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Chasing that airtime Jaxson Keddy leads the final Super-Mini race of the day, going airborne in what racers call ‘airtime,’ in the Peace Motocross Association’s Round 7 race at Blackwater Motocross Park Sunday, July 27. The PMA brings together racers from BC and Alberta, who compete in a series of races in different communities. This year’s circuit began in Taylor, BC on May 11 and continues Aug. 16 and 17 in Chetwynd before wrapping up in Dawson Creek on Sept. 6 and 7. See more action in photos at www.princegeorgecitizen.com CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT
BC’s air ambulance system is broken ... Pages 30-34
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NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
Two people dead in Strathcona Avenue duplex fire TED CLARKE Citizen Staff
Two people are dead following a fire at a duplex in Prince George Friday, July 25. Prince George Fire Rescue reports that crews responded just after 2:25 p.m. to the structure fire in the 1400 block of Strathcona Avenue. Flames and heavy smoke were visible from the front, sides and rear of the building when firefighters arrived. Firefighters launched a coordinated attack to contain the blaze and discovered two people inside who had died from their injuries. Their identities have not been released. Two other residents were taken to hospital with unspecified injuries. Firefighters also rescued two cats from the home. Both units of the duplex were damaged, heaviest at the rear of the structure. The building, which neighbours say has been frequently visited by police in recent weeks, sustained an estimated $265,000 in damage. Prince George RCMP, the BC Coroners Service and fire investigators were on scene into the evening. The fire is not considered suspicious, Prince George RCMP reported Monday, July 28.
CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT
BC Ambulance Service Paramedics prepare to transport a victim of smoke inhalation following a duplex fire at 1411 Strathcona Avenue Friday, July 25 while another paramedic asks if the two cats rescued from the building belong to the victim.
City council agrees on next year’s meeting schedule COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff
With more than five months left to go in 2025, Prince George city council approved its schedule of meetings for 2026 at its Monday, July 28 meeting. Regular council meetings will be held on Mondays, except where noted: • Jan. 12 • Feb. 2 • Feb. 18 • March 9 • March 23 • April 6 • April 20 • May 11
CITIZEN PHOTO BY COLIN SLARK
Prince George city council meets on Monday, July 28. Councillors have set their meeting schedule for 2026, with most meetings happening Mondays.
• • • • • • •
May 18 June 8 June 22 July 6 July 20 Aug. 17 Aug. 31
• Wednesday, Sept. 9 • Wednesday, Sept. 23 • Oct. 5 • Nov. 16 • Nov. 30 • Dec. 14 Council’s two budget meetings are
scheduled for Monday, Jan. 26 and Wednesday, Jan. 28. The next municipal election is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 17. The inaugural council meeting for the new mayor and council is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 2. Coun. Ron Polillo introduced a motion to delay the second meeting in September from Monday the 21st to Wednesday the 23rd to allow for more time after the end of the Union of BC Municipalities annual convention in Vancouver held the previous week. It passed, with only Coun. Kyle Sampson voting against. The overall schedule was approved unanimously.
NEWS
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
City council backs modified retail crime forum plan The original idea has been updated now that two area MLAs are working on something similar COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff
Prince George city council voted at its Monday, July 28 meeting to partner with the three local opposition MLAs on a forum on retail and business crime later this year. Councillors Kyle Sampson and Tim Bennett gave notice of the motion directing city administration to host the forum at the Monday, July 14 council meeting. In the notice of motion document, the councillors write that their intent isn’t to direct the operations of Prince George RCMP or stepping into challenges faced by the private sector, but “making sure the city is doing what it can, within its lane, to support a safer business environment, and in turn, a safer community.” They wrote that in “recent meetings with a major employer and retail sector leaders,” they and fellow council colleagues committed to creating a dialogue between police and the business community. The document also suggested that administration could work with local partners to arrange for tours of local stores and their loss prevention teams. The councillors argued that the forum would align with other initiatives council has discussed recently like the
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downtown security camera pilot project as well as council’s strategic plan. “Any minimal costs associated with facilitating the forum or coordinating related activities would be absorbed within the existing administrative operating budget,” the document concluded. At the meeting, Sampson mentioned that the concerns they’ve been hearing about aren’t just limited to theft, but violent crimes as well. He added that a forum would tie into the lobbying work the Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs has been doing with the provincial government relating to public safety. Sampson said he had spoken with Prince George-Mackenzie Conservative MLA Kiel Giddens earlier in the day who told him that he and the other two Prince George provincial representatives were working on a similar forum
after hearing the same concerns. Because of that, the councillors proposed an altered motion calling on administration to partner with the MLAs to jointly host the forum. Bennett said that while council has the responsibility to advocate and work on local issues, a lot of issues around public safety are under provincial jurisdiction and jointly hosting the event would help move things forward. He said that Giddens had told him the Prince George Chamber of Commerce would be involved with the MLAs’ event. Coun. Ron Polillo, connecting to the meeting remotely, said he had concerns with the original motion regarding how much of staff’s time setting up the forum would take as well as a lack of specifics on how much the event would cost. With the revised motion, he said partnering with the MLAs would help
address those issues. Coun. Cori Ramsay said that she had previously worked on a poverty reduction strategy developed by the city which said its role was to facilitate, support and navigate on that topic. The forum, she said, would follow along similar lines. Director of finance and IT services Kris Dalio asked for more clarity in the motion relating to how many staff hours and city funds should be spent in setting up the forum. Sampson said he wanted staff to have a lot of latitude, but it’s his impression that the MLAs’ offices would be doing most of the preparation work and the city could step in to offer help in finding an appropriate venue, providing staff resources for planning or offering some financial resources. Coun. Garth Frizzell said it might be proper to refer this issue to the Standing Committee on Public Safety for consideration. Mayor Simon Yu said he would like the intergovernmental affairs committee to consider the topic even if the vote on the motion failed. Yu proposed an amendment removing the final line from the motion mentioning that costs for the forum be absorbed by the existing administrative operating budget. It passed, with Sampson and Bennett voting against it. After that vote, Sampson expressed concern about the removal of a commitment to support the forum monetarily. Yu said council still has more than $3,000 from its annual contingency fund that it could choose to spend once specific costs have been identified. The motion as amended passed unanimously.
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Councillors Tim Bennett (left) and Kyle Sampson discuss their motion to have the City of Prince George host a forum on retail and business crime at the Monday, July 28 city council meeting.
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
NEWS
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
New plan for snow plowing on statutory holidays COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff
Prince George city council approved a one-year pilot project to decrease snow clearing services in residential areas at its Monday, July 28 meeting. Back at the April 23 council meeting, administration was tasked with coming up with three potential options for reducing snow clearing costs on statutory holidays: 1. Eliminating snow removal entirely on stat holidays 2. Increase the threshold before snow clearing is triggered on stat holidays 3. Focusing on Priority 1 and 2 routes on stat holidays while decreasing service for priority three routes Priority 1 routes are arterial roads, the downtown central business district, the entrances to major facilities, municipal off-street parking and adjacent sidewalks. Priority 2 routes are collector roads, priority hills, commercial and industrial zones, transit routes not included in priority one areas and bus stops in both priority one and two zones as well as adjacent sidewalks. For Priority 1 and Priority 2 routes, snow clearing is triggered when 7.5 centimetres of snow fall in 24 hours or compacted snow on roads reaches a maximum of 2.5 centimetres. The goal is to have them cleared within 48 hours after the end of a snow event. Priority 3 routes are residential roads, laneways, entrances to minor facilities, pedestrian surfaces, major park pathways, trails, event parking areas and other parking lots. The threshold for clearing these routes is after 12 centimetres of snow falls in a 24-hour period or after 2.5 centimetres of compacted snow is observed on roads. These routes are expected to be cleared within 72 hours after priority two routes are cleared. Under staff’s first option for adjusting snow clearing policies, there would be no snow clearing at all on stat holidays, with operations starting up on the next
CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT
The city will change the way it plows snow on statutory holidays after considering three different options.
non-holiday day. Under the second option, 12 centimetres of snow would have to fall on stat holidays before clearing would start and there would be a 48-hour timeline for getting the work down. The threshold for Priority 3 routes would increase to 20 centimetres and the completion timeline for those routes would be 72 hours after the completion of Priority 2 routes. Under the third option, only the increase to the timeline and threshold for Priority 3 routes would be implemented. If the threshold of snowfall isn’t met, snow clearing wouldn’t start until the next day after the holiday. While these options were being considered as cost-saving measures, staff’s report does not comment on any potential savings the city could expect from adopting any of the three options. In 2024, the city had a budget of $10.3 million for snow control but spent close to $10.58 million. In the 2025 budget, council reduced the snow clearing budget to $10 million after staff had initially proposed raising it to $11 million. At the July 28 meeting, director of civic operations Blake McIntosh said staff were looking for direction on
which options to pursue for a one-year pilot project. While it’s not listed in the report, McIntosh said council could also choose to maintain the status quo. Coun. Cori Ramsay put the second option on the floor for a vote. Mayor Simon Yu asked whether administration would need more flexibility than the motion allows for to properly manage snow clearing. McIntosh said there would be risks with any of the options. The one-two combination of Christmas Day followed by Boxing Day could be particularly difficult if there’s snowfall over the consecutive stat holidays, he said. Yu said that during the holidays, residents need properly cleared roads so they feel safe visiting loved ones. For that reason, he said he was struggling with the idea. Coun. Tim Bennett said he was more interested in the third option, though he had some logistical questions about its implementation. He asked whether all statutory holidays are treated the same in the city’s collective agreements with staff or whether extra benefits are given for days like Christmas. City manager Walter Babicz said all stat holidays are treated the same in
that respect. Coun. Ron Polillo said there was some irony in discussing snow removal on the same day that a heat warning was issued for the city by Environment Canada. He said he felt option two went too far and wouldn’t support it, instead voicing approval for Option 3. The mayor noted that the type of snowfall the city has seen has changed in recent years due to climate change and asked McIntosh whether he felt option two or three would be easier for staff to implement. He said Option 3 would be more feasible for staff to provide service that the community would be happy with. Even though it might be more difficult to navigate residential areas, it would improve as residents get to core areas. Coun. Kyle Sampson said that changing snow clearing policy during a heat warning made more sense than council voting to reduce the snow clearing budget as it was still snowing outside. He said he struggled to support option two, expressing concern whether any savings would outweigh the extra work created by snow building up on the roads. Coun. Garth Frizzell said he would also not support Option 2 and would prefer Option 3. Ramsay said she didn’t want to reduce services, but council reduced the snow clearing budget back in January with directions not to change service levels. She said she suggested option two because it was the middle of the road in terms of impact. She pointed to a previous report from Oct. 2024 that said reducing services on four statutory holidays would save the city up to $846,004. She acknowledged that it wasn’t the optimal solution, but the impact would be on four days out of 364. Coun. Susan Scott agreed with Ramsay, saying that we have to meet in the middle and Option 2 meets that criteria. Option 2 was defeated by a four-four tie as Coun. Brian Skakun was absent. Polillo then put Option 3 on the floor. It passed with Scott and Sampson voting against.
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
Councll hears overview on current state of parking COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff
Prince George city council heard in detail the results of a parking study a year in the making at their Monday, July 28 meeting. Creating the study involved several opportunities for the public to offer their thoughts, including an online survey back in April, a booth at the CityFest event at the Civic Centre in May and an open house at the House of Ancestors on June 25. The final presentation slides shown to council on July 28 by LEA Consulting’s Robert Keel said in downtown Prince George, there are 2,053 off-street parking spaces across five parking lots, five parkades and three temporary lots. There are also 1,621 on-street parking spaces downtown, with a mix of angled and parallel spaces. Around the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia, there are 574 on-street parking spaces including 70 free two-hour maximum spaces adjacent to the hospital and 504 paid spaces. The availability of off-street parking will increase when the parkade being built as part of the acute care tower expansion at the hospital is complete. Studying the utilization of available parking spaces downtown, the presentation said at peak occupancy, just 51 per cent of on-street parking spaces and 33 per cent of off-street parking spaces were used. The report concluded there’s a sufficient supply of both on- and off-street parking in downtown. Near the hospital, peak utilization was at 23 per cent of available spaces though some streets and the free twohour parking zones were more utilized than others. In areas with three-hour parking time limits, 14 per cent of vehicles went past the time limit during one count on May 6 and 15 per cent exceeded the three hours on May 8. Keel said the study also looked at the parking situations at other municipalities of comparable size. Those other
CITIZEN FILE PHOTO
City council heard a consultants’ report on the parking situation in the city, including in the downtown core and at the hospital.
cities included Nanaimo, Saanich, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Maple Ridge, Kamloops, Chilliwack and Victoria. By comparison, Keel said, Prince George provides a large supply of offstreet parking and the fees charged in the hospital zone are like others. However, he said the other cities tend to have a one- to two-hour limit for free on-street parking as well as have paid on-street parking during the week and free parking in the evenings and weekends. The study also touched on parking needs in future years. In the downtown core, parking needs were considered for different scales, depending on how big the proposed new performing arts centre and downtown ice arena end up being in the Civic Core Plan. This could require up to 1,915 needed parking spaces at peak utilization for the proposed new facilities, which Keel said should largely be accommodated. To accommodate this need, the study recommends the city retain most of its off-street parking lots and parkades, transition from the existing monthly permit model to a more flexible one including evening and weekend use as well as institute paid event parking for a reasonable fee. If the city ends up deciding to build a larger arena with capacity for 5,500
spectators, the study also recommends a shuttle bus service be used to link parking lots farther away from the venue. Also for on-street parking downtown, the study recommends increasing bylaw enforcement, transitioning towards two-hour free parking maximums to promote turnover with paid options on side streets and to create a long-term plan to adopt the same model used near the hospital with a mix of free short-term parking and paid longer-term parking. For downtown on-street parking, the study recommends the plaza parkade be retained or replaced if a large arena is built, consider the future of the Westel parkade and to invest in maintenance and exterior design for the rest of the off-street parking facilities. For parkades, the study recommends the installation of emergency call station and CCTV cameras, increasing visibility and security measures in stairwells and entrances, improve exterior façade and add perimeter fencing and reinforced gates at parkade entrances. More generally, the study recommends signage be improved for around the hospital zone, adding physical pay stations, converting Second Avenue to two-way traffic with angled parking, adding electric vehicle charging stations,
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improve accessible parking design and add short-term parking options. The report lists all the recommendations, their anticipated costs and the time frame in which they should be implemented. After the presentation, Coun. Cori Ramsay noted the finding that more than 75 per cent of motorists don’t park for longer than three hours. She wondered whether people would continue to come downtown if restrictions are put in place. Keel said they don’t want to do anything to discourage people from going downtown, but it’s a balancing act to make sure places are available by encouraging turnover. That’s a system that has worked in many other jurisdictions, he said. Director of finance and IT services Kris Dalio, city manager Walter Babicz, director of administrative services Eric Depenau and director of civic facilities Andy Beesley said the 2026 capital plan is still under development and upgrades to parking infrastructure like the George Street parkade are under consideration. Coun. Trudy Klassen said she appreciated the report’s comparison of the walking distance for patrons of the CN Centre and in the civic core between available parking and venues. She asked whether there’s anything the city can do to encourage people to use parkades more often. In other municipalities, Keel said, better signage, lighting and other design elements have helped motorists feel more comfortable using parkades. Coun. Susan Scott said she got a lot of feedback not just from people wanting to access the hospital, but medical appointments throughout the city’s core. She said she hoped the need for accessible parking was kept in mind as the city moves forward. Coun. Tim Bennett agreed, saying accessible parking is needed especially for people with disabilities who drive themselves to medical appointments. Coun. Garth Frizzell said with such a surplus of spaces, he didn’t see the need to reduce the parking time limit to two hours.
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
NEWS
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
UHNBC short on high-risk pregnancy specialists Conservatives call the situation a sign of ‘second-class health care’ for the North COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff
BC’s Official Opposition is accusing the provincial government of providing rural British Columbians with “second-class health care” after Northern Health announced that patients with high-risk pregnancies may need to be transferred from the University Hospital of Northern BC to other health centres starting in August due to a shortage of specialists. In a media release posted to Northern Health’s social media accounts on Monday, July 21, the health authority said that like many other medical centres in the province, UHNBC is “experiencing a shortage of Royal College obstetrical specialists that provide care and consultative services to high-risk pregnant individuals.” This shortage of specialists could result in service reductions starting in August “and there will be occasions where we many need to transfer you (at no cost to you) to another centre in the province to ensure the safety of you and your baby.” The release encourages pregnant patients to speak with their maternity care provider to discuss their birthing plans and to reach out to UHNBC’s labour and delivery department, which is open 24-7, to discuss any symptoms of concern. Dr. Ronald Chapman, UHNBC’s vice-president of medicine, said this is the second time this year there have been service disruptions at UHNBC’s obstetrics department after a 12-hour period on May 29. When that happened, he said, two patients were diverted to Vanderhoof to give birth and another two were transferred to hospitals in the Interior Health region as a precautionary measure. There were no issues with the parents who gave birth or their newborns in
CITIZEN FILE PHOTO
Northern Health is ‘experiencing a shortage of Royal College obstetrical specialists that provide care and consultative services to high-risk pregnant individuals.’
those cases, Chapman said. In June and July, UHNBC was able to find coverage among local doctors as well as locums. However, the hospital has been unable to fill all its gaps in August, making service reductions likely through the fall until more specialists can be recruited. He said doctors dealing with high-risk pregnancies need to obtain a certification in obstetrics and gynecology from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. In Prince George, Chapman said, doctors with this certification also help with caesarian section births. Most births are low risk and can be handled by general practitioners, midwives and nurses. While there’s a shortage of these specialists across the province, Chapman said a lot of the vacancies in the north come after physicians move either out of BC or to another health authority. There’s also a shortage when gynecologists and obstetricians take their own parental leave, medical leave or reduce their working hours to improve their work-life balance and prevent burnout.
Sometimes locums have been found from northeast BC or Quesnel, but Chapman said they have been unsuccessful in recruiting them from further south. To permanently fill vacancies, Chapman said, Northern Health is actively recruiting all across Canada and is going through some applications and interviews with the hope of adding them to the roster. There are also efforts being made to hire internationally-trained physicians from countries like England and the United States, though this process takes longer due to the need to make sure their credentials are recognized. In the United States, Chapman said, Northern Health has been advertising positions in all the recognized medical journals and at speciality-specific conferences. Sometimes these doctors are given a chance to work temporarily in the north to see if it’s a good fit. Towards the end of the year, Chapman said, one doctor from the U.S. will start work at the emergency department in Terrace. Asked why the health region waited
until late July to announce the service reductions, Chapman said they were working to see if they could cover the gaps. For patients with access to care providers, they can speak with their doctors to determine whether their pregnancy is high risk beforehand and see if the expected due date is likely to be when the service reductions are anticipated. People in Prince George without access to a doctor can visit the Urgent and Primary Care Centre at Parkwood Place. Chapman said that a few months ago, an unattached pre-natal clinic was established at the centre so that expecting parents can get assessed. They can also reach out to the Northern Health Virtual Clinic by calling 1-844-645-7811 between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m., seven days a week. Those who are transferred are likely to be sent to hospital in Kamloops, Kelowna or the BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre in Vancouver. Chapman said that high-risk pregnancies, if the parent isn’t in labour, can be transported on the ground. If they run into problems, they will be taken to the closest hospital that can assist them. He didn’t know the specifics, but Chapman said parents transferred to another community should be able to access a social worker for assistance. He thanked all the staff at UHNBC who deal with both low- and high-risk births for the work they do and their help in making sure that patients have a good birthing experience during the service reductions. Also reached by phone on July 22, Doctors of BC president-elect Dr. Adam Thompson said his organization first heard from its members about obstetrician shortages at UHNBC early this year. Doctors of BC is an association representing more than 16,000 physicians across the province. Thompson is a family physician based out of Courtenay on the east side of Vancouver Island. His term as Doctors of BC president starts in January 2026. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
Obstretician shortages are an issue across the province CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE “I gather there are currently three obstetricians in the unit that was ideally designed to have eight,” Thompson said. “And the doctors have been continuing to work with their colleagues to provide the best care they can, but when there’s three of them when there should be eight, it’s very difficult and not sustainable for them to continue working at that pace and level on a longterm basis.” Thompson said obstetrician shortages are a struggle across the province, pointing to comments by Health Minister Josie Osborne to that effect made the previous day. He said his organization is concerned that physicians and specialists are being burdened by a system that is highly utilized and doesn’t have enough of them to go around. Asked what could be done to improve the situation, Thompson cited recruitment from the United States as the province has already started to do, creating a system through which specialists can better manager their waitlists and having the province’s health authorities work with specialists to improve their systems. Though it’s more of a long-term solution, Thompson said that improving the number of spaces for medical students and residents in the province at program’s like UNBC’s Northern Medical Program and the new medical school being built at Simon Fraser University will help. On the international front, he said the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC has just started consultation work on streamlining the recognition of credentials from doctors trained in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Ireland. “I’m originally from the U.K.,” Thompson said. “(I) came here 15 years ago and had to bounce through four different sets of exams. You don’t have to do that anymore.” Going forward, Thompson said, physicians in Prince George want to
see Northern Health carry out fulsome and widespread communication on the service reductions beyond just social media announcements. “I think there’s a responsibility on Northern Health to ensure that all pregnant individuals are aware of the shortages so that patients in some of these circumstances may want to relocate to ensure proper care and will need to plan for this,” he said. He concluded by saying that his organization is working with northern physicians and Northern Health to attract and retain obstetricians both now and going forward. The morning after the July 21 media release, the BC Conservatives put out a media release criticizing the health authority and the provincial government for the situation. The release points out that UHNBC is the only tertiary care hospital for obstetrics in Northern BC and hospitals in Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, Hazelton, Terrace and Prince Rupert send patients with high-risk pregnancies there. Now these patients may have to travel even farther to give birth. Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Kiel Giddens said Northern Health had been aware of the problem since January and neither it nor the province had come up with a solution while Prince George-Valemount MLA Rosalyn Bird said that the situation shows that rural British Columbians “are being treated like second-class citizens.” In a Tuesday, July 22 phone interview, Giddens said that since many people in the affected areas don’t have a family doctor, he wanted to raise the alarm about the issue to make sure patients can arrange for safe deliveries of their newborns. Responding to the comments made in the release, Giddens said he’s heard of proposalsto bring in OBGYNs from Edmonton or Calgary. “But there’s been no help from the Provincial Health Services Authority, not from the College of Physicians to help that,” he said. “So, people are at their wits’ end. The
doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists all of them want to keep the system running but they’re getting no help.” He said that having a child is already a stressful time and giving people less than two weeks’ notice that they might have to travel farther than Prince George will only add to that. It’s unacceptable to have that standard of care in a G7 country, he said. In the short term, Giddens said, he’d like to see the province bring in locums to cover the shortage. In the long term, he’d like to see better human resources planning and strategy to make sure gaps are addressed not only at UHNBC, but also in places like Mackenzie that have seen their emergency rooms temporarily closed. While the provincial government is working to attract medical professionals leaving the United States, Giddens said he’s seen no evidence that those brought to BC will end up in Northern Health.
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(I) came here 15 years ago and had to bounce through four different sets of exams. You don’t have to do that anymore.” On top of that, he said he’d like to see it made easier for health-care credentials to move between provinces as well as less reliance on foreign credentials. Though the Legislature is currently not in session, he said he would push Health Minister Josie Osborne to find some local solutions for this and other health-care problems in the province. Reached by email, a spokesperson from Osborne’s office said the minister was unavailable for an interview.
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
OPINION
Be proud of how safe our public gatherings are KENNEDY GORDON Citizen Managing Editor
It’s good to be see that the City of Prince George and Tourism PG are taking seriously a recent provincial safety report commissioned after the tragic Lapu-Lapu Day attack in Vancouver this past April where 11 lives were lost. The report makes six clear recommendations to improve the safety of public events, from requiring risk assessments for all gatherings to offering more training, better co-ordination with emergency services, and even financial support for safety measures. The report sets out a roadmap for safer, more secure community celebrations. Here in Prince George, that roadmap isn’t unfamiliar. In fact, local officials were already reviewing event safety policies before the report was released, recognizing the need to adapt after what happened in Vancouver. The city’s event services team has been working closely with the RCMP, fire services, transportation, and bylaw enforcement to develop a checklist system for event safety — something that can be shared not only internally but also with outside event organizers. Tourism Prince George has echoed that effort, emphasizing the need for accessible safety planning tools and support for smaller, often volunteer-run groups that may lack resources but still play a big role in our cultural life.
CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT
People dance and have fun at the Crossroads Brewery Summer Street Fest in July 2024 at Fifth Avenue and George Street. Prince George can be proud to be able to have a good time while staying safe.
All of this is good work, and there’s more to be done. As both the city and tourism offices have noted, a centralized hub for safety resources and training would be a gamechanger, and provincial help with rising security costs would make a big difference for grassroots event organizers. These are practical, achievable steps that will make community events across
BC more resilient and inclusive. But as we improve, we must also recognize what’s already working — especially here in Prince George. The reality is that large-scale public gatherings in our city are overwhelmingly safe, well-attended, and a source of big civic pride. Our events listings have been packed with events that brought
people together peacefully and joyfully: Summerfest, the Renaissance Faire, the Local Night Market, the downtown Farmers’ Market and more. These aren’t just one-off parties; they are fixtures of our local culture and proof that community spirit is alive and well in PG. In one July weekend alone, the downtown core hosted the Special Olympics BC Summer Games, Pride celebrations, the Nanguz ‘An container market and Community Arts Days. The city responded by temporarily redesigning intersections for pedestrian safety, while event organizers co-ordinated transit, parade routes and security plans in unison. It’s an example of how collaboration and thoughtful planning can make even our busiest community spaces feel welcoming and secure. In a city that, like many others, faces its share of challenges, it’s worth pausing to appreciate that we do this well. Public events in Prince George are more than just entertainment — they’re a sign of who we are. They show that families can come out, feel safe, and be part of something bigger. Let’s keep improving, learning, and planning smarter to keep everyone safe. We also should recognize that gatherings in Prince George, is one of the things we do best. That’s worth protecting and celebrating. Have your say on this or other local issues with a letter to the editor by emailing editor@pgcitizen.ca.
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
OPINION
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CITIZEN FILE PHOTO
We’ve been lucky this summer, spared the worst of wildfire season so far with wetter-than-average weather and skies mostly clear of drifting wildfire smoke, but we shouldn’t get complacent, Todd Whitcombe writes today.
We are always at risk of wildfires, no matter the weather As I See It TODD WHITCOMBE
One of the advantages of working “up the hill” is the spectacular view of Prince George and its surroundings from my office window. Miles of rolling green forest stretch east into the MacGregors — and on a very clear day, you can see a couple of peaks in the Rockies. In winter, the vista turns white and can be even more breathtaking under a clear blue sky. I consider myself lucky to have such a view. But every now and then, when I hear of forest fires raging across the province or beyond, I can’t help but feel a little nervous — and thankful that we haven’t experienced such devastation.
We’re nestled in a forest, surrounded by trees with thick undergrowth and mature stands. Even within city limits, trees are abundant. In fact, there are parts of Prince George that, viewed from UNBC, appear completely untouched — as if no one lives there at all. So far, we’ve been lucky. No major conflagrations. No serious burns. Our local fire department has managed to contain fires within the city. And our forests, for now, don’t seem particularly prone to going up in flames. With the wet summer we’ve had this year, it’s possible we’re “safe” for the time being. Even a lightning strike might struggle to spark a fire. But not all our summers will be this wet. Drought conditions west of Prince George have already sparked wildfires. The dry prairies seem to have burned all summer. Which begs the question: when will it be our turn?
Perhaps more importantly, what will we do when it is? Can anything be done to prevent Prince George from burning? Driving to work along Tyner Boulevard, I see a new development being built into the forest on Cranbrook Hill. Building right up against the trees may not be the best idea. Yes, we need more housing — but this close to the forest? British Columbia spends billions of dollars — some $6 billion over the past five years — fighting fires. Insurance companies spend billions more dealing with the losses. People lose valuable possessions, and sometimes much more. So what do we spend on fire prevention? About $25 million a year. A fraction of the cost of fighting the fires themselves. Perhaps we’ve got the equation backwards. Maybe we should be spending billions on preventing fires — and on
fireproofing our cities so that even if the surrounding forest burns, our communities stay safe. One option could be building a firebreak around the city. Expensive and likely unworkable — it would involve land acquisition and clearing on a massive scale. Or we could bring in herds of goats to clear low-lying vegetation, reducing fire risk. Another idea: an emergency water system to supplement the town’s hydrants, capable of misting the city and dampening flames. Likely impractical as well. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be thinking about options. Who would have thought Kelowna, Jasper or Lytton could be so vulnerable? Maybe a little prevention really is better than the cure. Todd Whitcombe is a professor of chemistry at UNBC.
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
OPINION Editorial: Once again, Prince George city council opts for optics, not action
Staffing shortages could lead to transfer of high-risk pregnancies out of UHNBC
It’s nice to see Kyle Sampson learning his political lessons. A few years ago he faced backlash from the public after referring to the homeless as “losers” and saying “they don’t deserve empathy or sympathy.”
Our health care system is an crumbling institution. We only allow so many go to medical school each year.
Now, he can host photo credible barbecues to give the optics he cares about the issue. (while still not addressing or helping to do anything real about it.) PGBornandRaised
We don’t recognize medical certifications from other countries. Yet our politicians would rather point finger, because that’s easier to do. We have had a nurse shortage for how many decades now? Why isn’t there schooling incentives for completing medical school and entering the medical system? Alucard
More compressor stations coming for Coastal GasLink
Editorial: Once again, Prince George city council opts for optics, not action While networking events are crucial for breaking down silos in the social service sector, five key elements should have been clearly defined before council approved the $2,500 expense: clear goals, inclusive participation, followup planning, transparent budgeting, and justified staff involvement.
I feel like the impact all this new foreign competition for finite resources is going to have on domestic prices should be part of every discussion about the project, rather than a simple ‘go team Canada’ type analysis. We should now be entering the phase where those price hikes start to become a reality, so perhaps we’ll talk about more, now that it’s too late. Helmholtz Watson
Without these, even wellintentioned efforts risk appearing symbolic — and may be seen as a misuse of taxpayers’ money.
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Report maps out future of parking in Prince George
Crime rates down in Prince George: Statistics Canada
CCTV cameras, emergency call stations, better lighting and enhanced parkade design will not improve safety. It might improve the “feeling” of safety. I go downtown on a regular basis and you can’t walk two blocks without coming across someone who is either on drugs or has mental issues or both and is acting aggressive or erratic or both. They don’t care if they’re on camera. The consultant missed the obvious suggestion for improvement: Remove the people who threaten your safety. PGLocal
Report maps out future of parking in Prince George Two-hour parking and they wonder why people don’t come down town to shop... I have to plan ahead of time and with the three-hour parking I usually end up having to pass on checking out stores that got my attention due to that. I am also curious how they are going to have us pay the $1 an hour for parking ... not everyone has a cell phone, and some do, but no data so that rules out apps ... or is city going to penalize those people for i? Or do i park and have to walk a mile or two to get to a pay station? That will be handy for mobility challenged people...
It’s a bit more difficult to believe when we live in the Hammond subdivision and get robbed twice in one day and the second time the homeless guy when I got home at 2 p.m. after being out for two hours. He was having a shower our bedroom basement shower when we got home after feeding himself and going through our stuff and a new set of cloths. Maybe we really should be looking at stiffer sentences for drug dealers that sponsor the zombie drugs. Starting at two years, then five, then 10. I feel for the police that have to see them just release with in a couple days or a week.
The city, if they have any sense, might want to rethink this.
I see this as a growing issue in PG over the last few years since 2019
bcracer
BC Benny
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
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Union argues seniority calculation as CNC layoffs loom BOB MACKIN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
With layoffs looming at the end of the month, the Faculty Association of the College of New Caledonia failed to convince an arbitrator to order that breaks of six months or less must count toward an employee’s seniority. College of New Caledonia (CNC) announced in April that the downturn in foreign student registrations means a $7.1 million revenue decline in the 20252026 fiscal year. Layoffs are necessary in order to balance the $92.6 million budget. In a July 21 ruling, Arbitrator Mark Brown agreed with the union that the collective bargaining agreement with CNC “clearly uses ‘continuous employment’ as the measurement for seniority” — which includes a break in service of six months or less. “The article is clear and unambiguous,” Brown wrote.
CNC PHOTO
The College of New Caledonia (Vanderhoof campus seen here) is facing layoffs due to a decline in enrolment numbers for international students due to new federal rules.
However, the union is legally barred from requiring CNC to change the seniority calculation. In 2002, the parties agreed how to apply seniority for faculty layoffs. As such, Brown said he was “not
Man accused of pointing firearm MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff
Prince George RCMP responded to Fourth Avenue and Quinn Street after receiving a report of a man pointing a firearm at a taxi driver on Saturday, July 19 at about 10:30 p.m. An officer on scene located a suspect, later identified as Clayton Gus Joseph, 38, of Prince George, and arrested him without incident. The weapon was later determined to be an imitation firearm. However, a search incidental to the arrest revealed a second, non-imitation firearm, as well as ammunition. “Despite the presence of the firearm, Mr. Joseph was arrested by attending officers without further incident,” said Cpl. Jennifer Cooper, media relations officer with Prince George RCMP. “Though the firearm was later determined to be an imitation firearm,
RCMP are reminding the public that a police response to an imitation firearm will elicit the same response as a real firearm.” Police say Joseph is well known to them, having been arrested in 2011 for break and enter with intent, and in 2013 in connection with a “drug-fuelled crime spree” that resulted in a two-year prison sentence. The following charges have been approved: • Possession of a firearm or ammunition contrary to a prohibition order • Possession of an imitation weapon • Possession of a weapon • Carrying a concealed weapon • Uttering threats • Failing to comply with a probation order (two counts) Joseph remains in custody until his next court appearance. The case is now before the courts.
persuaded by the union’s argument that the union was not aware,” because memos and other documents were sent or copied to union officials. Seniority is length of service beginning from the date of becoming a
regular employee. Time spent working on part-time or sessional contracts before that point is calculated differently, according to the CNC contract. The employer argued that breaks between such appointments do not count toward seniority. “The past practice will prevail for the situation at hand,” Brown ruled. “Future situations like the case at hand will be governed by the union’s interpretation, unless the parties address the situation in collective bargaining.” The contract says that, upon the association’s request, layoffs are referred to a committee to consider whether an employee can exercise seniority and instruct in other disciplines. Affected employees are paid a month’s severance at the current rate for each year to a maximum seven months, an additional two months for those with 11 years seniority and an additional two months for employees with 15 years seniority.
Happy BC DAY As your local BC Conservative MLAs, we join with our communities to celebrate the places and people that make up our beautiful province.
Rosalyn Bird MLA Prince George-Valemount Phone: 778-744-8598 Constituency Office:1350 5th Ave Email: rosalyn.bird.MLA@leg.bc.ca Kiel Giddens MLA Prince George-MacKenzie Phone: 250-612-4194 (Prince George) Prince George Office: 102-1023 Central St Phone: 250-997-5281 (Mackenzie) Mackenzie Office: 124-403 Mackenzie Blvd Email: kiel.giddens.MLA@leg.bc.ca
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
NEWS
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
Exploration Place putting the focus back on families MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff
The Exploration Place is welcoming locals and visitors alike to see a new exhibit — and its renewed family focus — this summer and fall. As Prince George’s only museum and science centre, The Exploration Place has been making changes based on local community feedback over the past year. “We know that not everyone connected with the museum right after the renovations, and that’s fair,” said executive director Alyssa Leier. “We’ve been listening to what our community has been asking for, and we’re working hard to bring back the hands-on, family-focused experiences that so many people told us they missed.” The museum stated in a press release that admissions and the overall visitor experience have improved since The Exploration Place reopened in 2022. One of the biggest pieces of feedback the museum received was about the removal of the Children’s Gallery, which had been offered for 20 years before being taken out. The Exploration Place said the removal of this important feature without a replacement was a “misstep,” and that the community’s response drove the creation of a new “Explorations Gallery.” “It was a misstep when we took out the children’s gallery,” said Robyn Curtis, manager of development at The Exploration Place. “We didn’t replace it with anything. It’s bringing back a lot of the favourites that were in the old children’s gallery — there are quite a few things that people are gonna remember from before — and then we’re bringing in a bunch of new fixtures as well, which people are really excited about. We have three that are gonna be arriving any day now.” The Explorations Gallery is a new space for families that directly addresses concerns and suggestions raised by the Prince George community. The museum also noted that many of its recent improvements came from
EXPLORATION PLACE PHOTO
Acknowledging that taking out the Children’s Gallery was ‘a misstep,’ The Exploration Place is offering new child-friendly activities.
public consultation conducted during The Exploration Place’s 2023 strategic planning process. The new gallery currently features hands-on exhibits for children that encourage creativity and experimentation through play. “We’re actively working on bringing all the hands-on fun back,” said Leier. “We hope people who haven’t visited in a while will come see the difference for themselves.” The gallery is currently open to the public and is looking to expand as additional funding becomes available. The science centre noted that three surprise fixtures will be installed soon. “We’re asking people to give us a second chance,” said Leier. “If you haven’t been in the last year, you haven’t really seen what we’re doing now. And if you miss the nostalgia of what The Exploration Place used to be, we get it. But we’re building something new, and we want the community to help shape it.” As a non-profit, The Exploration Place relies on donations, grants and contributions from locals and businesses. The science centre said that recent improvements were made possible
thanks to support from the Y.P. Heung Foundation, the Prince George Community Foundation, Canfor, TELUS, the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George and BC Hydro, which helped the museum meet its fundraising goal for the project. “Not a lot of people realize that we are a non-profit and we are a registered Canadian charity,” said Curtis. “So we do get some funding from the regional district and we apply for a lot of grants, but that doesn’t cover all of our operations, so we need community support to keep our doors open, essentially. We need to raise probably more than $2,500 per day above and beyond all that grant funding just to keep operating the way that we are.” Curtis added that many of the family-focused programs locals missed are also making a return. “We brought back our Homeschooler Monday program and we also developed a program for preschool-aged kids, which is something that we didn’t have before — and that’s been received really well. Also, our school programs have been free since 2023, thanks to a grant from the Drax Foundation. We
have just recently learned that they are going to continue that support in this next school year, and we’re also going to extend the free programming to our homeschoolers and the preschool program as well — and probably other community programs too. We’re excited about that.” The Exploration Place is now offering admission by donation every Thursday, all day from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Curtis told The Citizen that The Exploration Place holds a special place in the community, and its presence is important in education and the preservation of history. “We wear many different hats, I would say,” said Curtis. “Not only are we the regional museum, but we’re also preserving all of the region’s historical treasures and archaeological specimens and all of that. We’re also the science centre. We’re also just a community gathering place. I think if we weren’t around, I think people would miss us — because we’re pretty unique, and not every community our size has something like this.” Besides the new family-centred Explorations Gallery, the science centre will soon feature a new travelling exhibit, which will be offered starting in September. Extreme Sports: Beyond Human Limit promises an inside look at the high-adrenaline world of extreme sports. The interactive exhibition, developed and produced by Science North in partnership with the Ontario Science Centre, will explore the minds, bodies and motivations of extreme sports athletes — with a focus on wingsuit flying, ice and rock climbing, parkour, free diving and more. The exhibit will include physical, multimedia and creative challenges for all ages and will feature voices from athletes who persevere through adversity. Perspectives from researchers who study extreme athletes — and those who rescue them when things go wrong — will also be featured. The new exhibit opens Sept. 30 and will run until Jan. 15.
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
Justice council opens Indigenous diversion centre
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MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff
The BC First Nations Justice Council has opened a new Indigenous diversion centre in Prince George, the first of its kind in the province. The facility aims to reduce the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in the justice system and help break cycles of incarceration and harm. Located at 1475 10th Ave., next to the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction office, the new centre is funded in part by Public Safety Canada’s Northern and Indigenous Crime Prevention Fund. The Indigenous Diversion Centre will offer a Post-Release Diversion Program designed to support individuals struggling to reintegrate into society. The program provides culturally grounded care, long-term support and a sense of belonging for those re-entering the community. Miranda Seymour, diversion legal and policy advisor and a newly elected member of the Lheidli T’enneh Council, explained the meaning of “diversion” as it applies to the new facility. “It’s looking to redirect individuals away from the traditional justice system,” Seymour said. “Often, that could look like being arrested, prosecuted, and incarcerated. So it’s looking at community-based solutions. “For us here in the Indigenous Diversion Centre, it will mean getting people involved in culture and ceremony. We have what we’re calling guided lessons.” These guided lessons are informed by research on recidivism and tailored to support individuals reintegrating into the community. Seymour said a major focus of the program is long-term care coordination. “Often, people come out of custody and might get snippets of help — someone helps them with a résumé, someone else with housing — but that might only last days or weeks. Then they’re on their own,” she said. “We want to serve people long-term.” Modelled in part after post-incarceration care in cities such as Ottawa and
CITIZEN PHOTO BY MATTHEW HILLIER
The new Diversion Centre is located at 1475 10th Ave., in the same plaza as the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction office.
Seattle, the Prince George centre was also developed with the unique needs of northern BC in mind. “The North doesn’t get appreciated for its uniqueness,” said Seymour. “One of our priorities was grounding the Indigenous Diversion Centre in Lheidli T’enneh territory. We have a Lheidli T’enneh elder-in-residence, Marcel Gagnon, who is a well-known musician and has worked in the justice system for over 30 years. He’s incredibly culturally knowledgeable.” Seymour herself is Lheidli T’enneh and a newly elected member of the First Nation’s Chief and Council. Local artist Jennifer Annais Pagan, also from Lheidli T’enneh, is designing artwork for the centre. The centre also features a framework of Indigenous staffing, in-house clinical counselling and culturally focused healing and rehabilitation. “Our hope is to have seasonal camps — getting people out on the land, dip netting for salmon, walking a trapline, drumming on the land,” said Seymour. “It’s about connecting to culture, the
land and ceremony — including sweat lodge ceremonies and spirit baths.” The Diversion Centre will initially offer 12 services: • Ceremony • Long-term care coordination • Clinical counselling • Community partner workshops • Sacred Bundle Journey • Seasonal camps • Land-based activities • Atsoo’s (Grandmother’s) Kitchen • Adulting 101 • Cultural activities • Therapeutic art group Seymour emphasized that the centre is designed to address systemic issues in northern BC, particularly at Prince George Regional Correctional Centre (PGRCC). “There’s really a crisis here in the North — the over-incarceration of Indigenous people,” she said. “Statistics show that 63 per cent of inmates at PGRCC identify as Indigenous, and we’ve heard it can be even higher. The centre is also over capacity.” “We’re really hoping the work we do
here leads to lower numbers of Indigenous people at PGRCC. That means giving them tools and support so they don’t find themselves back in custody or in conflict with the law.” Seymour said reconnecting individuals to culture, ensuring access to elders, and addressing issues like mental health, addiction, poverty and homelessness are key to breaking the cycle. “They’re always welcome back here at the centre. And maybe someday, they’ll come back as a peer to help support others.” The Post-Release Diversion Program is currently running, and the centre plans to launch a Pre-Charge Diversion Program in the fall of 2025. The new program, in partnership with Prince George RCMP, will work with Indigenous individuals charged with eligible offences to divert them from incarceration. Instead, participants will follow a customized 90-day Diversion Plan. If completed successfully, the charges may be dropped and participants can continue working with a dedicated
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
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PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
Union calls for better safety after suspected arson MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff
With two local weigh scales targeted by suspected arson — one this week and another last December — concerns have been raised about the safety of Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement (CVSE) workers and officers. The alleged arson occurred around 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 19, when emergency responders received a report of flames coming from the Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement (CVSE) office located at the weigh scale. Police at the scene collected evidence suggesting the fire was deliberately set and say it mirrors evidence found following a similar blaze at the Red Rock Weigh Scale on Dec. 24, 2024. “Police believe that this incident is related to another suspicious fire investigation that occurred on Dec. 24, 2024, at the Highway 97 South weigh scales,” said Const. Jenna Moore, media relations officer for the Prince George RCMP. “There was orange spraypainted graffiti located on a sea-can nearby that is similar to what was seen in December. The graffiti reads ‘good job McCreadie.’” Investigators are asking anyone who may have driven past that section of Highway 97 North around the time of the fire to submit dash cam footage showing any people or vehicles approaching or leaving the area. One of the strongest advocates for CVSE safety is the president of the BC General Employees’ Union, who spoke with The Citizen about the two alleged arsons. “There are 24 weigh scales across the province, and this is the second one in the area to be set on fire and vandalized. We think there’s an obvious pattern here,” said Finch. “This is a general targeting of law enforcement that includes CVSE. Our concern is that the appropriate protections CVSE needs — to ensure officers get home safe at the end of the day — must be put in place. “There’s a broader context beyond just the pattern that’s emerging — there’s an escalating environment of hostility and verbal abuse directed
CITIZEN STAFF PHOTO
The Hart weigh scales station is seen on Monday, July 21. Signs of a fire there two nights before are not visible. Prince George RCMP are investigating it and a similar fire at the Red Rock scales last December.
towards CVSE members. These individuals play an incredibly important role in ensuring that your roads are safe. They deserve the support necessary to ensure they can go home safely.” Finch also expressed concern about the state of some CVSE worksites, noting they are in need of security upgrades and equipment changes, especially for employees working alone on late shifts. “There are very specific things we’ve identified jointly with the province that need to be fulfilled — and haven’t been,” said Finch. “We need a centralized dispatch, similar to what BC conservation officers have. That’s critical communication. We need to increase staffing to ensure people aren’t working alone and putting themselves at risk in remote situations. We need to ensure that these weigh scale stations have appropriate lighting and cameras in place. “These needs were identified quite a while ago. The upgrades to these facilities haven’t been completed. This is basic, and it needs to happen. We
also need to ensure there’s appropriate training in place for all of our CVSE members. We need a review of what protections are appropriate for CVSE members — including use-of-force options.” The BCGEU recently stated in a news release: “The BCGEU has successfully pushed the government to initiate an independent, third-party risk assessment of working conditions and practices at CVSE facilities.” However, Finch is adamant that the upgrades and staffing changes must happen as soon as possible to ensure safe working conditions. “I want to be clear — I don’t want them addressed by the third party; I want them addressed before the third party can make its report,” said Finch. “We need a central dispatch system to clarify communications. We need the camera, lighting and security upgrades in facilities completed now — not six months from now, but now. And with respect to the third-party risk assessment, we need a clear understanding of the support options and other
measures in place to protect CVSE officers.” Finch added that, beyond the alleged arson at the weigh station, there have been several incidents of violence and threats pointing to a troubling trend. “We have several instances of behaviour where we’ve had verbal abuse. We’ve had altercations where CVSE officers had to call the police. We’ve had situations where general threats were directed towards weigh scale staff. There are situations where officers responded to calls involving occupants with weapons. There’s a variety of different incidents — and this is part of a broader trend that’s happening.” “The fundamental thing I’ll say is this — there are very specific, clear steps that should be taken immediately to enhance the security and protection of people who play a vital role in keeping our roads safe,” said Finch. “Both for travel and because this is an essential corridor for our economy, they deserve our support so they can get home safe themselves.”
NEWS
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
Defendants file response to Quesnel mayor’s wife She sued a councillor and a First Nations group for defamation BOB MACKIN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
In separate BC Supreme Court court defence filings, a Quesnel city councillor and a First Nations lobby group both denied that they defamed the wife of Quesnel Mayor Ron Paull. Coun. Laurey-Anne Roodenberg and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) maintain they rightfully offered opinions about Pat Morton’s promotion of a book skeptical of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 2015 report and the 2021 claim that remains of 215 children had been buried near at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. The Tk’emlups te Secwepemc band’s ground-penetrating radar expert clarified her findings, to say that equipment
detected 200 “anomalies.” The site has not been excavated. Morton’s May lawsuits against Roodenburg and UBCIC accused them of harming her reputation, causing her physical and mental distress and exposing her to danger. In 2024, Morton purchased 11 copies of Grave Error: How the Media Misled Us (and the Truth About Residential Schools) and provided them to the school district library, a local MLA and mother of Coun. Tony Goulet, who is Metis. Roodenburg’s May 30 response said she made the statements about Morton at a city council meeting without malice and in the public interest, based on fact. She pleads qualified privilege, as an elected official. Roodenburg’s defence statement, filed by North Vancouver defamation lawyer Roger McConchie, said the format of Morton’s notice of civil claim does not comply with court rules.
On June 23, Roodenburg informed the court that she replaced McConchie with Vancouver lawyer David McKnight. UBCIC filed its response on June 6, explaining it sent a letter on April 2, 2024 to City of Quesnel after a member of the Nazko First Nation sought support. UBCIC said it published the letter in good faith and without malice, and that it “does not characterize the plaintiff as a ‘promoter of residential school denialism’.” UBCIC pleads justification, fair comment, responsible communication and qualified privilege. “UBCIC has been vocal in challenging residential school denialism and what it views as the book’s dissemination of misinformation harmful to residential school survivors and their families, the goals of reconciliation, and the specific calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” said the filing by Vancouver lawyers Allan Doolittle and Natasha John. On June 11, Morton replied, stating
UBCIC acted with “reckless disregard for the truth and that the statements made were done with malice or gross negligence.” As for Roodenburg, Morton said “her statements were false, defamatory and delivered in a hostile and accusatory tone.” Morton is seeking damages, costs, a declaration that Roodenburg breached City of Quesnel’s code of conduct and an order for Roodenburg to issue a formal public apology. In March, a BC Supreme Court judge quashed three resolutions to censure and sanction Paull. Paull successfully claimed that Quesnel city council’s April 30, 2024 decisions against him were made without procedural fairness. Councillors voted to withdraw Paull’s travel budget and remove him from city committees and the Cariboo Regional District board after Morton shared the book.
Quick response to crash TOYS • COMICS • GAMES There are 204 total squares on a chess board and 20 opening moves. Register for the August open tournament and use your best opening gambit. Call Roman at 778-675-4585 CITIZEN PHOTO BY MATT LUND
City fire crews didn’t have to go far to deal with a collision at Fifth Avenue and Ospika Boulevard on Monday, July 28. The crash happened just outside Fire Hall No. 2. The intersection is also close to the RCMP Prince George detachment’s Fifth Avenue building. There was no immediate word on injuries.
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Drop in for chess every Sunday Spruceland Shopping Centre
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
NEWS
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
Judge finds local masseur not guilty of sexual assault BOB MACKIN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A BC Supreme Court judge found a Prince George massage practitioner not guilty July 23 of sexually assaulting a customer at a local spa more than a year ago. A 36-year-old woman, whose name is protected by a publication ban, accused Amir Khoshtinat Markaz, 38, of touching her breasts and inner thighs and exposing her vagina by spreading her legs. Markaz pleaded not guilty and testified in his own defence at the trial, which began July 15. “While the accused’s evidence is not without difficulties, it effectively raises a reasonable doubt as to his guilt,” Justice Dennis Hori said in his oral ruling. The trial heard that the woman bought the Mother’s Day package for herself from Razor’s Edge salon and attended two appointments with Markaz on May 7 and 14, 2024. Prince George RCMP arrested Markaz May 15, 2024 after she complained. Markaz came to Prince George in late 2022 and started at Razor’s Edge in June 2023. He was born and educated in Iran, where he earned a degree in naval studies and is qualified to be an officer on trade ships. While not a registered massage therapist, he completed
CITIZEN FILE PHOTO
A man working for a local spa has been found not guilty of sexual assault after a customer reported two alleged incidents.
short-term courses in Iran and Ukraine before coming to Canada in 2021. Markaz testified that he urged the complainant to not be shy and let him know whenever she felt uncomfortable. She testified that she did not recall him
offering any such instructions. She testified that Markaz called her beautiful, and spoke about visiting a red light district in Thailand, his knowledge of a woman’s body and what a woman needs for a massage treatment.
She also testified that when Markaz stopped touching her inappropriately, “she was frozen and could not believe what had just happened. She says she was on autopilot.” Court heard that the complainant left a gratuity for Markaz after her appointments, because she wanted to appear normal. “She was standing at the front of the salon when she was asked how the treatment was, she responded that it was fine, because she just wanted to leave,” Hori said. Hori ruled that the accused and complainant both provided straightforward evidence, but aspects of the complainant’s testimony raised concerns about her reliability. For instance, she testified the first time she attended the salon was May 5, 2024 and booked the first appointment. Records of the salon indicate she made the appointment on May 4. She also testified that she arranged May 14 appointment on May 7 to include a pedicure, facial and 60-minute massage. “This evidence is, again, not consistent with the records of the salon, which indicate that the pedicure and the massage were booked by the complainant on May 7, but the facial was booked by the complainant on May 14,” Hori said.
Accused had hatchet, shotgun despite weapons ban BOB MACKIN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A Provincial Court judge in Prince George sentenced a man to 34 months in jail for firearms possession on Wednesday, July 23. Garnet Alexander Izony, born in 1991, pleaded guilty March 26 to possessing a loaded, prohibited or restricted firearm and possessing a firearm while prohibited from doing so. Judge Peter McDermick agreed to a joint proposal from Crown and defence and sentenced Izony to three years,
before subtracting 60 days for time served. “So you’re going to go to jail today, which that may sound that I’m angry or upset with you, but holding you accountable for your actions is treating you like a man, which I’m about to do,” McDermick said to Izony. McDermick also banned Izony from firearms possession for life and recommended Izony be transferred to a detention facility where he can access aboriginal programs. Court heard that Prince George RCMP arrested Izony on Aug. 10, 2024 in
downtown Prince George. Two officers on patrol observed him riding a BMX bike that failed to stop at a stop sign at Sixth Avenue and George Street. Izony was evasive when he gave them a name and date of birth that did not match the police database. They arrested him for obstruction, searched his backpack and located a hatchet and a sawed-off semiautomatic rifle modified to resemble a shotgun. They also found two banana clip magazines taped to each other for quick reloading. Izony was sentenced in September
2018 for multiple offences and given a 10-year ban on possessing firearms. In February 2022, a judge gave him a conditional sentence order that would have expired at the end of August 2024. That order included conditions banning him from possessing weapons and knives. McDermick was satisfied that Izony remained sober in pre-sentencing treatment through VisionQuest Recovery Society and encouraged him to continue making progress. “It’s going to go well for you, you’re going to get out,” McDermick said.
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
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Conditional sentence for woman caught with cocaine BOB MACKIN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A 37-year-old store owner in Prince George was sentenced July 22 to a year of house arrest, a year of curfew and three years probation for possessing nearly half-a-kilogram of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. Robyn Ann Bradley pleaded guilty in BC Supreme Court on Jan. 13, more than four years after her arrest. Bradley emerged as a person of interest while the Prince George RCMP street crew investigated a suspected drug trafficker in 2020. Bradley was a target of surveillance and vehicle tracking in November 2020 and observed making several short-duration stops consistent with drug trafficking and frequenting a suspected safe house near the former Central Fort George elementary school. Officers arrested Bradley Dec. 3, 2020 in a black GMC Canyon pickup truck.
KTW FILE PHOTO
A Prince George woman will serve house arrest after being arrested with cocaine and charged with possession.
As an officer led her away, a brown paper bag fell from Bradley’s jacket. It contained 493.98 grams of cocaine, with a purity ranging from 78-91 per cent. When she pleaded guilty in January, federal prosecutor Mansi Khajuria told the court that the street value of the cocaine was estimated at between $17,289 and $49,398.
Guilty of sexually assaulting teen BOB MACKIN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The jury in the BC.Supreme Court trial of a Prince George man deliberated for less than a day and found him guilty as charged July 23 of sexual assault and touching a person under 16 for a sexual purpose. Joseph Alexander Child, 46, pleaded not guilty at the start of the trial on July 9. He did not testify in his defence. Child will undergo a sentencing hearing on Dec. 16 and 17. After receiving instructions from Justice Michael Stephens on July 22, the jury began deliberations at 3:15 p.m. until retiring for the day around 10 p.m. Jurors resumed at 10 a.m. but returned to deliver the guilty verdict at 12:15 p.m. The incident took place during a sleepover at Child’s basement suite near Spruceland Mall on Aug. 11, 2020. The victim testified that Child made
her touch his genitals, massaged her genitals with his hand and forced her to have sexual intercourse in his bedroom. The identities of the victim and witnesses are protected by a publication ban. During closing arguments, Crown prosecutor Rodney Withall said the jury needed to find at least one of the offences happened beyond reasonable doubt in order to convict Withall on both counts. Withall emphasized the girl was only 14 at the time, “and incapable, at law, of consenting to any sexual activity with a 42-year-old man.” Pivotal to the case was DNA evidence that matched Child’s in a 2021-tested vaginal swab. By its guilty ruling, the jury did not buy defence lawyer James Macdonnell’s theory that the girl made sexual advances to Child and the DNA came from Child’s skin cells applied by her finger.
Church accepted the joint Crown and defence sentencing proposal. Bradley’s defence lawyer, Jason LeBlond, said his client had no prior criminal record and “stayed out of the attention of any authorities since the date of this offence.” LeBlond called the fall of 2020 a “bad time for her,” but Bradley now regrets
her decisions and is remorseful. Church said that Bradley can leave her home during the house arrest term with written permission of a conditional sentence supervisor for employment, childcare or other compelling reasons. The curfew in the second year runs 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily. Bradley must complete 80 hours of community work service by January 2027. She must not possess firearms for 10 years and is allowed to possess only one mobile phone with one number registered in her name. She cannot possess any drug paraphernalia, except for a naloxone kit. Church also ordered Bradley to stay away from certain, named individuals and to attend a counselling program as directed by the conditional sentencing supervisor. “Ms. Bradley, you’ve done very good work between the date of this offence and now,” Church said. “Keep up the good work.”
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
BUSINESS
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
Northern Steel shuts down Prince George operations Tariffs played a role in parent company’s decision to close business operating since 1977 TED CLARKE Citizen Staff
That Trumpian dark cloud threatening the survival of Canadian companies has not left Prince George unscathed. According to Northern Steel general manager Ken Bird, the threat of tariffs from the United States may have played a role in the parent company’s decision to permanently shut down Northern Steel, a Prince George business since 1977. “Tariffs did not have a direct influence on the decision to close Northern Steel,” Bird said. “That said, sectors such as forestry — which have been affected by tariffs — have seen broader industry impacts, particularly in regions like Prince George and across BC. This downturn has had a knock-on effect on the demand for industrial fabrication services.” Northern Steel had 16 shop workers and six office staff when the facility closed on May 30. Eight employees remained to oversee the auction of equipment, which was completed Wednesday (July 23). They will stay with the company until the end of the month. During the pandemic, the company employed as many as 60 people, and as recently as last year there were two shifts working. Bird said the company tried to find a buyer for Northern Steel, but there were no takers. “This was an extremely difficult decision, made only after considerable efforts to return the business to sustained profitability,” Bird said. “Despite those efforts, persistent economic challenges — including a contracting forestry sector, limited local demand and rising cost pressures — made continued operations unviable. “In addition, Prince George’s
NORTHERN STEEL PHOTO
A Northern Steel employee works with a grinder at the Prince George industrial fabricating shop in the Danson Industrial area. Northern Steel shut down permanently on May 30.
geographic location added significant freight-related costs, making it difficult to compete with businesses in larger markets. “This is not the outcome we wanted for the business, and it is in no way a reflection on the dedication or performance of the Northern Steel team. Their efforts have been unwavering, and we deeply respect and appreciate all they have contributed. “Over the years, we have had the privilege of employing many people in Prince George and have built lasting relationships, connections and projects we are proud of. We are especially grateful to our teams and the community for their support throughout our history.” Northern Steel began by using plate steel to build fabricated and machined components for the forest industry. It later expanded into producing stainless steel pressure vessels and infrastructure for the oil and gas, pulp and paper, chemical and energy sectors. In recent years, the company built chutes and hoppers for mining projects. Some of its work is now part of Conuma Resources’ Quintette coal mine near Tumbler Ridge, Artemis Gold’s Blackwater mine south of Vanderhoof, and
B2Gold’s Back River Goose project in Nunavut. “We were busy last year, and we were successful — we had some great projects — but it wasn’t enough,” said Northern Steel project manager Christina Lehtila. “This (closure) has kind of been in the works for a number of years, is my understanding. “It’s going to affect the community, for sure, in many ways. All of our vendors — we had paint companies, safety suppliers, the gas for our welders. When we were busy, we had some of the local companies subcontract for us. We have guys on the floor — one of them has been here 40 years.” Lehtila said market uncertainty triggered by Trump’s tactics likely convinced some clients to delay major projects. “The tariffs aren’t helping. I don’t know if that was the primary reason, but it pushed us over the edge, I would say,” she said. “With no purchase orders coming in, everybody held off on bidding. I suspect had we received a big bid at the beginning of the year, this would have remained open longer.” The company owns the lot at 9588 Milwaukee Way, as well as an adjacent
property that’s also up for lease in the Danson Industrial area. Fritz Hausot took over the company shortly after it opened in 1977 and ran Northern Steel for more than three decades before selling it in 2011 to Ontario-based Canerector Inc. Fritz died in 2023. His son Fred Hausot, nephew Gary and niece Sylvia Graf were working at Northern Steel when it closed. Gary Hausot, a journeyman welder, had a busy day Wednesday helping co-ordinate the online auction to sell off remaining assets. “A facility like this — we’re probably one of the biggest fabricating shops north of Vancouver — the overhead crane capacity was probably the biggest thing we had going here,” said Hausot. “We had a height of 35 feet we could go to with our cranes inside, and the combined capacity in the main bay between the two was 60 tonnes. “We did work for pretty much every industry.” The 59-year-old has worked at Northern Steel for 28 years and isn’t ready to retire just yet. “I’m on the Freedom 75 program,” Hausot joked. “I got a few irons out there and I shouldn’t have any issue finding something else — but like anything, if you’ve been in it this long, you get comfortable in the routine and you work your way to the top of the seniority list.” Mark Becker worked as a fabricator for 18 years. He’s found another job in the city, but said he didn’t want to leave. “It’s sad because it’s a lot of people, and it’s a trickle-down effect to the steel suppliers who aren’t going to be seeing us anymore — Varsteel, A.J. Forsyth, Northern Metalic, the paint-supply companies. A lot of people are going to be affected,” said Becker. “I’ve already landed another job and I’ll be alright, but some of the other guys will have trouble finding work because the steel shops in town right now are pretty slow. The economy is kind of tailing down. Trump slapped more tariffs on aluminum and steel, so everybody is kind of putting everything on pause.”
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
BUSINESS
THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
New RV dealership in the works for Giscome Road COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff
Prince George city council took the first steps towards approving a new recreational vehicle dealership on Giscome Road at its Monday, July 28 meeting. On behalf of O’Brien Developments, McWalter Consulting applied to the city to redesignate 4330 Giscome Rd. from Service Commercial to Light Industrial under the Official Community Plan and rezone it from Z16: Blackburn Commercial to M2: General Industrial. The subject property is located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Giscome Road and Old Cariboo Highway, just south of Highway 16 near the correctional centre. In July 2024, council approved rezoning a portion of the property from AF: Agriculture and Forestry to Z16: Blackburn Commercial as well as amending the land use for parts of the property zoned Z16 to include self-storage and
warehouse developments. Since that was approved, David McWalter of McWalter Consulting wrote in a letter to the city, “Mr. Dan O’Brien, and his company (Number 270 Holdings Ltd.), have spent in excess of four million dollars upgrading the former Ruffs Greenhouse operation into a modern warehousing facility.” McWalter also wrote that the property has been cleaned, with all debris removed, tree storage structures repurposed into warehouse building, fences erected, building secured, exterior lighting installed and some landscaping completed with more scheduled this year. “In the short time since the finalization of the 2024 rezoning, the property has attracted more industrial tenants than commercial tenants. The most recent potential tenant to express an interest in relocating to the property is (Sullivan Motor Projects) RV Sales,” McWalter wrote. “Unfortunately, the existing Z16 zoning
Cariboo Gold receives $450M investment for Wells project MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff
Osisko Development Corp. has announced it has secured a US$450-million project loan facility through a new strategic partnership with Appian Capital. Construction of the Cariboo Gold Project is expected to begin in the second half of 2025, with initial production anticipated in the latter half of 2027. The mine is planned for construction in the District of Wells, near Barkerville, and is expected to contribute to the region’s long-standing history of gold extraction. A feasibility study completed in April 2025 projects the mine will produce 1.89 million ounces of gold over a 10-year lifespan. The new credit facility is expected to enhance financial flexibility as Cariboo
Gold enters its pre-construction phase. An initial draw of US$100 million will fund a 13,000-metre infill drill campaign intended to further de-risk the project’s mine planning assumptions and support pre-construction and construction activities. An additional $25-million term loan with the National Bank of Canada, maturing in October 2025, will be repaid through the new investment. Subsequent draws amounting to US$350 million are expected to be accessed in up to four additional tranches. These will be available for up to 36 months following the initial draw and are contingent on the completion of certain pre-construction milestones and conditions. These include infill drilling, procurement, underground development and operational readiness planning.
designation does not support all of the sales, rental and repair activities proposed by SMP Sales. Therefore a rezoning to M2 (General Industrial) is required.” If the company moves to the site, McWalter’s letter said that it would create a fenced outdoor display area that will have a paved and landscaped road access created for it. “This new access to the Old Cariboo Highway has already been approved by city staff and will be constructed in the spring of 2025,” the letter said. “All of the repair and servicing of RV’s, including the sale of parts and accessories will be housed within one of the renovated warehouse buildings.” The letter explains that other tenants occupying the buildings on the property include Metercor (a contractor for FortisBC), Gary Young Agencies, Northern Metallic Lube, Bid Right Contracting Ltd., Taylor Professional Driving School and O’Brien Training. Should the OCP and rezoning
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applications be approved and SMP moves to the property, the letter said 48,000 square feet of building space will be occupied at the site. A trip generation letter written by L&M Engineering also attached to the agenda said that existing traffic and future RV sales wouldn’t be sufficient to require a full traffic impact study though additional analysis would be recommended if the developer pursues more construction. Planning director Deanna Wasnik said a public hearing will be required before the item receives final reading because of the OCP amendment. Councillors Susan Scott and Cori Ramsay recommended the project be moved forward, saying they had visited the site and saw improvements. First reading of the OCP amendment, first and second readings of the rezoning bylaw and the approval of the public hearing were all approved by council unanimously.
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Young Prince George couple realizes that their entire relationship was based on complaining about the cold summer.
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
REGIONAL
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
New partnership expands Lake Babine’s forest tenure MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff
Lake Babine Nation has massively increased its forestry tenure thanks to a new partnership with the BC government and West Fraser Timber Co. The agreement, which includes a new woodland licence, expands the Nation’s tenure from roughly 5,600 hectares to more than 126,000 hectares within its traditional territory. To support the transfer, West Fraser contributed a portion of its licence volume in the Bulkley and Morice Timber Supply Areas. Additional volume came from government-held BC Timber Sales, further expanding the impact of the initiative. The new licence is held by LBN Forestry, a company owned by Lake Babine Nation. The agreement was signed in Burns Lake by Chief Wilf Adam of Lake Babine Nation and Forests Minister Ravi Parmar, in front of cheering members of Lake Babine council, the mayor of Burns Lake, West Fraser representatives and others. The move also advances the goals of the 2020 Foundation Agreement between the province and Lake Babine Nation. That agreement outlines a 20-year plan to implement Indigenous rights and title, including the goal of securing at least 250,000 cubic metres of forest tenure within the Nation’s territory. Parmar praised the partnership, expressing optimism that BC could become an “engine of Canada’s new economy,” with prosperity flowing not just to Burns Lake but across the province. “Our closest friend, ally and trading partner turned their back on us. We have a president in the United States who wants to destroy Canada’s economy,” Parmar said. “We have to look out for ourselves here in British Columbia. We have to look out for the people in this province we call home. “I think if there’s one thing the premier has talked about over the past number of months — I don’t think
CITIZEN PHOTO BY MATTHEW HILLIER
West Fraser president and CEO Sean McLaren (left), Forests Minister Ravi Parmar and Lake Babine Nation Chief Wilfred Adam celebrate the expansion of Lake Babine Nation’s forest tenure on Thursday, July 24 in Burns Lake.
there’s ever been a more united country or a stronger Team Canada approach. “Here in BC, there’s an opportunity in the energy transition — from oil and gas to clean power and electricity. We’ve put out a call to power, and every single project under that call has at least 50 per cent First Nations ownership. That’s creating jobs and prosperity in communities across the province.” In an interview with The Citizen, Parmar called Lake Babine Nation “an outstanding partner” in building BC’s forestry future. “They’ve watched resources leave their territory for over a century without benefit,” said Parmar. “They’ve dealt with the challenges of a boom-andbust economy and were excluded from stewardship decisions. “Now, they’re at the centre of it. They’ve taken on a 2,000 per cent increase — 126,000 hectares — and will be able to steward their lands, harvest, create jobs and support West Fraser’s operations in Smithers with a healthy fibre supply.” A key outcome of the deal is that the BC government has now met its commitment for First Nations to hold 20 per
cent of the province’s annual allowable cut. Parmar credited his predecessors for laying the groundwork. “I’m the minister who came in at the end of it,” he said. “My predecessor, John Horgan, set this goal several First Nations Leadership Gatherings ago. Credit to Premier Eby for maintaining that mandate, and to the past forest ministers. “This is a great opportunity to celebrate nations, government and companies coming together. West Fraser has shown outstanding leadership and has set a high bar for corporate social responsibility.” Parmar also recounted a moment of political resistance to First Nations tenure ownership. “I was in Victoria not long ago, having dinner with a coastal First Nations chief and a local MLA. That MLA said the Nation was being greedy for purchasing tenure — that it should be left in the hands of industry. “I remember sending (BC United Leader) John Rustad a letter saying, are you kidding me? In 2025, one of your MLAs calls a Nation greedy — a Nation
trying to create jobs and prosperity for its people, their region and BC? This is not greedy. This is Lake Babine taking leadership — defining the future of forestry, not just for their Nation but for all of British Columbia.” Adam said the deal will have an immediate impact on employment. “If you look at Hampton Lumber and Babine Forest Products, 68 per cent of the employees are from Lake Babine or other First Nations — but mainly our people,” said Adam. “The workforce is mostly ours. Going forward, we want even more meaningful employment from forest companies operating in our territory.” The chief called the agreement a major milestone — and just the beginning. “It means a lot. It means more control over our territory and how we manage the timber supply. Our goal is to control as much of the territory as we can,” he said. “We’re already talking to West Fraser, Hampton, and hopefully CAM4 — they’re moving out of our territory and we’d like to take over that licence.” The Nation also wants to strengthen sustainability and grow its tenure share under the Foundation Agreement. “When I started the Foundation Agreement in 2016, we held less than one per cent of the tenure pie,” said Adam. “Now, it’s up to 38 per cent. That’s huge for us. It means we’re part of the forest industry, part of the planning, and making sure it’s sustainable for the future. “I’m not saying industry does a bad job — but we’re going to do it our way.” West Fraser CEO Sean McLaren said he hopes the deal becomes a model for forestry across BC. “This is the future of forestry,” McLaren said. “We’re partnering with First Nations to improve access, utilization and decision-making at the community level. “We’re excited about growing this partnership with Lake Babine. Now that it’s a Tree Farm Licence — a TFL — we’ll be able to manage the forest differently. With incremental timber and more local involvement, there’s a lot of opportunity ahead.”
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
REGIONAL
THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
Flood mitigation project aims for completion this fall MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff
The District of Wells is expected to gain some peace of mind this fall as flood mitigation efforts on Lowhee Creek near completion. The project, which began in 2024, received an initial investment of $2.35 million from the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness BC, and $5.3 million from the Union of BC Municipalities Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Readiness Fund. Undertaken in partnership with the Lhtako Dene Nation, the project is being led by R. Radloff and Associates, an engineering firm based in Prince George. Its primary goal is to protect South Wells from potential flooding and to manage the flow of water from the creek as it moves through North Wells. South Wells spans about 50 hectares. Potential flooding could put roughly 128 residents, along with their homes and businesses, at risk. Phases 1 and 2A of the project have been completed. Work on phases 2B and 2C is set to begin soon, with the goal of securing permits and finishing construction by October. Additional phases are planned to support the creation of fish habitats in the creek. Lowhee Creek poses a flood risk to the District of Wells due to a series of environmental impacts dating back to the 1800s. Once a rich source of gold, the creek yielded roughly 3,000 ounces of gold in a single season. But extensive mining led to long-term environmental degradation that continues to affect the area. “Over time, as the creek gets mined, it becomes less stable and less natural,” said Jerry Dombowsky, chief administrative officer for the District of Wells. “It’s now a completely unnatural watercourse. A channel was created for water to disperse and fan out into Jack of Clubs Lake, depositing tailings and mining debris from hydraulic mining. Over time, the channel has filled up,
creating a flooding threat. What was once a 10- or 15-foot deep channel is now filled to the top.” The project is designed to protect the community against a potential 1-in-500year flood scenario. To date, the creek’s dike has been reinforced. “The recent rains have raised no concern,” said Dombowsky. “A large portion has already been armoured with riprap. Flooding is always a concern, but at this point it would take an extreme rain event to cause major flooding. However, the project isn’t finished. We need to complete the final phase, and then the community will be 100 per cent protected — unless there’s a 501-year storm!” District of Wells Mayor Ed Coleman, who also serves as project manager for the Lowhee Creek work, told The Citizen that there have been delays. “On Jan. 1, they upgraded the flood protection from a 1-in-200-year flood management plan to a 1-in-500-year plan based on what has happened in the past two to four years in BC,” said Coleman. “This means higher berms, more rock and more engineering to handle that level of water. The biggest challenge, though, has been working through the many regulations. There are probably six to nine different regulatory bodies involved that all have to provide approvals.” Coleman emphasized that support from the Lhtako Dene Nation has been crucial in securing permits and supplying materials for the project. Dombowsky added that the work is not only about public safety, but also long-term environmental restoration. “It’s a very historic creek,” he said. “All you have to do is Google it and you’ll see how rich it was in gold mined hydrologically. The problem is that the hydraulic mining of the 1860s wasn’t done to today’s environmental standards. It was very damaging to the creek and its fish habitat. What we’re trying to do now is not just protect the community from flooding, but also restore the creek over the long term to create a more environmentally sustainable watercourse.”
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ED COLEMAN PHOTO
This drone footage image shows two workers along Lowhee Creek near Wells during flood mitigation efforts.
Know your limit. Play within it. Must be 19+ years old to play. Problem Gambling Hotline: 1-888-795-6111 www.bcresponsiblegambling.ca
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
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What’s happening in PG Sunflower Festival goes Thursday, July 31 at 10 a.m. to Monday, Sept. 1 at Northern Lights Estate Winery Foreman Farms, 1965 Foreman Rd. Photo stations, friendly farm animals, drinks and snack at Bloom Café, live music every Friday and Saturday, Kids’ Days and Artisan Craft classes, u-cut sunflower specials on Thursdays. For more information and tickets that are online only visit www.northernlightswinery.ca/ sunflower-fest. Movie Night in the Orchard – 10 Things I Hate About You goes Friday, Aug. 1 at 9:30 p.m. at Northern Lights Estate Winery, 745 Prince George Pulpmill Road at the Orchard View Amphitheatre across from the Winery. Bring a blanket or lawn chair, bug spray, and some warm layers. Come early to secure a parking spot, set up your perfect viewing spot, grab snacks & drinks from our concession stand. Cash, debit & credit accepted. Tickets must be purchased in advance at www.eventbrite. ca/e/movie-night-in-the-orchard-10things-i-hate-about-you-tickets. Tennyson King goes Saturday, Aug. 2 at Omineca Arts Centre, 369 Victoria St. Tennyson King is an international touring act from Hong Kong and Canada. His style of rock and roll is infused with earthy roots and blues while subtly laced in psychedelic sounds. It’s a raw, gritty, and organic sound that makes the soul feel wild and the heart comforted. For more information and tickets visit www.bandsintown.com/ tennysonking. Kitten & Board Games goes Saturday, Aug. 2 from 1 to 4 p.m. at 3 Goblins Games, #200-356 George St. It’s a fundraiser and adoption event for the Prince George Humane society where participants can play games and pet kitties. Entry fee is a voluntary donation of either cash or needed supplies for the Prince George Humane Society. Even if you’re not into board games you are welcome to attend as kitten adoption is also an option. The list of needed items include cat and kitten kibble, cat and kitten wet food, clay litter, stainless steel
CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT
BC Northern Exhibition (BCNE) goes Thursday, Aug. 14 to Sunday, Aug. 17 at the Exhibition Grounds, hosted by the Prince George Agricultural and Historical Association.
cat bowls, cat toys (especially ones with handles), kongs for dogs, printer paper, XL garbage bags, paper towel, leashes and laundry detergent. Donations accepted all day. Homestead Days goes Sunday, Aug. 3 and Monday, Aug. 4 from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Take a trip to the past on the BC Day long weekend for Huble Homestead’s oldest running event. This two-day extravaganza is all about celebrating life on the homestead over a hundred years ago by taking in
the sights, sounds, and activities of a bygone era. Huble Homestead Historic Site is 40kms north of the city. Turn onto Mitchell Road for 6 kms. Huble Homestead is dog friendly. Bring a picnic or purchase lunch from the barbecue. Admission is by suggested donation of $10 per family. For more information visit www.hublehomestead.ca. Kulbir Jhinjer Live goes Saturday, Aug. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Prince George Civic Centre. Jhinjer is a prominent
Punjabi singer and songwriter known for his distinctive voice and impactful lyrics. He gained recognition with his hit tracks that blend traditional Punjabi music with contemporary sounds, establishing himself as a significant figure in the Punjabi music industry. For tickets visit www.ticketsnorth.ca/event/ kulbir-jhinjer-live. BC Northern Exhibition (BCNE) goes Thursday, Aug. 14 to Sunday, Aug. 17 at the Exhibition Grounds, hosted by the Prince George Agricultural and Historical Association. Along with West Coast Amusements and the Food Court there is a BCNE Trade Route Beer & Cider Festival and a BCNE/Spirit of the North fundraising Casino Night along with main stage performers and roaming acts including SuperDogs, Heritage Lane, Equine Events, 4H displays and showcases and old timey fair contests for Home Arts & Horticulture including woodworking, flowers, quilting, needlework and more. Tickets are free for children 11 and under, youth 12 to 17 are $5, Adults 18 to 54 are $10 and 55+ are $5 except for Seniors Day on Aug. 14 and then it’s a toonie to get into the fair. For all the details visit www.bcne.ca/ and for advanced tickets visit www.showpass.com/s/ events/all/?search_string=bcne. Big Rig Show & Shine goes Saturday, Aug. 16 noon til dark with a light show after dusk and Sunday, Aug. 17 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at PGARA Speedway. Food trucks on site, music and good vibes, logging trucks, heavy haulers, cranes and more. Bring the family and show your pride in your ride. This is a working truck show so whether your ride is shiny, dirty or just off a haul, be ready to light up the night. Let’s show Prince George the real power of the industry that keeps everything rolling. Pre-register your truck by emailing htrpilotservices@outlook.com – just $20 to register before Aug. 15 and $25 after. $2 admission for the public. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE End of Summer Night Market goes Wednesday, Aug. 27 from 4 to 9 p.m. at CN Centre featuring local vendors, music and food trucks. Celebrate the season’s end with delicious local eats, handmade crafts, vintage finds, and more. Whether you’re shopping, snacking, or just soaking in the good vibes, there’s something for everyone. Let’s make one last magical memory before the leaves start to fall. Free entry. All ages welcome. Summer Art Monkeys goes every Wednesday until Aug. 27 from 9 a.m. to noon at Studio 2880, 2880-15th Ave, and presented by the Prince George & District Community Arts Council. Children will get to experience painting, sketching, working with clay and learning how to journal. For more information and to register visit www.studio2880. com/programs/youth-programs/ summer-arts. Free Food Preservation Workshops go every Thursday and is presented by PG Aboriginal Business Development Centre, 1200 LaSalle Avenue. Want to learn how to make jam or pickle fresh veggies? No experience is needed. Just bring your curiosity. All supplies are provided, and everything made will be shared among participants to take home. RSVP by calling Cheryl Doering at 250-562-6325 to register. Games Night goes every Thursday at 7 p.m at Spruce Capital Seniors Centre, 3701 Rainbow Drive. Come on down and join in a game of backgammon, checkers, crib or better yet try out the pool table or dart board, please bring your own darts. Open to everyone for a $5 drop-in fee. 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
CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT
Julie Blackwell (left) and Rebecca Dahl take part in the Saddle Up N Sort competition at the BCNE in 2024. In addition to the midway rides and games, the BCNE features a wide range of agricultural shows and exhibits.
with Great Northwest Fibre Fest. Willow River Farmers Market and Junk in the Trunk goes every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Willow River Hall, 55 Willow Avenue in Willow River, about 30 minutes east of Prince George, until Sept. 28. There are local crafts and homemade goods including jams and preserves, concession, music and family fun. Everyone is welcome to attend. Trivia Night at Nancy O’s goes every other Wednesday at 8 p.m., 1261 Third Ave. There are three rounds per game, each round has five themed questions and five music questions. There’s something for everyone. The winning team gets a custom Nancy O’s Trivia trophy and a round of drinks, their photo on the wall that goes into the winners’ book after two weeks. Book a spot by calling ahead at 250-562-8066. 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
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ABOVE: Tenenbris of Northern Grove (AKA Mykyl Lekomir) launches an attack on Alex Overton. BELOW LEFT: Fire performer Allan Gilliard spins flames as he bends backward during his show. BELOW RIGHT: Amalid Chewitt, 7, has a mock pirate battle with Lilly Gallant, 9, while his twin sister Kahmanda waits for a chance to jump in.
ABOVE: Georgia Kent challenges King Vaistko of the Northern Grove (a.k.a. Brock Perri) to a duel. LEFT: Brody Vizza uses his shield to block the sword of Cody Bailey as he brings his sword around to strike while giving a demonstration of medieval combat. BELOW: Josh Maki uses a two-handed axe to block a blow by the billhook of Wade Ames as they battle in full armour.
Live-action role-playing, or LARPing, was part of the fun last weekend during the Renaissance Faire at the Exhibition Grounds. Audiences cheered as LARPers demonstrated the old ways of combat CITIZEN PHOTOS BY CHUCK NISBETT
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COMMUNITY
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
Artist hopes to inspire ‘wave’ of change with new mural Fernanda Salla would like to see more downtown businesses beautify their buildings MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff
A new mural is in the works outside the Omineca Arts Centre — one that local artist Fernanda Salla hopes will inspire change throughout the city. The mural is expected to be completed sometime in the next week. Salla is collaborating with local Indigenous artist Jennifer Annaïs Pighin to bring the project to life. Salla told The Citizen that her goal is not only to beautify the city, but also to help spark a transformation in the downtown core. “The concept was the wave, because we wanted to start a wave of transformation,” said Salla. “We know the issues here in town, especially downtown, and I come from São Paulo, which is a huge and violent city. I know the impact that art can have in places like that. There are a lot of studies and research showing how art affects the way people interact with their city and with public spaces. It’s a way for the art community to contribute to the transformation of the city.” Salla and Omineca staff both hope the mural will inspire other businesses to beautify their storefronts, contributing to a safer and more vibrant downtown. Salla has lived in Prince George for nine years and says the region’s natural beauty has been a major influence on her work. “Since I arrived in the city, I’ve fallen in love with the nature around it,” she said. “I’m from a really huge city in Brazil, and we have a lot of graffiti and art everywhere. I was missing that here. Murals were something I always thought about when I looked at the big walls and buildings. I wondered if they could use some colour and some art. “I know we have a lot of art initiatives
CITIZEN PHOTO BY MATTHEW HILLIER
Fernanda Salla poses in front of her artwork on Friday, June 25 outside the Omineca Arts Centre.
in town — we have Omineca, which is an amazing place, and we have Two Rivers Gallery and Studio 2880. I just wish we could have more and more art outside buildings, not just inside.” She said her art combines a range of styles, including her love of the northern landscape. “Jennifer Annaïs Pighin is on the board here at Omineca. She’s an amazing Indigenous artist and she’s also painting the mural with me,” said Salla. “The concept was the rainbow, and then I painted the bear because I wanted it to have kind of a hip-hop, rap-bear vibe. I always paint bears in
my artwork — I love the nature around here. We don’t have bears in Brazil, so I’m fascinated by them. I wanted to reflect the nature we see around Prince George and add a touch of music and art — so in the mural, the bear is painting too.” The mural was made possible through a recent $5,000 art grant from the City of Prince George. The funds were partially used to pay the artists involved in its creation. Sara Jones, a manager at Omineca, said the grant was instrumental in supporting local creators. “With this grant, we’re able to pay the
artists, which is amazing. Being able to use that grant money to pay artists what they’re worth is really important,” she said. Jones echoed Salla’s hopes that the mural will inspire more public art downtown. “I hope this mural brings incentive for other businesses downtown to consider adding murals or beautifying alleyways and other underused spaces,” she said. “Maybe other businesses will see that they can transform their spaces too through art. Hopefully, it’s the beginning of a movement — a wave we can start for other places.”
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
COMMUNITY
THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
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Sitting pretty Barry and Karen Galbraith of Delta prepare English Cream Golden Retrievers Beau, 14-months (front), and Quinn, 5, to be shown at the PG Kennel Club dog show at the AgriPlex Saturday, July 26. CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT
Hixon community gearing up for annual parade and fair COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff
When the Hixon Fall Fair and Parade returns on Friday, Aug. 8 and Saturday, Aug. 9, it’ll be the first iteration of the yearly event to take place since substantial renovations were completed at the town’s community hall around 60 kilometres south of Prince George on Highway 97. Pat Suter, the treasurer for the Hixon Community Association, told The Citizen in a July 22 phone interview that thanks to some grants they were able to put in an air conditioning system in the Hixon Community Hall for the first time as well as LED lighting. On top of that, a raffle held at last year’s fair helped with renovations to the roof and ceiling and over the next couple of weeks the outside of the building is set to get a fresh coat of paint. “It’s our only major fundraiser for the year,” Suter said. “That helps to pay for our hydro and our gas in the building. We can apply for grants for different things, but grants are very specific as to what you’re to use them for so we still have to pay for utilities and stuff.” The fair starts on Friday from 3 to
PAT SUTER PHOTO
Drummers perform during last year’s Hixon Fall Fair and Parade. It returns Friday, Aug. 8 and Saturday, Aug. 9 in the community south of Prince George.
7 p.m., with a market and various exhibitions at the community hall. On Saturday, Highway 97 as it goes through Hixon is shut down to allow for the parade to start around 10 a.m., with floats making the trip from the Whistle Stop Pub to the community hall. The hall then opens for business around 11 a.m. that day. The vehicles in the parade can be a simple as a tractor driving along the highway to more complicated floats. “The last few years, we’ve had a float from Quesnel,” Suter said. “And we’ve had some drummers come out and drum in front of the parade when they walk down.”
Among those with floats is Suter herself, who said she’s contributed one for the last 12 years. On her float is former long-time Hixon resident Helen Cruise. “She moved to Prince George a few years ago with her husband and he’s passed,” Suter said. “She’s 92 years old and she had a stroke earlier this year, but she’s willing (to participate). She’s been in rehab and she now walks with a walker. She’s excited to be on my float again.” Suter expects friends of Cruise’s from Prince George to come down to Hixon for the parade. There are also a lot of people driving through who don’t realize the highway
will be temporarily closed. Some decide to watch the festivities while others make a point to come back next year. Among the attractions at this year’s fair are a silent auction, draws, a bouncy castle, a gaming trailer and a duck race where wooden ducks are placed in a creek and sent floating down the stream. As in previous years, the Prince George Railway and Forestry Museum will be present with its Cottonwood Express minirail train for people to ride. Kids can buy a $20 wristband that gets them a hot dog, a freezie, a juice box, a ride on the Cottonwood Express, all-day access to the bouncy castle and a ride in a race car. Unfortunately, due to a lack of volunteers this year, the fair won’t be hosting a dance on the Saturday night after the 5 p.m. roast beef dinner. Instead, some comedians have been hired to provide entertainment from eight to 10 p.m. Fair organizers are still looking for more volunteers to help set things up, monitor the bouncy castle and clean up. Those interested in helping can call Suter at 250-961-2707 or email hixonhall@gmail.com.
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
COMMUNITY
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
Teeing off for Special Olympics BC Special Olympics PG head golf coach Fern Russell smiles as athlete Greg Cole sinks a putt on the ninth hole for a donation from the foursome playing the hole during the 2025 fundraising tournament at PG Golf and Curling Club Friday, July 2. The event started with a shotgun start at 1 p.m., with Special Olympics athletes at a couple of holes collecting donations for assisting the 27 registered teams with their drives on hole nine or their putts on hole nine. Karen Emerson, organizer of the tournament, mentioned before the start that the last two years approximately $100,000 was raised and this year looks on track to hit that mark. The tournament had 108 golfers and 10 athletes taking part in the tournament and 140 seated for the dinner with a live auction and silent auction helping to increase the money raised. Funds raised will be used for travel and accommodation expenses for local athletes as well as equipment and uniforms. CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT
McBride receiving $450K for railway station upgrades ABIGAIL POPPLE
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Village received $450K from the Destination Development Fund, a grant the BC government established to support tourism infrastructure during the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant money was earmarked for accessibility upgrades at the McBride Train Station, which includes renovating the washrooms to be wheelchair-accessible, installing an automatic door opener at the First Avenue entrance, and replacing the flooring in the lobby. In early May, Prince George-based architectural firm Chernoff Thompson
issued a call for bids on behalf of the Village, with a due date of May 29. Two contractors — neither of whom were local — responded, with one offering a bid at about $482K and the other offering a $729K bid. Both bids focused only on the internal renovations to the washroom and flooring and did not include the automatic door opener, according to the staff report. Staff recommended re-tendering the project in three bids: one for electrical work, another for plumbing and another for construction. The report says tailoring bids to specific trades and allowing more time to issue a bid may encourage more local contractors to apply.
Coun. Tina Bennett asked if there was a reason why the bid was for the entire project, instead of separating it into more specific bids in the first place. Public works employee Phil Strain said managing one contractor for a project is ideal, instead of juggling several at once. “We were hoping that we’d have local contractors that would bid the whole thing,” he said. “But in this case, we came in way over budget.” Staff decided to move forward with separate bids after discussing how to make the project accessible to local contractors with McDougall and public
works manager Brian Taphorn, Strain said. He added that new tenders would allow for a more flexible start date, so that contractors don’t have to work on the train station during the busiest times of the year for tourism. Bennett asked when contractors would start working on the projects after the bidding period is over. Strain said a September or October start date may be ideal, since summer is a busy season for contractors and the fall will be a less disruptive time to work on tourism infrastructure. Council approved issuing three tenders for the project.
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Throwback Thursday: Week of July 31 July 31, 1978: ‘What did I do on the weekend? Oh, I just hung around.’ That’s how this photo was described on the front page of The Citizen. Ann May spent time learning how to climb rocks by taking part in the YMCA’s climbing program at Teapot Mountain. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY DOUG WELLER
July 29, 2008: Max Arnold, 6, and Christopher Paul, 9, learned about the history of Terry Fox from Dick Voneugen as the statue of the Canadian hero was unveiled at Community Foundation Park. The statue is now located outside the Canfor Leisure Pool. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY DAVID MAH
July 31, 1992: Corinna Schlak was photographed climbing aboard the latest addition to the Prince George Railway Museum. The 27-metre tool-and-wash car, dating back to the Second World War, was sent to wreck sites in the Prince George area by the Paci!c and Great Eastern Railway. The paper reported that staff at what’s now called the Central BC Railway and Forestry Museum was carrying out more research on its history. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY BOB INGRAHAM
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July 29, 1960: With the headline ‘We’re not afraid of our knees — see!,’ this photo ran on the front page of The Citizen, with the cutline reading: Skirts are rising in the city, following a nationwide trend. The new style has the hem of the skirt up around the knees. Exhibiting the new style are, from left, Gail Davis, Annebelle Porter, Judy Clark and Georgina Dingwall. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY HAL VANDERVOORT
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
HEALTH
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
SPECIAL REPORT: THE FUTURE OF AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE
BC doctors calling for radical change They say patients are suffering because of serious deficiencies in the current system TED CLARKE Citizen Staff
Abbotsford critical care specialist Dr. Michael Christian says British Columbia’s ambulance system needs a major overhaul, one that will ultimately result in doctors and nurses working alongside paramedics to get to the sickest, most severely injured patients in the shortest amount of time possible to stabilize them before transport to a higher level of care. Christian, the former medical lead of BC Emergency Health Services, has seen too many patients with time-sensitive conditions arriving at his hospital either dead or unable to fully recover from their injuries or medical conditions because they got there too late. He’s convinced rapid responses from the interprofessional teams he’s proposing will shrink health inequities that come as a result of the province’s vast geography and sparse density and will ultimately improve patient outcomes and save healthcare dollars, and he wants to lead that charge. “We’re just arriving way too late right now,” Christian said. “If we want to make an impact on this, the system needs to do a lot better than it is.” Christian, an international expert on pre-hospital care who served as medical lead of BCEHS from December 2021-January 2024, heads the critical care division of the UBC faculty of medicine and in May he testified at a coroner’s inquest into the death of 18-year-old Victoria university student Sydney McIntyre-Starko, who died of a fentanyl overdose in January 2024. He is among a growing list of BC doctors who say BCEHS management is unwilling to change its operational procedures to methods he says have
BOB KRONBAUER PHOTO
A BCEHS helicopter arrives at Skwellepil Creek campsite on Chehalis Lake northeast of Vancouver to attempt to save a drowning victim in this file photo.
been proven more effective in other jurisdictions. He quit his job with BCEHS just before McIntyre died, frustrated that his suggestions to improve the province’s emergency health system were ignored. Christian says hundreds of patients in BC every year suffer from inefficiencies in the ambulance system and the lack of paramedic coverage puts rural patients at even greater risk of harm than those in urban areas. “If BCEHS can’t deliver high-quality care even in the capital, how likely is it to deliver for those in the North?” Christian said. “That’s the biggest problem with BCEHS; they’re not measuring anything in the organization that you should be measuring to help ensure you drive good care. All this leads to health
inequities which people face in rural areas and it also drives the need for hospital staff to go on (ground) transports.” Putting doctors and nurses on air ambulances requires an additional up-front investment, but Christian says other jurisdictions have found utilizing hospital staff not only saves lives but decreases the severity of injuries which ultimately reduces overall healthcare costs. “We have literally thousands of doctors and nurses who already have critical care skills who could spend part of their time in a hospital setting and part in prehospital to fill the gaps in the system, yet we’re completely not looking at those,” said Christian. It’s estimated that more than half of BC’s economic wealth is generated north of Cache Creek, mostly through resource-based industries, which have
some of the most hazardous jobs. If there is an accident, many of those workers are hundreds of kilometres away from a hospital equipped to handle severe trauma. That puts the onus on the ambulance service to respond quickly to those rural and remote areas for patient transfers or accident scene calls. But according to Christian, a military-trained medic who worked as a doctor in England for London Air Ambulance, BC’s ambulance service lacks that quick-response capability to cover the province and ranks far below international standards. He says there are numerous deaths every year that can be attributed to delays getting urgent care-needs patients to the right level of medical care. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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Other provinces allow doctors and nurses aboard flights CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE BC is an outlier with its paramedic-only staffing of medevac planes and helicopters. Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario utilize a combination of paramedics and doctors and nurses. Nova Scotia allows paramedics and nurses but not doctors. Multidisciplinary medical teams are the standard in the United States, United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Sweden, Japan and South Africa “We need to recognize it’s not working, so let’s do something different,” said Dr. Neil McLean, an Abbotsford intensivist and ICU/emergency room doctor who served as BCEHS executive medical director of interfacility transport and critical care from January 2023-May 2024. “Air medical is expensive, no question, but it’s money invested that can result in huge cost savings down the road. We know the sooner you can get care to a patient it exponentially decreases how much care they need down the road. It reduces hospital time. It gets them back to work quicker.” The Ambulance Paramedics of BC — CUPE Local 873 says paramedic staff shortages have reached critical levels, especially in the Interior and Northern BC regions, with some ambulance shifts only 50 per cent covered. Christian and McLean say the solution is having doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and paramedics working together on health teams to go on air ambulance flights to retrieve patients who require urgent care. “There’s lots of interested physicians out there, from a manpower point of view, in the pre-hospital care world that we’re not using, said McLean, “But there’s also a bit of a culture in BCEHS, that they know exactly what they’re doing, that they don’t need any help, and that’s clearly not the case. “When it comes down to transport, our critical care paramedics sort of have a large ego and they know it all
HANDOUT PHOTO
BC is now served by a fleet of seven twin-engine Leonardo AW169 helicopters.
and anyone who thinks they know it all in medicine is very dangerous, because no one knows it all.” McLean tried to bring a team approach to the BCEHS executive, encouraging doctors and other healthcare professionals to share their observations and suggestions to improve the system but their ideas were shot down by management, and that was the reason he and others in high-ranking positions in the organization, including Christian, resigned. In 2022, the province conducted an external review of its inter-facility transport and critical care system which raised issues even more concerning than the problems with dispatch, but McLean said the findings were suppressed and the report was buried. “One of the final things that tipped it for me was one of the major things it said was they need better physician oversight and involvement,” said McLean. “Basically it didn’t say what they wanted so they just stopped it dead. It was never released publicly. “They haven’t looked outside themselves, in many ways, they’re very insular,” he said. “They hire from within and they don’t look at diversity and bringing in people from other areas that could give a different outlook on things - they just think that they’re the best.
“The consequences are the quality of care is not being monitored and the other issue is there’s a focus on what’s best for the (service) provider and not what’s best for the patient. Decisions that are being made are what’s best for the paramedic that day. There’s lots of great models but there’s no interest at all in anything that doesn’t involve paramedics.” In March, the BC government launched an internal review of the Provincial Health Authority to ensure the money it takes to run the health system is being spent on critical patient services and not on unnecessary administration. The six regional health authorities and BC Emergency Health Services, which oversees the BC Ambulance Service, are part of the study. Christian doubts any real change will result. He and McLean are among a growing list of BC doctors calling for an open and independent public inquiry into BCEHS to uncover the failings of the system and fix them. BC has 72,082 registered nurses and between 5,000 and 7,000 have emergency medicine/critical care training. The province also has 15,338 doctors, of which between 1,500 and 2,000 have the skills for retrieval of a critically-ill patient, including emergency medicine,
ICU and anesthesia, some of whom would make themselves available when needed for ambulance work. While some hospital staff who work for the First Nations Health Authority board military flights to get to remote patients, the CUPE Local 873 collective agreement prevents doctors or nurses who are not part of the union from flying on BCEHS aircraft. The BCEHS Act prevents any other emergency health service provider such as municipal firefighters, St. John Ambulance or the Red Cross from establishing a coordinated system to transport patients, which is the exclusive domain of CUPE 873 paramedics. “It’s an aggressive strong union that the government is very afraid of,” said McLean.
Patients pay the price Hospital mortality rates from trauma are 10 times higher for rural/northern BC patients than they are for urban patients. Christian said the rural-urban discrepancy would be similar for pediatric patients or victims of medical conditions such as heart attacks and strokes but statistics on those types of deaths are not available from BCEHS. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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Rural physicians unhappy with BCEHS service: Doctor CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE The lack of available flights in BC often forces healthcare staff to accompany patients in ground ambulances. In 2021, 2,711 (47 per cent) of Condition Red critical condition patient transports were escorted by health authority staff. The other 3,033 (53 per cent) were transported by BCEHS paramedics on flights. “Doctors and nurses are already doing half the transports and they’re doing it in an inefficient way in a ground ambulance going hundreds of kilometres and getting involved in accidents with moose because they do not have an aircraft available to them,” Christian said. “That’s because BCEHS won’t allow hospital staff to go in their aircraft and we don’t have these alternate means. So if they have an aircraft that’s not staffed, even though they have pilots paid and ready to operate that airplane, if there are no critical care paramedics to go, the airplane just sits for the shift.” Those long ambulance rides take doctors and nurses out of their home communities, often for hours at a time, often with nobody to cover their shifts later that day or the next day and that can force temporary closure of hospital emergency wards, putting additional stress on staff and patients. In the interior region of Northern Health, 30 per cent of emergency department closures were due to staff having to leave to move a patient to a higher level of care. The Rural Coordination Centre of BC found transport delays in smaller centres not only adversely affect patients but also healthcare staff who suffer psychological and moral distress for not being able to provide critical patients the prompt care they need. That leads to burnout and difficulty recruiting and retaining healthcare staff in rural communities. As head of the BCEHS Patient Transfer Network, McLean dealt daily with doctors, especially those in smaller cities and towns, who continually reminded him that the ambulance system lacks the resources and staff to keep up with the demand of moving patients to
died awaiting transfer on a BCEHS air ambulance flight that never arrived. Sparwood Mayor David Wilks wrote a scathing letter to Health Minister Josie Osborne, who has since launched a review of the incident. The failings of the BCEHS medevac system are being blamed in the death of 11-year-old Brayden Robbins who died Nov. 19, 2024 at Comox Valley Hospital. Transport staff were unavailable to fly the boy to hospital in Vancouver and he succumbed to a brain bleed, prompting his outraged mother, a 30-year nurse, to demand the province immediately invest in pediatric transport staffing and standardized use of the Provincial Transport Network (PTN) for complex pediatric cases, among several other recommendations. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO
Air ambulance pilots use specialized equipment, such as these night vision goggles. The province is updated its fleet and gear, but change to who’s on the flights also has to be made, doctors argue.
higher levels of care. “If you speak to most rural physicians, they’re very unhappy with the care they receive from BCEHS,” said McLean. “There’s a huge issue around retention and recruitment, especially in rural places. I can’t imagine being a poor rural doc that’s there and gets hung out to dry repetitively. You’re going to be like, ‘forget it, I’ll go somewhere else.’ “The reality is, doctors don’t have much of voice in this province. It’s not that we’re not speaking out, it’s that we’re not heard, they’re not listening to us. Doctors get villainized as being money-grubbing and it’s for our personal gain and that’s not the case.”
Staff shortages Last year was the start of a 10-year, $673 million contract the province has budgeted for its air ambulance service. Parksville-based Ascent Helicopters Ltd., is the primary operator of a fleet of seven Leonardo AW169 helicopters (two for Vancouver, one in Parksville, one in Kamloops, one in Prince George, one in Prince Rupert, one backup) that serve BCEHS. Fixed-wing air ambulance service is provided by Carson Air of
Kamloops, which last year brought into service 12 Beechcraft King Air 360CHW turboprop planes (three in Vancouver, three in Kelowna, two in Prince George, one in Fort St. John, three backups). The air ambulance deployment model used by BCEHS keeps its resources closest to the receiving centres, which means that due to shift limitations and the number of hours crews are allowed to work each day, in most cases they have to be able to return to their base with the patient within the length of their shift or they will not launch. Shift limitations mean it’s virtually impossible to retrieve patents from the East Kootenay and far North regions of the province any time other than the start of a day shift to deliver them to the highest levels of care. Night flights are discouraged as a safety risk. To make up for the lack of coverage for eastern BC, BCEHS has contracted the services of the non-profit STARS (Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service) from its helicopter bases in Calgary, Edmonton and Grande Prairie, which is sometimes is utilized to pick up a BC patient. But the system is far from perfect. In January, an infant in Cranbrook
Paramedic PTSD PTSD is now the leading cause of lost worktime for paramedics. For every $100 spent in 2024 on BCEHS paramedics salaries the premium rate for WorkSafe BC was $22.55, compared to law enforcement officers ($4.53), firefighters ($3.53) and acute care doctors and nurses ($2.92). “That’s mostly due to PTSD and (the paramedic premium) is increasing 20 per cent every year for the past few years for BCEHS,” said Christian. “This talks to all the disfunction in the organization in terms of the factors that lead to mental health issues with your staff. We’re asking too much of this profession and we’re not giving them the type of support of interprofessional teams that other clinicians in other aspects of healthcare have, and this leads to all the issues with absenteeism. This is all money that’s not going to direct patient care.” In 2024, BCEHS had close to 4,665 emergency medical assistants, of which 3,900 were primary care paramedics (PCP). The ambulance service also had 350 advanced care paramedics (ACP) and 90 critical care paramedics (CCP) actively practicing on the frontline force. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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Smaller hospitals aren’t equipped to deal with major crises CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE BCEHS also hires emergency medical responders (EMR) with 80 hours of training and driver-only attendants who require only a valid Class 4 driver’s licence and a CPR course. It takes 2 ½ years to train a critical care paramedic at a cost of between $250,00 and $300,000 each, plus the additional cost of $20,000 per year to keep up their medical skills training. With only 90 CCPs in all of BC, there are not enough of them to fill the vacancies and they only work in larger cities. Putting hospital staff on those flights is a way to immediately alleviate the current paramedic staff shortages. “Literally tomorrow, I could hire 90 doctors to work with them side-by-side and we’d double our resources,” said McLean. “You don’t have to pay the doctors to train, they come trained. It just makes no sense they’re fighting it. BC has a huge opportunity if we do it right.” Until the qualifications changed this year, PCP training involved a one-month online course, four months of classroom instruction and 13 practicum shifts totaling 156 hours. In January the PCP requirements were bumped to eight months of classroom instruction and a four-month practicum. Compared to other provinces and countries, BC lags behind most jurisdictions in the level of training required to be a paramedic, including advanced care and critical care. “A bulk of the hires to BCEHS over the past year have been drivers only, and the bulk of the paramedics — 60-70 per cent — are primary care paramedics,” said Christian. “And we wonder why we have such a PTSD problem with our crews, particularly when you pair these people with drivers only,” he said. “The more rural you are, the more likely you’ll have someone with lower skills and experience, the more likely you are to get an EMR or a PCP as opposed to an ACP to treat you. In most areas of BC, the further away you are from a bigger city, the less likely you are
HANDOUT PHOTO
It takes 2½ years to train a critical care paramedic at a cost of between $250,00 and $300,000 each, plus the additional cost of $20,000 per year to keep up their training, which is why there are only 90 in BC — most in urban areas.
to get any level of advanced care.” There are BC doctors willing to help paramedics handle the complex cases through telehealth connections and are doing so through EPOS (Emergency Physician Online Support), but McLean said that service is underutilized. Four EPOS doctors were recently hired from a list of 80 applicants. “There’s a huge desire and interest in doing prehospital medicine as physicians and if you look at STARS, there are hundreds of physicians trying to get on with the STARS teams,” said McLean. “You actually have the ability to go worldwide and pick the crème de la crème and it’s BC. It’s a gorgeous place to live. Who in their right mind would not want to come here? “It has nothing to do with lack of interest. It’s all about the organization (BCEHS) unwillingly to relinquish what they think is their control and their system. The reality is, if you look worldwide and even to the United States they’re all moving towards mixed teams. “We’d like to take people who have trained for 17 years — they’re our highest-level provider in our hospitals — and we’d like to put them out into the community and they’re like, ‘No, it can’t happen. You can’t do that.’”
Demand vs. capacity Most smaller hospitals and clinics in BC are not equipped to deal with a
critically-injured patient, which puts additional stress on medical staff to provide immediate care and that takes away from the treatment available to other hospital patients. Health services in Australia and Scotland that deliver medical teams of doctors, nurses and paramedics on flights to remote locations to support rural doctors have found that in nearly one-third of cases, patients treated by advanced medical teams do not have to be moved to another hospital to have their conditions stabilized. Doctors and nurse practitioners have the authority to discharge patients on the spot without having to go to a hospital, which saves money. “You can make patient well enough that they don’t have to leave,” said Christian, “or a lot of times you can make the decision and have the discussion with the family that actually this patient is not going to necessarily survive. They’re not going to get better if you move them to a higher level of care. “So why are we ripping them away from all of their supports and all their families and taking them somewhere else when we could make that decision to keep them here, surrounded by their loved ones in their final moments.” He said the BCEHS system of moving patients in interfacility transfers is barely able to keep up to the demand for acute-care transfers, let alone provide timely returns for patients to
their home communities’ hospitals once acute care is no longer required. Too many empty-leg flights are happening and planes return to their bases empty instead of coordinating flights with patients in hospitals waiting to go home. Delays in repatriating patients puts additional costs and stress on families and leads to bed-blocking in tertiary hospitals, surgical delays and backlogs in the hospital system. “Even if you don’t live in a rural remote area, this could affect you if your surgery gets cancelled in the big city because that ICU bed or ward bed isn’t available,” said Christian. “Anybody who uses our healthcare system needs to care about these issues. Having a good and effective retrieval/repatriation system and care for these people in smaller communities helps everybody in the long run.”
First Nations patients BC lags behind much of the world in the time it takes to move a patient from one hospital or medical clinic to a higher level of care at a receiving hospital and not surprisingly the longest waits are for First Nations and rural patients. Two hours is the benchmark set by the Royal Flying Doctors Service to get to a red (critical condition) patient in Queensland, Australia, an area nearly twice as large as British Columbia. By comparison, for residents of a BC First Nations reserve the response time in 2024 was three hours 58 minutes in the median percentile and 16 hours 54 minutes for most (90th percentile) patients. In rural BC, the median response time was three hours three minutes and for the 90th percentile it was 11 hours 37 minutes. In urban areas it was one hour 51 minutes (median) and seven hours four minutes (90th percentile). The lack of staff and ambulance resources continues to drive up response times and Christian says little has changed despite a nearly $1 billion investment by the province in the ambulance service over the past three years. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
Doctors, nurses form new non-profit Med Response BC CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE Ian Tait, a CUPE Local 873 spokesperson, told The Citizen in January that most ambulance stations in the province have only 50 per cent coverage and almost none have 100 per cent coverage, and it’s been that way for 40 years.
Improving the odds Having paramedics working alongside doctors and nurses on interdisciplinary teams raises medical competency. When they’re not tasked with a patient retrieval call paramedics they are assigned to work in hospital emergency/operating rooms. Christian cites an American study by a group of doctors that focused on trauma deaths in the U.S. which showed 29 per cent of prehospital patients had potentially survivable injuries that could have been prevented had there been a quick intervention by a hospital-level EMS team. Wales introduced a new model of care with doctors and nurses involved with paramedics and found in the first five years the 30-day mortality rate dropped 37 per cent compared to the rate for ambulance service staffed only by paramedics. Christian sees healthcare staff involvement in retrievals as a recruitment tool to get more doctors and nurses willing to relocate to BC. A survey of emergency physicians in the province found that over half of the 192 who responded have staffed the transfer of a critically ill or injured patient. Eighty per cent indicated a strong interest in wanting to get involved in prehospital and retrieval medicine and of the new graduates all said they wanted to pursue that kind of work.
Cost savings? In 2015, the National Health Service in Wales introduced multidisciplinary teams to its revamped emergency medicine retrieval system and was able to recruit 12 consulting physicians and 55 other doctors who signed up for fellowships to work in hard-to-fill rural hospital posts. In five years that saved the health system an estimated £2.75
HANDOUT PHOTO
A BCEHS paramedic team oversees a critical care patient being transported on a helicopter emergency medical service flight.
million in locum/agency coverage costs and improved the regularity of shift coverage with a number of high-quality physicians being retained. Providing quick interventions means patients usually recover quicker, freeing up hospital beds and reducing insurance claims and lost work time. The value of saving one life is immeasurable. “The actual cost of this alternative system will be lower than the current model of care because we’re using doctors and nurses that already have critical care skills and training and practice it every day, so that will significantly increase the value of the system,” said Christian. BCEHS spends $250,000-300,000 for the initial training of one critical care paramedic and it costs $20,000 each year for each CCP to maintain their skills working in hospital operating rooms. He said a 40-hour course in prehospital care is all it would take to prepare a physician and nurse already trained in critical care. “When we have so many nurses in positions already trained to do critical care why are we investing all this to have so few paramedics that can do it when you could be investing in physicians and nurses that already have those skills,” Christian said.
“I’m not saying we should get rid of critical care paramedics. We need to get more paramedics working in primary care and emergency departments, but the only way we could ever do that is to get some of the in-hospital physicians to work outside.”
New business model To circumvent ambulance union’s collective agreement which prevents hospital staff from flying on BCEHS air ambulances, Christian and a group of doctors and nurses have formed a not-for-profit society, Med Response BC (MRBC), which proposes to purchase its own aircraft to work with health authorities on medical missions. MRBC wants to establish an inventory of privately-owned aircraft and watercraft with pre-qualified operators who can use an app to confirm availability to serve in strategic rural locations all over the province. That equipment would be tasked if needed by an MRBC medical crew. “As opposed to waiting the 12 hours or whatever for a retrieval team to be available with a dedicated aircraft, I think that is ultimately how we change the game for patients surviving in a vast area like BC with adverse weather and long distances,” said Christian.
The ability to fundraise and accept private/corporate donations to provide an enhanced ambulance service has been the lifeblood of charitable organizations like London Air Ambulance, Essex & Herz Air Ambulance, German Red Cross and Alberta-based STARS, which raises $28.9 million annually through its lottery, calendar sales and special events in addition to $44.6 million in government funding. Med Response BC is proposing a hybrid funding model that’s a combination of charity (individuals and organizations), industry, grants, government sources and in-kind donations. Retrieval/repatriation teams will be the main thrust of MRBC, while its educational component would assist other organizations in clinical governance, education, supply chain access, online medical support for SAR teams and community groups wanting to establish their own societies involved in prehospital care. All clinicians who work for Med Response BC will spend the majority of their work hours in the health authority to build their competencies and will only work part-time for the group. “The ideal will be that on the retrieval team for MRBC there will be a couple of people in every centre on a longer-term contract who will be the senior leaders in those areas, still working part-time with MRBC, and everybody else, doctors, nurses, paramedics will rotate through on six- or 12-month experiences where they work with the system to develop skills in retrieval medicine,” Christian said. The MRBC business model calls for the five health authorities to elect five voting board members. The organization will also have several non-voting board members representing immediate care societies such as KERPA (Kootenay Emergency Rescue Physicians Association), North Shore Search and Rescue, healthcare workers and members of the public. More than 50 per cent of the voting board members have to be rural and Indigenous and the group already has that covered.
THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
Local Sports
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Rave reviews for Otway’s new paved track Nordic centre hosts time trials for cross-country skiers and biathletes from British Columbia and Alberta TED CLARKE Citizen Staff
Isla Cadell considers Prince George’s latest sports facility a game changer, one that might provide the training boost she needs to compete for medal spots next winter at the World Youth Biathlon Championships in Germany. Cadell, 17, was a proud host Friday, July 25, watching her BC provincial teammates and their Team Alberta counterparts roll into the shooting range at Otway Nordic Centre. Rolling, instead of running. That’s possible now thanks to a $1.25-million investment by the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club to pave a three-kilometre section of the trail network at Otway, creating Western Canada’s third roller ski trail for training cross-country skiers and biathletes like Cadell during the warmer months. Cadell and about 12 dedicated biathletes in the Caledonia club have been training on the asphalt track since May. They had to wait until the asphalt track cured last October, but now there’s nothing holding them back — and they’re loving it. “It’s really amazing to share this facility with people from all over the country,” said Cadell, a member of Biathlon Canada’s youth national team. “I never thought this was possible, and now we have these worldclass facilities here. It’s really cool because we’re just a small town in British Columbia.” The five-metre-wide track features extended uphill sections and banked corners on the downhill slopes to minimize the risks of skiing without brakes. Cadell has gotten used to taking those corners without too much fear of a wipeout. It’s a far cry from worrying about
CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT
Caledonia Nordic Ski Club member Moira Green heads for the finish line on the last of three laps in the women’s six-kilometre roller ski biathlon time trial on Sunday, July 27.
vehicle traffic while roller skiing long city streets, which local ski racers once used for summer training. “The first time I skied it, I thought, ‘I don’t want to fall here,’ but the more you ski it, the more comfortable you get,” Cadell said. “But it’s inevitable — somebody’s going to crash, and usually, they’re fine.” Being able to roller ski means biathletes can carry their rifles, and it’s easier to simulate racing on snow, where mastering a natural routine to load and shoot with robotic precision is critical for accuracy and speed on the range. “You can’t run with a rifle on your ack, and you can’t roller ski on the road
with a rifle because that’s illegal. So, you don’t get used to the weight, and that changes everything,” said Cadell. “Having this here has really changed our training for the better. We get to ski the same course we race on (on snow), so that’s pretty cool.” The Caledonia club hosted its first races on the new track this weekend. Saturday’s time trials were for cross-country skiers, while Sunday’s trials were for biathletes. Canada’s national senior team and development team athletes for cross-country and biathlon, as well as teams from Biathlon Alberta Training Centre and Sovereign Lake Ski Club, are also participating in the six-day camp.
They are using the dorm rooms at the UNBC student residence. Not Nathanael Dean. He can sleep in his own bed, 20 minutes away, and get fortified for his races with a homecooked meal — a rare luxury for the 16-year-old Caledonia club biathlete heading into his fourth season with the BC provincial team. “I think I’m lucky to be so close to a club with such an amazing facility,” said Dean. “I love the new roller ski tracks. They’re amazingly smooth. There are a few corners you have to get used to, but I really love them.” CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
Year-round facility will help grow biathlon as a sport CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE “There’ve been a few crashes, but none on the big hill. We’ve all been pretty lucky. Your balance develops, and you get more comfortable on your roller skis, but for sure, I wouldn’t want to be a beginner going down that large hill.” At Thursday’s development camp, about 50 biathletes were in attendance, and the shooting range was a busy place with all lanes occupied. “I think this is going to make biathlon way more popular,” said Dean. “I hope we continue to hold some major (roller ski) events and trials here. I definitely think it’s possible.” Emma Lunder retired from the World Cup circuit this year after 16 years as a full-time biathlete for Canada. Now 33, she grew up in Vernon and attended a summer training camp at Otway in 2010 — but it was nothing like it is now. “The roller ski track is amazing,” said Lunder. “I think having some good uphills and downhills is something the tracks in North America don’t really have, and it’s such good practice for the winter.” “Wide, fresh pavement is a biathlete’s dream.” Ntala Quintilio (née Skinner), a twotime Olympic biathlete for the United States in Lillehammer (1994) and Nagano (1998), is now Biathlon Alberta’s executive director, overseeing 18 high-performance athletes who made the trip to Prince George this week. Otway is one of only three paved Nordic facilities in Western Canada, and Quintilio says the Caledonia club did it right. “It’s world-class. It’s really nice to have such a beautiful place to come and train — there aren’t very many facilities like this,” said Quintilio. “It’s really critical for the development of sport-specific excellence. You need to be able to roller ski to come in and do sport-specific training.” “We’re here because we love training with BC, and we want to develop the cultural relationship these athletes have together. They all become one big community when they work together
CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT
Sebastian Solomonson of Sovereign Lake Nordic Club leaves the start of the men’s 7.5-kilometre roller ski biathlon time trial on Sunday, July 27 at Otway Nordic Centre.
like this. We’re trying to raise their level of competition by using each other’s camaraderie to build on that.” Quintilio says there’s still a need to raise awareness about biathlon in Canada, and having a year-round facility will likely help Prince George recruit more ski racers and biathletes. Biathlon was a men-only Olympic sport until 1992 in Albertville. The sport’s prominence with women has increased substantially since then, but Canadians and Americans still face an uphill battle competing at the highest levels against Europeans. “It’s changed substantially for gender equity, but I still think a lot of people don’t understand how much work and dedication it takes to get good at this
sport,” said Quintilio. “In general, North Americans are in their late 20s or early 30s before they reach the competitiveness Europeans have in their early-tomid-20s. (North Americans) compete against nations that don’t have to travel to Europe, so if you look at the national team budget — around $800,000 — about $100,000 goes toward travel. That’s significant. You could use that money to develop athletes.” Lunder and her fiancée, Christian Gow, also a retired World Cup biathlete, know Canadians have to pay to play, and the perennial lack of national team funding played a role in their decision to step away from the sport as athletes. “Funding has always been a bit of an
issue with biathlon in Canada,” said Lunder, now a full-time community rehabilitation/disability studies student at the University of Calgary. “It’s such an awesome sport, but it’s hard to do if you don’t have the financial means. We’ve definitely seen a lot of athletes have to stop because of that, which is too bad — especially when they have the potential.” “Honestly, for me, I’ve been doing it for so long it was time to move on to something else.” Many of the biathletes who trained in Prince George on the weekend will return March 5-8, 2026, when the Caledonia club hosts the Western Canadian Championships.
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
SPORTS
THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
Kobe Kidd takes his football skills to U.S. high school TED CLARKE Citizen Staff
Middle linebacker Kobe Kidd had the rare opportunity to play Canadian rules football when he suited up for Team BC at the Football Canada Cup in Antigonish, N.S., July 12-20. Kidd has been playing football since he was five years old lining up for his first games for minor football games with the Prince George Axemen and he’s played four-down football almost exclusively ever since. But football is football and it was an easy adjustment for him playing on a longer, wider field and having to deal with offences in forward motion before the snap. The 17-year-old Prince George native is now in Washington state about to begin his final season of high school football playing varsity ball for the Yelm Tornados. Kidd wants to play for an NCAA U.S. college team next year and decided his best opportunity to get noticed was to head to the States, where football is a religion. “I saw it was a good football team close to home and messaged them they need a middle linebacker so I was right on it, I’ve played middle linebacker my entire life,” said Kidd. “I just felt I needed some more American exposure, there’s honestly nothing like football in the States and I want to get Division 1 offers. “I want to show the States who I am and get as much exposure as I can, so I’m super-excited for that and for the competition.” The Tornados play in the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association. They won the 3A state title in 2022, were runners-up in 2023 and last year moved up to the 4A division. They play a nine-game schedule that starts in early September and he says it will be close to 15 games if they go to the state championship at Husky Stadium in Seattle. The football stadium in Yelm, a city of 10,700 people near Tacoma, has a seating capacity of 4,000 but Kidd says it’s not unusual for the team to draw crowds closer to 5,000.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Prince George native Kobe Kidd, shown sporting his Team BC colours at the 2025 Football Canada Cup in Antigonish, N.S., will play high school football this fall in Washington state for the Yelm (Wash.) Tornados.
“Our stadium is nice,” he said. “Football is everything down here. “You go to a restaurant and they have pictures of the stadium and pictures of football teams on the walls. You go to Walmart and our team merchandise is right where you walk in and you can buy hoodies with our team logo.” Kidd is a two-sport athlete who also played rep lacrosse for Prince George Posse rep teams. He was drafted by
the senior C Prince George Bandits but he gave up lacrosse two years ago so he could focus on football. He always played with older players in minor football and that sped his development. “I’ve had awesome coaching, I played for the Prince George Axemen from kindergarten to Grade 7, and then went to Kelly Road, which was great development and helped set me up and gain confidence to go down south,” said
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Kidd. Kidd made the BC provincial team this summer and he and Bennett Switzer, a former high school teammate of Kidd’s with the Shas Ti Kelly Road Roadrunners, represented Prince George at the eight-team Football Canada Cup tournament in Antigonish, N.S., July 12-20. Team BC squad didn’t get the results it was after, finishing seventh with a 1-2 record, but it was still a great experience for the two PG boys to showcase their talents in front of university scouts from every U SPORTS team. “It was great, I loved playing in front of college coaches, every single U SPORTS program is required to be there,” said Kidd. “Bennett wants to the U SPORT route and he definitely has the potential to do it.” Kidd played his Grade 10 season for the Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers of Surrey, then transferred to Ontario to play for the Football North prep program. Based in Mississauga, Ont., the team played exclusively American teams, including a few state champions, and that opened up the opportunity for Kidd to play high school ball in Yelm. Ryan Bellamy coached Kidd for two years at Shas Ti Kelly Road and Switzer was part of the team for his Grade 8 season. Both players are listed at six-foottwo, 220 pounds and Bellamy wasn’t surprised to see them on the provincial team. “Kobe is a very experienced football player who played PG minor football he’s strong and tough and fast and he’s really smart and knows his way around the football field,” said Bellamy. “Bennett has raw talent and football came naturally to him, he just needed more experience. They’re both big guys and they work hard.” Switzer, also a middle linebacker, moved from Prince George to Parksville two years ago after his Grade 8 season at STKR and spent the past two high school seasons with the Ballenas Whalers, helping them reach the BC School Sports junior varsity double-A final in 2023. He’ll be back for his Grade 11 season at Ballenas.
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SPORTS
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
Senior C lacrosse playoffs set for PG Aug. 8-10 TED CLARKE Citizen Staff
Prince George is getting ready to host the BC senior C provincial lacrosse championship Aug 8-10 at the Kin Centre and each of the trophies up for grabs that weekend commemorate Prince George lacrosse legends. The seven-team tournament includes the respective league champions from Prince George, Thompson-Okanagan, Greater Vancouver and Victoria regions, all of whom are eligible to win the Fred Doig Trophy, named after the father of lacrosse in Prince George. Doig, who died in 2019 at age 91, was a two-time Mann Cup champion with the Victoria Shamrocks who brought Canada’s national summer sport with him from Victoria when he moved to Prince George in 1965. The Fred Doig Trophy was first awarded to the BC senior C champions in 2003. The teams coming to Prince George next month will also be vying for the Glen “Moose” Scott Trophy, named after the co-founder and longtime commissioner of the Prince George Senior Lacrosse Association. Scott’s efforts revived the senior game in the city in 1991 after a 12-year
CITIZEN FILE PHOTO
Fred Doig hands the Fred Doig Trophy to provincial senior C champions Dave Bennett, left, and Blake McIntosh of the Westwood Pub Devils in July 2014. The Devils are among seven teams vying for the BC senior C provincial and invitational titles, Aug. 8-10 at the Kin Centre.
absence. In 2007, Scott and Ron Edgar organized the Rio Tinto Alcan Cup Canadian Senior C Lacrosse Invitational tournament, which later became the Treasure Cove Invitational and, in 2019. the Glen ‘ Moose’ Scott Invitational. The invitational/provincial two-tournaments-in-one format began in 2003. The event was last hosted in Prince George in 2019. Seven teams will gather at Kin 1 and Kin 2 for the three-day tournament. The Scamp Transport Devils, who won their sixth consecutive Dale Rolufs
Memorial Trophy as champions of the PGSLA, and the Prince George Assault, who lost in three straight games to the Devils in the PGSLA final, will represent Prince George. The Devils won it in 2017, the last time a Prince George team has won the senior C provincial title. The Port Moody Express, Port Coquitlam Hitmen and Mission Cedar Kings will represent the West Coast Lacrosse League. The tournament also includes the two-time defending provincial senior C-champion Kelowna Raiders, who
captured their third straight Thompson-Okanagan Senior Lacrosse League title, and the Victoria Jokers, champions of the Vancouver Island Senior C League. Each team is guaranteed four games. The final is set for Sunday, Aug. 10 at 1:30 p.m. at Kin 1. The bronze-medal game will be played Sunday, Aug. 10 at noon, following crossover playoff games at 9 a.m. at both arenas. The teams are allowed to add three senior C players to their rosters. The Assault have added Davey Jenkins, who came out of retirement to play this season for the Mackenzie Conifex Power Lumberjacks, and Brett Barwise, who led the BHL Bandits top offensive player, who finished second in the PGSLA scoring race. “The Devils are going to be tough, they’re six-time champions,” said Assault coach and tournament organizer Don Wittmeier. “There’s a lot of parity from the league champions, they’re all strong. Last year’s championship went to overtime, and the teams are getting stronger.” Individual game admission is $5 or $15 for a day pass or $40 for a tournament pass.
Spruce Kings’ 30th season starts Sept. 19 in Chilliwack TED CLARKE Citizen Staff
The Prince George Spruce Kings open their 30th BC Hockey League season on the road. It all begins Friday, Sept. 19 in Chilliwack, where the Spruce Kings meet the Chiefs, the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last spring in a seven-game first-round series. Fans at Kopar Memorial Arena will get to see the Spruce Kings in action the following weekend, when they host the Surrey Eagles on Friday, Sept. 26, followed by a date with the Okotoks Oilers on the 27th.
CITIZEN FILE PHOTO
After opening their season on the road against the Chiefs, the Spruce Kings’ home opener will be Sept. 26 against the Surrey Eagles.
With the Penticton Vees jumping this season to the WHL, the 20-team BCHL has realigned into four five-team divisions and two conferences.
The Spruce Kings will play in the Coastal East division along with Chilliwack Chiefs, Coquitlam Express Langley Rivermen and Surrey Eagles.
Coastal West includes Alberni Valley Bulldogs, Cowichan Valley Capitals, Nanaimo clippers, Powell River Kings and Victoria Grizzlies. Interior West will have Cranbrook Bucks, Salmon Arm Silverbacks, Trail Smoke Eater, Vernon Vipers and West Kelowna Warriors. The all-Alberta Interior East has Blackfalds Bulldogs, Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Sherwood Park Crusaders and Spruce Grove Saints. All teams will play a 54-game schedule that wraps up March 29 before heading into the playoffs. The Spruce Kings start training camp on Friday, Aug. 29.
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Life Events James Royce Stevenson
August 15, 1937 - July 16, 2025 With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of James Royce Stevenson (Royce) on July 16th, 2025. Born in 1937 in Lashburn, Saskatchewan to James Earl and Mildred Stevenson. Leaving to mourn is his wife of 67 years, Ann Stevenson, his son Brad (Gail) and daughter Laureen (Norm), his grandson Keenen, and great grandchildren Nixon and Luna. As well as his brother in law Wesley (Mary Jean) Moll, and Irene Moll, and numerous nieces, nephews and friends. He was predeceased by his parents and brother Stewart. First and foremost in Royce’s life was his family. He sel essly devoted all of himself to them with the greatest of love, support and generosity. There was nothing more fulfilling to him than sharing family time. A favorite memory of his family was e ploring old towns and digging for treasures. Royce enjoyed camping, boating, fishing, fi ing and tin ering in his garage. When the garage door was open, everyone was welcome to stop by for a coffee and spin a tale. Royce had a fun sense of humour and liked to pull a leg or two! Royce had an interesting wor life. A er he le Saskatchewan, he worked in Eatons Calgary, then transferred to Edmonton with Eatons in the warehouse. He started in the mining industry and moved to Texada Island in 1962. Both his children were born there. While employed with Texada Mines, he participated in many mine rescue competitions that he really enjoyed and won numerous awards with his team. He went on to work in Jordan River, and next stop was with Grand Duke in Stewart, BC. In the early 70s, he moved to Prince George and wor ed for the epartment of Mines. At that time, he was really involved with Search and Rescue and assisted in finding many people. n 1982, he began wor ing for the or ers Compensation oard till his retirement. e en oyed retirement to its fullest. No Service by his request.
Irene Louise Bowie (née McIntosh) April 21, 1941 - June 28, 2025
The family of Irene Louise Bowie is saddened to announce her passing on June 28th, 2025, at the age of 84. She was predeceased by her loving husband Robert Fergusson (Bob) Bowie, her parents Ted and Helen McIntosh, and her sister Evelyn Sullivan. She will be lovingly remembered by her children Chris (Linda), Glenn (Trish), and Dave, grandchildren Alex, Jenna, Shayne, Zack, Lukas, and Benjamin, brothers Ken (Rhonda), Neil (Darlene), numerous nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews, and many wonderful friends. Irene was born on April 21st,1941 in The Pas Manitoba. Her family moved to Prince George B.C. in the 1950s. In 1960, she married Bob, had three children and worked in the family’s retail clothing business. In the late 1980’s the family moved to Edmonton Alberta, and she worked in the business office of the Edmonton Journal newspaper until her retirement in 2006. Irene had a keen interest in music and enjoyed playing piano throughout her life. She was fiercely loyal to her family which was the most important focus of her life. The family wishes to send a special thank you to the staff of Capital Care Grandview, River bend Revera Retirement Residence, and Lifestyle Options Retirement Community- Riverbend, for their care and compassion while Irene was resident. A celebration of life will be held at 2pm on August 2nd, 2025 at the Connelly-McKinley Commemoration Center/Funeral Home at 4820 Meridian Street in Edmonton Alberta.
Deanna Marie Lemky née Umstaetter
April 15, 1982 - July 20, 2025 It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of eanna Lem y, who le this world far too soon on July 20, 2025, at the age of 43. Born on April 15, 1982, Deanna was a light in the lives of all who knew her. She was known for her warmth, strength, and unwavering compassion. Whether through her laughter, her kindness, or her tireless dedication to those she loved, eanna made every day brighter. Deanna was surrounded by her loving family when she peacefully le to be with the Lord, embraced by the care and devotion of those closest to her. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by her husband, Steve Lemky, and her beloved children, Lacey and Eleanor. She also leaves behind her father, Martin mstae er, and his wife Andrea; her mother, Sharon Holmes, and her husband Jeremy; Father &mother-in-law Ken, Myrna Lemky, brother-in-law Tyler along with many close friends and loved ones who held her dear. Deanna was predeceased by her brother Aaron, her cherished grandparents, and several beloved aunts and uncles. A celebration of her life will be held in the future. Location, date, and time will be announced later, allowing loved ones and friends to come together and remember her in oy and gratitude. n lieu of owers, the family indly as s that donations be made to Breast Cancer research, PG Hospice House or the BC SPCA, causes close to Deanna’s heart. Above all, Deanna never wanted to be cried about. She as ed that we find the good in everyone and everything. She believed in laughter over tears, compassion over judgment, and understanding in every corner of life. Her legacy is not only in the love she gave, but in the light, she hoped we would carry forward.
Honouring
those who have touched our lives email: frontdesk@pgcitizen.ca or call 250.562.2441
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
LIFE EVENTS
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
Lowell J. Dumonceaux
March 12, 1960 - April 5, 2025
Celebration of Life
Saturday August 16, 2025 at 11:00am Hart Highlands Ski Hill (Upstairs Lodge) 3740 Winslow Drive, Prince George, BC
Douglas Wilson Allen
February 18, 1946 - July 16, 2025 It is with great sadness the family of Douglas Wilson Allen announce his passing. Doug born February 18th, 1946 passed away July 16th, 2025 at the age of 79 years with his wife Arleen by his side. Doug was a strong family man, a wonderful husband, supportive father & grandfather, jokey brother-in-law, kind uncle and a loyal friend to many. Doug was born in Prince George, BC to Art and Hazel Allen. He grew up in downtown Prince George attending King George V Elementary School and Prince George Senior Secondary School. As a child he spent his weekends and summers out at Cluculz Lake with his parents, uncles, aunts and cousins.
In Loving Memory Rod Stussi
August 1, 1943 - July 26, 2015 Memories of you are a treasure we will have forever. We miss you so much. Love, Darlene and Adina
In Loving Memory
Elizabeth Florence Alborn
January 1, 1 54 -July 1 , 2025 Eli abeth (Betty) Alborn, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on July 1 , 2025, in Prince George at the age of 1. She was known for her uick wit and bold humour. Betty is survived by her husband Peter, son Michael (Kathy) daughter Daniela, grandchildren: Jules, Alex, Fiona, Jackson and Greta, siblings: Sylvia (Gary), Fran (Mark), Sue (Don), and Dennis (Sheila). In lieu of owers, donations can be made to Variety BC, as this was Betty s favourite charity. A hear elt thank you to Dr. Misselbrook and the nursing staff in the IC at HNBC for their compassionate care. A private family celebration of life will be held at a future date.
After high school, Doug went to BCIT to become a machinist. He became the manager of Brunette Machine Works (later known as Valon Kone Brunette) where he worked for 40 years. Doug met Arleen in their grade 12 year. They were married in September of 1969 and had two children, Trent and Keri. They lived in the house that Doug built on Runnalls Ave. Doug loved to take his family on vacations every summer which meant loading up the truck & trailer and off they went to explore BC, Alberta and the states camping. In 2004, he and Arleen moved into their retirement home Doug also built on the property at Cluculz Lake his parents bought in 1950. Doug was a skilled craftsman that could engineer and build anything out of metal and wood that he personally harvested with the buggy he manufactured himself. From building his own homes to helping neighbors fix plumbing, electrical and maintaining properties, Doug was the person many asked for help from. His garage is full of old tools that his father owned to the newer green machines that crafted many pieces of furniture and it was his place to create whatever he had engineered in his head to build. Beyond his passions and skills for building and fixing he loved his Friday morning trip to town and a good old visit with his Coffee Gang. Doug was also an avid hunter and fisherman. Doug was pre-deceased by his parents Art and Hazel Allen, his half-sister Barb Ellis and his son-in-law Jerry Edwards. Doug is survived by his loving wife of 56 years Arleen, children: Trent (Tammy) and Keri, grandchildren: Courtney, Eva, Tristen (Cindy), Brooklyn (Lorne), Brayden (Lauren), and Tanner, great granddaughter: Scarlet, sister-in-law: Joanne, nieces: Jaimie, Kyla (Scott) and nephew: Nathan (Tracey & sons). Doug’s unique sense of humor will be missed by many, a Celebration of Life will be held at a later date to share the stories of Douglas Wilson Allen.
Patricia Lynne Finn
August 29, 1941 - July 15, 2025 Our beloved mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, Patricia Lynne Finn (formerly Forsberg), passed away peacefully at Hospice House surrounded by love of family and God s grace on July 15, 2025, at the age of , after a short but courageous battle with brain cancer. Pat was born in Cleveland, Ohio on August 29, 1941, and moved to Tacoma, WA with her family at the age of five. As a child she loved sports, the outdoors, and had a passion for art and drawing. Pat graduated from high school in 1959 and married Carl Forsberg in 1 61. In 1 6 , Pat and Carl immigrated to Canada to serve with Bishop Grady s Frontier Apostles. They had four children: Theresa (1962), Gordon (1964), Erica (1 65) all born in Seattle, WA, and Charles (1 1) born in Prince George. Pat was a devoted wife and mother who loved cooking, baking, gardening, and exploring art through drawing, painting, and sculpture. She inspired a love of art and music with her family, always willing to lend her boundless creativity to any pro ect. Pat attended the College of New Caledonia and niversity of Victoria where she ma ored in Visual Arts before returning to Prince George in 1 6. She trained in Shotokan Karate, receiving her black belt under her Senior, John Leitch, in 1 5. In 1 , she began a career at PGRH in dietary then worked as a health records technician until her retirement in 2006. Pat was a doting grandmother and en oyed travelling. She had a particular love for the performing arts. She was an active member of St. Mary s Parish most of her life. She will be greatly missed for her love and service to her faith community. Pat is survived by her son Gordon (Sheila), daughter Erica, son Charles (Rasa), son-in-law Mark Goudreau, grandchildren Rachelle, Matthew (Celina), Keith, Kirsten (Jeremy), Jaron (Elise), Josef, Mary (Tyler), and Patrici a, great grandchildren Tallulah, Minuette, and Theodore, sister Carole Rodems, brother George Kerin (Kathleen) as well as numerous nieces and nephews, and many dear friends all of whom she loved and cherished. Pat was predeceased by her dear daughter Theresa Goudreau, brother-in-law John Rodems, and parents Carl & Teresa Kerin. We celebrated Pat s life at St. Mary s Church with Vigil prayers on Tuesday, July 29th @ 7pm and Funeral Mass on Wednesday, July 0th 11am. Grace Memorial in care of arrangements. Donations can be made in Pat s memory to Hospice House or Prolife.
THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
Connie Anne Steinbach nee Fontaine April 8, 1965 - July 11, 2025
Our dear Connie passed away in Prince George, BC on July 11th 2025 at age 60. She is survived by her loving husband, Norman; children Aimee (Simon), Brittanie (Justin), Cayla, Zachary, and honorary daughter Breanna (Kyle); and her cherished grandchildren Hunter, Aubree, Maizee, Jakob, Peyton, Hannah, and Olivia. She is also survived by her parents, Gloria and Daniel Fontaine; siblings Daniel (Christina), Brian (Jennifer), and Michelle (Kam); along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and close friends—especially Penny, Anita, Paula, Tanya, Crystal, and Annette. This incredible woman was born in Vancouver on April 8th, 1965, the eldest of four children. At age five, she moved from Richmond to Port Alice, where her love of the ocean and island life began. At age thirteen, she moved to Kamloops. Growing up, Connie enjoyed figure skating, camping, putting on family concerts, singing in choir, and later participating in theatre with the Kamloops Operatic Society. Moving to Prince George for college, Connie met the love of her life, Norman, whom she was married to for 39 years. Connie especially loved being a mom, spending time with her family and friends, and entertaining us with her warmth and dry sense of humor. Connie had a way of making family and friends feel welcome, special, and appreciated—always the first to offer a kind word or a thoughtful gesture. She also enjoyed working for Robert and Francine at Lo & Elliot Orthodontics for over 20 years and was fortunate to travel to various places with fellow staff. Connie was predeceased by both her maternal and paternal grandparents: Michael Maydanyk, Judith Simmons, Woody Fontaine, and Eileen White. And her uncle, Lance Mallek. Connie was full of life and love—a passionate, kind, caring, and sincere woman who will be dearly missed every single day. A Celebration of Life will be held on August 23rd, 2025, at her daughter’s home in Prince George. Information to follow at a later time. If you wish to send a condolence or share a memory, please email: aimeesteinbach@yahoo.ca
George Garfield Roberts August 5, 1956 – July 19, 2025
Our beloved husband, father, papa, brother, nephew, uncle and great uncle has been taken far too soon. George passed on with his loving family surrounding him in the early hours of Saturday morning, July 19, 2025. He was almost 69. George was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta to Howard and Lillian Roberts (nee Gorda). Brother Harvey was also born in Medicine Hat and sisters Brenda and Tracey in Calgary. The family eventually moved to Edmonton before moving to Prince George in 1969. George worked with WKG Home Builders in his early adult years. He also had a hand in opening and operating the North ave Athletic Club. e then worked with BC Rail’s Buildings and Bridges Department and later with CN. e went on to create GR Projects and finished his career subcontracting with rail companies, including Remcan. In his retirement, he was a much sought a er handy man around town. Our family is beyond heartbroken and cannot imagine life without him. George always had a story, saying or joke, o en inappropriate, up his sleeve. These will be passed along into perpetuity and in this way George’s spirit will live on! His boisterous personality kept us all laughing for all the years that we were lucky enough to have him. We all feel truly blessed to have had him in our lives and we know that he loved us all in his own special and cantankerous way. e was truly a one off they broke the mold a er they made him. George is survived by his loving wife Sarah, his son and doppelganger Wade (Vangel), his Lil’ Goil Cara (Mark) , grandchildren Tristan (Kaitlin), Riley (Alex), Holden, Rylan, Ellyanne and Cassidy, sisters Brenda and Tracey (Dave), brother Harvey (Pam), as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews and a niece. He will be fondly remembered by Sarah s sons Matthew and Daniel as well as her family and extended family. Also le to grieve are his first wife Cheryl and her family. He will be greatly missed by his many friends, including Julian who spent significant time with George the last few years. He will also be dearly missed by his beloved fur babies Duke and Kamala. The family would like to thank the many doctors and health care providers who gave such compassionate care to George over the years . A celebration of life will be held on August 9, 2025, 2:00 pm at the Sandman Signature Hotel, 2990 Recplace Drive in Prince George. In lieu of owers please donate to a charity of your choice.
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Mabel Blocka We are heartbroken to announce that Mabel Blocka slipped away peacefully, surrounded by her family, at the Penticton Regional Hospital on July 4, 2025. Mabel was 95 years old. She is survived by her three daughters, Laurel (Chris) Peters, Janice (Peter Barnes) Blocka, and Ellen (Stewart) Robertson; and her three grandchildren, Tyler Robertson, April Barnes, and Jack Barnes. Mabel is survived by her sister-in-law, Betty (Joe) Pindera. Mabel was an easy mannered, even tempered, lovely lady with a wonderful sense of humor. She enjoyed being around people and made great friends wherever she traveled. She was an avid golfer (last golfed in 2020 at the age of 90), spent many years curling, and loved to watch all types of sports, live or on TV. After retiring from the Royal Bank at age 55 (40 years ago – if only we all could be so lucky), Mabel and her husband, Terry (deceased 2015), became Snowbirds, enjoying 22 winters in Apache Junction, Arizona. They spent their summer months travelling throughout Canada. When she was at home in Prince George, Mabel spent many years volunteering at the Hospice Resale store, delivering Meals on Wheels and helping oversee the Candy Cart at Rainbow Lodge. She moved to Summerland in October 2022 to be with family. We are very thankful for the wonderful care that she received from the Caregivers at Summerland Senior Village, Interior Health, and especially Laurie K. A special thank you to her longtime family physician in Prince George, Dr. Satish Mann, and to Dr. Cassidy Dahl, in Summerland, for their unwavering care and compassion. A memorial/celebration tea is being planned in Prince George in the Fall – details to follow. A memorial/celebration tea will be held to honour Mabel in the Sagebrush Theater, at the Summerland Senior Village, on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 2:30 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Prince George Rotary Hospice House or to a charity of your choice would be appreciated. We love you mom and will forever miss you. To leave condolences please visit www.providencefuneralhomes.com
Classifieds
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
leather-clad Lewis for an elk. Lewis made a full recovery. *On Aug. 12, 1994, Major League Baseball players went on a strike that lasted for 232 days and caused the cancellation of that year’s World Series for the first time in 90 years. *On Aug. 11, 1806, while hunting *On Aug. 13, 1941, Henry Ford for elk along the Missouri River, • On Nov.Lewis 11, 1831, Nat Turner, an displayed his “Soybean Car,” the Meriwether was accidentally American minister plastic body of which was partially shot by oneslave of hisand owneducated men, likely who believed that he’dthough been chosen by composed of the legumes. It weighed Private Pierre Cruzatte, half as much as a steel-bodied car God to lead Cruzatte, whohis waspeople blind ininto one freedom, eye and nearsighted the other, denied was hanged ininJerusalem, Virginia, and Ford claimed it was safer, but the model never actually went into it. Historians he mistook the for leading asuspect revolt with 75 followers
through Southampton County, killing about 60 white people. • On Nov. 12, 1969, investigative journalist Seymour Hersh revealed the extent of the U.S. Army’s charges ARIES (March 21William to April 19) against 1st Lt. L. Calley at CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Expect to Relationships continue My Lai, Vietnam, intoa thrive, cablebut picked make adjustments, even where things watch for anythan telltale of potential up by more 30 signs newspapers, say- seem locked up and ready to go. But problems. Take Army the necessary action ing that “The says he [Calley] cheer up! At least one change could lead now to set things straight before they109 to something you’ve been hoping for. deliberately murdered at least become troublesome later. Vietnamese civilians during a searchand-destroy mission in March 1968, LEO (July 23 to August 22) The success TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Your of a recent project should do a lot to inpowers a Vietof Cong stronghold known as boost your self-confidence. You might persuasion backed up, of ‘Pinkville.’” course, by your considerable expertise want to start now to check out ways to • On 13, your 1979, help youNov. establish casePhiladelphia even to the make a long-deferred bigger and bolder 76ers center decision-makers Darryl Dawkins leaped move. most dubious in your over Kansas City Kings forward Bill workplace. Robinzine for a memorable slam dunk VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) that shattered fiberglass back- Ease up on the pressure you might be GEMINI (May 21 the to June 20) You might still be aHis bit reluctant face up to some board. equally to memorable com- putting on the new person in your life. less-than-pleasant ment on the move,realities. whichBut wasthe not his It takes time for a budding relationship sooner sooner to blossom. Show more patience and last andyou theaccept soundthe of facts, whichthe spectators you can set about making some needed likened to a bomb going off: “It wasn’t understanding. changes. really a safe thing to do, but it was a Darryl Dawkins thing to do.” • On Nov. 14, 1882, outlaw Frank “Buckskin” Leslie shot and killed Billy “The Kid” Claiborne, who had publicly challenged him, in Tombstone, Arizona. • On Nov. 15, 1984, Baby Fae, a month old infant who received the world’s first baboon heart transplant, died at California’s Loma Linda University 20 days after the operation. Three other people had received animal heart transplants, but none survived longer than a few days. • On Nov. 16, 2001, British author J.K. Rowling’s most famous and beloved creation, the bespectacled boy wizard Harry Potter (played by Daniel Radcliffe in his first major role), made his silver-screen debut in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” which went on to become one of the highestgrossing movies in history. • On Nov. 17, 1903, the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party split into two factions: the majority Bolsheviks and minority Mensheviks. The
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production. *On Aug. 14, 1985, the “King of Pop,” Michael Jackson, bought the publishing rights to the vast majority of the Beatles’ catalog for a cool $47 million. After his death, Sony, one of his primary creditors, assumed full control of the catalog. *On Aug. 15, 1950, Princess Anne, the second child and only daughter of England’s Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, was born. She has long been widely admired for her seemingly tireless work ethic (she does not plan
to retire until she’s 90) and involvement with more than 300 charities, as well as her general practicality and reliability. *On Aug. 16, 1987, a plane crash at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Michigan killed 156 people, including Nick Vanos, a center for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, and left just one survivor, 4-yearold Cecelia Cichan of Tempe, Arizona. The accident was determined to have been caused by pilot error, with speculation that the pilots might have been rushing their pre-flight checks to avoid incoming bad weather.
LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) You have lots of inner strength in your reserve. Use some of it to resist intimidation from those who might try to impose on your good nature for their own reasons.
CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Plan on indulging yourself in some well-earned good times through much of the week. Then be prepared to face some thought-provoking issues by next week.
SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) The good news is that your on-thejob status is improving. One cautionary note, however, involves a personal situation that you might have been ignoring for too long.
AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Positive factors continue to dominate following a recent change in both your professional and personal lives. Expect to make contact with someone from your past.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Congratulations! Once again, your sharp Sagittarian “horse sense” helps you work through a complicated situation that would leave most people confused.
PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Workplace stability allows you to continue making progress on your projects. But don’t ignore your personal life. Spend more quality time with your loved ones.
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
Homes & Living
The History of the BC Day Holiday BC Day is a statutory holiday celebrated on the first Monday of August each year in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It offers residents a long weekend in the summer to enjoy the province’s scenic beauty, cultural events, and community gatherings. But beyond barbecues and beach outings, BC Day has its roots in the province’s rich and complex history. The concept of BC Day was established to recognize the creation and development of British Columbia, and to celebrate its cultural diversity and achievements. Although British Columbia officially joined the Canadian Confederation on July 20, 1871, the idea of a specific provincial holiday came about much later. It wasn’t until 1974 that the British Columbia government formally created the holiday. The idea behind BC Day was to give British
Columbians a designated time to reflect on the province’s heritage and growing identity. The name “British Columbia” itself dates back to 1858, when the mainland colony was established following the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush. That event brought a surge of settlers and fortune seekers, dramatically changing the region’s demographics. Prior to colonization, British Columbia was home to a wide array of Indigenous nations, many of whom continue to live on their ancestral lands today. BC Day is a time to recognize not just the province’s colonial history, but also the Indigenous cultures and contributions that have shaped it for thousands of years. Throughout the years, BC Day has evolved into a celebration of community pride and multiculturalism. Municipalities across the province hold
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parades, music festivals, food fairs, and historical reenactments. In Victoria, the province’s capital, events often highlight British Columbia’s political and cultural history. In Vancouver and other urban centers, BC Day also serves as an opportunity to highlight the diversity of cultures that make up the province’s population, with performances and activities from various communities. While BC Day is largely seen as a day of leisure and local pride, it also serves as a reminder of British Columbia’s journey from a collection of Indigenous territories and colonial outposts to a dynamic province within Canada. The holiday invites reflection on the shared history of all people in the region— both Indigenous and non-Indigenous— and encourages ongoing dialogue about reconciliation and cultural understanding.
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
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Explore Northern BC and Prince George: Top Spots and BC Day Weekend Highlights
Northern British Columbia is rugged, wild, and full of underrated gems. From jaw-dropping landscapes to vibrant cultural spots, it’s where adventure meets authenticity. And if you’re planning a getaway over the BC Day long weekend, the Prince George area and its northern surroundings deliver the goods—whether you’re into hiking, history, or hitting up a local festival. Top Places to Visit in Northern BCBarkerville Historic Town & Park Step back into the 1860s at Barkerville, a fully restored gold rush town near Quesnel. With actors in period costumes, blacksmith demos, and gold panning, it’s immersive and genuinely fun—especially for families. On the BC Day weekend, expect extra performances, street theatre, and maybe even a good old-fashioned parade. Ancient Forest / Chun T’oh Whudujut Provincial Park About 120 km east of Prince George, this inland temperate rainforest is
home to thousand-year-old western red cedars. A well-maintained boardwalk makes it accessible for all. Bring your camera—the moss-draped giants are unforgettable. Fort St. James National Historic Site History gets hands-on at this Hudson’s Bay Company fur trading post. Interpreters in 19th-century dress guide you through the fort’s original buildings. On the BC Day weekend, Fort St. James typically hosts heritage games and traditional salmon roasting. Hudson’s Hope and the W.A.C. Bennett Dam A few hours northwest of Prince George, this spot combines raw nature and hydro engineering. Tour the dam, kayak on Williston Lake, or hike nearby trails with sweeping Peace River views. Smithers Set against the Bulkley Valley, Smithers is a laid-back alpine town known for its music, outdoor lifestyle, and fishing. The surrounding area offers top-notch hiking and biking trails, and
on long weekends, the town buzzes with live music and pop-up events. What’s Happening Around Prince George for BC Day? Homestead Days at Huble Homestead BC Day in Prince George will be celebrated at the Huble Homestead Historic Site with their annual “Homestead Days” event. This takes place on the Sunday and Monday of the BC Day long weekend, August 3rd and 4th, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature activities and sights reminiscent of life on a homestead over a hundred years ago. Paddle the Nechako or Fraser River Rent a canoe or kayak and spend the day on the water. Several local outfitters offer rentals or guided trips that launch right from town. For something easy and scenic, try the Nechako River route with a take-out near Cottonwood Island Park. Tabor Mountain Recreation Area Just 20 minutes from downtown,
Tabor Mountain offers trails for hiking, mountain biking, or just a quiet picnic with epic views. It’s a local favorite for quick day trips. Bottom Line: Northern BC is built for long weekend adventures. Whether you’re chasing waterfalls, wandering through living history, or catching live music under the stars, the Prince George region and its surroundings have something that hits the spot. Just pack your gear, hit the road, and let the North do the rest.
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THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
250-562-6228
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PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
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LAND FOR SALE
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LOT B MIWORTH RD., R2958187 $124,900 10315 GLENMARY RD - 5.29 AC R2906056 - $179,900 2845 VISTA RIDGE DR.- City Services R286099 - $169,900 9341 BIRCHILL CRES - 2.35 AC R2974288 - $219,900 LOT 2 COLUMBIA RD 4.15 AC C8065767 - $425,000
#59-1000 INVERNESS RD., $166,900
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LOTS 1 & 2 VIVIAN LK RD $1,288,888
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Lot 1, $219,900 - 1.2 Acres R2837615 Lot 2, $219,900 - 1.13 Acres R2837574 Lot 3, $219,900 - 1.06 Acres R2837575 Lot 4, $219,900 - 1.06 Acres R2837578 Lot 5, $219,900 - 1.06 Acres R2837583 Lot 6, $219,900 - 1.06 Acres R2837586 Lot 7, $199,900 - 1.06 Acres R2837601 Lot 8, $189,900 $174,900 R2837609 Lot 9, $219,900 - 1.06 Acres R2837613 Lot 10, $219,900 - 1.06 Acres R2837615
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