Prince George Citizen - Thursday, May 28, 2026

More homeless downtown: RCMP

COLIN SLARK

Citizen Staff

A perceived increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness in Prince George’s downtown core is likely due to the closure of the former encampment known as Moccasin Flats, the officer in charge of the Prince George RCMP wrote in a letter to Mayor Simon Yu.

Attached to the agenda of the May 25 council meeting was a series of correspondence between Yu and Supt. Darin Rappel of the Prince George RCMP.

On Wednesday, May 20, Yu sent a letter to Rappel noting his office “has received a significant number of calls and written concerns from residents regarding the number of homeless people in town and the current state of public safety in Prince George, particularly within the downtown area.

“Many of these concerns also reference the visible increase in street

superintendent tells mayor and council

Prince George RCMP Supt. Darin Rappel told council.

homelessness and its perceived impact on safety, business activity and public confidence,” he wrote.

Though the mayor noted that Rappel is scheduled to present to council at its Monday, June 8 meeting, he requested a high-level update on public safety

trends that Rappel and his team have observed over the past two years.

Rappel said in a reply that same day that he could not collate all the requested information for the May 25 meeting, but he would provide what he could then and give a more fulsome

update at the June 8 meeting.

He confirmed that his officers have also heard concerns from the community about an apparent influx of homeless people in the downtown area.

“Police officers have reported back that there are unfamiliar faces in the downtown area, however it does not appear to be outside the normal ebb and flow of what is typically observed when the weather improves,” Rappel said.

“I do believe that the dislocation of people from the Lower Patricia Boulevard Encampment (LPBE) is driving a portion of the increase in persons from the downtown core. Not everyone accepted the housing options on offer from BC Housing.”

During the summers, he said, there was typically a “significant increase in people” to the encampment who were not residents, but visitors.

The former Lower Patricia Boulevard Encampment, also called Moccasin Flats, stands deserted behind locked gates at the eastern end of Fourth Avenue on Tuesday, May 26. The closure of the encampment means more homeless people are visible downtown,

City of Prince George now has an ofcial food charter

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

The City of Prince George officially adopted a food charter after city council bit on the idea at its meeting on Monday, May 25.

During public consultations on the city’s new Official Community Plan in 2025, some residents passionately advocated for additional food security measures to be added.

Then, at city council’s first meeting of 2026 on Jan. 12, representatives from groups like Everyone at the Table, Local Food PG Society and the PG Regional Food Hub gave a presentation encouraging the city to adopt a food charter as was previously recommended by both the OCP and the previous council’s Select Committee on Poverty Reduction.

Food charters are policy documents aimed at improving and maintaining a community’s food systems and access to food.

The presenters provided a draft charter to show what it could look like. Following the presentation, council asked city staff to review the proposal and come back with recommendations.

A report included with the May 25 meeting agenda said that staff attended two meetings held by Everyone at the Table in March and April where the organization sought to develop a local food policy council.

“The primary objective moving

forward is to establish a working group structure and identify a set of initial goals and priorities to guide the work ahead,” the report said.

Staff also came back with a recommendation that council endorse the food charter as a “values-based, non-binding framework that reflects the community’s shared principles related to food security, sustainability and local food systems.”

The one-page charter was the same as the one presented back in January, but it was accompanied by expanded background information.

Like before, it sets out three main goals: promoting healthy food for everyone, creating a fair and inclusive health system and encouraging sustainable production and consumption of food.

The background information commits the city to advocate towards 13 food security policies, including:

• The right of all residents to

adequate amounts of safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food

• Supporting farmers and farmers’ markets with zoning bylaws that support food production and sale

• Partnering with service providers to promote policies that ensure dignified food access for all

• Supporting increased consumer access to healthy food and retail markets

• Partnering with the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George to encourage regenerative agriculture through composting

• Fully supporting the mandate of the province’s Agricultural Land Commission and more.

The accompanying information also references Prince George’s importance to the region’s food system as a hub city, the potential economic benefits of local food production, the health

benefits of locally produced food and the decline over time of local food producers like dairies and bakeries.

“Prince George currently relies on importing approximately 98 per cent of our food, raw and processed from thousands of kilometers away,” the document said.

“This means we are creating jobs for tens of thousands of people who are not local. The COVID pandemic taught us many things including the importance of food self-reliance. When we are cut off from external food supplies for any reason, our grocery store shelves empty within two to three days.

“This represents extreme food insecurity. Promoting and supporting local food production, whether through tax incentives, grants, loans or subsidies is critical. Adapting to meet these challenges presents incredible economic opportunities for this northern hub.”

Vote summary

Motion: Council adopts the Prince George Food Charter as a values-based, non-binding framework reflecting the community’s shared principles on food security, sustainability and local food systems.

Result: Approved unanimously

Motion: Council directs city administration to connect with staff from the City of Kamloops to discuss how it help establish its own independent food council.

Result: Approved unanimously

Mayor has heard from members of public with concerns

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Now that it has been dismantled, those people are believed to be contributing to the increase in people observed downtown.

While Rappel said he was waiting to hear back from BC Housing on available housing opportunities in Prince George when the letter was written, it was his belief that there wasn’t a lack of housing but a lack of interest in housing. Rappel included several other

observations, including:

• Hearing from his officers that overnight sheltering numbers are at new highs

• Recreational fires and arson continue to be issues

• He believes adding 24-7 bylaw officer patrols “would be a meaningful contribution to public safety”

• Problems in the downtown area extends beyond the scope of the RCMP’s services

• Issues in the downtown core. do not only take place during business hours

He ended the letter by saying that the province is again providing the Prince George detachment with funding through the BC Police Repeat Offending Programs (BC PROP) to increase the number of foot patrols by local officers.

Coun. Cori Ramsay said during the May 25 meeting that she had spoken with a Vancouver city councillor who

confirmed to her that there had been no displacement of unhoused people from the Lower Mainland to the north.

She added that there are plenty of anti-FIFA watch groups keeping a close eye on the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup as the tournament prepares to play games in Vancouver. If there had been issues, Ramsay said those groups would have raised a fuss.

Yu said it would be good to hear more on these issues from Rappel at the next council meeting.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY COLIN SLARK

April Ottesen, Emma Faulkner and Roanne Whitticase present to Prince George city council about the city implementing a food charter on Monday, Jan. 12.

Council rejects call for CN Centre repair estmates

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Two Prince George city councillors failed to convince their colleagues to make public an unredacted copy of a report on the condition of the CN Centre at a Monday, May 25 meeting.

In a notice of motion provided at the last council meeting on Monday, May 11, councillors Trudy Klassen and Brian Skakun asked that both council and the public be provided with the full version of a targeted facility condition assessment report on the arena, including cost estimates, delivered by Faulkner Browns Architects on Oct. 24, 2023.

Currently, the city has around $30 million in borrowing up for approval by local voters through the alternate approval process.

Under the AAP, eligible electors can provide the city with a signed form signalling their objection to the borrowing. If 10 per cent or more of eligible electors do so, the city will be forced to hold a referendum if it still intends on borrowing the money.

One of the loans currently subject to the process, which is open until 5 p.m. on June 2, is $15.86 million for building envelope renewal at the CN Centre.

“The project will repair exterior walls to stop water infiltration, improve energy efficiency, and extend the service life of the building. Renewing the building envelope will ensure the facility is safe and operational while extending the exterior for at least 50 years,” a page on the city’s website said.

Currently, the work is being eyed to take place over the summers of both 2027 and 2028 to avoid scheduling conflicts with the arena’s major tenant, the Western Hockey League’s Prince George Cougars.

With the deadline of the AAP coming up, Skakun and Klassen stated in their notice of motion that they want the public to have complete financial information on the project available, asking that the report be released no later than

Wednesday, May 27.

“The current report contains redacted cost information,” their notice of motion said. “Council and the public require the full unredacted costs to fulfill oversight responsibilities and to ensure full transparency with residents.”

Speaking during the meeting, Klassen said she has heard concerns from residents regarding the redacted elements of the report in question and reiterated that people deserve transparency before the end of the AAP process.

Director of civic facilities Andy Beesley said that, at a high level, just one chart in the report was redacted showing the estimated price of several building components as well as a small box with information on a small aspect of the project.

Director of finance and IT services Kris Dalio said it would put the city in a difficult position if it disclosed what price it was willing to pay for each item in a project rather than have various bidders submit competing bids based on what they think the true market value is.

Mayor Simon Yu asked Dalio whether he thought the public had enough information to make an informed decision, especially compared to AAP requests of similar or higher value.

Dalio said if the city were to commission a whole new facility, it would be a good time to hold a referendum to see if the public wanted a new arena. In this case, this is about keeping an existing asset in use and for which city staff have compiled information on what it would take to keep in in working order.

He said he wasn’t sure whether every member of the public would agree, but he felt there was enough for the public to base a decision on.

Coun. Ron Polillo asked whether the process for this AAP was different than others run in the past. Dalio said not really, except that it’s of a higher dollar value as arenas are more expensive to keep running.

JUNE OF 2026

Councillors wanted fgures made public

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Beesley pointed out that there are reports from 2016, 2023 and 2024 on the CN Centre available for public to look over during the AAP process.

Skakun said he didn’t think it would hurt to release previous cost estimates given that it’s a fully tendered project and the total budget for the project is already known.

He also said he’s had concerned residents reach out after an unspecified news outlet wrote a story about leaks in the facility. Since then, Skakun said he learned that the problem might not be as serious as initially thought and it was important to be transparent to allay similar concerns.

Coun. Cori Ramsay inquired about the material causing the problem.

Beesley said it was a porous material called Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) used in the construction of both the CN Centre and the Aquatic Centre that lets water in during bad weather. This material was also used in infamously leaky condos in the Vancouver area.

The problem isn’t from water coming in through the roof, but entering the building laterally through the side of the arena.

Because there’s associated electrical, firewall reinforcement, structural and other work that needs to be done, he said staff will take the opportunity to take care of it at the same time.

Big price variables include inflation and tariffs, similar to building envelope work taking place currently at the Aquatic Centre.

He also added that the information would eventually be made public after the tender process is over.

Coun. Garth Frizzell said it would balance the transparency and confidentiality aspects by postponing the decision until after the procurement process has ended. He put forward a motion to delay consideration until that point.

The postponement motion was defeated.

After the debate over the postponement, Coun. Kyle Sampson said he was

Crosswalks to be dedicated to veterans

Three intersections in Prince George will be getting crosswalks commemorating veterans after city council unanimously approved their installation on Monday, May 25.

In a report attached to the meeting agenda, director of civic operations

Blake McIntosh said that commemorative crosswalks have become a common way for municipalities to acknowledge their residents’ military service and that the Royal Canadian Legion has come up with a set of standardized stencils and colours for installing them.

He said city administration had received inquiries about installing commemorative crosswalks at three locations: Ospika Boulevard and the access road for the CN Centre, the intersection of George Street and Sixth Avenue and Dagg Road and Glenview Drive.

opposed to delaying the discussion as he felt the conversation should happen now. He added that legally, information can be withheld from the public to protect taxpayers’ interest and he was comfortable with that.

Local governments have to reveal their total budget already, which makes them less efficient at procurement than private sector entities that do not, Sampson said. Why further hamstring the city, he asked.

Mayor Simon Yu said he agreed with Ramsay’s point about referencing the price to that of other similar projects, though he was in favour of the motion on the table.

Vote summary

Motion: Council delays consideration

of a motion directing administration to release an unredacted copy of a 2023 facility condition assessment on the CN Centre until the project is complete.

• In favour: Ramsay, Polillo and Frizzell

• Against: Scott, Skakun, Yu, Klassen and Sampson Result: Defeated 5 to 3, with Coun. Tim Bennett absent

Motion: Council directs administration to release to release an unredacted copy of a 2023 facility condition assessment on the CN Centre by May 27, 2026.

• In favour: Skakun, Yu and Klassen

• Against: Ramsay, Polillo, Scott, Frizzell and Sampson

Result: Defeated 5 to 3, with Coun. Tim Bennett absent

The first location is close to where a military facility was located during the Second World War. The second is near the municipal cenotaph at Veterans Plaza. The third is near Corporal Darren Fitzpatrick Bravery Park, named after a soldier who died of injuries sustained while serving with the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan.

The white paint for the project would cost $2,000 for all crosswalks: $750 each for the Ospika and Dagg crosswalks and $500 for the George crosswalk.

The black and red colours will be installed with high-durability cold plastic paint, with total estimated costs of $15,500 to $7,000 for the Ospika crosswalk, $4,500 for the Dagg crosswalk and $4,000 for the George crosswalk. They would have to be redone every three to five years.

The cost of painting the crosswalks can be absorbed into the existing roads operating budget for 2026, McIntosh’s report said.

McIntosh said the intention is to install them later this year.

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

Fans fill the CN Centre during a playoff game against the Portland Winterhawks in May 2024. The facility is set to undergo repairs to its building envelope.

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

New maternity clinic now open at Parkwood Place

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

The Prince George Maternity Clinic is now open in Parkwood Place, right beside the movie theatre.

The clinic will provide comprehensive maternity care to those who are expecting in the city and surrounding area.

“This has been an idea for many years,” said Greg Marr, Northern Health’s senior operating officer, adding that most of the work was done over the past nine months. “The clinic is our baby, I suppose — and it took us that long to deliver it.

The clinic had a soft opening on May 19.

“When a person is expecting and right through delivery and for a short while afterwards they can access the clinic,” Marr said.

“Our goal is to have everything related to moms and their new babies to be run out of that clinic, so it’s the whole team and all their services centred out of one location.”

There are 14 general practitioners/ obstetricians who will cycle through the clinic, along with four midwives and several nurses and primary care assistants, who all work out of the facility, Marr added.

“Patients can self-refer or be referred by their doctor but you don’t have to be attached to a primary care provider,” Marr said.

“The doors are open to anyone and everyone that needs maternity care. We realize that in Prince George it’s not just Prince George residents who come in for care so folks who are coming from out of town would be supported here as well.”

The clinic provides high-quality maternity care in a culturally safe space, which includes artwork that reflects local Indigenous communities. All staff receive cultural safety training to ensure care is delivered in a respectful, trauma-informed and culturally appropriate manner, a recent press release said.

The facility was designed to be welcoming with flexibility in care practices to respect cultural preferences and traditions.

Patients can access services to address not only medical needs, but also social, emotional and mental-health aspects of prenatal care, as well as other non-medical supports, such as lactation, the press release said.

“As providers, we’re very excited about future directions for this clinic,” Dr. Christine Brenckmann, family practice medical lead for the new clinic, said in the release.

“We hope to provide the mental-health, lactation and post-partum supports, which families have told us clearly that they need.”

The Ministry of Health has provided funding for more than two full-time equivalents of new staffing, including a social worker and a registered nurse.

This new clinic was funded jointly between the Ministry of Health and the Fraser-Fort George Regional Hospital District.

Through the Primary Care Strategy, the Ministry of Health is providing as much as $6.4 million in ongoing funding to the Prince George Primary Care Network to provide primary-care services, including this clinic.

This is in addition to almost $865,000 from the regional hospital district for the clinic specifically, the release said.

This initiative is part of BC’s Primary Care Strategy, which is expanding teambased primary-care services throughout the province and improving access to maternal and women’s health services.

This includes free prescription birth control, free menopausal hormone therapy, expanded perinatal care and other initiatives.

The Prince George Maternity Clinic is located at 173-1600 15th Ave.

People are encouraged to reach out via phone at 250-645-6909, stop by in person or email PG.MaternityClinic@ northernhealth.ca.

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New look, new energy for College of New Caledonia

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

The College of New Caledonia (CNC) is undergoing a major facelift.

The college recently hosted the Northern Energy Efficiency Showcase: Understanding the Real Options in Northern BC, presented by the Community Energy Association.

The showcase highlighted how buildings and projects in Northern BC can become more energy-efficient and last longer.

Renewable energy leaders, builders, students and supporters gathered on campus on Friday, May 22 to discuss local building projects that make use of renewable energy initiatives.

Part of the event included a tour and presentation on the ongoing retrofit construction and the benefits it is expected to bring to the campus once completed. Attendees also heard about work on a geoexchange system at Shas Ti Kelly Road Secondary School and retrofits taking place in District of Vanderhoof buildings.

Work on the building envelope at the Prince George CNC campus began after it was determined that parts of the structure, originally built in the 1960s, had reached the end of their lifespan.

During the evaluation, officials found severe thermal leakage and signs the envelope was failing.

Energy and engineering modelling followed, and a high-level budget proposal was presented to the Ministry of Infrastructure, which agreed to fully fund the retrofit project.

CNC's Ken Van Aalst, director of facilities services, and Josh Bracey, assistant manager of capital projects, have been leading the project.

“Our project will improve the whole building envelope system,” said Van Aalst. “The longevity of the building extends the life of the building and definitely gives us a far more efficient and comfortable building, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and setting the foundation for us to do future, really great energy-efficiency improvements with the HVAC system and other areas.”

Participants in the Northern Energy Efficiency Showcase listen during a tour of the ongoing construction at the main entrance of the College of New Caledonia on Friday, May 22.

CNC is replacing windows, doors, insulation and cladding throughout the campus with more energy-efficient materials.

Bracey said the upgrades are designed to reduce thermal leakage and keep the building at the right temperatures year-round.

“Operations are occurring as normally as we move through the building envelope. We’re replacing insulation, air barriers, cladding — essentially the whole building envelope,” said Bracey. “A few of our blocks have received roof insulation upgrades and we’re replacing windows and doors to improve the thermal efficiency of our building.”

The improvements are expected to extend the building’s lifespan by 30 to 40 years.

Improving energy efficiency was another major focus of the retrofit, as the old building envelope allowed significant heat loss, creating cold spots throughout the campus and increasing heating demands.

“The business case that we put together showed a clear need for it to

happen,” said Van Aalst. “There’s a lot of desire for this in the community, but at the campus too, to see energy improvements, reduced greenhouse gases, all those things. I think people recognize the college as an asset for the community that we want to be here for many, many more years.”

Modernizing the appearance of the campus was also a priority, Van Aalst said, noting some areas of the campus previously appeared mismatched.

“The most up-to-date area was built in the 1990s,” said Van Aalst. “It was pretty obvious from the look of the college what decade it was from, and we also have newer buildings on the campus that just didn’t match.

“Now, with this new cladding and the new look, it’s going to tie everything together with the rest of the campus.

The modern colours, modern materials and aesthetics are not too trendy, so hopefully in a few years it won’t look like, ‘Oh, this was built in 2026.’ We think it’s really tying everything together for the whole campus.”

Van Aalst said he hopes the project

can serve as a benchmark for future retrofits and upgrades to buildings in Prince George.

“It can provide a great example of the way that most of the buildings that were constructed in Prince George in this era can be upgraded and, instead of maybe getting rid of them or repurposing them, they can be upgraded and continue their purpose,” he said.

Bracey said careful planning played a major role in minimizing disruption.

“I think early planning had a big part,” said Bracey. “Construction sequencing obviously also helped, and having a contractor that was willing to work after hours and weekends so noisy and disruptive work could be done outside regular operating hours. I think it says a lot about the college community that they were able to tolerate some noise and disruption and still carry on.”

Bracey added support from CNC leadership and executives also helped ensure the campus remained operational during the retrofit.

The project is expected to be completed by March 31, 2027.

CITIZEN

NCLGA members call for BC Rail line preservaton

“We really see it as an opportunity for economic growth and redundancy,” Polillo said.

A resolution calling for the North Central Local Government Association to lobby in favour of saving the rail corridor between 100 Mile House and Squamish was endorsed at the organization’s annual general meeting on Thursday, May 21, but a successful amendment had a Prince George representative expressing worry that the message might get muddied.

The corridor between Squamish and 100 Mile House was one of the BC Rail lines leased to CN Rail in 2004 for up to 999 years.

Last year, CN announced it would give up its lease on that corridor as of July 2026 and return control to the province.

The province will then have to decide whether to find a new operator or to decommission the line entirely.

Since March, the City of Prince George has been part of group made up of municipalities, First Nations and the Northern Development Initiative Trust working together to see if they can establish a new short-haul service for their communities.

This year’s NCLGA annual general meeting was held at the Prince George Civic Centre between May 20 and 22. The organization is made up of representatives from local governments across north and central British Columbia.

As part of the proceedings, member municipalities were able to submit resolutions calling on the NCLGA to advocate for them.

One such resolution was from the City of Prince George, which called on the NCLGA to encourage the provincial and federal governments “to consider establishing a new regional authority or ownership structure including First Nations and to support a transition to a short-line operator model” for the rail corridor.

Sent to the microphone on the AGM floor on the city’s behalf to champion the resolution was Coun. Ron Polillo, who spoke of the urgency of the situation given the short time before the lease is relinquished.

Following Polillo was Mayor Rob Fraser of the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, located in the province’s far northeast corner.

Fraser said the resolution makes a lot of sense to his council, except that they felt it was too limited in scope.

He submitted an amendment to the resolution that instead called on the NCLGA to discuss the fate of all former BC Rail lines across the province and to also request that the Union of BC Municipalities be called on to join the effort.

Polillo said he spoke with his council colleagues and they felt that broadening the motion muddied the water on the effort relating to a specific rail corridor. He suggested that another motion either submitted from the floor later in the AGM or to next year’s AGM might be more appropriate.

Responding, Fraser said his municipality has been fighting with the province over former BC Rail lines not being properly maintained for the last decade. He argued that rail is important to the whole province and the whole of the north.

Pouce Coupe Coun. Kurtis Rabel came up to concur with Fraser’s amendment.

“Fundamentally, we’ve got a lot of rail lines that they’re just kicking in the dirt and leaving to rot,” Rabel said. “We should all work together to make sure that these rail lines are functional again. It’s huge to our economy … let’s do this all together.”

His comments drew a smattering of applause from the audience.

Cariboo Regional District Director Barb Bachmeier (Quesnel West/Bouchie Lake) said she was in favour of preservation and revitalization of short-haul rail lines by First Nations, municipalities and regional district across the entire province.

“CN had a 100-year agreement to use the rail line and maintain the BC Rail line, which they have not done,” Bachmeier said.

Ultimately, delegates voted to approve Fraser’s amendment and then approve the amended motion.

line was on the agenda when the North Central Local Government Association met in Prince George last week.

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COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHRISTINE DALGLEISH

CN Rail’s yard in Prince George is seen in a photo taken May 19. The company’s decision to end its lease of the Squamish-to-100-Mile-House

There’s no such thing as ‘busloads of homeless people’

KENNEDY GORDON Citizen Managing Editor

Every few years, the same rumour circulates in Prince George. The claim: Busloads of homeless people are being shipped here from Vancouver or other Lower Mainland communities.

Social media users fire themselves up with outrage. Stories grow more dramatic with each retelling. Before long, people are claiming with certainty that there’s an organized campaign to dump hundreds of people into our downtown. People believe it. We’ve had emails, phone calls and even a visit to our office to ask why we aren’t “exposing” this conspiracy.

Well, that’s because the claim quickly falls apart under any kind of scrutiny.

The latest round of Facebook rumour-mongering appears tied to a visible increase in homelessness in downtown Prince George and across the city following the closure of the Lower Patricia Boulevard encampment, commonly known as Moccasin Flats.

But as correspondence discussed during Monday’s city council meeting makes clear, there is no evidence of any co-ordinated relocation effort from the south.

Prince George RCMP Supt. Darin Rappel addressed the issue directly in a letter to Mayor Simon Yu, writing that while officers have noticed “unfamiliar faces” downtown, the situation appears consistent with the normal seasonal increase that occurs when warmer

weather arrives.

More importantly, he pointed to the dismantling of the encampment at Moccasin Flats as a likely reason for the increased visibility of homelessness downtown.

That makes sense. When a large encampment is broken up, people don’t disappear. They spread out. The people who were once concentrated in one location are now more visible across a broader area of the city.

Coun. Cori Ramsay burst the bubble of another popular rumour. After speaking with a Vancouver city councillor, she said there is no evidence that unhoused people are being bused

northward from the Lower Mainland.

Given the scrutiny surrounding Vancouver’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, she noted, anti-FIFA advocacy groups are closely monitoring the situation.

If organized displacement were occurring, there would almost certainly be public evidence of it by now, she said. Yet despite denials over the years from police, municipal officials, social agencies and researchers, the rumour refuses to die.

This isn’t just a Prince George problem. Your editor has heard the same rumours, investigated them and addressed them while working at

newspapers in other Canadian cities.

Not true then, not true now.

But it’s an easy story to spread. Part of the reason is simple psychology. It’s easier to believe homelessness is being imported from somewhere else than to confront the uncomfortable reality that illegal and illicit drugs are cheaper, easier to access, and far more addictive and damaging than ever before.

The myth also persists because there is a small grain of truth to it. Back in 2017 and 201,8 some of the people from our surrounding communities who were evacuated to PG because of wildfires chose to stay. And Lower Mainland social service agencies sometimes help vulnerable people travel back to communities where they have family, housing opportunities or support networks. That can include paying for bus tickets.

But helping one person get home is not remotely the same thing as secretly transporting busloads of hundreds of homeless people to Prince George.

The distinction matters.

The organized “dumping” narrative fuels anger while distracting from advocating for real solutions to the challenges facing our city, challenges that require resolution by the province and Health Minister Josie Osborne. These solution include addiction treatment facilities for women and youth as well as following through on the promised involuntary care facility.

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OPINION

LETTERS EDITOR to the

Prince George has great pools compared to rest of BC

I wanted to take a moment to reflect on how fortunate we are in Prince George to have the recreational facilities that we do, particularly our aquatic centres.

Over spring break, I had the privilege of travelling with my family from Prince George to Harrison Hot Springs, Vancouver, and Vancouver Island.

Along the way, we visited six different public aquatic facilities. Many of them were beautiful, clean, and clearly well loved by their communities.

However, the trip really drove home just how exceptional our facilities are here at home.

What struck me most is how well our two major pool facilities complement one another. Rather than duplicating services, each offers something distinct and valuable to the community.

Together, they provide an extraordinary range of opportunities for recreation, fitness, therapy, leisure, and family connection.

As a family with a disabled child, access to quality aquatic facilities is not simply a luxury, it makes a profound difference in our daily lives.

Pools provide a safe, accessible, and joyful way for our son to stay active, engaged, and regulated. They give our family opportunities to participate in community life together in ways that are sometimes difficult to find elsewhere.

city’s aquatic centres are superior to those in other BC communities.

It can be easy to overlook the things we see every day, or to focus only on what our community lacks.

Travelling reminded me that while there is always room to grow and improve, Prince George already has something truly remarkable in these shared public spaces.

I think the staff, planners, elected officials, and community members who have supported and maintained these facilities over the years deserve real recognition and gratitude.

Marnie Hamagami

Prince George

Don’t allow AI data centres to set up shop in Prince George

I am writing today in deep concern about an article I recently read in the Prince George Citizen: AI company

wants city council to endorse data centre project

According to the article his project includes an artificial intelligence data centre component.

Please do not subject the citizens of Prince George to the monstrous and poorly understood effects of these AI data centres, including the impact of infrasound on physical and mental health.

Do not let Prince George be victimized by these companies who have nothing to lose and everything to gain by poisoning our water and our health.

The property values in Prince George will be reduced and people will be driven away. Those who cannot afford to be driven away will suffer both physically and mentally, simple to add more money to the pockets of billionaires.

A simple Google search will help you learn about the impact on property values, humans, and animals that these centers have.

An important quote from a www. tomshardware.com article: “The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), a non-profit organization, said that high- and low-frequency sounds emitted by these industrial sites can be heard and felt for hundreds of feet in surrounding areas, with noise levels reaching as high as 96dB for 24 hours a day and seven days a week.”

You will also find in the article a video of the sound these centres make.

What benefit will the citizen Prince George see from this project?

What credibility to these companies have in their claims that they will “establish a campus that supports long-term regional economic diversification?”

Do not be taken in by the lies and misrepresentations. The citizens of Prince George and the surrounding area will see no benefit from this proposed project. The impact to our community and environment will be devastating and irreversible.

Ashton Magnusson Prince George

Share your thoughts on the issues of the day with a letter to the editor. Our maximum letter length is 400 words, and letters will be edited for spelling, grammar, clarity and legality. The Citizen does not publish anonymous letters. Email your letter to editor@pgcitizen.ca.

Facebook rumours are a distracton from the real issues

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Addiction is a complex issue. Recovery is a lifelong journey, unique to the individual.

Conspiracy theories spread by unfiltered and unregulated social media are easier to buy into.

Unfortunately, they’re also harmful. They encourage residents to view

unhoused people not as struggling human beings but as outsiders invading the community.

They create suspicion toward social agencies and other municipalities without any evidence. Most importantly, they derail serious conversations about solutions.

None of this means residents’ concerns about public safety or disorder

are invalid.

Downtown businesses and residents are dealing with very real challenges. Recreational fires, property crime, and open drug use all contribute to growing frustration.

Rappel acknowledged on Monday that overnight shelter usage is reaching new highs and that public safety issues are starting to extend beyond the

RCMP’s ability to solve alone.

The conspiracy theories don’t help.

Prince George doesn’t need another cycle of rumours and social media outrage.

It needs honest conversations grounded in evidence.

The city’s homelessness challenges are real enough without inventing imaginary bus convoys from Vancouver.

Visitors tour the Canfor Leisure Pool before its official opening in 2022. A reader notes that the

OPINION

SD57 trustees approve pay hike for next term in Prince George and area

They may deserve a raise, but 24 per cent is a bit excessive. How are average families supposed to keep up with so many increases in everything? So many people are struggling now, yet almost daily we hear about another increase in costs. I feel especially bad for seniors.

Karen McKenzie

Milobar talks pipelines, DRIPA during nal campaign visit to Prince George

If there are hundreds of unelected self-governing entities with no responsibility to the general public and strong territorial rights, how can Canada move forward as a country?

We need a strong central government that can take action for the benefit of all Canadians in a timely manner.

Without that, we are weak and vulnerable to hostile nations that clearly have their eyes on us.

PGLocal

Experts say

wild res

Letter to the editor: City has to start showing tough love to address homelessness

Thank you for mentioning the problem property. Did you make a complaint to city bylaw services?

Supporting “drug-free” housing and seniors housing rather than “open” shelter and living spaces seems reasonable, but the solution is more complex. There is so much need in all categories of subsidized support that tax revenue cannot meet all of it.

Every advocacy group is competing against the others to receive a portion of the available, and inadequate, funding. If we calculated the fair percentage of funding each type of housing or shelter provider deserves and distributed the available subsidy funding accordingly, all would likely receive only 60 to 75 per cent of what they need.

That may be unpopular, but it would eliminate the need to pick a “pet cause” and waste time and energy lobbying against other equally dedicated groups.

Mike Riemer

are burning longer, spreading more quickly

This article focuses on the residential and forest interface, which is certainly important.

However, it does not mention the larger issue involving older forested areas in the wilderness.

We need strategic forest harvesting and management to remove aging forests that are naturally ready to be replaced by new growth for conservation and biodiversity purposes, as has always occurred in nature.

It is important to encourage the forest industry to continue its work before those forests go up in flames.

Brian La Pointe

Regional district looking to connect of ces to district energy system

If the DRES system is so great, why are grants needed to encourage hookups? It seems only government-related offices are connected. Are there any private businesses?

Those supporting wind and solar seem to have little knowledge of their environmental impacts, from the vast amount of mining required for raw materials to the thousands of acres needed because of the poor energy density of wind and solar compared with nuclear and natural gas generation.

Wind and solar systems only have a lifespan of 25 to 30 years, so replacement construction must also be factored in. Recycling solar panels and wind turbine blades is very expensive and therefore almost nonexistent.

Countries that rely heavily on wind and solar often have very high electricity costs and unstable power grids.

How’s the moose hunting around wind farms?

Wind and solar generation only exist because of heavily taxpayer-funded subsidies. Even the UN’s IPCC is backing away from some of its climate predictions, yet the media remain silent.

HeeHaw

Editorial: Raise proves trustees aren’t reading the (class)room

Thanks for keeping us informed, Ken. Common sense isn’t so common anymore.

The five trustees who voted in favour will not get my vote. They voted to help themselves, not school programs or activities.

Trustees voted for this raise, but where do they think the money comes from? It will come from higher taxes in the community. Trustees also pay taxes, so congratulations — they’ve managed to tax themselves twice: once on income and once on property.

Last time I checked, being a school trustee is about helping run the school district. You do not get to raise your own pay because you think you deserve it. The community should decide that. It should have been put on the ballot when we vote in October.

By taking more money for themselves, they also took it away from someone who needed it more.

I’ve never been able to give myself a raise at work. I got raises because my boss thought I did a good job, not because I decided I was worth it.

From what I see, the only trustees deserving support are those who voted against it. Fire the rest.

Rob Olsen

Share your views on our stories at

Legislature commitee to hear ICBC no-fault complaints

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A special all-party committee of the Legislature is seeking public comment on the NDP government’s no-fault auto insurance system.

The committee will accept written submissions until June 25 for review and then invite presentations for hearings this fall.

The committee has a deadline of Feb. 18, 2027 to finish its work and present a report with recommendations to the Legislature.

In 2020, the government amended the Insurance (Vehicle) Act to restrict lawsuits. Unless the driver who is liable for causing an injury or fatality on BC roads

is convicted of a criminal violation, victims cannot sue for compensation.

When Premier David Eby was the attorney general, he spearheaded ICBC’s May 2021 switch, which the NDP called an “enhanced care” model. It brought in accident-related benefits, including income replacement, permanent impairment compensation and healthcare and rehabilitation service coverage.

A bill before the Legislature proposes changes related to the time period to make a claim for benefits for a catastrophic injury and proposes a change to the meaning of a catastrophic injury.

Stephanie Higginson (NDP, Ladysmith-Oceanside) is chair of the committee and Brennan Day (Conservative,

Courtenay-Comox) the deputy chair. Other members from the NDP: Jennifer Blatherwick (Coquitlam-Maillardville), George Chow (Vancouver-Fraserview) and Janet Routledge (Burnaby North); Conservative (Steve Kooner, Richmond-Queensborough); and Green: Jeremy Valeriote (West Vancouver-Sea to Sky).

In January, The Citizen reported on a pre-Christmas crash in 2021 on Highway 16 near Crescent Spur, 45 kilometres west of McBride, involving a Sherwood Park, Alta., family travelling to spend Christmas with relatives in Prince George.

An eastbound Dart Transport Volvo semi-truck, driven by Manpreet Dhaliwal, crashed into the Peebles family’s

2015 Dodge Ram pickup truck.

Four-year-old Nate Peebles did not survive.

Dhaliwal was found guilty in Provincial Court under the Motor Vehicle Act for driving without due care and attention.

Since the Peebles family could not sue, father Peter Peebles asked for $218,551.44 restitution for replacement of the pickup truck, compensation for medical costs, loss of work and opportunity, and costs of Nate’s funeral.

A judge ordered Dhaliwal to pay $30,000 in restitution, a $1,480 fine and spend 60 days in jail. But Dhaliwal appeared for sentencing by web conference because he was in India caring for his ill mother.

Council gives preliminary OK to CNC trail camera study

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

A College of New Caledonia wildlife study that will see trail cameras deployed onto City of Prince Georgeowned property was given permission to go ahead at the Monday, May 25 city council meeting.

At council’s Monday, April 13 meeting, a letter was read from the college’s Zach Fleck.

He said that he was helping to plan a study titled Wild Neighbours: Supporting Coexistence with Wildlife in Urban Areas that seeks to examine urban bear movement corridors and find ways to reduce conflicts between humans and bears.

For the project to go ahead, the letter said that the college would need to place trail cameras on city property. Fleck said the project group would work with the city on any required protocols to manage safety concerns, camera deployments and data management. At that meeting, corporate officer Ethan Anderson said he had spoken with Fleck and though he felt the project was doing an “admirable” job of putting privacy protections in place, there

would likely still be some risks associated with it.

Council then ordered administration to examine the potential privacy risks and report back.

At council’s May 25 meeting, Anderson returned with a report on his findings.

He said that final approval of the project would be on the condition that an agreement is reached on the previously mentioned protocols, the completion of a privacy impact assessment by the college and the completion of any other review or approval processes required by the city.

“For clarity, CNC would be responsible for the collection, use, disclosure, retention, security and disposal of any information collected through the project,” Anderson wrote.

“The City of Prince George would not receive or manage raw images or data. CNC would remain responsible for compliance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. However, because the cameras would be located on city-owned property, the city has an interest in ensuring that appropriate safeguards are in place before any deployment occurs.”

He then outlined several lingering concerns council should consider as it decides on whether to give the go-ahead.

Firstly, Anderson wrote that parks are public spaces and the deployment of cameras could raise concerns among residents about privacy and surveillance in public safety.

Because the project wants to avoid vandalism or theft, the exact locations of the cameras will not be disclosed and therefore, the public will not know how to avoid being filmed.

Though the college has come up with safeguards for the project, Anderson cautioned that “any camera-based collection in a public space creates some residual privacy risk, particularly where images may capture identifiable individuals.”

He then offered two potential options for council to pick from.

The first would provide conditional approval of the project, subject to agreement on privacy, camera deployment and data management protocols and any other reviews required by city administration.

The second option is to flatly reject the request.

When discussion of the matter came to the floor, Coun. Garth Frizzell recused himself due to a potential conflict of interest as he is an employee of the college.

Anderson said that though he is the city’s privacy officer, he did not feel it was up to him to make the final decision as the project is not being spearheaded by the city. However, he did acknowledge that he felt the safeguards being proposed were significant.

Coun. Cori Ramsay moved conditional approval of the program.

Coun. Brian Skakun asked whether, say, security cameras in the downtown core would be subject to the same privacy laws. Anderson said private entities are subject to a different piece of privacy legislation.

Conditional approval was approved unanimously.

Vote summary

Motion: Council gives conditional approval to a College of New Caledonia trail camera project on city property subject to subject to agreement on privacy, camera deployment and data management protocols and any other reviews required by city administration.

Result: Approved unanimously

Arson suspect’s psych analysis delays court process

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Analysis of the CrossRoads Brewing and Distillery arson case took longer than expected, leading to another adjournment in Prince George provincial court Monday.

Richard Alex Gordon Titchener, who pleaded guilty Jan. 12 to setting the Sept. 5, 2025 fire that destroyed CrossRoads Brewing and Distillery in downtown Prince George, will return to court June 1.

Under the Criminal Code, the maximum sentence for arson causing

property damage is 14 years in prison.

Justice Ronald Tindale had ordered a pre-sentence report and psychiatric assessment to be completed before an April 7 hearing, but both reports were delayed.

Crown prosecutor Rodney Withall told the court the psychiatric assessment was only delivered shortly before Monday’s hearing.

“(Titchener’s lawyer Georges) Rivard and I are hoping to read it and at least discuss it,” Withall said. “He’s indicated he’s in Prince George next Monday.”

Withall said discussions are ongoing regarding whether the Crown and

Airport carjacker

BOB MACKIN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The man who pleaded guilty in connection with a carjacking at the Prince George Airport appeared in BC Supreme Court on Monday, May 25 without his lawyer present.

Tanner Jordan Meier, 31, pleaded guilty Oct. 27 to charges of robbery, dangerous driving causing bodily harm and assault stemming from the Aug. 24, 2024 theft of a vehicle at YXS.

Fire destroyed CrossRoads Brewing and Distillery on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025.

defence will submit a joint sentencing recommendation or proceed with a contested hearing.

“This file does have considerable

public interest, and I anticipate if it’s a contested sentencing hearing, it may take some time,” he said.

Tindale adjourned the matter until June 1.

During earlier proceedings in January, court heard surveillance footage played a key role in Titchener’s guilty plea. Video from a nearby camera belonging to The Keg restaurant allegedly showed Titchener igniting cardboard in the back alley, sparking the blaze.

The Prince George Fire Department received reports of the fire at 508 George St. shortly before 3 a.m. on Sept. 5, 2025.

appears in court without his lawyer

Meier’s lawyer, Kenneth Thomson, was suspended in January by the Law Society of BC without a hearing.

Thomson previously told The Citizen he lost his bookkeeper and was therefore unable to complete his annual trust report on time.

Crown prosecutor Rodney Withall told the court he has had no contact with Thomson since the suspension.

Meier has repeatedly refused to leave his cell at Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre to attend court

appearances by video conference.

During a May 4 hearing, Justice Ronald Tindale ordered Meier transported to Prince George for an in-person appearance.

Meier told the court Thomson “should be ready to be back by the end of June.”

“I just want to apologize for not showing up for court and it won’t happen again,” Meier said. “I’ll make sure that I show up next time.”

Tindale scheduled Meier’s next

appearance by video conference for June 29.

“If he’s not back by then, then I will get new counsel,” Meier said.

In December, Withall told the court the Crown intended to seek an assessment to determine whether Meier should be designated a long-term offender.

If granted, a long-term offender designation would carry a minimum sentence of two years, followed by a supervision order of up to 10 years.

Judge gives child pornography suspect 30 days to return from India

BOB MACKIN

A Provincial Court judge gave a man charged with possessing child pornography another month to leave India and return to court in Prince George. On May 20, Vansh Chawla appeared by phone and said the delay in returning to Prince George was due to the process of obtaining travel documents while visiting his ill mother in India. Chawla is accused of a July 26, 2024, offence in Prince George.

Crown prosecutor Kristina King unsuccessfully sought an unendorsed

warrant for Chawla’s arrest and said he also faces a charge of sexual interference.

Judge Michele Peacock adjourned the hearing to June 24.

King said Chawla told the court on Jan. 12 that he was trying to retain defence lawyer Keith Jones through legal aid. On Feb. 12, Chawla appeared from India, indicating his mother was ill, but he had not yet retained Jones.

Jones appeared on his behalf March 11 but said he had not officially been designated as Chawla’s lawyer. There were three more appearances with Chawla out of the country on March 25,

April 15 and April 29.

“Mr. Jones appeared again, as friend of the court, and said that Mr. Chawla would be in Prince George in person for arraignment on May 20,” King said.

That did not happen.

“A lengthy history of appearing outside of this court’s jurisdiction, which is, in essence, him not appearing at all, even though he is by phone,” King said. “No ability to move this matter along in any way, and no indication that that’s going to change anytime soon.”

In Chawla’s defence, Jones said, “It’s not like he’s disappeared into the void of India.”

“He went there to deal with his aging mother, and you can’t blame him for that,” Jones said.

Chawla explained that because he has a temporary resident permit, he needs a travel stamp to travel internationally. The wait period is two to four weeks.

Peacock said she understood the Crown’s concern, but noted Chawla had made efforts to phone in and keep the court apprised of his whereabouts.

“I’m prepared to give you one last adjournment,” Peacock said, adding that the Crown would seek an arrest warrant if he does not attend in person on June 24.

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Repeat shoplifer to serve probaton afer jail tme

He stole from a store despite being banned

BOB MACKIN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Thirty days in jail and 12 months’ probation were ordered for a man caught shoplifting at London Drugs in Prince George while he was under an order to stay away from the store.

Darren Kenneth Mason pleaded guilty May 20 in Provincial Court to theft under $5,000 and breach of an undertaking.

Judge Michele Peacock heard that Mason stole items worth $439.99, including a power tool from the electronics aisle on April 21.

Mason, born in 1990, also pleaded guilty to shoplifting a Cobra Dust Maker remote-controlled race car from London Drugs on Jan. 22 and stealing tools on Dec. 31, 2025, from Central Builders’ Supply.

On April 27, 2025, Prince George RCMP found Mason and a woman at the rear of a townhouse construction project near City Hall and charged him with break and enter. He pleaded guilty

to the lesser and included offence of trespassing at night.

Crown prosecutor Katie Diehl said there had been 56 attempted break-ins at the construction site and more than 80 trespassing attempts.

The cost to replace stolen tools this year has reached $53,000. It cost $35,000 to install security equipment.

“The insurance company did indi cate that security guards are no longer adequate, and video surveillance is now required,” Diehl said.

She said property crime has increased costs for projects and threatened the viability of future investment.

“Certainly, you’re not responsible for all of the frustration that the property manager has expressed,” Peacock said to Mason.

“But you must understand, and I’m sure you do, that you’ve contributed to it, albeit in a small way.”

Peacock agreed with the joint submis sion for a 75-day sentence. Mason had 44 days’ credit for time served.

Court heard that Mason has expe rience in the construction trade but started using opiates three or four years ago, and his romantic partner died of an overdose.

Teenager pleads guilty to using bear spray to atack store worker

mace by a group of teenagers,” Crown prosecutor Katie Diehl said.

A youth pleaded guilty May 19 in Prince George Provincial Court to assault with a weapon for using bear spray on a shopkeeper last fall. The youth cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Court heard that on Oct. 14, 2025, at 10:22 p.m., Prince George RCMP received a report that a male working at PG Grocery Express at 776 Strathcona Ave. was “sprayed in the face with bear

When an officer arrived and spoke to the shopkeeper, he was advised that six teenagers had entered the store and were directed to leave.

“At that time, one of the males from the group stood in the doorway of the store and sprayed (him) in the face with bear spray; the offence was captured on CCTV,” Diehl said.

Judge Martin Nadon ordered a pre-sentencing report and set July 15 as the next court date.

BOB MACKIN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Construction starts summer 2026

Come learn about the North Coast Transmission Line Phase 1

Working with our First Nations partners, we’re bringing more clean, reliable electricity to the North Coast to support economic growth and enable our customers to use clean electricity for their operations.

We’re building the North Coast Transmission Line (NCTL), a new 500 kV transmission line from Prince George to Terrace in two phases – Phase 1: Prince George to Glenannan and Phase 2: Glenannan to Terrace.

We’re also working to upgrade the existing transmission system between Prince George and Terrace and expand our transmission system north of Terrace and in Prince Rupert.

Drop in anytime between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to:

○ Learn more about NCTL Phase 1 and upcoming work

○ Meet the project team

○ Ask questions and share your feedback

Court rejects bid to overturn father’s sexual assault convicton

Appeals court nds errors but says trial judge ruled correctly

BOB MACKIN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A man convicted in October 2023 in Williams Lake of sexually assaulting his 16-year-old daughter failed to convince the BC Court of Appeal that the judge did not try him within a reasonable time.

The guilty man, known only as W.E.S. in the judgment, to protect the identity of his victim, appealed on constitutional grounds after he had been found guilty at the eight-day trial.

While Justice Sandra Wilkinson made errors in analysis of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the May 20 appeal verdict said she reached the correct conclusion.

At trial, Wilkinson found the man had touched his daughter sexually and without consent during a sixhour drive from Penticton to Williams Lake on Jan. 13, 2019, after they attended a birthday party for his youngest daughter.

“The case is unusual in that, although there had been four adjourned trial dates, Mr. S did not bring a delay application until the trial had concluded and he had been found guilty,” said the ruling by Justice Paul Riley, agreed by Justices Harvey Groberman and Amy Francis.

It was 40 months from the date he was charged

to the end of his trial. But the trial judge found the delay fell under the presumptive 30-month ceiling, after she subtracted defence delays and exceptional circumstances.

In his appeal, he said there were three periods of delays totalling 513 days, thus putting it over the 30-month ceiling.

Riley’s ruling said it was 1,219 days — just over 40 months — between the charge and the conclusion of trial.

The defence was to blame for two months of delays, leaving 38 months.

But, Riley ruled that four-and-a-half months were justified due to a defence lawyer’s illness and five-anda-half months were justified after a defence lawyer withdrew from the case.

That left 855 days, or 28.25 months, which is below the 30-month presumptive ceiling.

The appeal verdict did find the trial judge erred in analyzing the delay from successive adjournments due to the illness and withdrawal.

But that was not enough to overturn the conviction, the court determined.

“Mr. S did not argue that total delay falling under the 30-month ceiling was unreasonable based upon sustained defence efforts to expedite the proceedings,” Riley wrote.

“It follows that, while the trial judge made several errors in her analysis, she reached the right conclusion in finding that there was no infringement of Mr. S’s right to be tried within a reasonable time.”

Can’t make an in-person event? We’re having a virtual open house from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9.

Please register at projects@bchydro.com by Monday June 8 and we’ll send you a link to the meeting.

Information about NCTL and our other project activities are available at bchydro.com/ncelectrification

Have questions or comments? Reach out to us at: 1 866 647 3334 or projects@bchydro.com

Man facing murder charge granted bail

BOB MACKIN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A man charged with first-degree murder in 100 Mile House was granted bail May 8 and will live in the Okanagan while awaiting trial in August.

James Eugene Perkins, 50, was arrested Oct. 20, 2023, one day after the second anniversary of the incident. He applied for bail April 22.

BC Supreme Court Justice Marguerite Church ruled in Williams Lake that Perkins does not need to remain in custody because the low risk of reoffending can be managed through a strict bail plan.

“There is nothing to indicate there is a likelihood that Mr. Perkins will commit criminal offences or interfere with the administration of justice,” Church said.

Perkins, who has been held at Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre, will live under electronically monitored house arrest with his mother, who agreed to a $20,000 surety.

Church said Perkins’s mother could lose a significant portion of the equity in her home if he breaches the bail conditions.

Also on May 8, defence lawyer Dale Melville re-elected to proceed with a trial before a BC Supreme Court judge alone after previously choosing a trial by judge and jury.

The trial is scheduled to begin Aug. 24 and is expected to last 24 days.

Another 10 days have been scheduled for pretrial applications, which were set to begin on Monday, May 25.

Caregiver fned $1,500 afer passenger dies in crash

BOB MACKIN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A Prince George Provincial Court judge ordered a 38-year-old man to pay a $1,500 fine for a momentary lapse in attention that resulted in the death of a passenger.

Ralph Matthew Jr. Alec was charged under the Motor Vehicle Act for driving without due care and attention after an Aug. 27, 2024, crash involving a GMC pickup truck at Grace Road and Highway 16.

“Alec saw the approaching GMC and, in a moment of poor driving calculus, believed he had time to cross the intersection safely,” Judge David Simpkin said on May 15. “Both counsel agree that the analysis here is that Mr. Alec is guilty of a momentary lapse in attention, and I accept that submission.”

Alec was the caregiver for Eric Lindstrom, a 49-year-old man who required round-the-clock care after being injured

A driver will pay a fine after ‘a moment of poor driving calculus,’ a judge ruled in Prince George court.

in a fall down stairs at just nine months old.

Alec drove a co-worker and Lindstrom in a Dodge Caravan minivan to the nearby Airport Husky gas station. He then drove across the eastbound lanes of Highway 16 before colliding with the truck, which struck the passenger side of Alec’s vehicle.

At the time, the minivan was travelling at 32 kilometres per hour and the GMC between 82 and 112 km/h.

Ex-social worker admits sex assault

BOB MACKIN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A former social worker with the Ministry of Children and Family Development pleaded guilty May 20 in Prince George Provincial Court to sexually assaulting a child more than 40 years ago.

Robin Craig Swets, 63, appeared with defence lawyer Brent Anderson by video conference before Judge Michele Peacock, who set June 3 to schedule a sentencing hearing.

Crown prosecutor Kristina King read an agreed statement of facts stating that Swets was guilty of offences committed between January 1984 and December 1987. Swets, who studied at the University of Victoria until 1986, admitted to approximately 20 incidents of sexual touching.

The identity of the male victim, who was born in 1978, is protected by a publication ban.

Swets confessed to the sexual abuse

in 2000 to his siblings and apologized to the victim.

The victim demanded financial compensation in 2013, and Swets settled for $15,000. Four years later, the victim requested additional compensation, and Swets sold his share of his principal residence and paid $85,000.

In November 2022, the victim reported the sexual abuse to police, prompting an investigation by McBride RCMP and Central Saanich Police.

An indictment was sworn in June 2023.

At the time, Swets was living in Mexico with his partner and was unaware that he had been charged.

Central Saanich Police told Victoria media outlets in July 2023 that they believed Swets was evading arrest. He learned of the warrant and flew back to Canada on Sept. 15, 2025. Police arrested Swets at Vancouver International Airport and released him on bail the same day.

The GMC travelled 58 metres down the road after the impact. The minivan struck a lamppost and sustained what court described as catastrophic damage, with the passenger seat bearing the brunt of the collision.

“A police officer happened to be at the same intersection on unrelated duties, and he immediately ran to the collision scene to render assistance,” Simpkin said.

Lindstrom was extricated and taken

to hospital by ambulance. His injuries were not survivable. After 15 days in hospital, on Sept. 11, 2024, his mother decided to remove him from life support.

Court heard Alec, who is Indigenous, had no criminal record.

“It is very clear that Mr. Alec is racked by remorse and regret for the tragedy that befell Mr. Lindstrom that day,” Simpkin said. “Mr. Lindstrom was not only Mr. Alec’s patient, but he was his friend and like a big brother to him.”

Simpkin agreed with a joint sentencing proposal from Crown and defence lawyers. He found Alec’s moral culpability was at the low end of the spectrum and emphasized that he was not being sentenced for causing Lindstrom’s death.

“He’s being sentenced for a moment’s lapse in attention while driving a motor vehicle,” Simpkin said.

The judge gave Alec 18 months to pay the fine.

Jail tme ordered for man who killed his mother’s goats

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A 35-year-old man was sentenced in Quesnel Provincial Court on May 19 to an additional 57 days in jail for killing his mother’s pet goats.

Jessie James Falkenham pleaded guilty to the April 25 offence in Kersley. He will also spend 18 months on probation and is banned from owning, residing with, or having custody or control of any animal or bird for five years.

An April 26 charge of wilfully resisting or obstructing a peace officer was stayed.

“I am left bewildered by what has happened,” Judge Scott Mulder said.

Mulder officially sentenced Falkenham to 90 days in jail, but he received 33 days’ credit for time served under the time-and-a-half rule.

Mulder said Falkenham had no insight into why he committed what the court described as a “bizarre and horrible

act,” other than suggesting it may have been revenge for past abuse. He said Falkenham specifically denied acting on voices.

Falkenham’s mother called Quesnel RCMP asking for a wellness check on her son, who was allegedly experiencing psychosis. The officer who attended found the freshly burned remains of two goats.

When Falkenham was located, he denied knowledge of the goats or any suicidal or homicidal intentions.

A witness told police that Falkenham said the goats were “descendants of the devil and not to feed them.”

A large quantity of blood was found on the walls and staircase of his mother’s home.

Defence lawyer Ian Currie said his client killed the goats humanely but felt ashamed.

Falkenham was arrested in a rental vehicle containing all his belongings. Police used a taser and rubber bullets

during the pursuit, and a police service dog was deployed during the arrest.

In court, Falkenham’s mother read a victim impact statement saying she bottle-fed the goats and had cared for them in her home since they were two weeks old. She said her son is normally a gentle protector of animals but needs help.

“If he could hurt baby goats so cruelly because something forced him to do it, what stops him now from hurting people?” she said. “He needs help, and I have tried to find it. I hope that the judge will be able to see that Jesse needs help.”

Falkenham blamed his actions on repressed memories linked to past drug use and childhood sexual abuse. He said he had recently stopped using medication, cigarettes and marijuana, changed his diet and begun meditating and walking 10 to 20 kilometres a day.

“I am disgusted and ashamed of what

I did to my mother’s animals,” Falkenham said in court.

“It wasn’t a voice telling me to do this. It wasn’t whatever. I’m not a crazy person or anything like that. I accept what I’ve done, and I’ll accept the time for it.”

While Mulder agreed with Falkenham’s mother, he said he had no authority to order psychiatric treatment or medication compliance.

He focused on deterrence and denunciation and ordered Falkenham not to contact three people, including his mother.

Mulder said he considered a counselling condition for probation but, “based on what I’ve heard, I don’t expect Mr. Falkenham would be agreeable. I don’t want to set him up for a breach.”

Falkenham’s prior record included possession for the purpose of trafficking in 2012 and mischief and resisting arrest in 2023.

Probaton for car thief arrested twice over one week

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Time served and two years’ probation were ordered for a man who went on automobile-related crime sprees last August in Prince George.

Provincial Court Judge Michele Peacock agreed May 20 with a joint Crown and defence proposal and sentenced Seth Brian Moran, 22, to 270 days in jail. He had already spent 279 days in custody.

Moran pleaded guilty to theft of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property, dangerous driving and flight from police.

Prince George RCMP received a report at 10:40 p.m. on Aug. 8, 2025, of an erratic driver at the junction of Highways 16 and 97.

A Ford Mustang without licence plates passed vehicles dangerously.

The complainant said it was being operated as if it had been stolen.

A man who local RCMP caught twice in the span of several days was sentenced to 270 days in jail for car theft, but as he had spent 279 days in custody he was set free.

At the same time, a man reported his $48,000 Mustang stolen and provided police access to his tracking app. Officers located the vehicle on Domano Boulevard in College Heights and observed Moran go into the bush to urinate.

Police arrested Moran after a struggle. He refused to provide his name and birthdate, but another officer recognized him.

A week later, on Aug. 15, 2025, a man reported his black Subaru Forester stolen while he was warming it up around 7:51 a.m.

Man found guilty of driving while banned, weapons charges dropped

“He has an unenviable driving record and an equally unenviable criminal record,” Nadon said.

An officer at a Petro Canada station noticed the vehicle heading northbound on Carney Street and broadcast its location to other members.

Another officer found the vehicle on the Cameron Street Bridge and attempted to block it. Moran drove the Subaru toward the RCMP vehicle and fled to Prince George Pulpmill Road.

It was eventually located unoccupied at a residence on Hoferkamp Road.

Emergency response team members found Moran lying on his back, 50 feet up a steep bank. A police service dog bit his leg to pull him out.

Peacock called the latter incident “more aggravated,” citing the acceleration toward the police vehicle and minor foot injury to the complainant.

“I’m sure you now understand what a dangerous circumstance that could have been, even more so than it was,” Peacock said to Moran.

“As a result of not complying with police commands, it sounds like you suffered a dog bite, and then being punched by police officers, so I’m hopeful that those aggravated circumstances are not going to repeat themselves.”

Peacock ordered Moran not to possess any weapons, alcohol or drugs (except prescribed medication). She also banned him from driving for two years.

Moran consented to reporting to Forensic Psychiatric Services for counselling and treatment. Peacock ordered him to attend all medical appointments and take prescribed medication.

TOYS • COMICS • GAMES

A 42-year-old Prince George man pleaded guilty on Tuesday, May 19 in Provincial Court to driving while prohibited and breaching three release orders.

Three charges against Andrew Joseph Bazinet stemming from a Sept. 14, 2025, incident were stayed by the Crown, including possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose and possessing a firearm without a licence and/or registration.

The Motor Vehicle Act offence occurred on June 19, 2025, in Prince George.

Judge Martin Nadon agreed with a joint submission from Crown and defence lawyers for a 30-day timeserved jail sentence, a $500 fine and a two-year driving ban.

Defence lawyer Jason LeBlond said his client completed environmental sciences studies in 2005 at the University of Northern BC and has worked in mine decommissioning. He also said Bazinet has attended recovery centres to address mental health and substance use issues.

Nadon noted that Bazinet appeared healthy compared to other defendants he sees.

“I’m hoping that that’s a sound foundation for you to get your life back on track,” Nadon said.

“You’re 42, you’re still pretty young, compared to where I’m sitting anyway, and so you’ve got a chance to get back to work, to get stable, to get on your medication, to stay off street drugs.”

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

IREN shifs from bitcoin to AI

An IREN data centre in Prince George is currently undergoing construction, as seen here on Wednesday, May 20. IREN, an Australia-based tech company, had previously announced that its properties in Prince George and Mackenzie would be transitioning from bitcoin mining to AI data centres.

Valemount considered for new carbon capture facility

“provides an immediate pathway for billions of tons of low-cost, durable carbon removal.”

An American company is eying the Valemount area as a potential location for a new carbon capture facility, according to a letter attached to the agenda for the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George’s Thursday, May 14 board meeting.

The letter dated March 30 was from Surrey-based consulting firm ENKON, which said it was approached last fall to help find a site and complete regulatory work for potential carbon storage facilities in British Columbia by Graphyte Inc. According to Graphyte’s website, the company has developed a process in which it collects the by-products from the timber and agricultural sectors, dries it out to eliminate microbes and then condenses them into blocks of carbon that are stored in an impermeable barrier aimed at preventing them from decomposing.

This process, the company says,

“Following a detailed site evaluation process, Valemount has been identified as one of the most suitable locations for such a facility,” ENKON’s letter said.

“This is due to its strategic location along major highway and railway corridors, a mature local forest industry that currently burns significant volumes of low-grade waste fibre, distance from existing hog fuel markets, and the availability of an industrial park with sufficient power and competitive longterm lease rates.”

After consulting with Simpcw First Nation, the Valemount Community Forest and other partners, ENKON said that Graphyte is commencing work to initiate planning for a facility in the area that would store between 25,000 and 50,000 tonnes of material per year and create between 10 to 20 full-time jobs.

The letter concluded by stating that the companies are asking for local

stakeholders for non-binding letters of support for the project.

An attached slide deck from Graphyte included a timeline showing that the company expects to have a final investment decision on what’s being dubbed “Project Red Cedar” by the first half of 2027.

The slides also show that the processing facility is proposed for a plot of land about four kilometres south of the village along Highway 5.

The site where the biomass would be processed into the carbon blocks would be located within the Valemount Industrial Park while the area where the carbon would be sequestered is to the north on a 100-acre property owned by Simpcw First Nation.

It is noted that the facility might be able to secure biomass from two sawmills in the same industrial site as well as culled materials from wildfire treatments in the nearby Jasper National Park.

Once the lifespan of the proposed

facility is complete, Graphyte said the sequestration site could be repurposed for something like a solar power facility, industrial lay-down yard or another purpose.

When the letter was brought up during the May 14 board meeting, Chair Lara Beckett (Chilako River-Nechako) noted that the board does not typically provide letters of support for industrial proposals.

Director Dannielle Alan (Robson Valley-Canoe) said she thought it was an excellent project. Alan’s electoral area includes the rural area around the Village of Valemount.

“Every time that there’s a burn pile, especially this time of year, I get calls of ‘why don’t you make them stop,’” Alan said.

“People have a lot of PTSD about fires these days and burning and smoke and anything that can reduce our burning and find another way to utilize waste or dispose of waste for farmers and foresters is a great thing.”

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

CITIZEN PHOTO BY MATTHEW HILLIER

Local students to learn about aviaton industry

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Students with School District 57’s Centre for Learning Alternatives (CLA) will soon get the opportunity to learn about all things related to aircraft and the aviation industry.

Trustees approved two new courses at the CLA at Tuesday, May 12’s meeting of School District 57’s board of education.

The CLA is an alternative school that provides alternative and distance education programs to both school-aged students who need different learning environments as well as adults looking to fill in gaps in their education.

One of the new courses, titled Aviation 12, gives students an opportunity to learn about the science behind flight and the systems that make the aviation industry work.

The other course, called Future Focus, will be offered to students from grades 10 through 12 and will give students hands-on experience in various potential career paths.

A report on Aviation 12 said the course would allow students to “research and explore the history of aviation, theory of flight, aircraft design, construction, and maintenance, aircraft operations, air law, meteorology, navigation and communication, airmanship and safety issues related to aircraft operations.

“Units and lessons will provide students with a varied learning experience; instructional strategies and course content will incorporate hands on learning, research, field trips, guest speakers, lab work and experimentation, individual and group projects, recommended readings, class discussions, etc. The course also serves to co-ordinate learning in mathematics, science, geography, metal, and drafting areas.”

This course will be offered in partnership with Guardian Aerospace, a flight school operating out of the Prince George International Airport.

Trustee Shar McCrory asked about

the costs of running the course and what interest there has been from students for something like this.

“I like that these courses are an offering in fields of employment and I think sharing those options is great, but do we have an idea of that (interest) and have we considered that in our current budget?” McCrory asked.

Supt. Jameel Aziz said the course will primarily consist of theoretical coursework with some partnerships with groups at the airport to provide hands-on opportunities.

“It doesn’t mean anyone is going to be flying a plane based on taking this course,” Aziz said. “But they will certainly be able to see where that knowledge could lead to future aviation opportunities.”

Future Focus, assistant Supt. Kap Manhas said, differs from previous work experience offerings from the district. Instead of just providing opportunities to students to try out new careers, the teachers and councillors at the school will keep a log of their activities so they can get school credits at the end.

Aziz explained to trustees that in previous years, groups wanting to get new courses approved by the board had to come to a meeting and present about the curriculum.

That process, he said, didn’t allow for a lot of robust discussion.

Now, these applications are first reviewed by district leadership to assess those outcomes and the resources needed to run the courses. After some refinement, district leadership then brings the course proposals to the board for final approval. Both courses received unanimous approval from trustees.

“Okay,” board chair Craig Brennan said after the vote. “Aviation 12 will take off.”

Vote summary

Motion: SD57 board is asked to approve two new courses.

Result: Approved unanimously.

New furniture approved as part of RDFFG renovatons

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

The board of directors for the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George voted to increase the budget for renovations at the district’s Prince George headquarters by $65,000 at its meeting on Thursday, May 14.

Last August, the board awarded a contract for renovations on the third floor of the district’s building at 155 George St. worth $231,424 to Norske Construction Inc.

That work included converting a washroom to be fully accessible, renovations to the kitchen and hallways, redeveloping a photocopy and supply room into a meeting room and replacing carpeting throughout the floor.

The project started last fall and is continuing into 2026, where a total of $645,000 for renovations at the George Street offices were approved in the district’s capital budget.

A report from district staff said that once work got started, a need was identified to repair fire barriers, work on a condensate line in a washroom and add additional wiring for the converted meeting room at a combined cost of $16,166.

On top of that, district administration requested additional soundproofing, wall painting and electrical plug updating.

Then, the information technology department asked for changes to the meeting space to accommodate additional technology at a cost of $9,275. Finally, staff said other costs have

The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George’s board of directors has approved a $65,000 increase to its budget for renovations on its

popped up like installing card readers for security doors and architectural charges relating to changes in the permitting process at the City of Prince George.

To cover all of these additional expenses, a boost in the capital budget for work at the George Street building from $645,000 to $710,000 was requested.

The budget for the third floor renovations by themselves would increase to $297,500.

On top of that, staff also requested that permission be granted to offer SpeeDee Printing & Office Solutions a single-source contract to provide furniture for the renovated spaces.

Under district policy, single-source contracts can be issued for amounts totalling $75,000 or less. Above that

threshold, board approval is required for a single-source contract rather than entering a competitive bidding process.

While SpeeDee’s original quote for the project was $65,741.30, the order was reassessed after renovations commenced and the estimated cost is now slightly over the single-source limit at $77,995.80.

This increased cost, staff’s report said, could be covered through the existing office building line item in this year’s budget.

Discussing the requests, Director Danniielle Alan (Robson Valley-Canoe) said that later in the meeting the board was set to discuss the finances of another organization that the district is imposing strict policies and standards on.

This was a reference to a financial update from the Fraser-Fort George

Regional Museum Society, which runs the Exploration Place and is in the process of paying back money loaned to it by the regional district.

“We required that other organizations follow through with their commitments financially and I’m finding that, you know, in our own house we’re not doing that as much and I think that we need to make sure that we are budget-focused on our project,” Alan said.

She added that she’s not necessarily against the extra $75,000 in costs, but with another $45,000 project coming up soon, the board needs to make sure that budget guidelines are followed so things don’t balloon out of control.

The extra budget for the renovations was approved unanimously.

Then, discussing the contract for office furniture, Director Brian Skakun (City of Prince George) said it was a substantial amount and asked whether there was another supplier in the city that could have provided part or all of what was required.

Gina Layte Liston, the district senior manager of environmental services, said that when the project was initially started last year, SpeeDee provided a quote to provide furniture from two different suppliers.

On top of that, she said SpeeDee will also be able to assemble the furniture, a service local providers could not provide.

Skakun said he was glad to hear that, but that he wished it had been explained in the report.

The furniture contract was then approved unanimously.

Regional district’s recreaton centres could see ice go in earlier this year

ABIGAIL

POPPLE

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George is aiming to have ice laid in its recreation centres by mid-September this year, earlier than its typical early-October start date.

The regional district announced ice installation would be delayed

“indefinitely” last year as the Canadian Union of Public Employees prepared to strike.

The ice eventually opened in mid-November.

Community and recreation centres in the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George are located in Valemount (Canoe Valley Recreation Centre), McBride (Robson Valley Recreation

Centre).

In an email to The Goat, communications manager Hilary Erasmus said the Regional District will be able to confirm the precise opening date for this year once installation begins in September.

“The Regional District recognizes the importance of the Robson Valley and Canoe Valley Recreation Centres to

residents and actively engages with the Community Consultation Committees to better understand how the services can best meet the communities’ needs,” Erasmus wrote.

“Through this engagement, an earlier start and longer ice season was identified as an opportunity to enhance service levels and better support local users.”

downtown Prince George building.

McBride looks at Fraser River, Hankins Creek for water

ABIGAIL POPPLE

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Village of McBride will pursue new water treatment sources at Hankins Creek and the Fraser River after receiving an alternate water feasibility study during the April 28 council meeting.

The study, which has been in the works since the village received a provincial grant for the project in October 2024, recommended pursuing Hankins Creek — located just under five kilometres southeast of the current water treatment plant — as the village’s alternate water source.

Consultants David Franzmann and Warren Grafton also recommended building a new treatment plant using the Fraser River as a secondary backup source.

The report included the rubric consultants used to evaluate water options based on failure probability — the likelihood of infrastructure failure or failure to meet regulatory requirements

— environmental factors, future expansion potential and the ability to withstand climate change impacts. The Fraser River option scored 74.8 points out of 100, while the Hankins Creek option scored 68.1.

According to the study, Hankins Creek is larger than Dominion Creek and located less than five kilometres from the village’s water treatment plant. While Hankins Creek may experience low water flows similar to Dominion Creek, the village could build a dam or infiltration gallery to collect water from the creek bed during lowflow periods.

The report estimated the Hankins Creek intake project — including logging approximately 4.93 kilometres, constructing a road from the treatment plant to the intake, engineering and construction costs, and a $3-million contingency — would cost about $9.7 million.

The Fraser River is less likely to

Volunteer fre departments given permission to see demo models

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Two volunteer fire departments within the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George will look for demonstration models for their next fire engines to save both time and money after getting permission from the board of directors at a Thursday, May 14 meeting.

When the board approved fiveyear financial plans for both the Bear Lake and Ness Lake volunteer fire departments in March, they included purchases of frontline fire engines to replace existing ones in 2027.

On top of that, the Bear Lake Volunteer Fire Department is also looking to purchase a wildland firefighting truck that can access fires that the larger engine cannot reach.

Bear Lake’s fire engine is from 2005 and Ness Lake’s from 2007, both past their expected service life.

experience low water levels but would require additional infrastructure, according to the report.

Because the river sits at a lower elevation than the water treatment plant, a booster station would be needed to move water uphill through pipes into the plant.

The report also noted the river has high turbidity — meaning fast-flowing water stirs up more sediment — requiring the installation of a new treatment plant. The option would cost about $16.5 million, with the treatment plant alone estimated at approximately $7.7 million.

Radloff engineer David Franzmann and Western Water hydrogeologist Warren Grafton attended the council meeting to discuss the report.

Franzmann said he and Grafton recommend the Fraser River option because of its proximity to the village and because the river’s depth would allow the village to continue drawing water during low-flow periods.

Coun. Kolida asked how consultants

calculated the cost of building roads to the proposed intake areas, noting the Hankins Creek option included about $5 million in road costs — roughly $1 million per kilometre. Franzmann said the estimate included removing the abandoned Forest Service Road along the route, installing underground pipes and constructing a new road. He said the estimate was based on tenders from similar projects.

Coun. Runtz said he supported the Fraser River option because it would not require construction of a new road. He thanked Franzmann and Grafton for their work.

“By doing this report, it now puts us in a position to do something about our water for the long term,” he said. “It gives an initial cost so we can go back to the government and look for a grant.” Council received the report for information.

This article originally appeared in The Rocky Mountain Goat.

To save both time and money, both departments requested permission to purchase ready-built or demonstration models.

Normally, the district’s procurement policy would require a competitive bidding process for such a purchase, but reports from district staff said that could prove difficult when looking for ready-built or demonstration models as suppliers are reluctant to provide bids for these machines and it is difficult to acquire specifications.

So, district staff asked the board to waive a purchasing policy to allow for both departments to single-source the purchase of fire engines for each as well as a wildland truck for Bear Lake while not exceeding the amount budgeted.

Ness Lake has a budget of $1.4 million while Bear Lake has a budget of $1.1 million. The board voted unanimously to waive the purchasing policy for both fire engines and the wildland truck.

COMMUNITY

What’s happening in PG

False Hope Racket Wave Dance Party goes Thursday, May 28 from 7 to 8 p.m. All ages, all bodies free-form dance party. Come move your body to improvised grooves across the five rhythms, with the False Hope Racket that is made up of Raghu Lokanathan, Ken Goudsward, and Res Krebs. This is part of the Living Room Project at Omineca Arts Centre. This is a free event and everyone is welcome to attend.

Galaxy Prince George Psychic & Crystal Fair goes Friday, May 29 from 2 to 10 p.m., Saturday, May 30 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, May 31 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Ramada, 444 George St. Some of Canada’s top psychics, mediums, astrologers, rune readers, healers, tea leaf and palm readers and an aura photo booth will be available. Beautiful crystals and handmade jewelry for sale. Lots of door prizes. Tickets are $10 and good for the whole event. Children 12 and under are free. For tickets visit www.eventbrite. ca/e/galaxy-prince-george-psychic-crystal-fair-tickets

Prince George Metal Fest goes Friday, May 29 and Saturday, May 30 each night from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Legion 43 PG, 101-1116 Sixth Avenue. This event features Cocaine Moustache, Quietus, Shattered Throne, Crucible of Scorn, Lich of Willow River on Friday and on Saturday Terrifier, Mvlgrave WMD, Deveined, Dead Horse Hill and Infectious will be featured. Tickets are $35 a night or $60 for both night when purchased together at Grow King or the Legion.

WALKPG 2026 Outdoor Festival goes Saturday, May 30 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Cottonwood Island Park. This free, family-friendly event brings together community members, local organizations, and Indigenous knowledge-holders for a day of outdoor learning, cultural connection, and environmental engagement. With activities ranging from land-based learning experiences to interactive workshops, including the popular bike-powered smoothie station, WALK PG offers something for all ages. Come join us in celebrating community, nature, and

shared learning. For more information visit wildabout.ca

Great Northern Chili Cook Off goes Saturday, May 30 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Prince George Playhouse, 2626 Recplace Drive. Celebrating 50 years of the Prince George Potter’s Guild. People are invited to support the local potters and decide who has the best chili and you get to keep your handmade bowl. $25 per person. Organizers are looking for teams to participate in the cookoff. For more information email specialevents@pgpotters.ca

Family Taekwondo Travel Team

Burger Fundraiser goes Saturday, May 30 at 6 p.m. at Brixx Brewery, 2005 Cariboo Highway beside the Treasure Cove Casino. This is a private event making it family-friendly, so bring the kids, invite your friends and come enjoy a great evening together. There will also be a 50/50 draw and a silent auction. All proceeds will help athletes travel to Spain this September to compete at World Cup. Tickets are $40 and include a delicious burger meal and a drink. Tickets are available online at www.checkout. square.site/BurgerFundraiser

Forever Young Chorus presents

Songs of the Land, Songs of the Sea on Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31 at 2 p.m. at the Elder Citizens Recreation Association, 1692 Tenth Ave. Tickets are $12 each on sale at ECRA starting May 4.

Legends Live! Presents 100 Candles in the Wind – Happy Birthday, Marilyn! A Musical Tribute on Saturday, May 30 at 7 p.m. at Theatre NorthWest, 36-556 North Nechako Rd Kat Fullerton stars as Almost Marilyn, Lily McMillan as Authentically Adele and Cory Hicks as Somewhat Sinatra and Elton Enough. Tickets are at the Theatre Northwest box office or online at www.ci.ovationtix.com/legendslive

PG Italian Centre’s Bocce Tournament goes Saturday, June 6 at 10 a.m. at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park at the 17th Avenue and Elm Street entrance. Celebrate Italian Heritage month in June and have some fun by registering a team of four for only $40, which includes a sausage and bun. The PG Italian Club has been representing and sharing the rich Italian culture and traditions with the entire Prince George Community and are reviving the annual bocce tournament to welcome the

community to this fun-filled event. No experience is necessary. The fun is in the learning. Space is limited. Send your registration and payment by May 31 to pgitalianclub1@gmail.com.

Tenth Annual Community Chinook Salmon Send Off goes Sunday, May 31 at 11 a.m. at 1384 River Rd and is presented by Spruce City Wildlife Association. This is a free, family-friendly event that sees the release of Chinook salmon fry down the famous Fry Slide. Enjoy a free hot dog and drink. Check out community organizations’ booths. Spend time outdoors celebrating conservation and community.

Prince George Conservatory of Music showcase event goes Sunday, May 31 at 3 p.m. at Trinity United Church, 3555 Fifth Ave. This is the final faculty concert of the season, which is devoted entirely to music chosen by our faculty and special guests, featuring saxophone, harp, flute, piano, violin, and viola. From beloved classics to hidden gems, this concert celebrates the music the artists love most. Admission is pay-what-you-can.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Cara Snell,vice-president of Prince George Naturalist Club, shows Adam Jones, 10, where to look through the binoculars to watch a ducks during a bird walk through Cottonwood Island Park as part of the 2024 Walk PG Outdoor Festival.

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Local Food Systems goes Thursday, June 4 at 6:30 p.m. at the Environmental Education and Resource Centre Compost Demonstration Garden at UNBC. Get to know what is available around Prince George as local food systems connect farmers, processors and consumers within a specific geographic region to improve economic, environmental, and social health. These systems reduce transportation distances, support regional economies, provide fresher, high-quality food and often utilize sustainable or organic practices, including farmers’ markets and community pop up markets.

Chilliwack: The Farewell Show goes Saturday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m. at CN Centre with special guests Doug and the Slugs. Canada’s legendary rock band Chilliwack is hitting the road and coming to Prince George one last time in their 56-year history. Chilliwack has given Northern BC rock fans countless memories. Joining Chilliwack is one of the most distinctive and entertaining Canadian bands from the last 40 years, Doug and the Slugs, with their upbeat musical style, musicianship and offbeat stage antics. For more information and tickets visit www.ticketsnorth.ca/event/ chilliwacks-farewell-show

Prince George Kidney Walk goes Sunday, June 7 at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park. Walk to raise awareness and support for kidney health. Together we can make a difference in the lives of those affected by kidney disease and their care providers. Kidney Walks are a vital lifeline, fueling real-time support, life-saving research and strong advocacy for everyone affected by kidney disease. The mission goes beyond survival and looks toward a future where every person living with kidney disease can truly thrive. For more information visit www.kidneywalk.com/ princegeorge

Once Upon a Voice… Terry Fator, Pure Imagination goes Thursday, June 11 at CN Centre. Legendary Las Vegas headliner and winner of America’s Got

COMMUNITY

Talent – Terry Fator comes to Prince George for the first time. This show is 90 minutes of impressions, comedy and ventriloquism that has made Terry and his characters a must-see for fans across the North America. For tickets visit www.ticketsnorth.ca/event/ terry-fator/cncentre

Cruising PG goes every Wednesday and is presented by the Carefree Society, providing accessible and inclusive transportation services in Prince George and area. Cruising PG is a great way to get out of the house, enjoy the city and socialize without a long commitment. Pick up typically begins at 1 p.m. Recommended rate is $20. Book early as space is limited. To reserve a seat call 250-562-1397 or email book@ carefreesociety.org

Canadian Cancer Society is looking for Wheels of Hope drivers who make a significant impact on the lives of those battling cancer. By providing crucial transportation to treatment appointments volunteers offer not only a ride but also a supportive presence. This role involves flexible scheduling, confirming travel arrangements, ensuring client safety while adhering to CCS policies. CCS will provide training as volunteers join a dedicated team of more than 1600 drivers. Commit to a minimum of half a day to one day per week and be part of a mission to support and uplift those in need. For more information contact Wheels of Hope at 1-800-939-3333 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

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

Serving up mocktails

Families enjoy a fun fundraiser for the Parkinson’s Society with a day of tasty treats and delicious dry drinks

LEFT: Nicole Green holds up the drink and snack offered by the PG Humane Society team, Frozen Lime Cream Fizz and Chilli-Lime Popcorn, at the Parkinson Prince George first annual Mocktail Mixer Fundraiser at the Central Interior Railway Museum Sunday, May 24. More than 500 people attended and more than $9,000 was raised for the Prince George Parkinson Support Group. The money will go towards weekly physical activity programs for members of the local group. Selen’s Squad was named Fan Favourite for their delicious raspberry lemonade and extraordinary team spirit.

BELOW: Paz Aragon, 9, takes a Root Beer Float from Brent Dalziel at the Cariboo Brewing booth.

ABOVE: Kevin Pettersen has his hands full.

BELOW: Cynthia Thomson ices cupcakes to accompany mock bellinis at the Spirit of the North booth.

TOP: Kaylee Murphy, 8, is completely immersed in her Peach on the Beach Mocktail from the Spirit of the North booth.

BELOW: Dennis Stark tries to encourage his son Maxwell, 18 months, to pet the mini donkey Pedro from Black Spruce Farms as he stands quietly with Lily Higham.

Humane Society staf disheartened afer vandalism

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

The Prince George Humane Society (PGHS) a long-serving staple of the non-profit scene in Prince George, has experienced theft and vandalism at two of its locations.

The shelter at 4011 Lansdowne Rd. hosted a lock-in event held on May 9. However, during the event, when shelter staff saw one of the dogs come running out of a nearby wooded area, they knew something was wrong.

After returning the dog to its kennel, staff quickly found that a chain-link fence near the outside of the kennel area had been cut the night before and bottles and cans that had been donated for fundraising had been stolen.

Another incident happened over the Victoria Day long weekend at the society’s new thrift store on 10th Avenue. The non-profit suffered a blow when a window on a back door was broken, setting off alarms throughout the building. Thankfully, staff said, whoever broke the window was not able to gain access to the store. However, Amanda Holmes,

Sending small fry on their way

Spruce City Wildlife Association volunteer Austin Gibson gives Colt Valpert, 3, directions as he releases a salmon fry down a chute to the Nechako River at the last June 1. The free family event returns Sunday, May 31 at 11 a.m. at 1384 River Rd.

event and fund development manager for PGHS, said that these two cases have left those at the Humane Society discouraged.

“It’s really disheartening, I’m not going to lie,” said Holmes. “When you’re trying to support our community and do good in our community, and it is just one step forward, two steps back when people are vandalizing and destroying the hard work everybody’s putting in.”

Holmes estimated that repairs to the fence and the window will cost thousands. She was particularly upset that the funds raised won’t go to help animals.

“We fundraised so hard that day to make just over $25,000 and now thousands of that have to go back to fixing a fence and a window,” she said.

The fence being cut was also upsetting to shelter staff, as it affected not just the shelter but the animals inside it as well.

“Staff don’t want these dogs to get loose or get hurt or have something bad happen to them because they were able to escape the shelter,” Holmes said. “It’s always worrisome when it’s not just us.

you’ve done.”

Holmes also said during an interview with The Citizen that she has seen vandalism and theft like this occur during her previous role at a local nonprofit and that they are hard to deter or prevent.

“I mean, the reality is everyone’s hands are tied,” she said. “What can we do? We’ve got alarm systems, we have cameras, we have all the different things in place to prevent this and deter it. It doesn’t seem to matter.”

The situation at the Humane Society is hardly unique in Prince George.

“It’s hard when I know there are other businesses out there that had even more horrible things happen to them during that same timeframe,” said Holmes. “I feel for everybody who’s just trying to make a living or support our community.”

It affects innocent animals, too. They’re just excited; they see an open fence and just go for it. It’s nerve-wracking for sure ... It takes the wind out of their sails. They work so hard to look after all the strays and animals that have been surrendered, it’s definitely heartbreaking when people just destroy all the work

Holmes also told The Citizen that anyone looking to provide funding for repairs should contact the shelter directly at 250-640-7415.

Otherwise, if you are looking to provide donations to animals in need, visit www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/ prince-george-humane-society/

CITIZEN PHOTO BY MATTHEW HILLIER

A window on a door leading into the Humane Society thrift store stands shattered on Wednesday, May 20. The damages occurred over the May 16-18 long weekend.

MS Walk brings a big day of fundraising to city park

Annual event returns Sunday,

May 31

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at 19 years old was a devastating blow for the Prince George MS Walk organizer, Ashley Provencher.

Most people think it’s something older people get, but Provencher is living proof that young people get it, too, and she lives with the reality of it every day.

“I am 43 now, so I have lived with the disease for quite a while,” Provencher said.

“My journey was quite unique. At the time, I was one of the youngest people the neurologist had ever worked with who had MS.”

Provencher lived in Edmonton then and woke up one morning with both feet feeling numb, like they had fallen asleep.

“That numbness didn’t go away,” Provencher explained.

“It continued to spread all the way up to my armpits. After multiple doctor visits, I finally got in to see a neurologist, who sent me for an MRI, and the results were concerning and indicative of MS.”

Provencher said at first she didn’t deal with the diagnosis very well.

“I went into depression for a while,” Provencher said.

“And then one morning I just got up and said I can’t live like this, I can’t just sit around — I wanted to fight it. I did try certain medications for it, but they just made me sicker, so I went the natural route and I am still doing that. I don’t take any medications except for an anti-fatigue medication.”

That can be one of the most daunting symptoms of MS.

“When a normal person says they’re tired, it’s because of a lack of sleep, but with this I could sleep for eight hours and, on a bad fatigue day, I could go back to bed for another eight hours after I shower. They’ve likened MS to climbing Mount Everest carrying a

backpack full of rocks,” Provencher said.

“Our bodies work overtime to function on a regular basis — our normal is nowhere near your normal.”

Provencher talked about the varying types of MS, where symptoms can change dramatically over time, and said things changed for her after her second child.

“I was first diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS and then the neurologist thought I was moving into the secondary progressive stage. That happens over time for some people with MS — we’re all pretty snowflakey — it’s different for all patients,” Provencher said.

“I told the doctor to give me a year because I wanted to try going all natural to see how that would work. Within that year I put myself back in remission and I actually improved my quality of life for

course of decades I have learned how to manage my symptoms effectively using food, exercise and stress-reduction methods.”

To help those affected by MS in Prince George, a fundraising MS Walk is set for Sunday, May 31, at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park, with registration starting at 10 a.m. and the walk beginning at 11 a.m. on a 2.5-kilometre loop.

There’s going to be a DJ and entertainment, a free barbecue and vendors.

“So stick around for all the fun after the walk,” Provencher said, adding she started helping organize the Prince George MS Walk 11 years ago.

“I got an email from MS Canada saying they needed volunteers to make the walk happen because there weren’t many volunteers at the time. So I stepped up and said, ‘Sure.’ I was a stayat-home mom at the time and I thought, ‘OK, let’s do this.’ It’s just a volunteer position. I didn’t really understand the effort that goes into the walk, so the first year was quite a learning curve. Since then I got co-chairs, but I am probably the main contact now.”

Back then the group coordinated volunteers and learned the ropes.

about five years.”

Now at 43, the fatigue is creeping back, but she remains focused on balancing all aspects of health.

“So I became a holistic healthcare practitioner because of MS. If I could take all-natural stuff and make it work for my body, I could potentially help other people do the same thing,” Provencher said.

“I was really focused on balancing my spiritual, mental, emotional and physical health and that’s really the key with MS, balancing all of that. Stress can lead to really bad things with MS — old symptoms can flare up or we can develop new symptoms. Watching what you eat is important because certain foods can have an adverse effect for some patients, so I have to be careful what carbohydrates I eat because some cause inflammation in my body, and the same goes for refined sugars. Over the

“And now we just continue on because there really is a need in the community,” Provencher said.

Right now the Prince George MS Walk fundraiser has earned more than $16,000, with this year’s goal set at $57,000 as organizers increase the target by $5,000 each year, she added.

“The money goes to MS Canada for research looking for a cure and also for support for people who have MS,” Provencher said.

“Canada is home to some of the world’s leading MS researchers and research is key to understanding MS better and finding new treatments.”

The PG MS Peer Support Group meets on the last Sunday of the month. For more information, people can email pgmsgroup1@gmail.com.

For more information about the Prince George MS Walk, or to donate or register for the event, visit the event website at msspwalk.donordrive.com/ events/1283

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Ashley Provencher, left, and Sandy Stibrany are seen here at last year's MS Walk they helped organize. This year's MS Walk goes Sunday, May 31 at 10 a.m. at Lheidli T'enneh Memorial Park.

Pianist Simon Kendall plays to help Meals on Wheels

The longtime member of Doug and the Slugs will perform June 7 at the Playhouse

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

Simon Kendall, best known as a member of Doug and the Slugs, will offer an entirely different musical experience when he plays solo acoustic piano at a fundraising concert for the Prince George Council of Seniors Meals on Wheels program on Sunday, June 7, at 7 p.m. at the Prince George Playhouse.

And On Piano — Simon Kendall came about when organizer Garth Miller became acquainted with Kendall a few years ago because his mother was a big fan of Kendall’s piano artistry.

Miller, a product specialist at Prince George Ford, has spent the last 15 years in Prince George bringing in celebrities for showcases and special events. When Kendall reached out to let him know Doug and the Slugs would be in town June 6 with Chilliwack during their Farewell to Friends tour, Miller offered his services for a Sunday performance, Kendall explained.

“This came about because Garth Miller presented a concert with Jim Byrnes Band a few years ago and I sat down at the piano in the theatre where we were playing — it was a Bechstein grand, a beautiful big Bechstein grand. I don’t see a lot of Bechstein grands. They are more common in the U.K. for some reason than they are in North America,” Kendall said before taking a quick trip down memory lane.

“When I was a teenager I had a friend whose family had a Bechstein grand and I used to sneak over and play it. When I sat down at this Bechstein I thought, ‘Wow.’ I played a few things and Garth was unusually attentive because this wasn’t the band he’d hired. This was just a guy in the band. I told him I have a few albums of solo piano music and I don’t perform it very often, but I am always looking for opportunities to play for people.”

Kendall has performed and recorded with many acts, including Cowboy Junkies, Colin James and Barney Bentall, while also music-directing plays and composing for film and TV. He has won Jessie, Leo and Genie awards for composing and music direction. He also has three solo piano albums of original music.

Professionally speaking, Kendall said his solo acoustic piano playing is his “sidebar.”

“It’s something that I have not pursued in my career, but it’s the way I play for myself at home and the most natural thing that I do is improvising and creating solo piano instrumentals, and I love to do it,” Kendall said.

“It just hasn’t worked out as a career path for me.”

Kendall said Miller spoke to him about the Prince George Council of Seniors Meals on Wheels program.

“And he said it would be really great to do a fundraiser, and that’s how that all came about,” Kendall added.

“I’m really excited to be playing at the Playhouse, I believe, on that same Bechstein piano.”

I then told Kendall how the Bechstein had recently been refurbished and restored to its former glory, and how Eli Klasner, then executive director of the Community Arts Council of Prince George & District, had been on a mission to raise funds to bring the piano

back to industry standards so piano aficionados could perform before Prince George audiences. Klasner managed to raise $10,000 in 24 hours toward its reconditioning and personally escorted the Bechstein from Vanier Hall to its permanent home at the Prince George Playhouse.

“That’s wonderful,” Kendall said in response to the story.

“And very dear to my heart as a pianist because pianos are not exactly an endangered species, but it breaks my heart that perfectly good upright pianos are going to the dump every day in North America. I just go, ‘Oh man, really?’ There’s something about real instruments because I play digital pianos by necessity, playing for rock bands and mentoring, but my gosh, when you sit down at a real piano, as I did with Jim Byrnes Band — to play an acoustic piano with a band is fantastic because it’s a real instrument, not a digital replication of one. It’s an instrument with a soul. So the fact someone preserved that instrument means a lot to me and I am so glad that I am able to play it.”

Kendall said the concert will be a rare treat for him as he performs his own music.

“You know, I perform for friends, family and small gatherings, and just so people know, I’m not going to be playing any rock ’n’ roll — it’s introspective solo piano, almost all originals, and I

might sing a couple of songs. It kind of depends how things go. Just so people know, it’s a very different side of me from what I do with Doug and the Slugs, Jim Byrnes Band, Barney Bentall and others, and I am looking forward to it.”

Malhar Kendurkar is the executive director of the Prince George Council of Seniors, which oversees the Meals on Wheels program for the Bowl and College Heights in Prince George, and is very pleased Miller and Prince George Ford organized the fundraiser to help meet the growing demand for the service.

Through a dedicated effort by Andrew Agbenin, Meals on Wheels co-ordinator, the wait list that once had 46 seniors on it has been eliminated and the program has expanded.

“The Meals on Wheels program does not get a lot of funding,” Kendurkar explained.

“We rely heavily on donations.”

Kendurkar added the organization is committed to not raising the $9.50 per meal clients pay, which is why donations are so important to the program.

“And even $9.50 is a stretch for some clients, so in order to bridge that gap we have the Adopt-A-Senior program that provides 21 free meals to a senior in need,” Kendurkar added.

SEE ‘MEALS’ ON NEXT PAGE

Simon Kendall, best known as a member of Doug and the Slugs, will perform an acoustic piano solo concert as a fundraiser for the Prince George Council of Seniors Meals on Wheels program at the Playhouse on June 7 at 7 p.m.

Conservatory sax teacher featured in faculty showcase

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

As with so many people who did not come from a musically inclined family, Grade 8 band was the first up-close glimpse of shiny brass instruments.

That’s how it was for tenor saxophone player Kayleigh Francis.

She ended up with the tenor saxophone because that was all that was left on the sign-up sheet for the Grade 8 band, and she’s never looked back.

“I picked it up with no previous musical experience — all I knew was that I liked music,” Francis recalled.

“I sounded horrible at first and my mom hated it, but here we are all these years later from that one serendipitous decision.”

Francis, a faculty member at the Prince George Conservatory of Music, will perform during the final faculty concert of the season on Sunday, May 31, at 3 p.m.

The concert is devoted to music chosen exclusively by the performers and will feature saxophone, harp, flute, piano, violin and viola.

Francis grew up in Prince George, attended Duchess Park Secondary and earned her master’s degree in music performance from the University of Victoria. She now teaches full time at Prince George Secondary, teaches saxophone at the conservatory and is a

member of the Prince George Community Band, which she has played with since Grade 9 in about 2008. She is also a member of the Big Enuff Big Band and previously performed with the Funk Yeah! Band and In the Mood Big Band, which no longer exist.

“I graduated from the Duchess Park band program and had the opportunity to play with the school district’s honour band, which I am now conducting, which is super cool,” Francis said.

At the conservatory, Francis teaches

and performs. She studied classical saxophone during her post-secondary studies and also has experience in jazz and funk.

She aims to create a solid theoretical and practical foundation for her students to build upon, no matter their field of interest.

“I teach saxophone quartet,” she said about her work at the conservatory.

“And sometimes when they aren’t available to play I will hop in with them as well, which is fun.”

The Prince George Conservatory of Music runs faculty showcases throughout the year and usually only staff perform, but this event will be a little different, Francis added.

“So this is a ‘with friends’ event where sometimes members of the community or friends of people at the conservatory will come and join us for certain pieces, and we are always encouraged to collaborate with other musicians at the conservatory,” Francis said.

“We’re certainly able to play solo pieces, but I always try to find someone to work with, so I will be playing a piece with Elizabeth Klassen, one of the piano teachers. These events are usually very well attended and there’s always a great variety of styles of music — of course there’s classical, but there’s also some jazz, pop and movie themes.”

Sonata for Alto Sax and Piano by Robert Muczynski will be the piece Francis and Klassen perform.

“I love working at the conservatory and I think it’s going to be a great show,” Francis said.

The Prince George Conservatory of Music Faculty Showcase takes place Sunday, May 31, at 3 p.m. at Trinity United Church, 3555 Fifth Ave.

This is the final faculty concert of the season, featuring beloved classics and hidden gems — music the artists love most.

Admission is pay what you can.

Meals on Wheels served seniors 17,585 meals last year

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

The organization has received some funding for that program, including donations from individuals, but there is always a need for more.

“Last year we provided 17,585 meals to seniors in the community,” Kendurkar said.

“That is the highest number we have ever had and ours is the busiest Meals on Wheels program in the province. Prince George Ford has supported us in the past and that has helped us

significantly to provide those meals to seniors, and now we are expanding the program once again.”

The Prince George Council of Seniors began serving meals to College Heights residents two times a week and now offers the service three times a week, but none of those deliveries are possible without volunteer drivers, he added.

“We are so grateful they are donating their time and their gas — and gas is not cheap,” Kendurkar pointed out.

“One of the really good things about

our volunteer drivers is they build a bond with all the clients, so they’re not just delivering meals, they are chatting with the seniors and the volunteers say they really enjoy doing that, too.”

The commitment for volunteer drivers is 90 minutes once a week, and the route is co-ordinated so one driver does not have to go all over town to deliver those much-needed Meals on Wheels.

“We are super excited and very grateful that Garth is organizing fundraising events — not just this one but for several years in a row,” Kendurkar said.

Prince George Ford has donated more than $120,000 to the Prince George Council of Seniors over the last four or five years, Miller added.

“It’s such a great cause and fundraising for the Meals on Wheels program is purely selfish because I am a senior and I know I can get a meal or two down the road here,” Miller joked.

“It’s fun to do these fundraisers and it seems to help get the word out about the cause.”

For tickets to the concert, visit TicketsNorth

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Kayleigh Francis on the sax and Elizabeth Klassen on the piano perform during a showcase in Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park in 2025. Francis, who teaches saxophone at the Prince George Conservatory of Music, will perform with Klassen during the faculty concert on May 31.

Longtme friends meet each Saturday to read the paper

They hope to inspire more people to read to friends and family who are visually impaired

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

Shirley Shorter is a force.

She’s a 93-year-old dynamo that outwalks most everybody around her.

“Nobody can keep up with her,” bestie Lavinia Ouellet, 90, laughed.

“She leaves us all in the dust.”

Five days a week Shirley can be found out and about pounding the pavement with her trusty walker.

She doesn’t think twice about doing the almost 10-km round trip jaunt from her house to Costco and back.

“I honestly don’t remember when I discovered how valuable walking is — maybe five years ago,” Shirley said.

She knew that she needed to increase her fitness level and weighed her options.

“I didn’t want to spend money going to a gym and this way I could pick my times — when it was convenient — and so I just went out when I wanted and came back when I wanted — not looking at my watch,” Shirley said.

“Later when I really got into it, how long I could walk was a source of pride. So I can still walk an hour and a half up to three hours without stopping. My back is my only health problem — it’s shot — and walking with the walker and leaning on the handles seems to relieve the pressure that is on those nerves as they are being compromised so I have no pain whatsoever when I walk with the walker and no pain when I am sitting down so I feel so lucky because there’s lots of things I like to do when I’m sitting too, like reading and knitting and talking on the phone — and not on a cell phone, either.”

Shirley said there are three keys to good health.

“Daily exercise — whether you feel like doing it or not, a balanced diet and a positive attitude,” Shirley offered up.

“Now I suck at the positive attitude when somebody comes along and ticks me off! But I try!”

Saturday mornings have shifted from a walking session for Shirley to something a little different that involves her dear friend, Lavinia.

But here’s a little background first.

Lavinia and Shirley have been friends for the last 40 years.

Both were nurses in the maternity ward of the Prince George hospital.

Shirley and Lavinia met at work in 1986 and Lavinia retired when she was 63 in 1998 and Shirley retired in 1996 at 63 years old.

“We worked in the special care nursery and that’s where we spent of our time mostly,” Shirley said. She was a midwife.

“I loved it in the nursery,” Lavinia said.

“And when you’re older you feel like you can contribute more to these new

mothers because some of them didn’t know anything.”

“It was a worthwhile job,” Shirley said. “Very satisfying.”

Shirley and Lavinia valued their friendship and made sure to keep their connection to each other throughout the years.

They’ve turned it up a notch and now Shirley goes over to Lavinia’s house to read the newspaper to her every Saturday.

Lavinia’s eyes aren’t what they used to be so she can only read the headlines and look at the pictures but the rest of the text is lost to her.

It was a growing source of frustration for Lavinia and she vented one day to Shirley.

“She hollered at me — as much as Lavinia ever hollers,” Shirley laughed.

She said ‘I can’t read the darn newspaper!’ and I said ‘well, geez, I can come

down and read it to you, how would that be?’ and right away she said ‘let’s give it a try’ and we did and it worked and I can tell you why it works so well — it’s that we’re both so opinionated and we’re happy to tell others what our opinion is and to listen to other’s opinions, too — believe it or not.”

Shirley will read the first bit of a story and then they decide if it is of interest to them enough to continue.

“I will give you an example,” Shirley said, flipping The Citizen’s pages and stopping at the story with the headline Treasure Cove Nordic spa proposal bubbles up at council meeting.

“Which is a terrific title. But when I started reading it … what do I care about a Nordic spa?”

So they decided to move on to other things.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHRISTINE DALGLEISH

Lavinia Ouellet, left and Shirley Shorter meet every Saturday to read the paper and discuss important topics. They have been friends for 40 years.

Litle Prince out of commission for rail line repairs

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

The Little Prince, one of the staples of The Exploration Place and Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park, isn’t running due to significant infrastructure concerns along its railway line.

“The Little Prince is an important part of Prince George’s history and community identity, and we understand how meaningful it is to generations of families, volunteers, staff, and visitors,” The Exploration Place stated in a press release.

“However, the safety of our riders, volunteers, engineers, conductors, and staff must always come first.”

Due to the Little Prince being a licensed Canadian railway engine, it has to meet strict national safety standards and must comply with federal and provincial railway operating regulations, which are inspected and upheld by Technical Safety BC.

Significant deterioration and infrastructure concerns were identified along the track during pre-season inspections this year. The Exploration Place stated that this will require repair before operations can safely resume.

“The most urgent concern identified by the Exploration Place involves a section of track crossing a drainage ditch where erosion has compromised the ballast and embankment supporting the

railway ties,” the statement reads. “Due to the movement caused by the expansion and contraction of the continuous steel rails, this section can shift significantly between daytime and nighttime temperatures, creating dangerous track misalignments and an increased risk of derailment.”

Engineering recommendations received by The Exploration Place show that the preferred long-term solution would be a retaining wall to stabilize the section of the railway impacted by erosion.

An additional problem mentioned by

The Exploration Place is that 300 railway ties on the line have deteriorated and require replacement.

Further issues with repairs and replacement stem from the fact that the railway is located within Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park, a recognized archaeological site.

This means that any evacuations or ground disturbances conducted during the repairs of the track will need to undergo archaeological assessment, permitting, and on-site monitoring before work or repairs can begin.

The Exploration Place stated that this

will impact the time, cost and complexity of the repairs.

“We fully respect the cultural and historical significance of Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park and the importance of following the proper archaeological and regulatory processes required for work within the park,” said Alyssa Leier, executive director of The Exploration Place. “While these requirements impact timelines, they are an important part of ensuring the site is protected and respected appropriately.”

Leier, in a press release, added that the decision to temporarily close the Little Prince was hard for those involved.

“The Little Prince means so much to all of us,” she said. “Our staff, volunteers, engineers, and conductors have poured countless hours of time, care, and love into keeping this train operating for the community. This decision is heartbreaking because we all know the joy the Little Prince brings to families. Many of us bring our own children and families to the park to ride it, and we’ve created our own memories alongside the thousands of community members who have grown up with this train. That is exactly why we must make the difficult decision to pause operations until we can ensure it is fully safe for everyone.”

The Exploration Place will update the public once more information on repairs is available.

Readers ofer ideas on making The Citzen even beter

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

“Now that we have a reporter chatting with us, we thought we’d take advantage and make some requests,” Shirley said with a cheeky grin.

And yes, both Lavinia and Shirley mentioned they would like a bigger font in the paper but it’s already been bumped up to be more reader-friendly so it’s unlikely that will change.

Of course, there’s always the online option where you can bump up the font as big as you like or click the “listen to

the article” button but some of us are old school.

Shirley said she took her computer to the dump so that internet nonsense is long gone from her life and while Lavinia can use her tablet, it’s not the same as holding a newspaper in your hands and reading at your leisure over a Saturday morning coffee like we all did in the old days and still do to this day.

Another suggestion came from Shirley about what she would like to see in the paper.

“Something that we both found that

we are very interested in — and we would like to know more about and I would love to see a whole page on — the job description for mayor and council because how would we know? We might make a darn good mayor or council member if we knew what the job description was,” Shirley said.

“So I’d like a little more detail on that.”

I took a moment to tell Shirley and Lavinia a little about how things have changed over the years at the newspaper, what it was like being owned by a big corporation and what a pleasure it

is to be part of the team at The Citizen, which is still here, locally owned, community focused.

“And I want to tell you, Christine, how important it is that you came to talk to us today,” Shirley said, “because this will be in the paper and I’m glad because there are a lot of people in Prince George who have the same eye problem as Lavinia does and their friends are going to read this and they will say ‘I could do that’ and that’s what we want. We want people to get together and read to their friends, like we do.”

EXPLORATION PLACE PHOTO

The Exploration Place has given no date on when the Little Prince will be back in action. The popular attraction is out of service due to infrastructure concerns along the railway track.

Cops for Cancer ready to ride another Tour de North

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

Cops for Cancer Tour de North kicked off its fundraising and training season in front of a crowd of excited Quinson Elementary students and staff in Prince George on Friday, May 15.

Students cheered loudly, held up signs and celebrated this year’s 15 riders from the RCMP, firefighters, the BC Sheriff Service, paramedics and community riders as they rolled into the parking lot of Quinson Elementary.

Grade 5 future leadership students also presented Cops for Cancer Tour de North with a $200 cheque to start off their fundraising tally.

Mavrik Turnbull, a four-year old batlling cancer and his mother also joined students and riders as an honorary Tour de North rider.

Janine Mendes, Canadian Cancer Society co-ordinator for Tour de North, spoke to The Citizen about why it’s so important to get Prince George students engaged with this cause.

“Kids really are the heart behind this program. So kids supporting kids, it’s why we come to the school. It gives the riders energy and it’s so wonderful to support the schools as well and for the schools to support us,” said Mendes.

This will be the Cops for Cancer’s Tour de North 25th year in operation. Riders are hoping to raise $250,000 to support critical pediatric cancer research and Camp Goodtimes.

Camp Goodtimes is a summer camp for children struggling with cancer, where they can enjoy being kids again in an environment that helps them grow more confident and gain independence. Riders will be doing community fundraising and training until Sept. 11, where they will undergo a six-day ride starting in Dawson Creek, heading up to Fort St. John and then going south, ending in Williams Lake on Sept. 17. They will also be stopping to visit schools in Chetwynd, Prince George, and Quesnel along the way.

Cpl. Jennifer Cooper, media relations officer for the Prince George RCMP, spoke to The Citizen on what makes this

long-lasting program so special to the RCMP.

“This is something near and dear to police officers’ hearts. A lot of us have family members, whether it’s children or adults in our lives, who have been affected by cancer. But what really ties it to policing is it was started by a police officer,” she said.

Cops for Cancer was started in 1994 by Edmonton police Sgt. Gary Goulet, who was moved by a child who had been bullied for his bald head due to chemotherapy.

This led to Goulet gathering officers to shave their heads and partner with the Canadian Cancer Society.

“Without the Canadian Cancer Society, the ride would still be an indie ride, where it was a little bit disorganized (with) maybe not as much support. With the Canadian Cancer Society coming on board and providing that level of co-ordination and expertise, the riders are able to focus on training and fundraising. That’s their commitment to making the ride bigger and better every year,” said Cooper.

Seven of the 15 riders this year are alumni returning for their second or even third time.

Returning rider and RCMP officer Derrick McBragney lost his father to cancer a year before he became an RCMP member.

“I think it’s pretty safe to say that most of us have had some friend or family member who’s been affected by cancer,” he said. “You know how hard their journey is and it’s even worse when you see a young child going through that. Being able to raise some money to have them have a camp experience like that is something that’s important to us.”

For McBragney, the imposing trip can build lasting memories and bonds between the members of Prince George’s emergency services and community riders who take the 800-kilometre trek.

“It’s enjoyable. I know that probably sounds crazy to some who haven’t ridden that far. I even think that about it but the team aspect, everyone comes together and everyone’s really good friends throughout it. And you make

some good memories doing it. One of the big things like this school stop, we do a lot of that on the tour and it’s nice to see everyone come out,” he said.

Cooper added that for many riders, this can be a life-altering experience, which keeps them coming back to participate years after their first ride.

“This has been a life-changing experience for some of them. They would love to share their stories with anyone who will listen and we’re always looking for more people, first responders, community riders who would love to take up this journey and this challenge with us,” she said

Cops for Cancer Tour de North will also be hosting a golf tournament on Wednesday, July 25 to raise funds for Camp Goodtimes.

The riders seen at the May 15 event sported both armbands and patches reading “in memory of Shane Kelly,” a civilian rider who died after a hit-andrun during a training session in July 2025.

For more information or to donate, visit support.cancer.ca.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY MATTHEW HILLIER

Fifteen local Cops for Cancer Tour de North riders form up alongside honorary rider Mavrik Turnbull and his mother, Vanessa, at Quinson Elementary school at 251 South Ogilvie St. on Friday, May 15.

Chetwynd donates chainsaw carving to Prince George

The community is known as the carving capital of Canada

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

The first full day of the North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA) convention ended with the unveiling of a chainsaw-carved statue courtesy of the town of Chetwynd at Canada Games Plaza.

Artist Ken Packie’s Black Pearl was created during the Chetwynd International Chainsaw Carving Championship in 2012.

Mayor Simon Yu told The Citizen that he has been hoping to receive a carving for years now.

“I have been asking the mayor of Chetwynd constantly every time I met him, and finally he surprised me this year,” he said. “Through great effort they brought this big tall piece of carving to Prince George and to be set here in Canada Games Plaza, it’s really a marquee moment because whenever I see this piece of carving it makes me look back of my entire 50-some years in Northern BC,” said Yu.

Yu also sees the sculpture as more than just a work of art.

“I want it to be a piece of education as well as a symbol of Northern arts,” said Yu.

“Chetwynd basically built itself and now it’s a carving capital of Canada. They do this international competition every year and we need to learn from that. Prince George, we need to have multiple events and to promote our city through arts, through sports. Northerners have to tell the rest of the world we not only have a beautiful scenery, but we also have great artwork.”

Chetwynd Mayor Allen Courtoreille told The Citizen that the gift to Prince George will help both communities, noting that people visit Chetwynd specifically for the carvings and having one in Prince George will help point travellers to his community, which is located

northeast of Mackenzie in the foothills of the Rockies.

“People hear about it from Europe,” said Courtoreille. “They come through Chetwynd just to see them, rather than driving Highway 16 to Edmonton. That’s tourism through art, and art through tourism.”

Yu said he hopes that this new art piece can become a part of a growing Prince George and hopes that it can contribute to the arts scene in the City.

“We don’t want to be in an industrial town, where people come, do their project and leave,” he said. “We want people to come, stay, and raise their family here, to understand this is a beautiful city. This piece of artwork is an asset to the beauty of this plaza.”

Yu said he has a personal connection to the town and was happy to see its art and culture reflected in Prince George.

“I started my life in Northern BC in Chetwynd,” said Yu.” At the time, my aunt owned a restaurant in Chetwynd, and because of her relationship with one of the priests there, I found myself sent to Prince George to do my high school here in a boarding school and my firstborn, my son, was also born in Chetwynd.”

Courtoreille thanked Prince George for hosting him and his delegation during the NCLGA.

“Prince George has been fantastic,” he said.

“I can’t say enough about how we get treated in other communities, regardless if it was the art or not. British Columbia and the communities that we go to, they treat us fantastic.”

Ellen McAvany, Chetwynd’s economic development officer and parks manager, commended the City of Prince George Public Works staff for unloading the carving after its long trip and caring for it before the unveiling.

Courtoreille

CITIZEN PHOTO BY MATTHEW HILLIER

The Black Pearl, a newly gifted chainsaw-carved sculpture, is unveiled in Canada Games Plaza on Thursday, May 21. The sculpture was created by artist Ken Packie.

Throwback Thursday: Week of May 28

May 28, 2014: Students from Duchess Park walked out of school to show support for their teachers, who were involved in a partial lockout during a labour dispute with the province. ‘They’re expected to do nine hours of work in a six-hour day,’ one student said. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY BRENT BRAATEN.

May 28, 1968: Just after dawn, McBride volunteer re ghters hosed down the ruins of the town’s movie theatre after a re the night before. Heavy equipment operator Morris Bonneville was credited with stopping the spread of the re to other buildings, including a shoe repair shop, a men’s wear store, a café, a real estate of ce and an auto dealership, by lifting a corner of the theatre building with his front-end loader. Nobody was hurt. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY DAVE LOOY

May 28, 1996: Local boxer Allan Bayne (left) and world yweight champion Scotty Olson hoisted the International Boxing Association’s yweight championship belt during a press conference at the Civic Centre in advance of a June 22 card at the Multiplex. Bayne was set to make his pro debut in the light middleweight division against Billy Lawson of Nanaimo while Olson was to defend his title against Rudy Idanio of the Philippines. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY DAVE MILNE

May 28, 2981: CN Railway employee Bob Kerr looked on as log-clearing operations began below the old Fraser River bridge. High water had swept dead trees against the bridge pilings, causing a jam. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY BROCK GABLE

Northern Health launches digital system SaferCare

BAILEE DENICOLA Northern Health

One month ago, Nats’oojeh Hospital and Health Centre in Fort St. James made history as the first Northern Health site to go live with SaferCare, an initiative to implement a digital clinical information system and more consistent processes and practices across all our hospitals.

SaferCare is an electronic health record, as well as an expansion and integration of our existing system already used across our facilities.

This is a major step toward safer, more connected health care across the region.

Since then, teams at Nats’oojeh have been learning new ways of working while continuing to provide care to their community. The transition hasn’t come without challenges or a steep learning curve, but staff have shown strong teamwork, resilience and a clear focus on patient care.

“The front-line staff have embraced the change with optimism and flexibility despite the initial impact on their day-to-day work,” said Nicole McVey, site manager at Nats’oojeh Hospital and Health Centre.

“Staff appreciate how the electronic health record supports patient safety and improves communication between the care team. The SaferCare project team has also been invaluable, providing hands-on support and responding quickly to questions and feedback.”

Being the first site to adopt SaferCare was a major undertaking. It required preparation, adaptability and a willingness to lead change that will benefit patients across NH.

Over the past month, staff and providers at Nats’oojeh have:

• Started using new digital tools to document care and manage orders

• Adjusted workflows while keeping patient safety front of mind

• Shared feedback that is already helping improve the system

• Supported one another through

learning and busy moments

Their efforts are helping build a strong foundation for when SaferCare is introduced at other sites across the North in the future.

On April 30, Ciro Panessa, NH president and chief executive officer, along with members of the executive team, Dr. Ronald Chapman, vice-president, medicine, and Jeff Hunter, vice-president, digital health and chief information officer, visited Nats’oojeh Hospital and Health Centre to connect directly with staff and providers.

The visit was an opportunity to hear about their experiences, recognize their efforts and thank them in person for leading this important work.

This milestone would not have been possible without the dedication of:

• Front-line staff and medical staff

• Operational and clinical leaders

• The SaferCare project team and partners

Their commitment, patience and teamwork over this first month have made a meaningful difference.

As with any major change, SaferCare will continue to evolve. Ongoing feedback and improvements will help ensure it meets the needs of patients and care teams alike.

For now, we recognize and celebrate this important achievement.

Thank you to everyone at Nats’oojeh Hospital and Health Centre for leading the way as we continue building safer, more connected health care — together.

What is SaferCare?

SaferCare is an initiative to implement a digital clinical information system and more consistent processes and practices across all our hospitals. SaferCare is an electronic health record, but it’s also an expansion and integration of our existing system already used across our facilities. The clinical information system supports safer, more connected health care.

• SaferCare launched at Nats’oojeh Hospital and Health Centre in Fort St. James on April 21, becoming the first Northern Health site to go live with the system.

• Ksyen Regional Hospital in Terrace is scheduled to implement SaferCare in October 2026. Additional Northern Health hospitals will transition to the system in the future.

• The initiative combines electronic health records with standardized processes and practices to improve how care is delivered and documented.

• During visits to participating hospitals, patients may notice staff learning and using the new digital system as part of their daily work.

• New tools include barcode scanners for patient identification, computers mounted to walls or attached to wheeled carts, and digital dashboards used to support patient care and hospital operations.

• Additional SaferCare project team

members may be present on site to support staff during the transition period. These team members are required to follow Northern Health privacy and confidentiality policies.

• While patients should continue to receive the same quality of care, temporary delays may occur as staff adapt to new workflows and move from paper-based systems to digital documentation and ordering processes.

• SaferCare is intended to improve continuity of care by giving health-care teams real-time access to up-to-date patient information across participating facilities.

• Expected patient benefits include reduced need to repeat health information, faster access to results, fewer duplicate tests, enhanced medication safety through built-in alerts and improved communication among care providers.

• The system also supports more co-ordinated care planning, informed decision-making and increased opportunities for virtual care.

• Northern Health says protecting patient privacy remains a top priority, with safeguards in place to ensure information is only accessed by authorized care providers when needed.

For staff, SaferCare helps streamline documentation, reduce duplication and improve communication between care team members. This supports more co-ordinated, timely care.

For patients, SaferCare supports safer, more co-ordinated care by giving care teams real-time access to up-to-date health information.

Patients can expect stronger continuity of care, less need to repeat their health history, faster access to results, improved medication safety through built-in alerts, better collaboration among care providers, more informed decision-making and greater involvement in their care.

NORTHERN HEALTH PHOTO

Ciro Panessa, Northern Health’s President and CEO, talks with staff at Nats’oojeh Hospital and Health Centre during the launch of the new SaferCare system.

Local Sports

New PGARA racing season opens in high gear

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

In stock car racing, more cars usually means more action and more fun for the fans.

That was indeed the case at the Prince George Auto Racing Association’s Turgeon Memorial season-opening points meet on Saturday, May 23 at PGARA Speedway.

The pits were packed for a night of racing with 16 cars in the Chieftain Auto Parts ministock class, 12 in the Canadian Tire street stock class and eight entries in the Ron’s Towing hornet class.

Track announcer Guy Lefevre counted 14 street stocks in the pits and an even dozen of them were race-ready to showcase PGARA’s premier racing class.

“That’s as good as I’ve seen it in 10 years,” said Lefevre. “Some of the drivers, like Corbin Conn, moved up to street last year — a lot of them have moved up through the classes. It starts with the hornets and everybody moves up.

“The mini stocks had 16 in their main (event), that’s a jump from last year.”

Spencer Forseth, a multi-time mini/ hornet points champion, finished third in the Canadian Tire street stock main event. He shared the podium in the 30-lap feature race with winner Lawrence Barks and second-place Davey Baldinger.

James Lewis returned to the street class for his first race in 10 years, while Savanna Boudreau jumped from hornets to the streets.

In the mini class, the Youngblood Motorsports team brought two cars up from the hornet class last year, one driven by longtime PGARA veteran driver Kim Young, who hadn’t raced since 2012. Youngblood is also overseeing ministock rookie drivers Nick Mould

Grant Powers (44) leads David Baldinger (12) and Spencer Forseth (16) into turn 4 at PGARA Speedway in their Street Stock heat race Saturday, May 23 during the Turgeon Memorial Opening Day event.

and Maurice Beauregard, who had a few mechanical issues creep up on him Saturday.

“Maurice is running a Volkswagen Jetta; nobody has ever run one of those and he’s running into the typical newcar problems, he’s basically a pioneer,” said Lefevre. “It’s mostly Chev Cavaliers and Sunfires, but now we’re seeing Cobalts and they’re starting to figure those out. The Mennonite Motorsports guys from Vanderhoof run Hondas almost exclusively.”

Saturday also marked the return to PGARA for Terri-Lynn Hasselbach, the 2004 thunder stock champion, who proved she still knows the fast way around the three-eighths-mile oval track when she won the ministock B heat race.

“It’s neat to see everybody move up and come back, I think it’s a credit to the board of directors and how they’ve chosen to promote the track as a much more professional entity and gaining a much better reputation in town,” said Lefevre, who relinquished his duties as PGARA secretary at the end of last season after 20 years on the volunteer board.

“The rules are applied universally across the classes. Consistent race days, consistent car counts, repaving the track (three years ago) was enormous. There are shows calling our club saying, we want to come. Before the track was pretty rough and we were patching it every year. Now it’s very smooth and a lot faster and people want to come. We’re organized and we put on a good show.”

With so many new ministock entries it was a steep learning curve, with fender-bending results. The main event, won by Emma Crawford, was slowed by crashes that led to four or five restarts, the last of which went single file.

Brandon Verkaik, 16, the top qualifier in the hornet class, turned in fast lap times in the heat race and kept that up while winning the main event ahead of Reigen Holloway and third-place Randy Bueckert. Also in the hornet entry-level class, Lucas Reddekopp (A-dash) and Adalia Finke (B dash) each took home their first PGARA winners trophies.

Lefevre, a longtime hit-to-pass driver, will be the backup driver for Mould on days his out-of-town work schedule rules out a return to PG to rev up his

Civic ministock.

“I’ll just sub in and try to bring it home without wrecking it,” quipped Lefevre. Updated points standings for the three racing classes will be available on the PGARA website.

PGARA Turgeon Memorial points meet results

Hornets

• Fast time-in: Brandon Verkaik No. 29

• B dash - Adalia Finke No. 47 (first ever win in first ever race)

• A dash - Lucas Redekopp No. 68 (first ever win in first ever race)

• A Heat - Brandon Verkaik No. 29

• Main event: 1. Verkaik No. 29; 2. Reigen Holloway No. 67; 3. Randy Bueckert No. 95

Mini stock

• Fast time in - Nathan Linfitt No. 94

• C Dash - Sierra Trenholm No. 27

• B Dash - BreeAnna McDonald No. 97

• A Dash - Nathan Linfitt No. 94

• B Heat - Terri Hasselbach No. 22

• A Heat - Linfitt No. 94

• Main event: 1. Emma Crawford No. 97x (second and third place finishers not yet determined)

Street stock

• Fast time in: Lawrence Barks No. 18

• C Dash - Gabriel Penson No. 82 (first-ever win in first-ever race)

• B Dash - Grant Powers No. 44

• A Dash - Davey Baldinger No. 12

• B Heat - Gabriel Penson No. 82

• A Heat: Powers

• Main event: 1. Barks No. 18; 2. Davey Baldinger No. 12; 3. Spencer Forseth No. 16

Next race meet: Applied Industrial Technologies WESCAR Late Model Touring Series, Friday, June 12

Honda

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Senior Devils round up Posse in lacrosse exhibiton play

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

In a sport as physical as lacrosse, where aggressive pursuit of the ball is rewarded and bodychecking the ball carrier to force turnovers is part of the game, a team with size, strength and superior conditioning holds a considerable advantage.

The Prince George Posse have all of those attributes, along with an abundance of talent. The problem is they have no league in which to showcase their skills while playing Canada’s national summer sport.

As the province’s only junior-aged lacrosse team north of Kamloops, the Posse were denied entry into the Thompson-Okanagan Junior Lacrosse League for this season. As a result, exhibition games are their only opportunity to prepare for the junior B provincial championship in August.

Now 4-2 against junior opponents, the Posse faced a senior team for the first time Saturday at Kopar Memorial Arena, where they dropped a 9-6 decision to the Scamp Transport Devils, the seven-time defending champions of the Prince George Senior Lacrosse Association.

Posse head coach Jeff Moleski described the game as an eye-opening experience.

“It’s good to play a team that has some wisdom and they exposed us on a few things. They’re a smart team,” said Moleski. “They’ve been playing together for a long time, so it was good to actually get exposed and learn a few things and be better for it.

“For sure things like reverse transition, where we’d shoot the ball and we’re trying to push forward, whereas they’re coming back and they get the ball and we got beat for four transition goals. They take away our transition when they shoot the ball by having a guy always looking to get back.”

Cole Paciejewski led the Devils offence with four goals and two assists, while Connor Walton added two goals and an assist.

Brady MacKay, Cashe Kaban, Hunter

Moleski, Logan Hauk, Liam Hunter and Dusty Jones scored for the Posse.

Patrick Bayliss and Steven Brizan split the goaltending duties for the Devils.

Kael Frederick made 21 saves for the Posse, who outshot the Devils 38-32.

Prince George trailed 4-1 after the first period and 8-3 after two.

The Posse were missing goaltender Nolan Vansickle, who is currently in Victoria serving as the backup netminder for the junior A Shamrocks.

The Posse and Devils will meet again in an exhibition game June 13 at Kopar Memorial Arena. It is currently the only remaining game on the Posse schedule as the team continues trying to convince other junior clubs to travel to Prince George.

“It’s been tough. We’re trying to play anyone. We’ve challenged Burnaby junior A’s. Everyone else is in a league and it’s frustrating because we have a very good squad,” said Moleski.

Kamloops Venom 12-6 and the North Okanagan Reapers 14-8.

Moleski said the team expects to learn within the next week whether it qualifies for the BC Lacrosse Association junior B Tier 1 provincial championship rather than the Tier 2 tournament.

“We have a really young team, but I believe we have a legitimate shot at winning provincials,” said Moleski.

Moleski, 44, knows firsthand the importance of having a junior league to play in. He was part of the Posse junior squad in the early 2000s that competed in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League and the Founders Cup national junior B championship.

That experience helped launch a 12-year professional career in the National Lacrosse League, where he played defence for the Calgary Roughnecks and Vancouver Stealth.

Scouts from the NLL and Western Lacrosse Association are aware of the skill level of several Posse players, but their chances of being drafted are diminished because the team is not part of a league.

“Unfortunately no one wants to travel to Prince George. We’ve offered teams to pay all their expenses to come play us. It’s really unfortunate. We’re trying to build the game up north here with a very good product, because we’re good.

“It’s quite shortsighted, in my opinion, we didn’t get into the league,” he said. “You’re always trying to expand and grow the game of lacrosse. Lots of people in the league executive wanted us in, but ultimately the Thompson-Okanagan teams voted not to let us in.”

The Posse opened their exhibition schedule in late March with two losses against the junior B Tier 1 Saints in Port Coquitlam, although neither defeat was a blowout. On their next trip, they defeated the Ridge Meadows Burrards and Delta Islanders, both members of the West Coast Junior Lacrosse League. During a Thompson-Okanagan road trip April 18-19, the Posse defeated the

The Posse roster includes several junior A-calibre players who remain in Prince George because of full-time work, school or apprenticeship commitments.

The offence is led by MacKay, Hauk, Kaban, Garrett Sakamoto, Jayden Larmand and Hunter Moleski, while Hunter, Josh Mantler, Cole Malo and newcomers Kobe Kidd and Cooper Zyler anchor the defence.

“We have a big and intimidating defence,” said Moleski. “It’s good to play a couple games against men, so when you go back to playing guys your same age it makes it easier.

“Our defensive coach, Brent Mitchell, what a gem to pick him up. He’s fresh from the pro game (he played in the NLL for Albany, Panther City and Colorado) and he just moved here for work.”

The Posse are expected to renew their push to join the Thompson-Okanagan league next season.

Captain Josh Mantler and UNBC student Alanna Taylor are the only two Posse players expected to age out of junior eligibility next year.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

PG Posse goalie Kael Frederick deflects a shot by the Scamp Transport Devils’ Dave Lawrence during their season opening-exhibition game at Kopar Memorial Arena Saturday, May 23.

Soccer sensaton to speak at UNBC’s Legacy Night

CITIZEN STAFF

The University of Northern British Columbia’s signature celebration of athletics, community and excellence is returning this fall, with one of Canada’s most decorated soccer figures headlining the evening.

UNBC will welcome Canadian soccer legend Karina LeBlanc as the featured guest speaker for the 12th annual UNBC Timberwolves Legacy Night on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at the Prince George Civic Centre.

Described as a trailblazer on and off the pitch in a UNBC press release, LeBlanc brings nearly two decades of experience with Canada’s national team.

The Maple Ridge native represented Canada in five FIFA Women’s World Cups and two Olympic Games, earning a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Known for her leadership, resilience and infectious energy, LeBlanc has

successfully transitioned from elite athlete to executive, advocate and global voice for inclusion. She has served as a UNICEF Canada ambassador since 2013 and, in recognition of her contributions to sport and community leadership, was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2022.

Beyond her professional

achievements, LeBlanc remains deeply committed to advocacy through mentorship, foundation work and advancing opportunities for women in sport.

“Legacy Night is about more than just celebrating athletic excellence — it’s about inspiring the next generation of leaders,” says UNBC interim president Bill Owen. “Karina LeBlanc embodies

everything this event stands for. Her journey, her message and her impact reach far beyond sport. We’re incredibly excited to welcome her to Prince George.”

Now in its 12th year, Legacy Night continues to be a cornerstone event for Timberwolves Athletics, raising funds in support of student-athlete scholarships and bursaries. Last year’s event raised more than $218,000, pushing the fundraiser’s lifetime total well beyond the $1 million mark in direct support of Timberwolves student-athletes.

“Legacy Night continues to be one of the most meaningful nights of the year for our program,” adds UNBC Director of Athletics and Recreation Loralyn Murdoch. “It’s an opportunity to bring the community together to celebrate student-athletes and invest in their future. With Karina’s story leading the way, this year’s event promises to be another unforgettable evening.”

Tickets for Legacy Night will go on sale later this summer.

Timberwolves sign two Edmonton soccer standouts

CITIZEN STAFF

The UNBC Timberwolves men’s soccer program continues to strengthen its 2026 recruiting class with the addition of two Edmonton standouts, midfielder Javier Socorro Fox and defender Nick Couchman.

The pair, both products of Next Step Soccer, bring a combination of technical ability, leadership, and strong academic backgrounds to the Timberwolves program as head coach Steve Simonson continues to build for the future.

Socorro Fox, a central midfielder from Louis St. Laurent High School, was drawn to UNBC after visiting campus in late March.

He cited the welcoming atmosphere and team culture as key reasons behind his commitment to the Green and Gold.

“What impressed me most was the welcoming environment and the attitude of the players,” said Socorro Fox. “The campus felt close-knit, supportive, and focused, and the facilities

were excellent. I appreciated how comfortable and welcomed I felt throughout my visit.”

Simonson praised the midfielder’s composure and soccer intelligence, calling him a player capable of making a major impact at the U SPORTS level.

“Javi is a very cerebral and technical midfield player,” Simonson said. “He has a great understanding of the game, good vision and awareness, and a calmness that will help players around him.”

Socorro Fox scored four goals during his most recent season with Southwest United and plans to study finance at UNBC. A decorated student-athlete, he has earned Honour Roll recognition along with multiple academic and athletic awards throughout high school.

For Socorro Fox, soccer’s influence

extends far beyond competition.

“My love for soccer truly grew during the 2014 FIFA World Cup,” he said. “Watching the passion, teamwork, and joy players showed on the field inspired me deeply and made me fall in love with the game.”

Meanwhile, Couchman arrives at UNBC as a versatile defender capable of playing both fullback and centre back. The 5-foot-10 defender has built a reputation as an aggressive and dependable player with strong leadership qualities.

“Nick is a really talented and aggressive central defender with an incredible mindset, always playing on the front foot,” Simonson said.

“We’re super excited to have him join us and can’t wait to see the player I know he will become at the U SPORTS level.”

Couchman, who holds both Canadian and Guyanese citizenship, said the support system within the program made UNBC the right fit.

“The players are all nice and great to be around,” Couchman said. “I feel myself benefiting and getting better at UNBC because of the amazing environment provided.” He also pointed to Simonson’s relationship with his players as a deciding factor in his commitment.

“Steve is really incorporated into his players’ lives and helps them in every way possible,” Couchman said. “The team is serious on the field and always wants to improve, but they also know how to keep things fun off the field.”

Couchman plans to study general business at UNBC and brings an impressive resume of athletic honours, including multiple Athlete of the Year awards and MVP recognition during his high school career.

SOCCER CANADA PHOTO

Karina Leblanc, one of Canada’s most accomplished soccer players, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s UNBC Timberwolves Legacy Night on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

Socorro Fox

Couchman

CITIZEN STAFF

Prince George Cougars will hit the ice this fall without defenceman Carson Carels, who has announced his commitment to the University of North Dakota ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft.

The 17-year-old blueliner shared the news in a post on Instagram, confirming he will join the NCAA Division I program for the 2026-27 season.

“I’m pleased to announce my commitment to play Division 1 hockey at the University of North Dakota to continue pursuing my hockey career and furthering my education,” Carels wrote. “Thank you to everyone who’s made a significant impact on my career thus far — my family, friends, coaches, teammates, and the whole Prince George organization and community.”

Carels is coming off a standout season with the Cougars, where he established himself as one of the league’s top defencemen. The six-foot-one, left-shot defender recorded 20 goals and 73 points in 58 regular-season games while posting a plus-23 rating.

Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 at CN Centre

Carels had one goal and 10 points in 10 playoff games.

The native of Cypress River, Manitoba

His play helped guide the Cougars to a 44-14-10 record and a third-place finish in the Western Conference. Prince George advanced to the second round of the playoffs before falling to the expansion Penticton Vees in six games.

spent all three of his WHL seasons with the Cougars, compiling 26 goals and 111 points across 125 career games.

Carels represented Canada at the 2026 World Junior Championship, helping the team capture a bronze medal.

ABIGAIL POPPLE

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

McBride could see a new miniature soccer field in the community after council discussed it at its April 28 meeting.

Local youth sports organizer Meagan Ryan gave a presentation requesting support in principle for a grant that would fund a miniature soccer field.

To commemorate the FIFA World Cup in Vancouver this year, the Ministry of Tourism and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC are providing funding to 20 communities for mini soccer fields.

The fields will be 18 metres by 36 metres, and communities who receive

funding will also get programs and mentorship from the Whitecaps FC and other organizations, such as BC Soccer and the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council.

Applications for the funding are set to open this spring, according to a press release from the Whitecaps FC.

In her presentation to council, Ryan said she is unsure when exactly the applications will open, but that she hopes to get support-in-principle from the village and possibly a letter of support if that is required in the application.

Additionally, Ryan’s proposal will need to include a location in the village where the field could be installed, so she asked for help from the village in

finding a location.

The mini field — made out of a rubbery flooring and suitable for lacrosse, ball hockey and other activities aside from soccer — would provide a space for McBride to accommodate kids’ growing interest in sports, Ryan said.

“We have more kids registered and doing sports than I have seen in a very long time,” she said. “The biggest thing with soccer is, we don’t really have a designated spot to run it. We’ve been using the high school field and the maintenance isn’t great, and kids ran through grass up to their knees in previous years.”

Aside from finding a place to put the field, Ryan said she could do all the work for preparing and submitting the

He also suited up for Canada at the 2025 IIHF Under-18 World Championship and the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, earning gold and bronze medals respectively. The NHL Draft is set for late June in Buffalo.

McBride eyes new miniature soccer feld for community Carels leaves Cougars for University of North Dakota

proposal.

CAO Jeanette McDougall said Council could pass a motion for staff to do research on where to install the field and bring a report back to Council. Runtz asked Ryan if she had an estimate for when applications would open and close.

“All they’ve said right now is spring of 2026,” Ryan said. “Just understanding that they’re going to start installation in September, I’m thinking it’s gonna be a fairly quick turnaround as far as getting their proposal in.”

Council approved a motion directing staff to research potential areas where the soccer field could be installed. This article originally appeared in The Rocky Mountain Goat.

Cougars defenseman Carson Carels forces Raiders forward Harrison Lodewyk wide of the goal

during a 5-4 home win.

Life Events

Lora May McLeod passed away peacefully in Prince George on May 17th, 2026. Just days before her 67th birthday.

Lora was born on May 22nd, 1959, in Prince George, Britsh ol mbia, to Dorothy nn Bar s and James leetwood Bar s. She b ilt a life rooted in family, friendship, resilience, and love.

or more than forty seven years, ora shared a devoted marriage with her beloved h sband, an James c eod. ogether they created a life lled with tolerance, la ghter, lively gatherings, end ring companionship, and deep love.

ora was predeceased by her siblings Brenda, Dennis, and Shanna.

She is lovingly remembered by her siblings Rowena, Debbie, Serena, isa, and David. ora is also s rvived by her children Jeannie, Robert, and ara, as well as their respectve children, all of whom will contn e to carry her memory forward with love and cherished memories.

long with her family, ora leaves behind many e tended relatves and dear friends whose lives were to ched by her warmth and presence. er memory will be carried forward in the hearts of all who new and loved her.

Clara Mae Graham

October 19, 1932 - May 18, 2026

Clara Mae Graham, born in Orange Cove, California, passed away peacefully on May 18, 2026, at the age of 93. Clara lived a full and vibrant life centered around family and friendship.

Clara enjoyed music, dancing, and her daily phone calls with her sister. You could always count on her to have a fresh pot of cofee ready to share with her friends who stopped by and an opinion to share — all while being the best-dressed grandma around. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Graham, her longtme partner, Bob Johansen, and her daughter, Cathy Powell.

She is survived by her son, Charles Nance (Ava); her grandchildren, Leah Adams, Michelle Powell, and Britney Joseph (Kerry); her sister, Shirley Dawson; and her dear friends, Chris Roze (Valerie), Rocky Johansen (Pippa), and Robbie Johansen, who were like family to her.

Robert Glenn Lilley

August 30, 1935 - April 30, 2026

Glenn was born in Saskatchewan and later moved to BC to work in the lumber industry. He spent most of his career working for Canfor. Glenn enjoyed camping and shing with his family and friends. e was an avid golfer and curler. Later in life, he had a close circle of friends and enjoyed playing cards late into the night.

Glenn is predeceased by his wife Barbara and da ghter harlote. e is s rvived by his three daughters Shelley (Dale), Sharlene and Sheila (Dave) as well as 5 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. There are no plans for services.

Rickie Minard Bennell

September , ay ,

Rick was brought to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital on pril , where he remained ntl he passed away peacef lly, s rro nded by his family, on ay .

e is s rvived by his children, Kyle and anis, and by his siblings Danny (S e), Bonnie (Randy), Keith (Dana), ammy ( ody), and ed (Janice).

Rick was a hard worker who approached life with resilience. e had a nat ral ability to connect with people and will be remembered as a great storyteller. en, by the end of one of his stories, he wo ld be la ghing so hard that everyone aro nd him was la ghing too. is h mor and infecto s la gh le a lastng impression on the people who new him.

As per Rick’s request, there will be no funeral service or celebraton of life. e will be laid to rest alongside his mother, laine ( ), his father, lif ( ), and his older brother, Dwayne ( ), in the Prince George emetery.

Lora May McLeod ay , ay ,

LIFE EVENTS

In Loving Memory

Eric Woyciehouski

July 18, 1972 -May 22, 2007

Always in our hearts, Forever in our Memory. Love Mom, Dad, Kevin, Shari & Families

Germaine Marie Bachand

May 30, 1932 - May 14, 2026

It is with deep love and sadness that the family of Germaine Marie Bachand announces her peaceful passing on May 14, 2026, surrounded by her loved ones.

Germaine was born in Edam, Saskatchewan, and built a beautful life rooted in faith, and family. She met her husband Yvon in 1951 at a lumber camp in Fife Lake and their story began through heartelt leters exchanged before they married in 1953. Together they shared 68 devoted years of marriage.

Germaine and Yvon shared a passion for square dancing and travelling together, always enjoying the simple joy of each other’s company. Above all else, Germaine was deeply devoted to her family. She lived with integrity, strong values, and a steadfast faith that guided every aspect of her life. Her warmth, strength, unwavering love and sense of humour will be remembered by all who knew her.

Germaine will be lovingly remembered by her children: Marcel (Twyla), Paulete (Gary), Denie (Judy), Leo (JoAnn), and Roland (Maria); her grandchildren: Marcel Jr. (Kristy), Ryan (Kira), Christne (Andrew), Giselle (Randy), Levi (Emily), Amber (Dave), Kaylee, Lauren (Ryan), Logan, Rupert (Kristy), Gabrielle, and Yvonne; as well as her many cherished great-grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Yvon; her son, Emil (Brenda Brophy); granddaughter Amanda; and her brothers, Marcel (survived by Jeanete) and Lionel (Annete).

Thank you to Dr. Hillhouse and all the staf at Gateway for their endless care, even on her “salty” days.

A funeral service was held on Friday, May 22, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

In lieu of fowers, the family kindly asks that memorial donatons be made to a charity of your choice in Germaine’s memory.

Annete Ormesher

ebruary , 1 0 April 1 , 0

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved Annete rmesher, born in Glasgow, Scotland, to James and Eli abeth McCulloch.

In July 1 , Annete immigrated to Canada with her friend Moreen, beginning a new chapter. Soon a er arriving, she met her future husband Jim while playing tennis in Stanley Park. Their relatonship fourished, and on 1 May 1 , they married, remaining together for almost 0 years.

Together, they welcomed three sons: Paul and Mark, born in ancouver, and Scot, born in Tokoroa, ew ealand, while the family was abroad. The family then setled in Prince George, BC, for 1 years.

In Prince George, Annete rekindled her love of Sco sh Country dancing. This passion brought her lastng oy and lifelong friendships. Her oy contnued with the Delta Borderers as she danced in Ladner and Richmond, among a warm community she treasured. Later, Jim oined Annete in ld Time Ballroom Dancing, and together they en oyed many memorable evenings. Annete also embraced an actve life, completng the ancouver Marathon twice and the Glasgow Marathon once.

Jim s work as an engineer allowed them to en oy living in ew ealand, Bra il, Indonesia, and Chile. Regardless of where our travels took us, Annete always found a way to atend a Catholic church. ow she sees Christ face to face.

Annete was cremated in Ladner, BC, followed by a small private gathering.

Her gentle spirit, kindness, and love will be deeply missed by all her family and friends.

Always in our hearts, Forever in our Memory.

Love Mom, Dad, Kevin, Shari & Families

Classifeds

per

Recruitment Incentive Start date: June 15th, 2026 to September 21st, 2027 Apply by: May 22nd, 2026 For full job description visit https://nwcdc.ca/news/#careers to apply email Kerri Bassett, Executive Director at hr@nwcdc.ca

Tsay Keh Dene Timber LP. FOREST OPERATIONS

MAP # Tsay Keh Dene Timber FLA99439 2026-3

Tsay Keh Dene Timber’s Operatons Map # Tsay Keh

Dene Timber FLA99439 2026-3, public review and comment from May 28 – June 28, 2026, at link below, or in person by appointment Mon-Fri 8am-4pm. Contact the forestry department at the email or phone number below in order to schedule an appointment. 1200 Mill Road, Mackenzie, BC, V0J 2C0. This FOM is applicable for 3 years and may be relied upon to apply for a cutng or road permit to harvest a cutblock or construct a road displayed on the FOM. 250-645-4982

fom@chuchoforestry.com htps://fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public/projects

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) An apparent act of injustce might turn out to be either an error in judgment or just plain stupidity. So, calm down, cool of, and let the explanatons roll out.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) It’s upsetng when someone you trusted has failed you. But with new opportunites ahead, you’ll soon be too busy to feel even a wee bit sorry for yourself.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) A sense of uncertainty could be a good reason to change your positon on an important mater. Someone close might try to talk you out of it, but it’s your decision to make.

FOR SALE

2016 Rubicon 2100 Dutchman Toy Hauler Trailer RV. 2 long, hardly used. Replaced two bateries and four 1 -ply tres. Waranteed roof replacement. Includes many extra items. Price $29,000 Phone or text 250-617-0628 for appointment.

FREE PALLETS

Pallets for pick-up every Thursday. Call 250.562.2441 for availability.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Being too zealous in pursuing your goal could create some resistance. Try to be more mindful of what you ask people to do, and they’ll be more likely to do it.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) Things change as you go from being ignored to being Lionized once again. This is a good tme to reintroduce some previously rejected ideas to a more receptve audience.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22)

Someone new in your life creates both antcipaton as well as anxiety. Avoid the potental for misunderstandings by watching what you say and how you say it.

BOOST YOUR AD

ADD A PHOTO FOR SALE

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22)

Watch your budget so that you don’t overspend now and have less to invest when the tme is right later on. Also, arrange to share your weekend with someone special.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21)

The temptaton to involve yourself in a friend’s or family member’s personal problems is laudable. But get the facts before you make a frm commitment.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) You might be upset by some of your critcs. But most of your associates contnue to have faith in your ability to get the job done -- and done well.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) You’ve reached an important point in the ongoing pursuit of your goals. You now might want to consider letng someone you trust join you on your journey.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) You’ve been going through a spate of uncertainty involving people you care for. But it might be tme to take a stand on a positon that you feel sure you can defend.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Treading water keeps you busy, but it won’t get you where you need to go. It’s tme to stop making excuses and start moving ahead toward your goals.

Homes & Living

Choosing the Right Landscape Fabric for Your Project

Landscape fabric can be an effective tool for controlling weeds, improving drainage, and reducing long-term garden maintenance. With several options available, choosing the right material depends on the needs of the project, soil conditions, and environmental considerations.

The most common type is woven landscape fabric. Made from tightly woven polypropylene or linen-like synthetic fibres, this option is durable and allows water and air to pass through while blocking weed growth.

Woven fabric is often used in areas with gravel, pathways, retaining walls, and large landscaping projects where strength and longevity are important. Because it resists tearing, it performs well under rock and heavy mulch applications Non-woven landscape fabric offers a different approach. This

material resembles felt and is designed primarily for drainage rather than weed suppression alone.

It is commonly used behind retaining walls, around French drains, and in areas where water movement is critical.

Non-woven fabrics are thicker and can help separate soil from gravel while preventing erosion.

Spun landscape fabric combines features of both woven and nonwoven materials. Manufactured using bonded synthetic fibres, it offers good permeability and moderate weed control.

Many gardeners use spun fabric in flower beds and around shrubs because it is lighter and easier to install.

For environmentally conscious projects, recycled landscape fabric is becoming increasingly popular. Some manufacturers now produce fabrics

made from recycled plastic bottles, reclaimed textiles, or other postconsumer materials. These products help reduce landfill waste while still providing reliable weed suppression and drainage performance.

Recycled landscape fabrics can be found in woven and non-woven varieties, giving homeowners and contractors more sustainable options without sacrificing durability.

Biodegradable landscape fabrics are another eco-friendly alternative. Often made from natural fibres such as burlap, jute, or coir, these products gradually break down over time and enrich the soil.

They are ideal for temporary erosion control, vegetable gardens, or shortterm planting projects.

Regardless of the material selected, proper installation is essential.

Landscape fabric should be covered with mulch, bark, or decorative stone to protect it from sunlight and extend its lifespan.

Choosing the right fabric can improve the appearance, function, and sustainability of any landscaping project.

What to Know Before Buying Lakefront Property

Owning lakefront property is a dream for many Canadians. The appeal is obvious — peaceful views, direct access to the water, recreation opportunities, and the lifestyle that comes with living near a lake.

But buying waterfront property is very different from purchasing a typical residential home. There are additional legal, environmental, structural, and financial considerations that buyers need to understand before signing an offer.

Here are some important tips to help buyers make a smart and informed decision when purchasing lakefront property.

Understand the Waterfront Regulations

One of the biggest surprises for firsttime waterfront buyers is discovering that owning the shoreline does not necessarily mean unrestricted use of it.

Local governments, provincial agencies, and environmental regulations often control what property owners can do near the water.

Before purchasing, investigate setback requirements, dock permits, shoreline protection rules, and restrictions on removing vegetation.

Some lakes also have regulations involving boat types, noise levels, and septic systems.

A buyer planning future renovations, a new dock, retaining walls, or shoreline landscaping should confirm those plans are even allowed before moving ahead with the purchase.

Check the Water Quality

Not all lakes are equal when it comes to water quality. Some have algae blooms, invasive species, seasonal flooding, or pollution concerns that may affect swimming, fishing, or boating.

Spend time at the lake during different times of the year if possible. Talk to local residents about changing water conditions and review any available environmental reports.

A beautiful lake view loses value quickly if the water is unsafe or unpleasant to use.

Buyers should also determine whether the property uses lake-drawn water, a drilled well, or another system. Water testing is essential and should be included as part of the inspection process.

Inspect the Septic

System Carefully

Many lakefront homes are outside municipal sewer service areas and rely on septic systems.

Replacing or repairing a septic system can be extremely expensive, especially

on waterfront lots with limited access or environmental restrictions.

A proper septic inspection is critical. Buyers should determine the age of the system, maintenance history, size, location, and whether it complies with current regulations.

Older systems that were acceptable decades ago may no longer meet today’s environmental standards.

Problems with septic systems near lakes can also create environmental liability for owners.

Consider Seasonal Access

Some waterfront properties are ideal year-round homes, while others are better suited as seasonal cabins.

Buyers need to understand what access looks like during winter months.

Questions to ask include:

* Are roads maintained year-round?

* Who pays for snow removal?

* Is the property accessible during heavy snowfall?

* Can emergency vehicles easily reach the property?

Internet access and cellular coverage should also be evaluated, particularly for buyers planning remote work or full-time residency.

Look Closely at Shoreline Conditions

The shoreline itself matters more than many buyers realize. A sandy beach may seem ideal, but rocky or steep shorelines can affect usability, safety, and long-term maintenance costs.

Examine erosion risks, retaining walls, flood history, and water depth near the dock area. Some properties may have fluctuating water levels that dramatically change shoreline usability depending on the season.

Buyers should also confirm exactly where the legal property boundaries are located. In some cases, portions of the shoreline may be governed by Crown land or easements.

Budget for Higher Maintenance Costs

Waterfront homes typically require more maintenance than standard residential properties. Exposure to moisture, wind, snow, and temperature fluctuations can accelerate wear on roofs, decks, docks, and exterior materials. Insurance costs are often higher as well, especially in areas prone to flooding or wildfire risk. Buyers should obtain insurance quotes before finalizing a purchase, as some waterfront properties can be difficult or expensive to insure. Regular dock maintenance, shoreline

stabilization, pest control, and tree management should all be factored into long-term ownership costs.

Evaluate the Neighbourhood and Lake Activity

A quiet lake in October may become crowded and noisy during peak summer months. Buyers should research how busy the lake becomes during vacation season and whether that atmosphere matches their expectations.

Some lakes attract fishing enthusiasts and families seeking peace and quiet, while others are known for high-speed boating, parties, and heavy tourist traffic.

Visiting at different times of the week and year can provide a more accurate sense of the environment.

Think Long-Term Resale Value

Lakefront property often holds strong long-term value, but not every property appreciates equally. Factors such as water quality, road access, proximity to services, and shoreline usability can significantly influence future resale potential.

Properties with gradual shoreline access, modern infrastructure, and yearround accessibility generally appeal to a

broader range of buyers.

Purchasing waterfront property should balance emotional appeal with practical considerations. The right property can provide decades of enjoyment and become a valuable family asset, but buyers who skip inspections or overlook regulations can face expensive surprises later.

Careful research, professional inspections, and patience during the buying process can help ensure that a dream lakefront purchase remains a positive investment for years to come.