policies

• Experience in a similar position

• Strong communication, planning, organizational, and analytical skills

• Knowledge of Tsimshian culture an asset

• Valid driver’s licence, reliable transportation, and Criminal Record Check required

Apply: Submit cover letter, resume, and references to: Email: info@kitsumkalum.com

Applications accepted until flled

Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

NOTICE OF DISPOSITION

To: Robin Elgie

Re: Mobile home on rented site #163-9207 82 Street, Fort St John, BC, V1J 5G5, Take notce that the landlord, Yukon ProCo, LP., 5520 Explorer Drive, Mississauga, Ontario, L4W 5L1, c/o Drouillard Lawyers, Suite 1910 – 777 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1S4, mld@drouillardlawyers.com, intends to dispose of the home in accordance with the Regulaton to the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act, unless the Tenant takes possession of the home, establishes a right to possession of it, or makes an applicaton to the court to establish such a right within 30 days from the date this notce is published.

KITSUMKALUM INDIAN BAND HUMAN RESOURCES COORDINATOR

Permanent Full-Time | Terrace, BC

Kitsumkalum Indian Band is seeking a Human Resources Coordinator to support recruitment, employee relations, HR administration, payroll support, and compliance with federal employment legislation.

Quali cations:

• Diploma/Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related eld

• Minimum 2 years HR experience

• Knowledge of Canada Labour Code and HR best practices

• Strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills

• Experience with First Nations communities is an asset

• Valid BC Driver’s Licence and satisfactory Criminal Record Check

We O er:

• Competitive salary

• Comprehensive bene ts

• Supportive, community-focused work environment

Apply: Submit cover letter, resume, and 3 references to admin@kitsumkalum.com

Applications accepted until lled.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

• On June 22, 1611 after a winter spent trapped by ice in what is now northeastern Canada’s Hudson Bay, the starving crew of the Discovery launched a mutiny against their captain, English navigator Henry Hudson, setting him, his teenage son, and seven of his supporters adrift in a small open boat. They were never seen again.

* On July 6, 1900, Warren Earp, youngest of the famous gunfighting Earp brothers, was murdered at the Headquarters Saloon in Willcox, Arizona, by John Boyett. Reportedly, Warren had imbibed too much alcohol and begun abusing some of the customers. While Boyett was tried for murder, he was declared innocent on the grounds of acting in self-defense.

• On June 23, 1956, Gamal Abdel Nasser was elected the first president of the Republic of Egypt. Nasser had overthrown the country’s monarchy four years earlier, in a military coup, and was the sole candidate on the ballot. His new constitution, making Egypt a one-party socialist state with Islam as its official religion, was also almost unanimously approved by voters.

* On July 7, 1456, Joan of Arc’s conviction for heresy was overturned

• On June 24, 1374, a “dancing plague” swept through Germany, causing medieval villagers to writhe and whirl uncontrollably and leaving many people in a state of exhausted collapse in the streets or dead from heart attacks and strokes. The cause is still unknown, though ergot poisoning, mass hysteria and religious devotion have all been suggested.

• On June 25, 1910, Congress passed the Mann Act, which was ostensibly intended to keep young women from being enticed into prostitution, but was more about a way to make various types of consensual sexual activity a crime.

• On June 26, 1948, American and British pilots began delivering food, water, clothing, medicine and fuel by airplane to Berlin after the city was isolated by a Soviet Union blockade.

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Get your facts together and become familiar with them before you have to face up to a certain meetng. The beter prepared you are, the easier it will be to make an important impression.

Some in President Harry Truman’s administration had called for a military response to the blockade, but Truman believed such an action could incite another world war.

• On June 27, 1985, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials decertified the iconic Route 66, which in its heyday stretched about 2,400 miles over a span of eight states from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California, and voted to remove all its highway signs.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) New informaton might warrant changing your mind about a recently made decision. Never mind the temporary confusion it might cause. Actng on the truth is always preferable.

• On June 28, 2007 the bald eagle was removed from America’s List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.

© 2026 King Features Synd., Inc.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Creatng a loving atmosphere for those you care for could pay of in many ways. Expect to hear some unexpected but very welcome news that can make a big diference in your life.

at an appeal proceeding held at the archbishop’s palace in Rouen, France. Sadly, she had been burned at the stake 25 years earlier.

* On July 8, 1853, Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry sailed into Japan’s Tokyo Bay with a squadron of four American vessels. At first officials refused to speak with him, but under threat of attack they accepted letters from President Millard Fillmore, making the U.S. the first Western nation to establish relations with Japan since the country declared itself closed to foreigners two centuries previously.

* On July 9, 1948, baseball star Satchel

Paige made his Major League debut with the Cleveland Indians, becoming, at age 42, the oldest rookie in the sport’s history. As he notably remarked, “Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it don’t matter.”

* On July 10, 1962, the United States Patent Office issued Swedish engineer Nils Bohlin a patent for his three-point automobile safety belt. Consisting of two straps joined at the hip level and fastened into a single anchor point, it reduced injuries by holding both the upper and lower body and decreasing the impact of the swift deceleration that occurred in a crash.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Stepping away from an old and seemingly insoluble problem might be helpful. Use the tme to take a new look at the situaton and perhaps work out a new method of dealing with it.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) You’re stll in a favorable goal-setng mode. However, you might need to be a litle more realistc about some of your aims. It’s best to reach for what’s currently doable. The rest will follow.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) A setback is never easy to deal with, but it could be a boon in disguise. Recheck your proposal and strengthen the weak spots. Seek out advice from someone who has “been there and done that.”

* On July 11, 1978, a truck carrying liquid gas crashed into a wall at a campsite of vacationers in San Carlos de la Rapita, Spain, resulting in an explosion that killed more than 200 people, with others suffering severe burns. The crash’s cause was unknown, though some witnesses reported seeing a fire on the vehicle prior to the accident.

* On July 12, 1990, two days after Mikhail Gorbachev was re-elected head of the Soviet Communist Party, Boris Yeltsin, president of the Republic of Russia, announced his resignation from the party.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22)

Coming up with a new way of handling a tedious job-regulated chore could lead to more than just a congratulatory memo once the word reaches the “right people.” Good luck!

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) What you might call determinaton, someone else might regard as stubbornness. Look for ways to reach a compromise that won’t require a major shif of views on your part.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) You’re stll in a vulnerable mode vis-a-vis “ofers” that sound too good to be true. So, contnue to be skeptcal about anything that can’t be backed up with provable facts.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Thrif is stll dominant this week. What you don’t spend on what you don’t need will be available for you to draw on should a possible (albeit temporary) money crunch hit.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Staying close to home early in the week allows for some introspecton about your social life. Sort out your feelings before rejoining your fun-tme fellows on the weekend.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) It can be a bit dauntng, as well as excitng, to fnd yourself fnally taking acton on a long-delayed move for a change. It helps to stay with it when others rally to support you.

Homes & Living

Caterpillar tme in northern BC

As spring turns to summer, many homeowners begin to notice silky webs in the branches of trees and large groups of hungry caterpillars stripping leaves. While tent caterpillars are a common sight across much of British Columbia, they can cause significant stress to ornamental and fruit trees if left unchecked.

The good news is that healthy, mature trees can usually survive a single season of defoliation. However, repeated infestations, combined with drought or other environmental stresses, can weaken trees and make them more susceptible to disease and insect damage.

The first step in protecting your trees is regular inspection. Beginning in early spring, look for the small, shiny egg bands wrapped around twigs.

These can be carefully pruned out and destroyed before they hatch. Once caterpillars emerge, watch for the distinctive silk tents that appear in branch forks.

For small infestations, physically removing the tents is often the most effective solution. Early morning or late evening is the best time, as the caterpillars are gathered inside the nest. Wear gloves and use pruning shears to remove the affected branch if practical. Avoid burning the tents while they are still attached to the tree, as this can damage the bark.

Maintaining tree health is equally important. Water trees deeply during extended dry periods, particularly younger trees and ornamental species. Applying mulch around the base helps retain soil moisture while

protecting roots from temperature extremes. Avoid over-fertilizing, as excessive new growth can actually attract more feeding insects.

Natural predators also play an important role in controlling tent caterpillar populations. Birds, parasitic wasps and beneficial insects help keep outbreaks in check, so encouraging biodiversity in your yard can provide long-term benefits.

If an infestation becomes severe, homeowners should consult a certified arborist before considering insecticides. Products containing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are often recommended because they specifically target caterpillars while having minimal impact on beneficial insects when applied at the proper stage.

With regular monitoring and timely

action, homeowners can greatly reduce the impact of tent caterpillars and help ensure their valuable trees remain healthy, attractive and resilient for years to come.

The importance of P-TRAPS and keeping them full

P-traps are one of the most important yet often overlooked components of any plumbing system.

Found beneath sinks, floor drains, showers, bathtubs, and other plumbing fixtures, a P-trap is a curved section of pipe designed to hold a small amount of water at all times.

While it may seem like a simple plumbing feature, the P-trap plays a critical role in protecting building occupants from harmful sewer gases, unpleasant odors, and potential health hazards.

The primary purpose of a P-trap is to create a water seal between the building’s interior and the sewer or drainage system. The curved shape of the trap allows water to remain in the bend after the fixture is used.

This standing water acts as a barrier, preventing sewer gases from traveling back through the drain and entering the occupied space. Without this water seal, foul odors and potentially harmful gases such as methane and hydrogen sulfide could freely enter the building.

Keeping P-traps full of water is essential for maintaining their effectiveness. When a fixture is used regularly, water continuously replenishes the trap seal.

However, in areas where drains are infrequently used, such as mechanical rooms, storage areas, basement floor drains, guest bathrooms, or vacant buildings, the water in the trap can gradually evaporate.

Once the trap dries out, the protective seal is lost, creating a direct pathway for sewer gases to enter the building.

The consequences of a dry P-trap can range from minor nuisances to significant health and safety concerns. The most common issue is the presence of unpleasant sewer odors, which can negatively impact occupant

comfort and create the perception of poor sanitation. In commercial buildings, healthcare facilities, hotels, and residential properties, persistent odors can lead to complaints, reduced customer satisfaction, and costly investigations.

Beyond odors, sewer gases may contain substances that can be harmful in high concentrations. Hydrogen sulfide, for example, can cause headaches, nausea, eye irritation, and respiratory discomfort.

Methane is highly flammable and can contribute to hazardous conditions if allowed to accumulate in enclosed spaces. While building ventilation often helps disperse these gases, maintaining properly filled P-traps remains the first line of defense against their intrusion.

Regular inspection and maintenance of P-traps are therefore important aspects of facility management and plumbing system upkeep.

Building owners and maintenance personnel should routinely check floor drains and other infrequently used fixtures to ensure that water remains in the traps.

A simple method of maintenance involves periodically pouring water into the drain to restore the trap seal. In many facilities, this can be incorporated into scheduled maintenance programs.

For drains that are rarely used, trap primers may be installed. A trap primer is a device designed to automatically add water to a P-trap whenever certain plumbing fixtures are used or based on timed operation.

These systems help ensure that floor drains and other vulnerable traps remain properly filled without requiring constant manual attention.

Trap primers are especially valuable in large commercial, institutional, and industrial facilities where numerous floor drains

may otherwise be neglected. Environmental factors can also affect how quickly a P-trap loses water. Warm temperatures, low humidity, strong air movement, and negative air pressure can accelerate evaporation.

Buildings that are temporarily vacant or seasonal properties are particularly susceptible to dry traps. Before reopening these facilities, it is important to inspect and refill all drains to prevent odor and gas-related issues.

In conclusion, P-traps are a simple but vital component of modern plumbing systems. Their ability to maintain a water seal protects building occupants from sewer gases, unpleasant odors, and potential health risks. However, this protection is only effective when the trap contains water. Regular maintenance, periodic inspections, and the use of

trap primers where necessary can help ensure that P-traps remain full and functional. By understanding their importance and taking proactive measures to maintain them, building owners can promote healthier, safer, and more comfortable indoor environments.

LHEIDLI T’ENNEH MEMORIAL PARK ENTERTAINMENT

Schedule and performers are subject to change. FEATURING MULTICULTURAL FOOD AT THE FOOD PAVILION BOUNCY CASTLES, FACEPAINTING, FUN AND GAMES IN THE KIDS ZONE

Prince George Community Band

Opening Ceremonies

Big Enuff Big Band

Zahirah Dance Troupe

Ivan Paquette

Prince George Pipe & Drums

Northern Spirit Powwow Dancers

Bollywood Dream Dancers

Judy Russell's Enchainement

Dance Centre

Yalenka Ukrainian Dancers

Samiksha

PG Bhangra Roots

Fraser Lyric Opera

KIZIAH