Prince George Citizen May 1, 2025 by Prince George Citizen

Local landslide

Prince George-area incumbents: Todd Doherty and Bob Zimmer will return to the Opposition benches as Mark Carney’s Liberals form government

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Incumbent Conservative Todd Doherty (Cariboo-Prince George) is joined by his four-year-old granddaughter Ren for his election victory celebration at the Courtyard by Marriott on Monday.

Doherty secures fourth straight term in Cariboo-PG

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Cariboo-Prince George voters not only returned Conservative incumbent Todd Doherty to a fourth consecutive term in the House of Commons on Monday, April 28, they boosted his vote share by around 10 per cent.

He took 60.3 per cent of votes with 35,817. His nearest challenger was Liberal Clinton Emslie with 17,834.

Speaking to reporters just outside his campaign night party at the Courtyard Marriott hotel in downtown Prince George around 9 p.m., Doherty said he knew the campaign was going to be “a dogfight.”

“We knew it was going to be very close,” Doherty said. “Obviously, we had hoped that we were going to form government, but a minority is the next best thing. I can’t wait to get back to work and back to challenging the Liberals.”

After getting a private member’s bill through the last minority Parliament to establish the 988 national suicide prevention hotline, Doherty said he is still working on that file.

While he said he hoped to do that work as part of a government caucus, Doherty said he had a strong record of working across party lines and would continue to do so.

Another priority he brought up was the need to eliminate the carbon tax through legislation, instead of the regulation-based solution implemented by Liberal Leader Mark Carney before the election.

He added that he thought Zimmer had done a good job in his role as northern affairs critic and looked forward to working with his caucus colleague when Parliament resumed.

When Doherty spoke with reporters, the NDP looked to have sustained heavy losses though party Leader Jagmeet Singh had not yet announced his resignation as he looked to lose his own seat in Burnaby Central.

Doherty said the NDP’s fortunes were a direct result of that party having helped to prop up the Liberal minority

government “and being complicit with all the scandals and everything else that’s been going on.”

Speaking about the whirlwind campaign that started on March 23, Doherty said the expanded size of his riding meant that he put about 5,000 kilometres on his truck as he drove from one end to the other.

Though U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments about Canadian annexation and the trade war he started dominated much of the discussion during the campaign, Doherty said Canada’s current situation had nothing to do with Trump himself.

“The electors have spoken today, we will live to fight another day and I can’t wait to get back to work in fighting for the good people who care for Prince George,” Doherty said. “I’m just overcome and honoured and humbled that this riding has actually elected me for a fourth time.”

Harman Dhaliwal told The Citizen that he was attending the Marriott party to show support for Doherty.

I had some medical problems with my family, he phoned constantly wanting to know how things were going. He’s my hero and he just looks after all of the loose ends in the background.”

She said she thought the suicide prevention hotline was his biggest achievement from the last term.

Facing what looked like a Liberal minority, Nadalin-Paulie expressed dismay.

“The Conservatives would have fixed the catch and release, lowered the taxes, built the houses,” she said. “They would have been working for Canadians. Carney is of the big oligarchs — that’s what’s running the United States. That’s why he gets along with Trump, in my opinion. I just don’t trust the man. I’m sorry, I just don’t. But I really, totally trust Todd.”

Flanked by family members, Doherty arrived at his party just before 9 p.m. After speaking with reporters, he shook hands and hugged supporters before making his way to a podium at the front of the room to give a speech with the help of his granddaughter.

He said he thought that while some Members of Parliament seem to check out after getting elected, Doherty had continued to fight for the community in Ottawa and had delivered results like the establishment of the national mental health hotline and advocacy for natural resource development.

“It was a lot larger of an issue than I thought it would be and I think these initiatives have really made a difference for the community,” Dhaliwal said.

“Todd goes above and beyond with the private members bills and he also represents our economic interests in the region. He goes hard in the paint when it comes to the fiduciary responsibilities to the taxpayers and holding the elected government to account.”

Kathy Nadalin-Paulie, who introduced herself as a member of the Conservative riding association for Cariboo-Prince George since Doherty’s first election, said she thought local voters made “a very good choice.”

“He’s a people person,” Nadalin-Paulie said. “He’s kind. He’s thoughtful. When

Doherty expressed disappointment with his party’s failure to win government but also hope about the Tories winning their greatest number of seats in Parliament since the 166 won in the 2011 election — the last time the party held government.

With a minority Parliament, he said, the government could fall at any time. He said the problems caused by the last decade of Liberal rule would continue under Mark Carney as leader and prime minister, and that his party would do its best to hold them to account.

He said he spoke with Poilievre earlier in the day for about 45 minutes, who expressed gratitude for people who had gone out of their way to vote for the party, even if they were dealing with serious illnesses like cancer.

The last few years, he said, had not been easy for his family and he had relied on a lot of people in the room to help him through.

He thanked them for their help in returning to Ottawa for a fourth straight term.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Incumbent Conservative MP Todd Doherty speaks with the media outside his election party at the Courtyard by Marriott Monday.

Incumbent Zimmer wins his largest vote share ever

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies Conservative incumbent Bob Zimmer is used to winning his elections by large margins but on Monday, April 25, 2025, he earned his most dominant victory yet from his five election bids.

As of Tuesday, Zimmer had earned 71.3 per cent of votes cast in the riding, with 36,872. In second was Liberal challenger Peter Njenga with 9,999.

That’s the highest vote share Zimmer has ever received in his five successful election campaigns since 2011, including the 69.8 per cent he earned in the 2019 federal election.

It’s also a big jump from the 60.7 per cent vote share he earned in the 2021 federal election.

Reached by phone from Fort St. John around 9:45 p.m., Zimmer said it the night felt like a hockey game where his team had scored a few goals but the outcome was still up in the air when it came to the national picture.

Locally, he thanked constituents for sending him back to Ottawa with such a strong mandate.

“I think mainly it was just the cost of living, affordability,” Zimmer said of campaign issues that resonated in Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies.

“The threat to their livelihoods is the foremost concern that I hear from most people and they’ve seen real effects of really bad decisions … we lost some of the best mills in our riding all when we have a great fibre basket ready to be logged and to be utilized.”

He said he thought locals were sending a strong message to Ottawa that Canada’s formerly thriving national resource sectors can’t be ignored, something he said both the federal Liberals and provincial NDP have been guilty of.

As for what made the difference in the federal campaign, Zimmer said he thought it was the replacement of former prime minister Justin Trudeau as Canadians’ number one enemy with

Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies incumbent Bob Zimmer, photographed at the beginning of the 2025 federal election campaign, spent election night in Fort St. John.

Donald Trump, despite 10 years of Liberal government.

“I think it’s going to get worse with Mark Carney,” Zimmer said.

“It’s going to be similar in its beginnings, but once he finally has a seat in the house, which it looks like he has now, I think he’s going to be way worse than Trudeau because I think he was the brains behind Trudeau and the direction that Justin was going. Now you have somebody that, I think, does not have Canadians’

interests at heart.”

Despite the failure to form government and some members of the Tory shadow cabinet losing their seats, Zimmer expressed optimism at Conservative gains in places like Northern Ontario, Atlantic Canada, Newfoundland and Vancouver Island.

As the interview was taking place, results showed NDP incumbent Taylor Bachrach leading in the neighbouring riding of Skeena-Bulkley Valley over Conservative challenger Ellis Ross.

I think it’s going to get worse under Mark Carney.’

Zimmer expressed confidence that Ross’ results would improve as the smaller but Conservative-leaning communities in the riding reported their results.

By Tuesday morning, Ross had beenb confirmed as the winner with 18,336 votes to NDP candidate Taylor Bachrach’s 14,856.

In the Ottawa-area riding of Carleton, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre lost his own seat to Liberal challenger Bruce Fanjoy.

Despite that difficult situation, Poilievre signalled that he would remain as party leader as the Tories added around 25 seats to their pre-election total.

Zimmer said that Poilievre still has his support.

“I’ve never had as much confidence in a leader as I have right now with our leader, Pierre Poilievre,” Zimmer said before the final results were in. “Whatever happens tonight, I have full confidence that he will continue to lead our party.”

As for Singh, Zimmer said he “deserves full credit for the demise of the NDP” after supporting Trudeau’s Liberals.

“He will not be missed and I think the NDP will have an opportunity to rebuild under a new leader,” Zimmer said. “I think it was well deserved. He really created his own crisis for his own party and himself. He did it to himself.”

Heading back to Ottawa, he said he wasn’t sure what role he would play in the next Conservative shadow cabinet but that he would continue to champion the riding, its residents and natural resources. In the last Parliament, he served as the Tories’ northern affairs critic.

He said the emissions cap established by the federal Liberals would continue to hamper resources development, especially for the energy sector.

NDP candidate proud of her campaign Liberals face challenges ahead: Emslie

Angie Bonazzo says she made an impact despite party’s losses

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

Angie Bonazzo says her run as the NDP candidate in Cariboo-Prince George was a first-time experience, but that she’s proud of the impact she made.

“I don’t have anything to compare it to,” Bonazzo said. “It was different. I’ve discovered that you can’t prepare for any of the debates. You’re never prepared for the questions that come, but I got wonderful feedback on my presentation, my public speaking style, and my ability to debate.

“It was great seeing other candidates, meeting them, seeing where we sort of landed on that left-to-right spectrum, and hearing other people’s politics. It was wonderful meeting the constituents.”

Bonazzo, a Prince George resident who began her career as a nursing assistant with the Northern Health Authority in 2005 and currently works as a mental health support worker at a withdrawal management unit, finished third behind incumbent Todd Doherty (Conservative) and Liberal Clinton Emslie.

She told The Citizen that one of the highlights of her campaign was connecting with voters in 100 Mile House.

“In 100 Mile House, I made a powerful connection with younger voters who were concerned about LGBTQ issues and affordability,” she said. “Those younger voters didn’t feel that they were actually heard by the other candidates. So that was a very special moment.”

Despite a Conservative victory in the riding, Bonazzo said the NDP and other parties must not disappear after the election, but instead continue to work toward their goals in the North.

“In previous sittings, a lot of campaign promises haven’t been delivered on,” she said. “There seems to be a disappearing act when other parties are in positions of power in this riding. I feel the NDP will

make inroads by being present, hearing constituents’ concerns, and working with people in this riding to deliver on campaign promises instead of disappearing — by being members of the community, at the table, working on issues.”

Bonazzo said she believes the NDP is uniquely positioned to address key challenges in both health care and the forestry industry in Prince George.

“The federal NDP needs to partner with the provincial NDP to work on these stump fees so we can start having a productive forestry industry again and get our mills revived,” she said.

“There is a housing issue in Prince George — we need to build affordable housing. I think the federal NDP has a unique connection with the provincial NDP that the other parties don’t have. That’s something special. The federal NDP must maintain transfer payments to the provinces to deliver health care, because we still have massive substance use disorder issues and social issues that can only be addressed through health care delivery.

“If we restrict health-care payments to the provinces, we won’t be able to provide the services this community desperately needs.”

One of the issues Bonazzo noticed during her campaign was a lack of political engagement from young people.

“Locally in the riding, there’s a lot of people who don’t want to be involved in politics, particularly young people — from millennials down to Gen Z,” she said. “I don’t know why that is. I think we need to make it attractive for people to want to step up and become involved

with a political party that aligns with their beliefs and values.

“The reason we had a shoestring team is because we couldn’t get any younger people interested. So how do we make that attractive? How do all the parties — Conservatives, Liberals, the PPC, and the Greens — make it attractive for people to want to be involved?”

Bonazzo hosted an election night party at the Ramada in downtown Prince George, which was attended by supporters from both northern ridings, including former Lheidli T’enneh chief Clay Pountney, who ran for the provincial NDP in Prince George-Valemount last fall.

One of the biggest upsets for the NDP on election night was the announcement that party leader Jagmeet Singh was stepping down after losing his seat, with the party securing only seven seats in the House of Commons.

The Citizen asked Bonazzo about Singh’s departure and its potential effect on the party.

“I would say it’s not surprising,” Bonazzo said. “I think this is a devastating loss. I think he fought very hard. This was one of the toughest elections, given the current political climate coming up from the south. It doesn’t surprise me that he’s going to pursue other opportunities.”

Despite the loss, Bonazzo said the party needs to rebuild and prepare for the next election.

The Citizen was unable to reach Cory Longley, NDP candidate for Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies, for comment.

Clinton Emslie, the Liberal candidate in the Cariboo-Prince George riding, talked about the campaign and its last-minute nature after coming in second behind incumbent Conservative Todd Doherty in Monday’s federal election.

“Considering we only entered the race three weeks ago, I think we did a lot in those three weeks,” Emslie said. “I’m literally about to fall over from exhaustion. But basically, I think we gave it our all, and we can only hope for the best and that people connected with the message we provided.”

Born in South Africa, Emslie immigrated to Canada a decade ago. More recently, he moved to Quesnel from Ontario to be closer to his granddaughter. He currently runs both an immigration practice and a business consultancy.

One of the highlights of Emslie’s campaign, he said, was the development of a plan tailored specifically to his riding and its potential constituents.

“I think people connected with the plan I put together for our rally,” Emslie said.

“I was the only candidate who actually came up with a plan for our riding, as opposed to trying to fix all of Canada’s problems. I think people connected with that and were really excited about it. I think that will show in the polls when we start seeing the results.”

Despite Prince George being a traditionally Conservative riding, Emslie believes there are several issues where Liberals can make a difference.

Cariboo-Prince George NDP candidate Angie Bonazzo stands with Clayton Pountney (left) and Trent Derrick at her election gathering at the Ramada Inn Monday night.

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

Emslie

Trade war, tmber industry remain major priorites, candidate says

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

“We’ve got a lot of challenges ahead,” Emslie said. “With the trade war, our timber industry is under attack, and it’s a core component of the backbone of everything in the Cariboo-Prince George riding. So, from that standpoint, I think there’s a lot of work to do. Our universities are also affected by a downturn in students, partly because of the immigration program, and there’s a lot of work to do there as well. Because of my business background, I had several ideas to help develop an alternative industry for us. So, there’s a lot to do and a lot of excitement.”

Election night saw the Liberals and their party leader, Mark Carney, win government. When The Citizen spoke to Emslie, he was both excited and optimistic about Carney’s victory.

“I feel very happy that he’s been chosen, and I feel very confident that

he’ll continue to win. We’re watching the CBC live broadcast at the moment, and they’ve already called it,” Emslie said.

Emslie expressed gratitude to everyone he encountered during the campaign.

“I just want to thank everyone we encountered over the last three weeks and thank them for their enthusiasm, support, trust, and belief in the campaign I was running,” Emslie said. “I hope, for their sake, that they are successful.”

The Citizen reached out to Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies

Liberal candidate Peter Njenga for comment but was unsuccessful.

“You decide what works for your region, and the Green Party will support you because you are your constituents’ representative first,” said Forbes.

Kenneth B. Thomson (Independent, Cariboo-Prince George)

A lawyer with a background in retail management and software development, Thomson ran as an independent, critiquing corporate influence on Canadian life.

“Canada’s standard of living has been downgraded over the decades. We need to restore the viability of the middle class, or most people will fall into poverty,” said Thomson.

Jake Wiens (Christian Heritage Party, Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies)

A teacher with over 20 years of experience, Wiens ran to give the Christian church a voice in Canadian politics.

“I believe the church is very much a part of Canadian history. If no one else steps forward, then I will,” said Wiens.

The Citizen reached out to both candidates from the People’s Party of Canada — David Watson in Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies and Rudy Sans in Cariboo-Prince George, but did not hear back from them.

Operations Map

The Village of Fraser Lake., holder of The Fraser Lake Community Forest K5E, advertses Forest Operatons Map (FOM) submission ID 2306 under FPPR division 3.1; to provide engagement opportunity for interested members of the public, and community stake holders.

This FOM submission is available for review via the following avenues:

1) At the ofce of Fraser Lake Forestry Consultant located at: 145 Langley Ave in Fraser Lake.

2) Viewable on the BC Government online portal: htps://fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public/projects

Comments will be received via the following response methods:

• In person by appointment, visitng Fraser Lake Forestry Consultng ofce during ofce hours (8am – 5pm). Call (250)699-1550 to arrange an appointment.

• By mail, sent to the ofce (Box 465, Fraser Lake, BC, V0J 1S0).

• Via email, sent to melissa@dragonfymanagement.ca

Online, via the Government portal (address listed above).

Comment period for this notce will be 30 days, beginning May 1st, 2025, and ending May 30th, 2025. Please be advised that any comments to this advertsement will be considered part of the public record.

This FOM ID is valid for 3 years for cutng and road permit submissions startng at the beginning of the comment period.

Njenga

Capling Forbes Thomson Wiens Watson Sans

Forest Planning and Practices Regulation (FPPR): Forest

Snow removal service could see stat holiday reducton

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Prince George city council voted to have staff develop a report on implementing a pilot project to eliminate or reduce snow control services on statutory holidays at its Wednesday, April 23 meeting.

Going over a report staff prepared on the subject, director of civic operations Blake McIntosh said budget savings could be realized by reducing snow control on statutory holidays, but it could cause issues with sidewalk accessibility, compacting snow and road conditions.

The report said if there is a snow event that falls on a stat holiday, it requires three shifts worth of staff to respond.

Eliminating that could save up to $211,501 per holiday or $848,004 for all four winter stat holidays, though the report cautions that those savings are only realized if there is snowfall on

Te

those days.

Coun. Cori Ramsay, who asked for a report on the move earlier this year which prompted staff’s report, said she wanted to think more about the issue. She asked whether staff could prepare a report on the options for reducing snow control on holidays as a one-year pilot project to see what the cost savings could be.

Ramsay put forward a motion calling for staff to develop a revised snow and ice control policy with two options: no snow control on holidays and changing the threshold for responding to a snow event on holidays.

Coun. Tim Bennett asked how this would impact Christmas Day and Boxing Day, which are consecutive statutory holidays. McIntosh said there’s a chance eliminating snow control on holidays could severely impact transportation on those days if there is a snow event.

Following up, Bennett asked whether

they could find a happy medium, like reducing hours on holidays or not having staff work overtime on those days.

McIntosh said overtime is paid out for every hour during a stat holiday, though there could be some savings in limiting the involvement of contractors and noncity equipment on those days.

Manager of roads and fleet Jordan Wiseman said that Cranbrook Hill and Foothills Boulevard can be particularly difficult for crews during snow events.

Ultimately, Bennett proposed an amendment to Ramsay’s motion to add a third option: prioritizing priority one and two routes and decreasing service for priority three routes on statutory holidays. It passed unanimously.

Ramsay’s motion was passed unanimously as amended.

Priority one routes are major arterial roads and adjacent sidewalks, priority two roads are collector roads and adjacent sidewalks and priority three roads are residential roads and adjacent sidewalks.

During an earlier discussion on the snow control budget, Coun. Trudy Klassen said she thought council needs to take a close look at the file because it represents $10 million in yearly spending.

Last year, the City of Prince George spent around $10.58 million on snow control after budgeting $10.3 million for those services. This year, council voted to reduce the snow control budget to $10 million.

She asked about a line in staff’s report on snow control expenses for November and December in 2024 about retroactive pay to staff and why it wasn’t foreseen.

The report said there was $296,000 in retroactive pay to staff in the last two months of 2024.

McIntosh said collective bargaining wasn’t finished until late in 2024 and retroactive pay wasn’t worked out until late November or early December.

As for whether the amount was predictable, he said it would be more a question for finance but director Kris Dalio was not present to answer questions on that front.

City crews clean-up some of the snow built up along Pine Street Wednesday March 5, hoping to get prepared for street cleaning to start in the next few weeks.

Ramsay, the chair of the Standing Committee on Finance and Audit, said the money was saved as a contingency in the budget and then allocated once it was agreed upon, though Dalio would have more information on the specifics. Coun. Brian Skakun moved to have administration provide a more detailed breakdown of snow control costs in the last two months of 2024, including the $133,000 in standby costs, costs for three major snowfall events, external and internal equipment costs and labour costs.

He suggested that the balance between leasing and outright purchasing snow equipment might be a topic the finance committee might want to delve into.

Going into more specifics about overtime, McIntosh said that when the city declares a snow event, that requires five days of work with three shifts per day working 10 hours, which is two hours of overtime.

Skakun’s motion carried unanimously. Coun. Kyle Sampson was not present at the meeting while Bennett connected remotely.

The meeting was rescheduled from Monday, April 28 to avoid a conflict with the federal election taking place that day.

Council considers new funding for Exploraton Place

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

More than a month and a half after a limited-duration grant to The Exploration Place was rejected by Prince George city council, councillors reopened the door for the museum to receive it at its Wednesday, April 23 meeting.

This year, council adopted a new procedure for considering limited-duration grants.

At a meeting of the committee of the whole in early March, city staff recommended handing out grants worth $131,576 to 14 applicants, who would receive the same amount of money in both 2025 and 2026.

However, after a motion from Coun. Brian Skakun, a recommended $10,000 for The Exploration Place in both 2025 and 2026 was removed from the list after expressing concern that the facility already receives considerable annual funding from the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George.

That decision was ratified at council’s March 24 meeting, with staff directed to prepare a report on how the unallocated grant money should be spent.

The Exploration Place received $500,000 in loans from the regional district last year to help it through some difficult financial times.

At the last meeting of the regional district’s board of directors on April 17, museum representatives acknowledged they were slightly behind on paying down their line of credit but expressed optimism that it would get back on track by the end of the year.

Skakun, also on the board of directors, referenced the rejection of the city’s grant at the meeting and said the facility would be able to apply for grants in future years.

The museum’s executive director, Alyssa Leier, commented during the meeting that she hoped for clarification on grant eligibility from the city in future years.

After the meeting, Leier told The Citizen she was disappointed they had been rejected for a grant they thought

they were eligible for.

When council discussed what to do with the remaining money at the April 23 meeting, most members said they’d reconsidered their decision since it was made.

Coun. Cori Ramsay, another regional district board member, said that while she had been concerned The Exploration Place would use the grant funding to pay down its line of credit, she thought that council had eliminated them from consideration prematurely and said she wanted staff to include the museum as it thought about how it wanted the remaining funds to be spent.

Skakun said he supported The Exploration Place being part of the consideration, but that he wanted them on the same playing field as the other applicants that had been determined to be eligible but didn’t receive funding.

He later asked whether they would be allowed to spend the funds on debt servicing should the museum end up selected again.

Director of civic facilities Andy Beasley said applicants expressing an interest in using the grant funds to pay off debts would have been automatically rejected.

Beasley later clarified that if staff were to use the same criteria used to form their original recommendations, The Exploration Place would likely be at the top of the list again as they had initially been successful.

Coun. Garth Frizzell said he was in favour of having the museum in the mix again.

He wasn’t at the meeting where the decision was made, but he said he didn’t support removing their application for matters other than process.

Ramsay put forward an amendment putting The Exploration Place into consideration once again for the remaining grant funding.

It passed with only Skakun in opposition.

The amended motion calling for staff to assess how the remaining grant funding should be spent passed with Mayor Simon Yu and Skakun voting against it.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY COLIN SLARK

Director of civic facilities Andy Beasley discusses options for spending $10,000 in remaining limited-duration grant money during a Prince George city council meeting on Wednesday, April 24.

Let’s bring beter electon energy to the municipal vote

KENNEDY GORDON Citizen Managing Editor

When we compare voter turnout in the federal elections to the much less impressive numbers we see at the municipal level, it’s hard not to feel frustrated.

The enthusiasm, the sense of civic duty, and the determination to cast a ballot seem to spike when Canadians are asked to choose their next member of Parliament (and, through that vote, their prime minister), but that same energy is conspicuously absent when it’s time to elect the people who will govern their city.

Our local municipal election held in 2022, for example, only 26.27 per cent of eligible voters showed up. That’s 15,310 people out of 58,300. While that figure represents a small increase over 2018’s turnout of 24 per cent, it remains deeply disappointing.

Barely one in four voters participated in a decision-making process that actively shapes the streets we live on, the services we rely on and the local policies that impact our lives daily.

A stark contrast that with the early turnout numbers in advance polls for the federal vote this week.

In Cariboo-Prince George, 12,380 people — 13.37 per cent of eligible voters — turned out over the Easter long weekend to cast their ballot early.

In Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies, that number was even

higher: 15,341 people, or 17.33 per cent of eligible voters.

That’s early voting, not even the final turnout, and already, the numbers suggest a much higher level of participation than we see in our municipal elections.

Why the disparity? Perhaps it’s because federal elections dominate the headlines, especially this one. Political leaders from across the country have high visibility daily with national debates, high-profile media appearances, and big-budget advertising campaigns.

Federal issues — like the economy,

healthcare, and foreign policy — are often more dramatic and sweeping. It’s easier to feel like we’re part of something big.

But local government matters just as much, and arguably more. City councils make decisions that impact our roads, parks, public transit, snow removal, emergency services, recreation facilities, and zoning bylaws that decide what can be built and where.

They decide how much we are going to pay for policing and fire services.

They manage our garbage collection and your water systems.

Kennedy Gordon Managing Editor

Those decisions determine how much our property taxes will go up each year. These decisions are not theoretical or abstract — they are felt in the day-today lives of every resident.

And unlike federal representatives, local councillors and mayors are accessible. You can run into them at the grocery store. You can call or email them and expect a response. They are directly accountable to you, the voter.

So why don’t we treat our municipal elections with the seriousness they deserve?

We’re encouraged to see renewed interest and turnout in the federal vote this year, but our hope is that this momentum doesn’t end this week. With the next municipal election just 17 months away, now is the time to build habits of civic participation, don’t let them atrophy until the next federal campaign rolls around.

We call on voters to carry this national energy into local democracy. Pay attention to city hall. Learn what your councillors are voting for. Ask questions. Hold them accountable. And most importantly, show up when it’s time to vote next fall.

Local government isn’t a sideshow. It’s the front line. Let’s stop treating municipal elections like second-class events.

This is your community. Your voice should be heard every time you get the chance.

Have your say on this with a letter to the editor: letter@pgcitizen.ca.

OFFICE (8:30a - 4:30p)

505 Fourth Avenue

Prince George, B.C. V2L 3H2

FRONT DESK AND CLASSIFIED frontdesk@pgcitzen.ca 250-562-2441

NEWS AND SPORTS news@pgcitzen.ca

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR editor@pgcitzen.ca

OWNER / PUBLISHER owner@pgcitzen.ca

Letters to the editor are welcome. The maximum length is 300 words. Letters may be subject to editing for length, clarity, grammar, spelling and legalities prior to publication. Please include your daytime contact information.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Voters head into the Connaught Youth Centre to cast their ballots on Monday. There was a lot of buzz around this federal election, something Prince George needs to see happen the next time we vote for mayor and council.

Cameron Stolz Owner / Publisher

Terresa Randall-Stolz Owner

We acknowledge the fnancial support of the government of Canada.

Nous reconnaissons l’appui fnancier du gouvernement du Canada.

OPINION

Catch-and-release is fueling grocery store shoplifing

KENNEDY GORDON Citizen Managing Editor

Shoplifting from grocery stores is no longer a petty nuisance. It’s an organized, emboldened, and increasingly aggressive problem.

Retailers like Save-On-Foods are sounding the alarm, and the message is clear: Thieves know the rules of the game, and they know there are barely any consequences.

As Regan Bader, the longtime manager of Save-On-Foods at Pine Centre Mall, told the city’s Standing Committee on Public Safety last month, the nature of retail crime has changed dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic.

What used to be the occasional stolen bottle of mouthwash has escalated to regular, often violent, confrontations, Bader said.

Criminals take off running when approached or become combative, and many get that even if they’re caught, the punishment is little more than a slap on the wrist.

That’s not an exaggeration. Bader told the board about one case where a known offender who ripped off his store 19 times paid for it with just 150 days of house arrest.

In another case, a prolific thief remained unidentified for months because he lived outside the city and

As the cost of groceries rise, more people are turning to theft, which in turn raises prices and risk for everyone else.

slipped through the cracks of enforcement and prosecution.

Meanwhile, the goods he stole may have gone straight to resale markets — profit for him, losses for everyone else.

Grocery theft is no longer just about need. As food costs soar, yes, some struggling individuals are tempted to steal out of desperation. That’s a complex social problem, one that deserves compassion and policy solutions focused on poverty, addiction and mental health.

But it is also true that others have simply done the math. The risk of being caught is low, the consequences are minor and the rewards — from meat to alcohol to baby formula — can be flipped for easy cash.

And for the thieves, the benefits outweigh the costs. For the rest of us, it’s

It’s a sick district that I’ll try to avoid as I make my way through British Columbia

the opposite.

Grocers in Prince George are losing between $500,000 and $1 million per year to theft. Those losses are not absorbed quietly. They are passed on to customers through higher prices and reduced services. They’re absorbed by workers — many of them young — who are increasingly put in frightening and unsafe situations. And they’re felt by businesses who spend time and resources building evidence packages for police, only to see the courts fail to follow through with meaningful deterrents.

This isn’t working. The “catch-andrelease” approach to low-level crime might have roots in good intentions — reducing incarceration for non-violent offenders, for example — but it’s being exploited.

Not in my city of Prince George.

I don’t care how much eggs cost. My answer is still “No.”

When someone steals from the same store 19 times and keeps walking free, that’s not a failure in one part of the system. It’s a failure of the whole system.

Stores have added security but are still at a disadvantage. A single guard can’t be everywhere. Even with cameras — which store managers say are essential for investigations — the question remains: What good is video evidence or security guard testimony if the courts won’t act?

Local government has shown willingness to invest in downtown cameras and security pilots, and provincial leaders have acknowledged the problem. But programs need to be matched by meaningful justice. Chronic offenders must be held accountable. A justice system that turns a blind eye to theft is a justice system that fuels more of it. If the courts don’t treat retail theft seriously, the problem will grow — and with it, the cost to our communities. Honest customers will keep footing the bill. Businesses will shutter. Workers will quit.

Yes, we must have compassion for people in need. But compassion without consequences is not justice — it’s neglect.

Theft is theft, and it’s time we started treating it that way.

Have your say on this with a letter to the editor: letter@pgcitizen.ca.

purchase equipment or infrastructure.

Reader takes issue with RDFFG’s stance on derelict cars

Re: Big job ahead: Man has to remove 100-plus vehicles from his property

The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George’s motivations and actions in this matter do not represent the people; they only serve the big-money car industry.

Abhorrent abusers, with no respect for the tradition of mechanical husbandry or the right to repair our own vehicles.

Richard Kudra Port Hardy

The last thing you want is a chicken coop in your yard

Re: Maybe it’s time to revisit backyard chickens

In response to James Steidle’s The Back Story, I am strongly against the idea of raising chickens in Prince George. My answer is a big “No.”

A chicken coop attracts mice, rats, and lice.

Sue Bliskis Eden Drive

Government should pay more attention to military

I am amazed that our major political parties promised “tax deductions.” I am not in favour of this.

One suggestion I did hear was the issue of victory bonds.

This way, the government would not need to borrow more money to

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) have also been discussed, but that seems to be set in stone.

I was in the CAF in the 1960s. At that time, there were 104,000 regular members, and Canada’s population was 25 million.

Today, with a population of 41 million, the CAF regular members only total 86,000.

Their duties have increased to include forest fire fighting and flood control, on top of their training to defend Canada. Stan New Mossman Road

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

OPINION

James Steidle: Maybe it’s time to bring up backyard chickens again

Sorry James, it’s one thing to have a local commercial producer of eggs but a completely other situation with backyard egg producers.

Yes, it sounds like a wonderful teaching moment for small children and a return to our agriculture heritage, romantic even, but the truth of the matter is that birds crap a lot, A LOT, and pen cleanliness is vital for a healthy ﬂock, no matter now small.

Many people have no idea of the work involved and costs involved to harvest their own eggs.

You can’t just feed kitchen scraps (most families would not have enough anyway) and scratch (chicken feed) is not cheap.

Regarding pen cleanliness, where does the chicken keeper dispose of the droppings scraped from the pen? Those fresh droppings stink. That is a capital STINK.

If allowed, hopefully none of my neighbors decide to get in the chicken raising game. Some of them don’t look after the dogs and cats they already have.

Lyn Grandma

Share your views on

UNBC women’s basketball recruits three College Heights graduates

Great to see local talent working into our UNBC program. Great job, ladies, keep working hard to prove that the north has great talent just like anywhere else.

Cory Antrim

James Steidle: Maybe it’s time to bring up backyard chickens again

Great read James. Very interesting to know what a monopoly mega corporations have on poultry.

IMO, this is what is wrong with capitalism currently, the market is monopolized by huge corporations, that have no ethics and value money above all else and answer to no one.

I like gardening and taking care of animals and getting my hands dirty. Is it cost effective compared to simply buying produce, or animal products? Probably not, but I like the experience.

Nothing is more rewarding IMO, than making your own food and being involved in the process. While I haven’t experienced being looked down upon for that, I would say there is nothing impressive about having no idea how to fend for yourself, or have any understanding on how your food arrives on your plate.

As for having chickens in town, I certainly don’t see the harm, as long as like all other animals people keep, they are cared for responsibly and properly.

Zangief

Council approves vehicle gates at Moccasin Flats in Prince George

My personal hope is that this area does not retain the name of “Moccasin Flats” as it only brings to mind a lot of negativity.

The cleanup is a great idea and needs to be done, if not for nothing else but for the safety of those who may wander into that area.

Susan Pendleton

Council considering pilot project to reduce snow control on holidays

As to Coun. Brian Skakun’s concern about the cost of snow removal equipment there are ways to save.

The city loaders & graders have a fairly easy life and are replaced based on age or operating hours not because they are on their last legs & frames have been repaired multiple times.

For about half the cost of a new machine a dealership can strip a machine right down to the frame.

Engine, transmission, differentials, ﬁnal drives etc are all rebuilt.

All pivot points are built up & machined to factory spec. Hoses lines, switches & gauges replaced. End of the day the machine is returned with an as new warranty and the city saves a ton of money.

The machines can even be given a new serial number as a factory authorized rebuild. The multi-million dollar AAP for heavy equipment replacement could be cut in HALF!!!

Bobs your uncle

Northern Medical Program at UNBC produces 29 graduate doctors

Thank you Dr. Kelly & all the NMP grads for all your hard work & burgeoning careers. Everyone is awesome. And a shout out to UNBC. PG fortunate to have such a world class university that is accessible to all local citizens.

Mr. Science

Region recovering afer two years of dry conditons

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

Rain, glorious rain.

It might not have been a welcome sight for voters visiting the polls Monday morning to see the sky crying like it was, but lawns and gardens in the city and farms in the surrounding area that grow feed crops will no doubt benefit from that stretch of at times heavy rainfall.

April has been a slightly drier than normal month for Prince George with only 19.2 millimetres of the normal 30 mm of precipitation falling on the city’s Massey Drive weather station, not including the measurable moisture Monday. But looking at the big picture, the region appears to have recovered after

two years of what were some of the driest conditions ever observed.

“Conditions generally are much better, both longterm and seasonal-wise, we’re really into the high-flow season right now so over the last couple weeks we’ve really seen that snowmelt come down and stream flows are pretty high,” said Dave Campbell, head of the BC River Forecast Centre in Victoria. “We’re coming into the rainy season and we’re starting to see some more weather events come through, different from that dry pattern we’ve been in.

“Looking at precipitation in Prince George on a longer-term type of scale, we’ve see a lot of improvement over what has been a drier couple of years and looking to October of this year

we’re really tracking right along normal (compared to) two years ago when we were tracking at near historic low levels.”

In February 2024 the River Forecast Centre said snowpack levels in BC were on average lower than they had been in 45 years and that led into a drier-than-normal summer over most of the province.

Campbell said the province ramped down drought levels in the Omineca region, which includes Prince George, when September and early October brought significant rainfall to the area. It’s now down Level 0 drought — in sharp contrast to 2023 when it was at Level 5 through much of that year.

Snowpacks are a little above what

Angus Project

they were last year for the areas that feed water into the Fraser and Nechako river basins. I

In the April 1 survey, Upper Fraser East in the Robson Valley is at 79 per cent of normal, compared to 56 per cent at the same time in 2024.

“We’re watching that right now and the concern is if it stays hit and dry obviously that’s going to start putting some more pressure in terms of conditions later in the year,” said Campbell.

It’s still too early to leave tender plants outdoors overnight with the temperature hitting the freezing mark overnight tonight and -1 C on Tuesday. More rain showers could be on the way for late in the day Friday, continuing Saturday with a predicted high of 14 C.

Vitreo Minerals Ltd. is proposing an open-pit silica sand mine with project components 10km east of Bear Lake, for use in natural gas production.

Invitation to Comment

April 28 to May 28 April 28 to May 28

The Environmental Assessment O ce is holding a public comment period on Vitreo Minerals Ltd.’s application for an environmental assessment certi cate, which details the project’s design, operations, potential e ects and proposed mitigation measures.

In-Person Open House

May 13, 2025

Bear Lake Community Hall #1918-461 Hart Lake Road, Bear Lake, B.C.

Online Info Session

Learn more about the project and tell us what is important to you: engage.eao.gov.bc.ca/Angus-AR engage.eao.gov.bc.ca/Angus-AR 4:00pm - 7:00pm PDT

To register, visit the link or QR code on the left 12:00pm - 1:30pm PDT May 21, 2025

You may also submit comments by mail: Angus Project, PO box 9426, Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, B.C. V8W 9V1

Sobering statstcs for Natonal Day of Mourning

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

It is, without doubt, the worst part of the job for WorkSafeBC occupational safety officer Dave Tasker.

In his 26-year career overseeing the northern half of the province from his Prince George office, he has had to visit the families of 34 workers who died as a result of workplace injuries.

Tasker shared that sobering statistic Monday morning with a crowd of 80 gathered at the Workers’ Memorial Statue at the base of Connaught Hill during the National Day of Mourning, a ceremony held annually across Canada on April 28.

“It’s something you never lose — you carry it with you your whole life,” said Tasker. “And working in remote communities, we often don’t get the support as easily available to the families.

“The effects of psychological injury are real, and we’re now standing up a whole new force of focus for our office on psychological health and safety.”

Tasker was among the responders to the two deadly mill explosions in 2012 — at Babine Forest Products in Burns Lake that January, and at Lakeland Mills in downtown Prince George in April. Each of those incidents killed two workers, injured 20 or more others, and left emotional scars on hundreds.

“I can tell you that it changed me, and it changed those companies, the workers, and the community at large,” he said.

“There’s no going back from a workplace death, and for those of us in the field — being WorkSafe officers — it really means we redouble our efforts.

“Those of us who have experienced the effects of when things go so badly wrong — it drives us. You’ll never find a more passionate group of people in your life than WorkSafe officers trying to make ceremonies like this unnecessary.”

Tasker pointed to the multi-storey Park House condominium under construction next to the memorial site, noting the rooftop guardrails and fencing in place as examples of how workplaces

are becoming safer. Industry standards and the enforcement of safety regulations have significantly reduced hazards compared to when he started working for WorkSafeBC in 1999.

“The rate of injuries when I joined 26 years ago was three times what it is now,” he said. “That’s reflective of a combination of effort — from employers, workers, labour, and the regulator — coming together to try and solve the problems in the workplace that lead to death and injury.

“It is better than it was, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. But if we keep that commitment, we can get there.”

In BC in 2024, 146 workers lost their lives due to workplace injury or disease. Of that total, 38 died from injuries involving falls, being struck by objects, or becoming caught in equipment or machinery. Thirty deaths resulted from motor vehicle accidents. Two of the fatalities occurred in Prince George.

Greg Stewart, president of Sinclar Group Forest Products — owner of Lakeland Mills — attended Monday’s ceremony. He said the company

considers it critically important to make job sites safer for all employees.

“Obviously, we’ve had unfortunate losses within our own operation, and it’s a day to reflect on those lives, as well as those who have been injured in the past,” Stewart said. “We constantly strive to be safer in the work environment.

“For sure, there’s a lot of luck that we don’t have more people suffer workplace injuries, but we’ve put a lot of attention into making sure we have a safe work environment. And it’s a testament to the individuals working the jobs that they’re constantly looking for those hazards and making sure they’re not putting themselves at risk.”

Stewart said there are broader lessons to be learned, and the Day of Mourning serves as a reminder to everyone.

“Whether you’re at home or at work, safety has always got to be front of mind,” he said. “Whether it’s going up the ladder to get the leaves out of the trough or making a decision to clean up a jam in the workplace environment — they all present safety risks, and we just

have to keep our eyes and ears open.”

Retired Prince George Fire Rescue firefighter Eric Callaghan attended the ceremony alongside active-duty firefighters Alan Parsons and Kyler Wilkinson. Dressed in uniform and carrying ceremonial axes, they paraded past the wreaths placed at the workers’ statue. They were there to honour the memory of Terry Gladesdahl, a 36-year veteran of the Prince George Fire Department who died Dec. 29, 2021, at age 64, from occupational cancer.

“He was the last member of our department who passed, and he went on the wall at the Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial in Colorado Springs three years ago,” said Callaghan.

“I’m not sure of the number of cancers, but there are a lot more now covered off by WorkSafeBC for all firefighters. We do everything we can to mitigate any problems, but things happen — and we do what we’re trained to do.”

Monday’s event was hosted by the Central Interior Labour Council. All four flags at the site were lowered to halfmast to pay tribute to fallen workers.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY TED CLARKE

WorkSafeBC occupational safety ofﬁcer Mike Tasker takes a moment after speaking at the National Day of Mourning in front of the Worker Memorial Statue on Monday, April 28.

Winner loves that his new $865K house is right beside a golf course

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

Calling it a life-changing event, Mark Hippe is the grand prize winner in the Spruce Kings Show Home Lottery.

The 51-year-old Prince George man found out Friday afternoon he’s now the owner of a $865,000 home at 2958 Links Dr. in the Aberdeen Glen subdivision.

Spruce Kings executive director of business operations Kyle Anderson drew Hippe’s name from the barrel in the garage of the show home at noon Friday. Anderson called Hippe’s cell number and got a recording but left him a message.

He was at home on his day off and listened to the message, which gave details of his ticket number and when he bought it, but he still didn’t believe his ticket had been drawn until after he called Anderson back.

Hippe’s ticket was among 13,718 tickets sold for the draw, just 282 shy of a sellout. He bought his ticket on Wednesday, the final day for ticket sales, at Canadian Tire. A single-day record 796 tickets were sold that day.

“It was a last-minute buy,” Hippe said. “I had bought tickets in previous years and I was in Canadian Tire buying a vacuum of all things and I saw the lady there and said I should get a ticket, but she was busy there and I just thought I’d come back in a couple days.

“I left Canadian Tire and went for a hike with my girlfriend and she kept getting these texts about it being the last day, so I just said let’s go back there and buy a ticket, and the rest is history.”

Hippe and his girlfriend Alexandra, who started dating six months ago, each bought tickets and they promised each other if either of them won they would move in together.

“I was not expecting to win, obviously,” said Hippe, who works as an operator for United Initiators, an industrial plant that makes hydrogen peroxide for the pulp mills.

“You buy those tickets and I thought I was giving money back to the community, to the Spruce Kings, and if that was all it was I’m fine with that. Winning the home was a bonus. It really hasn’t sunk in yet. My phone was blowing up pretty hard.”

Built by Hopson Construction, the custom-built 1,451-square-foot home includes furnishings and appliances. Hippe loves the house and its features but the top selling point for him is its location, bordering on Aberdeen Glen Golf Course.

“I’m probably going to move in for a while, and enjoy it,” Hippe said. “They told me when I went up there somebody is eyeballing it and wants to buy it, but I

BC Timber Sales Prince George

INVITATION TO COMMENT FOREST OPERATIONS MAP

The public is invited to review and comment on BC Timber Sales Prince George (BCTS TPG) Forest Operations Map, showing proposed road construction and cut block development under Forest Stewardship Plan #24 within Forest Development Units in the Mackenzie Forest District. This Forest Operations Map will be valid for the operating period from June 1, 2025 – June 1, 2028

During the operating period, the Timber Sales Manager may invite applications for Timber Sale Licenses for the harvesting of cut blocks shown on the map and apply for road permits to construct roads shown on the map.

The map is available for public review and comment online, at: fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public/projects

think I want to just think about it for a few months and weigh the options.

“I do golf at Aberdeen, and there’s a couple guys from work who live up there and they’re blasting me, saying we’re neighbours now and we’re going to have to golf all the time. It’s pretty life-changing. I’m renting right now from a buddy of mine, so this is kind of an upgrade. It’s pretty wicked. It’s nice. The fact it’s on the golf course is a big deal for me, being right by the driving range. Everything about it is nice.”

Hippe was born in Saskatoon and moved to PG in the early 2000s to take a silviculture job as a tree planter/forest firefighter. He plays in the Prince George Rec Hockey League masters division for Workforce Development.

The Show Home Lottery is the biggest annual fundraiser for the Spruce Kings and proceeds provide over half of the community-owned team’s operating budget that allows them to play in the BC Hockey League. Hippe says he will keep buying tickets for the Spruce Kings Show Home and Rotary Hospice Dream Home draw.

“It’s my way of donating to charity and gambling at the same time,” he said. “The money stays in the community and it’s going to a good cause.”

Tickets are still available for the Spruce Kings’ second Mega 50-50 draw. The deadline for sales is May 14 at 10 p.m. and the draw will be made on May 16 at 11:45 a.m.

The map is also available for in-person review and comment by appointment at the BCTS TPG oﬃce, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at: BC Timber Sales Prince George 2000 Ospika Blvd S Prince George, B.C., V2N 4W5 Tel: 250 614-7400

Comments will be accepted from May 1 – May 31, 2025

Comments may be submitted online at fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public/projects, emailed to tpg.ref@gov.bc.ca, delivered in-person to the address above during business hours, or mailed to the address above to the attention of Jonathan Taylor.

If you have questions or require assistance, please contact: Jonathan Taylor, Planning O ﬃcer, by phone: 250 649-4366, or email: tpg.ref@gov.bc.ca

SPRUCE KINGS PHOTO

Mark Hippe checks out the $865,000 home he won as the grand prize winner of the Spruce Kings Show Home Lottery.

Trafc delays as new crosswalk goes in

Crews from K2 Electric work at the intersection of Queensway and Patricia Boulevard. The right lane on Queensway at Patricia Boulevard and the right turn lane coming off Patricia onto Queensway will be closed until Friday, May 2 for the installation of a new crosswalk light.

Large additon on Hart residental property approved

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Property owners in the Hart got approval to build a sizeable addition on their lot at the Wednesday, April 24 city council meeting despite staff recommending their application be denied.

Elijah and Mavis Kenmuir of 7822 Sabyam Rd. wanted variances to allow them to build an accessory building with a floor area of 238 square metres and a height of 7.4 metres.

A letter of intent written by Elijah said he was looking expand a pole barn on his property that he wanted to expand to house a 27-foot travel trailer, a 22-foot cargo trailer, a pickup truck, skid steer and mini-excavator.

A second letter he wrote added that he and his wife are helping raise three great-grandchildren and that the shop would be used to help them work together to fix their bikes and toys, but not louder machines like snowmobiles or noisy motorbikes.

Under the city’s zoning bylaw, a

property like that in a rural residential zone could only build an accessory building with a maximum floor area of 90 square metres and a maximum height of 7.4 metres.

A report prepared by city staff ahead of the meeting stated that the building in question already has a floor size of 149 square metres and the owners do not have a permit for it. However, one of Elijah’s letters states that he was told in 2007 that he was not required to obtain a permit.

The report also points out that if approved, the accessory building would be larger than the owners’ house and that a similar application on an adjacent block for a slightly larger accessory building was rejected by council in January 2019.

Staff noted that seven letters of support from adjacent property owners were provided by the Kenmuirs as well as a letter from Elijah in his capacity as an owner of one of those adjacent properties.

“As the application is inconsistent with surrounding land uses, as well as

the intent of the AR3m zone, administration does not support this application,” staff’s report concluded.

Coun. Cori Ramsay said she opposed granting the variance because she supports fairness and equity and the previous applicant on the same street was denied.

On top of that, she cited the point in staff’s report about the existing structure not having a permit. She moved for the application to be denied.

Coun. Ron Polillo said he thought the application was inconsistent with the land use for the zone, referenced staff’s point about the building being larger than the house and that there’s precedent of the 2019 rejection that should be followed.

Given the trees in the area, Coun. Brian Skakun said he thought a variance for 40 centimetres of height wasn’t a big deal.

He said he didn’t recall the reasons for the rejection in 2019, but rejecting one application doesn’t mean council has to reject another. Though the square footage would increase considerably,

Skakun said it’s a large lot and he would vote against rejecting the application.

Coun. Tim Bennett said he would not be supporting the rejection for many of the same reasons as Skakun.

Coun. Trudy Klassen said she was of a similar mind to Skakun and Bennett, but the approval of nearby neighbours helped solidify her support for the application.

Mayor Simon Yu said that as an engineer by trade, adding huge garage doors to such a tall building as the applicant intends to do would require engineering services to do safely.

Should the application be approved, he said he wanted the city’s building department to make sure the owners submit technical documentation.

Ultimately, the motion to reject the application failed with only Ramsay, Polillo and Coun. Susan Scott voting in favour.

Another motion to approve the application passed with Ramsay, Polillo and Scott voting against.

Coun. Kyle Sampson was not present for the meeting.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

New Ospika cannabis store one step closer to opening

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

A Prince George cannabis retailer is one step closer to opening a new location after city council held a public hearing for a rezoning application and voiced support for it to receive a license at its Wednesday, April 23 meeting.

Grasshopper already has two locations, one downtown on George Street and another in the Hart at Birchwood Mall.

Now the retailer is looking to rezone Unit 498 at 450 Ospika Blvd. from C4: Local Commercial to C4c: Local Commercial to allow for another cannabis store to open there. That’s the same mini-mall that’s home to a 7-Eleven store and Liquor on 5th.

According to a report by city staff on the rezoning, the application is in line with the Neighbourhood Corridor designation for the area under the Official Community Plan.

Staff also said that the proposed use is in line with the existing commercial site and that neither the Prince George RCMP nor the bylaw services department expressed any concerns with the project.

Though there are other cannabis

council

retailers 600 metres away at Spruceland Shopping Centre and one kilometre away at the intersection of First Avenue and Tabor Drive, staff said they believe the distance is sufficient to prevent negative impacts.

The applicant is said to have agreed to install bicycle parking to meet the city’s requirements.

While city administration recommends approval of the rezoning, it is also recommending that final reading of the bylaw be withheld until the applicants submit a security worth 120 per cent of the cost of promised landscaping improvements and the bike rack.

A letter from the business addressed to council said Grasshopper currently employs 17 people and the new location would add eight more jobs.

It said planned renovations for the space are 90 per cent finished.

“For this application we encourage you to set aside any preconceived notions of cannabis you may have and instead focus on the land use for this location as it is a legal business and our application is strictly on the land use for the site,” the letter said.

Accompanying the letter from the business are 188 signed form letters expressing support for the project.

Another report on the cannabis license application said that the applicant is looking to operate the new location between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m., seven days a week. That’s consistent with the guidelines set out by the city’s Liquor and Cannabis Licensing Policy.

Attached to that report is a letter from a representative of BC’s Liquor and Cannabis Relation Branch confirming that the applicants are eligible to hold a cannabis retail license but need a positive recommendation from a local government or Indigenous nation to proceed with the rest of the approval process.

During the public hearing, no members of the public came to the podium to comment on the application and council had no questions from Grasshopper representatives in attendance.

Coun. Brian Skakun said he supported the application, noting that he hasn’t heard any complaints about the George Street location since it opened several years ago and the company was looking to invest in the community.

Both third reading of the rezoning bylaw and support for the cannabis license passed after the close of the public hearing, with only Coun. Trudy Klassen voting against them.

City applying for $100K 911 modernizaton grant

The province has $60M for BC municipalities to use for the upgrades

mandate from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to update basic 911 services across the country.

The City of Prince George is applying for a $100,000 grant that would help it modernize its 911 dispatch system after getting approval from city council at its Wednesday, April 24 meeting.

The Union of BC Municipalities is disbursing a total of $60 million provided by the provincial government to help local governments transition to next-generation 911 systems and comply with a

While the deadline for that transition was originally set for March 4, 2025, the CRTC has extended it to March 31, 2027 as many regions have not yet made the transition.

Staff explained at the Wednesday, April 24 council meeting that the city intends to update the mobile computer-aided-dispatch systems on its fleet of fire response vehicles.

The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George is preparing to take over 911 dispatch duties for itself and the Nechako, Cariboo and Kitimat-Stikine regional districts starting in 2026 and has selected a

company called Hexagon to provide the needed software.

The difference between basic and next generation 911, a report from staff said, is that the latter can process all kinds of emergency calls and multimedia information, can deliver those calls to the appropriate responders, acquires additional call information that may be helpful in routing calls and supports data and video communications between responders.

At the April 23 meeting, IT services manager Luke Reid said the next generation services also improve reliability and security.

While the UBCM grant program has been around prior to this year, it was

updated this March to include mobile computer-aided-dispatch systems.

Previously, staff’s report said, the city had planned to phase in the implementation of the next generation systems over several years.

Getting the funds through the grant program would speed up the timeline and reduce the city’s financial burden. If successful, the $100,000 would outfit 10 fire vehicles with the necessary equipment, including tablets.

The request for $100,000 is the maximum allowed under the project. If successful, Prince George would have two years to complete the project.

Approval for the grant application passed unanimously.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY COLIN SLARK

Director of planning and development Deanna Wasnik goes over cannabis retailer Grasshopper’s rezoning request for a new Ospika Boulevard location at the Wednesday, April 23 meeting of Prince George city

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Bubble tea business, landlord at odds over lockout

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

The owners of a local bubble tea business drew attention this week with a Facebook post accusing their landlord of shutting off their utilities and locking them out.

However, the building’s owner says he revoked their lease after the owners of Chaà Tayo failed to meet their financial obligations to him.

The post, which was shared in Facebook groups like What’s Up PG, states that on March 2, the utilities in the 1645 15th Ave. shop were turned off and that the following day, the locks were changed, barring the owners from entering.

The owners allege in the post that their lease was not in default, that they had paid their rent and, despite this, were given no chance to remedy the situation.

The landlord, Mark McVey, denies this.

“We opened and then someone came, changed the lock, and then a few minutes later, when the co-owner left and came back, she saw an envelope taped to the door,” said co-owner Clarice Clement. “It’s been over a month now. We are just so emotional because of how we were treated.”

Clement told The Citizen that the

business initially wanted to remain silent, but they decided to speak out after conversations with supporters who were concerned about the closure.

“A lot of people messaged us. They kept asking, ‘What’s happening to you guys? What’s happening to you guys?’ We tried to cover it up. We said, ‘Well, we’re just having a minor renovation, we’re closed and we will open,’ because we thought we could work things out and remedy the situation. But it’s going to be almost two months now since that happened.”

Clement added that their business was given no warning and had no knowledge the locks would be changed on March 2.

“When the lock was changed, there was nothing — we didn’t even communicate with him. He never said, even in a text message, ‘Oh, tomorrow I’m going to change your lock.’ Nothing. There was nothing. That’s why we were like, what’s going on? So when the lock was changed, and then other co-owners saw the termination letter, we were shocked.”

The Citizen spoke with McVey, the owner and managing broker of Powerhouse Realty, about the situation and the reasons behind the closure of Chaà Tayo.

“The former tenant had numerous breaches of their tenancy agreement that we had for approximately three

years, and it just became untenable,” said McVey.

When asked about the alleged shutoff of utilities, McVey said he had no knowledge of it occurring.

“The power has never been turned off to my knowledge,” he said. “The power has always been on. I had to transfer it into my name as a landlord after they were evicted — had to transfer it into our company name around the middle of March. That’s part of my responsibility as landlord, to mitigate their loss so they’re not still paying for power.”

McVey also responded to claims that the owners didn’t know the lease was about to be terminated.

“I think it’s important to note that this wasn’t just a snap decision,” he said. “Various communications — in writing, by email, by text, verbally — had been made to the tenants, advising them of the different breaches of the tenancy agreement throughout the last couple of years. Numerous attempts were made to communicate the importance of staying within the lease agreement that we both agreed to in good faith.”

In BC, a commercial lease can include conditions that supersede existing tenancy laws, giving landlords the legal right to cancel the agreement early if those conditions aren’t met.

Clement told The Citizen she intends to pursue legal remedies in the matter.

Almost $10,000 worth of search and rescue gear stolen

Prince George RCMP are advising people to be on the lookout for search and rescue gear stolen out of a vehicle last month.

The equipment was taken on April 11 in the parking lot of the Sandman Hotel on the 2900 block of Recplace Drive.

RCMP state that close to $10,000 worth of search and rescue and avalanche recovery gear was taken.

Police officers are asking members of

the public to keep an eye out for these items on online marketplace forums or around town, and to report any sightings of the equipment to the Prince George RCMP non-emergency line at 250-561-3300.

Police released a list of the stolen items:

• BCA avalanche beacon

• BCA avalanche probe

• BCA avalanche shovel

• Black Diamond 35L backpack (black)

• Oltravox 35L backpack (orange)

• Marker helmet (white)

• Solomon helmet (black)

• Arc’teryx Men’s bib snow pants (charcoal)

• Arc’teryx Women’s bib snow pants (blue)

• Arc’teryx Men’s ski jacket (red and navy)

• Arc’teryx Women’s ski jacket (pink)

• 11-8 jacket (dark blue)

• Oboz Hiking boots (women’s)

• Blue duffle bag with personal items

• Climbing skins for skis (yellow)

• Marker ski goggles

• tomic ski goggles

• Kindle case (burgundy)

“Unfortunately, there is no available video surveillance from the nearby businesses for police to review,” states Cpl. Jennifer Cooper, media relations officer with the Prince George RCMP.

“If anyone who was in the area noted anything suspicious that evening, or caught anything on their dash camera or cell phone, we ask they call us to speak with an investigator.”

This investigation remains ongoing.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY MATTHEW HILLIER

Chaà Tayo was located in the 15th Avenue space on the left but was locked out after the landlord terminated its lease.

MATTHEW HILLIER

Crews reinforce riverbank under city bridge

Traffic was restricted to a single lane on Ferry Avenue as it passes underneath the Simon Fraser Bridge while a Yellowhead Road and Bridge (YRB) worked on shoring up the banks under the bridge Thursday, April 24. Temporary stop lights were used to control traffic as the crew works to fill the washout that has persisted over the years along the bank of the Fraser River, using crushed rock to fill the area and to resist future washouts in the same area.

ICBC introduces new insurance discount for low-mileage drivers

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

Drivers in British Columbia who drive fewer than 15,000 kilometres per year will soon be eligible for a new discount on their auto insurance premiums.

According to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC), eligible customers will save approximately 10 to 15 per cent on select optional coverages, depending on how much they drive during their one-year policy term.

“We know many of our customers are interested in usage-based insurance, with cost savings being the top motivating factor, and it’s our goal to provide affordable auto insurance to the people of BC,” said David Wong, ICBC president and CEO, in a press release.

The new discount will apply to most of ICBC’s optional insurance products,

including extended third-party liability, collision, comprehensive and specified perils coverages. It also expands the eligibility threshold by 5,000 kilometres.

To qualify, drivers must:

• Drive fewer than 15,000 kilometres per year

• Provide two odometer readings, taken one year apart, as proof of distance driven

• Hold a 12-month Autoplan policy with ICBC optional coverage

• Have an eligible vehicle (motorcycles, RVs, collector vehicles and certain other vehicle types are excluded)

The new discount will be available to customers renewing policies on or after June 1.

More information on usage-based insurance, including the new optional distance-based discount and how to submit your odometer reading, is available on ICBC’s website.

Monday & Tuesday: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Thursday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Friday: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Wednesdays, Weekends & Stat Holidays

Violent home invader sentenced to 10 years in prison

The victims were bound, beaten and shot, court heard

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A BC Supreme Court judge in Vernon sentenced a man from Prince George on April 14 to 10 years and four months in prison for a 2019 home invasion in Lumby.

Last June, Justice John Gibb-Carsley found Edward Scott Coghill guilty of eight charges and Stewart Wayne Tkachuk guilty of nine for the “premedidated and violent” crime.

Coghill was charged with break and enter with intent to commit robbery,

discharging a firearm with intent to wound, masking with intent to commit an offence, unlawful confinement, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm without a licence. Tkachuk had an additional charge, for possessing a firearm while banned.

“Mr. Coghill and Mr. Tkachuk committed a prolonged and senseless attack against two victims who were in bed in their own home — the place they should feel most safe,” Gibb-Carsley said in his sentencing reasons.

“The victims were bound, beaten and shot. The attack left one victim with life-altering injuries. In the circumstances of this case, a fair and appropriate sentence must emphasize the goals of deterrence and denunciation.”

Gibb-Carsley said the victims’ lives will

never be the same after the “horrifying” attack that lasted over 45 minutes. The male victim described in a statement to the court that the lingering nerve damage and blood clots prevent him from working. He also suffered psychological damage and the trauma ruined his relationship with the other victim.

Gibb-Carsley said Coghill, 50, was born in Williams Lake, the youngest in a family of 16. He moved to Prince George at age 14, has a Grade 9 education and worked at a Dairy Queen and a butcher shop.

He met his wife in Prince George and they moved to Vanderhoof where they had three children. They separated and he remained in Vanderhoof to raise their children.

Gibb-Carsley officially sentenced

Coghill to 11 years in jail, but reduced the sentence by 240 days for time already spent in custody. Vernon-resident Tkachuk, 53, got 12 years less 450 days of in-custody credit.

The Crown had proposed a 16-to-18year jail sentence for Coghill and 17-to19 years for Tkachuk.

Defence lawyers asked for eight years for Coghill and 10-to-11 years for Tkachuk.

Gibb-Carsley said Tkachuk was “somewhat less involved” in the crime. He rebuked Coghill’s behaviour “in the strongest of terms,” but did commend him for working to overcome opioid addiction and live a productive life.

“Mr. Coghill will need to make to remain drug free and thus crime free,”

Gibb-Carsley said.

Man arrested with drugs despite prohibiton order

BOB MACKIN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A man arrested last fall with crack cocaine and packages of drugs commonly prescribed to opioid addicts was sentenced April 23 in Prince George Provincial Court to two days time served and six months probation.

Thomas Cody Phillips, 32, pleaded guilty by video from Prince Rupert before Judge Martin Nadon. Phillips admitted breaching probation on Sept. 27, 2024 when a Prince George RCMP officer arrested him for possessing drugs without a prescription.

Phillips had been sentenced to 18 months jail and two years probation on Sept. 29, 2023 for robbery. The judge’s order in that case included a ban on possessing alcohol, drugs or any intoxicating substance without a medical prescription.

Court heard that an RCMP officer on patrol parked his vehicle at Third Avenue and Victoria Street. The officer observed Phillips approach the driver’s side window of an adjacent vehicle on a bicycle.

Phillips was handed a plastic bag, glanced around the area and cycled

away quickly.

The officer was unable to catch up, but found and arrested Phillips 45 minutes later at the corner of Third Avenue and Brunswick Street. A search revealed Phillips had a clear plastic bag containing two chunks of crack cocaine and three unopened packages containing 14 pills each of hydromorphone — none of which had been prescribed to Phillips.

Court heard that Phillips has worked

in carpentry and commercial fishing, but has struggled with substance abuse and mental health since childhood. He became addicted to cocaine by age 16 and survived a fentanyl overdose in 2021.

Phillips resided in Lower Mainland recovery programs during the fall and winter.

Nadon said Phillips must also complete 35 hours community service

work during his six-month probation sentence.

“It is good news to the court to hear that, in spite of your struggles, that you are seeking help and that you’re now back at work,” Nadon said. “So when I take all that into account and the efforts that you’re putting in to rejoin society, I am in agreement with counsel that this is an appropriate way to deal with this matter.”

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

A man who was under a probation order to avoid illegal drugs was caught with drugs usually prescribed to opioid addicts.

Council approves vehicle gates at Moccasin Flats

The move is intended to improve safety and reduce risk of re

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Prince George city council voted unanimously at its Wednesday, April 23 meeting to restrict vehicle traffic through Lower Patricia Boulevard as it goes through the homeless encampment known as Moccasin Flats through the installation of gates at either end. Staff asked for the installation of the gates, which they said could be unlocked by city staff or emergency services.

Director of administrative services Eric Depenau said the city’s application to the Supreme Court of British Columbia is still pending and there are no updates on the status of the case. However, he said, the community will

be given an update when more information is available.

He said the city is looking to install the barriers through powers it has under the province’s community charter.

The move, he said, is meant to help make remediation matters at the site easier and reduce fire risk but would not prevent current residents from seeking shelter there. On that last point, he said that would allow the city to meet the terms of the previous 2021 court ruling denying its request to remove the encampments.

A report written by staff noted that several fires have occurred in recreational vehicles at the site.

“These structures are not intended for full-time occupation and do not appear to have been contemplated for in the decision rendered by the Honourable Chief Justice Hinkson related to this site,” the report said, referring to the supreme court case. “A volume of call outs have been received by the Prince

Tree goes up in fames

George Fire Rescue Services in response to these vehicles since 2021.”

Coun. Brian Skakun said he knows they can only say so much as the case is before the court, but he asked whether new people who arrive at the site would be offered spaces at the Third Avenue transitional housing facility.

Depenau said that is being handled by BC Housing, adding that since the original court ruling, hundreds of additional housing units have been built in Prince George which also informed the city’s application last year to seek permission to dismantle the site.

Skakun said it was unfortunate that the city couldn’t act sooner.

Coun. Garth Frizzell congratulated his colleagues for their advocacy work on the file with the Union of BC Municipalities and with Premier David Eby.

Coun. Ron Polillo said he felt the move would reduce vehicle traffic through the flats and reduce dumping on the site.

Coun. Trudy Klassen asked whether the installation of gates would impact the city’s court case and asked for more detail.

The actions being taken are in partnership with the city’s legal counsel, Depenau said, and he isn’t concerned that the installation of gates will impact the case. He said the western end of the site is almost completely open after several lengths of fencing were allowed and reiterated that the gates should only impede vehicular traffic, not pedestrians.

Klassen said she was concerned about air quality at the site due to fires. She said she would support the motion. The motion passed unanimously. After the meeting, Depenau told The Citizen that installing the gates is a priority and will happen as soon as practical, but that staff would consult with those at the site and those who support them before carrying out the work and so there’s no set timeline.

TOYS • COMICS • GAMES

CITIZEN STAFF PHOTO

Prince George Fire Rescue crews battle a tree ﬁre at the corner of Northwood Pulp Road and Aberdeen Road on Saturday, April 26. There were no injuries.

Northern BC gardeners learn basics of permaculture

ANDIE MOLLINS Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

If you’ve ever studied a bit of biology, you may recall the basics of symbiosis or, to put it simply, the different types of arrangements which exist between two living things. Some relationships are mutually beneficial, such as a bee feeding from a flower and spreading the flower’s pollen. Other relationships can benefit one organism at the expense of another, such as mosquitoes biting humans for their blood.

But what of humans and the planet? If we look at both as living organisms, we might consider the relationship to fall under parasitism, where humans benefit at the expense of the planet.

But it doesn’t have to be that way, said Kenton Zerbin, who travelled to Williams Lake in April to show just how easy it is to flip that relationship around.

“Permaculture is transitioning from

that to mutualism,” Zerbin said as he presented to a group of over 40 people during a Williams Lake Garden Club talk.

The founder of Attainable Sustainable Academy based in Kelowna, Zerbin has spent years teaching people around the world about building homes, communities and food systems guided by the concept of permaculture.

He said permaculture is a design science. It’s finding ways to meet human needs by tapping into opportunities presented by the natural world. By

designing a human’s needs around these opportunities, the impact on the planet can be minimal, or even beneficial.

If you want to practice permaculture design at your own home, Zerbin said there are three key things to keep in mind.

fertilizer and, with all their pecking, help with pest control. Leave them in one spot for too long, and that space ends up destroyed.

“That’s a yield you can design around,” Zerbin said. If you can’t let your chickens outside of their pen to roam around a larger area, why not create a wheeled chicken coop? Once an area has been fully dewatered, de-seeded, fertilized and aerated by the chickens, wheel their coop on to the next spot.

Another example of relationship placement would be to place deciduous trees along the front of a building. During the summer, the trees’ leaves will help shade your home and keep it cool, and as they lose their leaves in the winter the sun will come through and keep you warm, reducing both cooling and heating bills.

“Every single one of us is a designer,” Zerbin said.

The first and most important rule is to plan around “sectors,” including the sun, wind and water. Mapping out the course of these sectors allows homeowners to strategically place items on their property so they can work with or against these sectors.

NOTICE OF UNCLAIMED SURPLUS

TAKE NOTICE THAT the City of Prince George is holding surplus money received from the 2023 tax sale of the property located at 938 932 4th Avenue (the “Property”), and:

1. the surplus is payable to the former owner of the Property, Anthony Marquard, or another person otherwise entitled to the surplus; 2. the surplus became payable on September 26, 2024; and, 3. the amount of the surplus is $41,507.09.

Anyone having any claims on such surplus may apply in writing to the City of Prince George, 1100 Patricia Boulevard Prince George BC V2L 3V9 prior to August 1, 2025. If a claim is made by a person other than the former property owner, the surplus will be sent to the Supreme Court of British Columbia and the person seeking the funds must make an application to receive the surplus under s.659(4) of the Local Government Act. If no claims are received, the surplus will be deemed to be an unclaimed deposit and transferred under the Unclaimed Property Act to the provincial administrator.

Any questions on this matter may be made to Santa du Preez at 250-561-7781.

A basic example would be to point solar panels, if you have them, towards the sun, keeping in mind how it travels across the sky.

“You got to work with nature,” Zerbin said.

The second most important concept is “zones,” or what Zerbin described as human energy efficiency.

“The idea is that what you need to see most often, you put most close,” Zerbin said.

A common example of zoning failure is when compost is hidden in the corner of a property. The further the compost is, the more it feels like a task to use. Placing it closer, even right next to your garden, makes the most sense, Zerbin said.

Finally, Zerbin said the third most important concept is “relationship placement.”

“Relationship placement is the idea of understanding something’s needs and yields and then tapping it in so it can serve you,” Zerbin said.

He brought up chickens as an example. Along with the eggs and meat they offer, chickens also create excellent

He spoke a lot about water and encouraged people to think about it in the same way a child thinks of a marble maze.

“The No. 1 thing you have the power to place that is going to be working hard for you is water,” Zerbin said.

Placing water higher up allows it to stay in the landscape longer, reducing drought and fires and making everything greener. Harvesting rainwater from your roof gives you access to fresh water to feed your plants.

And, if you design it properly, Zerbin said you can make it so that you don’t even have to do any of the watering for your gardens. An old, decomposing log can be used as a deep water source for your plants, encouraging roots to grow downwards. Add grass clippings and manure, and you essentially have a composting system beneath your garden which may not need to be re-fertilized for another 15 years in the time it takes for the log to break down.

Zerbin’s enthusiasm for permaculture was truly contagious, pulling in members of the audience, both young and old, to engage by sharing ideas and questions.

This story originally appeared in The Williams Lake Tribune.

ANDIE MOLLINS, LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

Kenton Zerbin says water is the No. 1 thing humans have the power to place which can work hard for them.

Northern Health opens intake for health project grants

RADHA AGARWAL

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Communities aiming to improve their health goals can now apply for a $10,000 IMAGINE grant offered by Northern Health (NH).

“IMAGINE community grants exist to support projects that address community-led health and wellness initiatives while improving the well-being of all northern BC residents,” said Northern Health on its website.

The application intake will close on May 16, and the health authority will release the funding for approved projects in June 2025.

Proposed projects must support community-based initiatives focusing on one or more health and wellness priorities such as mental wellness, community diversity, harm reduction, climate health action, food security, active living, and community safety.

Eligible grant applicants include

not-for-profit organizations, First Nations Bands and health centres, Indigenous organizations, municipalities and regional districts, schools, Parent Advisory Councils, community groups and service agencies.

Major Indigenous gathering set for Dawson Creek this fall

ED HITCHINS

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A massive gathering of Treaty 8 Nations and participants from across the region will converge on Dawson Creek for a major Indigenous event Sept. 19-21.

The inaugural Cultural Gathering to Unite Communities will occur at the Ovintiv Events Centre in September.

A press release says the event hopes to “bring together First Nations people, families and communities from across Western Canada and the north in a powerful celebration of tradition, unity and spirit.”

Hand games, an artisan market, bingo and both a pow wow and tea dance will be part of the three-day event, accord ing to Dale Bumstead.

As one of the event’s organizers, Bumstead says he’s been collaborating with Doig River First Nation (DRFN),

funded projects such as building bike racks at École Jack Cook in Terrace.

The racks continue to provide a secure parking solution for students who bike to school, encouraging fitness and daily cycling.

The grant has also supported projects such as the salmonberry garden and learning space at Prince Rupert’s École Roosevelt, mental wellness initiatives in Haida Gwaii, food security programs in Smithers, Prince George and Kitimat, seniors’ health classes, and many more across the region.

partnerships, address community needs, reduce health inequities and strengthen local capacity. Initiatives that can sustain themselves after funding ends will be preferred during vetting.

The grants are not available for prize money, gift cards, food for food banks, or large-scale catering. They also do not cover academic research, businesses, one-time events, or projects outside the Northern Health Region.

NH employees, programs, or facilities cannot apply, though they can list themselves as project partners.

This story originally appeared in the

attendees should pre-register by June 9th @ 5:00pm.

PROPERTY AND BUSINESS OWNERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION IS COMPLETED BY MAY 12, 2025, IN ORDER TO VOTE.

FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARE REQUIRED BY MAY 28, 2025.

COMMUNITY

What’s happening in PG

May Days goes Thursday, May 1 to Sunday, May 4 at CN Centre and is presented by West Coast Amusements. Canada’s biggest travelling carnival will be back in Prince George. For weather dependent hours and ticket prices visit https://westcoastamusements.com/ event/prince-george-bc.

Food Gardening in Containers goes Friday, May 2 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Hunniford Gardens, 8845 Aquarius Rd. Beginner-friendly workshop geared for hanging baskets and planter gardening including how to select suitable pants, when to plant, what containers to use, focusing on popular edibles like strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, herbs, lettuce and greens. Cost is $25 at hunniford-gardens.com/food-gardening-in-containers-monday-may-2.

Art Battle Prince George goes Friday, May 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Knox Performance Centre, 1448 Fifth Ave. Get ready to witness an electrifying showdown as 12 skilled artists go head-to-head in a high-speed, three-round battle to create awe-inspiring artwork right before your very eyes. The audience gets to play judge and jury by casting their vote for the ultimate winner. Then the artwork created during the competition goes up for auction. For more information and tickets visit www.eventbrite.com/e/ art-battle-prince-george-tickets.

MS in Wonderland goes Saturday, May 3 at 7 p.m. at the Columbus Community Centre, 7201 Lawrence Ave. Join us for our second annual MS fundraiser. This year’s theme is Alice in Wonderland. There will be dinner, dancing, silent auction, 50/50 raffle and so much more. Live entertainment is presented by Four on the Floor. Tickets are $50 and available at 890 Vancouver Street or call 250-562-6325 to arrange pick up.

PG Italian Centre Dinner and Italian Bingo Night goes Saturday, May 3 at the Prince George Italian Club, 1209 Fifth Avenue. Enjoy the rich and wonderful culture and food of Italy, right here in the City of Prince George as guests dive into an authentic and homemade Italian Napoletana dinner with fun games of Tombola (Italian Bingo) to

follow. Reserve spots now as tickets will sell fast. $30 for members and $40 for non-members. Pay by e-transfer at pgitalianclub1@gmail.com. Tickets are non refundable.

Spring Market goes Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kinsmen Community Centre, 777 Kinsmen Place. Celebrate the season at the Cariboo North Cultural Society Spring Market. Browse

more than 50 varieties of tomato plants available. You will have a choice of red, pink, orange, yellow, purple, chocolate or black fruited tomatoes. Sizes and shapes vary from currant, cherry, pear, plum and beefsteak varieties. There will also be dwarf, patio and hanging varieties. There will also be more than 20 kinds of sweet to hot peppers.

Heroic Steps 5K Fundraising Run goes Saturday, May 3 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park. Run/walk/hop/skip to raise money and awareness for COPD and the BC Lung Foundation. Starting at the band shell, participants can do two loops throughout the park and the Millar addition neighbourhood. Registration/ donation is $20. For more information and to register visit https://bclung. heroicsteps5Krun.

BC Old Time Fiddlers Spring Jamboree goes Friday, May 2, Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4 at Knox Performance Centre, 1448 Fifth Ave and at Trinity United Church, 3555 Fifth Ave. This weekend celebration includes a Friday night dance, two days of workshops for fiddle, guitar and banjo and a concert featuring Mark Sillivan who has won the Canadian Grand Masters fiddle competition three times. or tickets and all the details visit www.bcfiddlers.com/branches/prince-george/ pg-workshop-and-concert/.

a fantastic selection of local vendors offering handmade crafts, unique gifts, delicious treats, and more. This is the perfect opportunity to support local artisans and find something special for mom for Mother’s Day.

David Douglas Botanical Garden Society Tomato & Pepper Plant Sale goes Saturday May 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Prince George Farmers’ Market, 1310 Third Ave. There will be

Dances Sacred and Profane goes Sunday, May 4 at 2 p.m. at Vanier Hall, 2901 Griffiths Avenue. The PGSO’s new concert harp moves centre stage for soloist Joy Yeh. This is a full program of music inspired by dance by French and Spanish composers. The PGSO season comes to a rousing end with de Falla’s energetic Three-Cornered Hat. The concert will be the premiere of Prince George resident composer José Delgado-Guevera’s newest piece, a celebration of music from the streets of his childhood in Costa Rica. For more information and tickets visit www.pgso.com/concerts/ Dances-Sacred-and-Profane.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

OVERHANG PHOTO

Rockstars – a Kids Climbing Festival goes Sunday, May 4 at 2 to 6 p.m. at OVERhang, 2601 Recplace Drive for children 3 to 12.

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Rockstars – a Kids Climbing Festival goes Sunday, May 4 at 2 to 6 p.m. at OVERhang, 2601 Recplace Drive for children 3 to 12. This is an interstellar adventure packed with energy, excitement and challenges that are truly out of this world. Whether your little one is a curious cadet or a fearless climber, they’re in for a mission they won’t forget with Climbing Challenges Across the Galaxy — fun routes designed for every age and skill level; Cosmic Games & Activities – think space themed challenges and a few surprises from a galaxy not too far away, Feats of Strength— test your skills and power like a true hero-in-training, Prizes Worthy of a Space Legend – no Jedi mind tricks, just awesome rewards. Regular drop-in rates apply.

Junk in the Trunk goes Saturday,

May 10 at CN Centre parking lot from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This event is presented by REAPS. There will be 125 vendors at the event rain or shine. This is Prince George’s largest garage sale. There will be food vendors on site as well.

Medieval Merriment presented by the Prince George Cantata Singers goes Saturday, May 10 at 7 p.m. at the Knox Performance Centre, 1448 Fifth Ave. Deadline to purchase some tickets is May 5. Step back in time and enjoy the sights, sounds and flavours of the medieval era through this unique choral experience, Choose to enjoy the evening as nobility, with Royal Court Seating featuring a full feast prepared by Chef Robert Bubloz of My Swiss Chef or as a peasant with a few scones and bread treats from Cobs Bread. There will be a cash bar and costumes are encouraged. The Tuneatious Troubadours including harpist Shoshanna Godber and other

past, allowing visitors to see how early settlers would have experienced spring. Learn more about site’s history through our new exhibit, take part in heritage demonstrations, and participate in old-fashioned games and the Maypole dance. Admission is by donation of $10 per family. For more information visit www.hublehomestead.ca/.

BC Old Time Fiddlers’ Jams and Lessons go every Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, 483 Gillett St. Everyone is welcome to attend. Drop-in fee is $5 at the door.

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.

Prince George musicians with perform. Tickets are available through the Knox Centre at www.knoxcentre.ca/pg-cantata-singers-a-night-of-medieval-merriment.

Mother’s Day at the Farm goes Sunday, May 11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Wildflower Farm. Learn to paint delicate water colour crocus flowers in a beginner-to-intermediate-friendly workshop with artist extraordinaire Christina Watts instructing. Enjoy a light brunch, hot drinks and refreshing sangria in a cozy farm setting. For tickets visit https://wattsartacademy.ca/event/ mothers-day-on-the-farm-watercolourcrocus-paint-workshop/ Spring on the Homestead goes Monday, May 19 from 10:30 am to 4 p.m. at Huble Homestead, 15000 Mitchell Road, about 30 km north of Prince George. Nestled in the heart of nature, Huble Homestead offers a glimpse into the

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

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. Those caught cheating will be publicly shamed and labelled as cheaters – good wholesome fun. 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

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

Junk in the Trunk goes Saturday, May 10 at CN Centre parking lot from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Of-grid homesteader shares adventures on YouTube

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

Shawn Trudel has always dreamed of challenging himself by living sustainably, either in harmony with, or at times against, nature.

In 2021, after years of searching, Trudel finally found the perfect opportunity: A 41-acre (16.5-hectare) property deep in the mountains of BC.

The remote riverside cabin is on land that’s roughly a three- to four-hour journey from Prince George — assuming the service road hasn’t washed out — and includes an hour-long river trip.

Before beginning this off-grid journey, Trudel knew he wanted one more thing: An audience to share his experiences with.

About a year ago, he launched a YouTube channel called Cabin River Outdoors. His first video, titled Dude buys super remote property in Canadian wilderness. No idea what he’s doing, quickly gained traction.

Since then, his channel has grown to more than 70,000 subscribers, with videos averaging around 100,000 views each.

“I thought it would be fun,” Trudel said. “I like the challenge of it, and I grew up reading books about people going up against nature — trappers in the wilderness — and that was always exciting to me. I think I wanted a change from my job, but I also saw an opportunity to make money. I’d heard over the years that you could earn something on YouTube, and I figured, ‘Well, I’ve got to give it a go.’ So, bit by bit, I put out a couple of super amateur videos. They did really well, and it just sort of went from there. After about six months, I thought, you know what, I’m just going to quit my job and go for it.”

Before becoming a full-time YouTuber and homesteader, Trudel worked as an industrial carpenter, a background that’s come in handy as he builds two cabins on his remote property.

“I’m quite a bit further behind than I’d like,” he said. “At the same time, I also feel like putting out weekly videos is just as important as getting something

built. Without the channel, you can build much faster, but with the channel, it gives me enough finances to get by. A lot of people out there, especially those without road access, say if you think something’s going to take a week, you should multiply that by three or four. But ultimately, I’m getting there. You have to stay with it and be patient. There are a few big projects I might finish by August. That’s kind of my goal right now.”

One of the major challenges Trudel has faced is the land itself, along with the isolation that comes with living so far from civilization.

“My property didn’t have any clearings whatsoever,” he said. “Most acreages might have one or two acres of already-cleared flatland, but in that dense jungle, there was nothing. So I spent a lot of time just clearing it. Also, there’s a major social shift. I’m a pretty social person. I had a lot of friends and family all over southwestern BC. You feel like you’re neglecting that part of your life. It’s a social element, but you’re also chasing a dream.”

He said that first six months were the toughest.

“There are great people in the area

quickly, and Trudel said he went into the project carrying significant debt. But things began to change last fall.

“I didn’t know the financial upside could be so high,” he said. “I started out with a huge debt load. I used to work a lot, then travel for four or five months, come back, and spend too much money. You do that year after year, and you end up $50,000 or $60,000 in debt. When I started the channel, I was just barely paying the interest on a lot of that.

“The turning point came around November. Suddenly, it was like ‘okay, I’m actually starting to pay things off.’ I recently signed a contract with a solar company to do nine integrated ads. The financial side is there. It can be a bit of a gold mine. Some people really kill it with their YouTube channels.”

where I’m living, but you really give up a lot to pursue something like this. Some nights you’re just wondering what you’re doing — like, why am I even here? The highs and lows are really intense. Hopefully, it balances out over time.”

His videos have resonated with viewers, not just for the stunning wilderness footage but also for his openness and authenticity.

One thing that’s kept him motivated is his fanbase. Trudel said he’s been amazed by the support from viewers around the world.

“It’s probably one of the most passionate communities I’ve ever seen, especially in the homesteading space. I’ve been watching YouTube since it started in 2007, and I’m still shocked by the dedication of this community. They’re super diehard. I’m pretty fortunate. There are people from all over — South Africa, Australia, lots of Americans — and for some reason, tons of Scandinavians. The Norwegians especially have really latched on.”

The costs of purchasing the property, building materials and equipment, and running a YouTube channel added up

In addition to the solar company, Trudel has also picked up sponsorships from outdoor clothing brands in Europe. He also has a Patreon account where dedicated fans can contribute directly to help him grow the channel and continue building his dream homestead.

One memorable aspect of the past year has been connecting with locals during supply runs to Prince George.

“The locals here in PG have really caught on to the channel, which is cool,” Trudel said. “People watch it all over the world, but to know that I’m one of the standout creators from the PG area — that’s awesome. Sometimes people recognize me and stop to say hi. That’s a pretty amazing feeling. People come up, get out of their vehicles just to shake your hand. I never expected that. I don’t know if you’d call it local fame — it’s just that people seem proud someone from PG is doing well on YouTube.”

As for what’s next, Trudel plans to finish building his main cabin, finally construct an outhouse, add finishing touches to the smaller cabin, and maybe even start filming travel videos, visiting other off-grid homesteads like his own.

If you are interested or simply want to learn more you can find Cabin River Outdoors on YouTube.

CABIN RIVER OUTDOORS PHOTO

YouTuber Shawn Trudel has been building an off-grid home on remote land 3-4 hours from Prince George.

Central Fort George class reunitng afer 60 years

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

Class reunions are typically reserved for high school graduates — but not this one.

Byron Roberts, 72, thought a Grade 7 reunion from Central Fort George Elementary School would be more meaningful.

On Saturday, May 3, 22 of about 38 former classmates will gather at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club to reminisce, share a few laughs and catch up on the years gone by.

“There’s a lot of us who went to school as a core group all the way through,” Roberts said.

“We’ve got pictures — I’ve had them all enlarged — and yeah, it’s really quite interesting to see the transition through the years.”

The group has photos dating back to Grade 1, when the students were just six years old. To think they’ll meet up

Students from Central Fort George School will hold a reunion this weekend, decades after they attended classes together.

again is quite remarkable, he added.

“It’s been 65 years since many of us first met,” Roberts said. “We’re going to video conference with some people from back East who can’t make it.”

Attendees are travelling from across British Columbia, including Terrace, Vancouver, Chilliwack, Vancouver Island and Fort St. James. Some are coming from Alberta, and about half a dozen still live in Prince George.

The idea started when Roberts

reconnected on Facebook with a Grade 1 classmate.

“Her dad still lived here in Prince George and she was coming to visit him two years ago. I asked if me and my best friend Vic could have lunch with her,” he said.

They started reminiscing, and Roberts learned that four of the girls from Grade 1 were planning a small get-together for late March 2025.

Roberts was part of a core group

of four boys who used to hang out together back then.

“I phoned her in February to see when they were going to meet. They had postponed it to the end of April because a couple of the girls were driving and wanted to wait for safer road conditions,” he said.

“So I called the guys, then a few others in Prince George to see if they wanted to join. The answer was always yes — and it kind of grew from there. We tried to get hold of as many people as we could and through that, we discovered that 11 have passed. I guess it shouldn’t be surprising, but it is.”

Tracking down classmates wasn’t easy, especially the women, many of whom changed their names after marriage.

Roberts said he became something of a detective in the process.

“We’re just going to get together, have a nice dinner and chat until we close the place down,” he said with a smile.

Argentnian travellers reach PG on 7-year road trip

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Prince George is no stranger to visitors passing through on their way to or from Alaska, but one such guest on Tuesday, April 22 travelled a much longer distance than most.

Seven years ago, Carolina Gastiazoro and Facundo Arias set off from La Plata, Argentina in a 1989 Volkswagen Kombi with the goal of visiting each country in the Americas.

Thousands of kilometres later, their white van sat in the parking lot of the Victoria Avenue McDonald’s as its drivers took a break from their travels.

During their stop in Prince George, they agreed to an interview via text message with The Citizen so they could use their phone to help translate.

They said this is their first time visiting Canada.

“We’re really enjoying it,” they said. “Never before have we seen so much snow and big mountains. It’s beautiful.

Incredible nature! It’s hard to choose a favourite part. We love the route from Banff to Prince George! Arriving here, we saw bears for the first time, we are happy!”

Prior to going on their trip, Gastiazoro photographed social events and Arias was a welder in a workshop. They left those jobs to go travelling and are now selling items like handmade, keychains,

bracelets, bags and stickers to help finance their journeys.

The small white van that has become their home, they said, makes people smile and has helped them make friends all over the world.

In their travels, Gastiazoro and Arias said they have been surprised by the kindness of the people they have met, which has been their favourite part of the experience.

Though they don’t have a defined route, the pair said they’re looking to reach Alaska by this summer.

Those interested in reaching out to Gastiazoro and Arias or following their travels can visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/almaskombinadas/ and Instagram at instagram.com/ almaskombinadas.

That username translates to “combined souls.”

They’re also accepting donations towards their travel funds on PayPal under the username @ almaskombinadas.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY COLIN SLARK

Carolina Gastiazoro and Facundo Arias show off the 1989 Volkswagen Kombi that has taken them across the Americas after arriving in Prince George on Tuesday, April 22.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Take a musical trip back to the middle ages for dinner

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

The Prince George Cantata Singers will host a unique event at the Knox Performance Centre on Saturday, May 10.

A Night of Medieval Merriment is billed as an evening of choral entertainment, feasting and frivolity by the Cantata Singers.

The event will feature live music, a three-course meal provided by My Swiss Chef and drinks from Worth a Shot Mobile Bar.

Kara Steel, president of the Prince George Cantata Singers, spoke with The Citizen about her inspiration for the

event.

“This really came from, dare I say, a bit of my love for D&D and a recommendation from other members who had an interest in doing something like this,” said Steel. “It’s been quite a few years since Cantata put on a medieval-style show. I actually brought the idea forward last spring when we were planning the season, and there was immediate interest from the other board members.”

This is the Cantata Singers’ biggest event of the year, and Steel notes it has been in production for more than six months.

Ariane

Jarosch, music director of

the Prince George Cantata Singers, described what the evening will look like and encouraged guests to get into the spirit.

“We’re encouraging costuming. We’ll all be dressed in period costumes, and each section of the choir has chosen a specific colour and designed a banner that will hang in the hall,” said Jarosch.

“It’s going to have a very medieval feel — low lighting, some candles. Guests will arrive and find a table. We’re doing festive seating, so all the tables will be long, seating about 25 people per table so everyone can see the stage.”

In addition to costumes, each section of the choir — soprano, alto and tenor

— has designed its own house sigil, or mystical emblem.

The Cantata team has also researched period-accurate music and selected pieces that represent the era well.

“We’re doing quite a few Gregorian chants and dipping into the Renaissance with a few madrigals, because those are always fun,” said Jarosch.

“Some of them are a bit cheeky, which adds a good bit of humour. We’ve got a tavern song — a drinking song — which we hope the audience will participate in. We’ll project the lyrics on a screen and encourage everyone to join in.”

The set list also includes some modern medieval-inspired pieces, such as songs from Game of Thrones, the theme from Henry VIII, and music from the video game Skyrim.

Choral music won’t be the only entertainment on offer. Members of the Cantata Singers will also perform as medieval dancers and troubadours.

Ken Hall, executive director of the Cantata Singers, will perform as a troubadour and shared what attendees can expect.

“We started talking about it maybe six months ago,” said Hall. “The musicians have been choosing music and doing arrangements. The troubadour group hasn’t played together before. The thing about medieval music is that it doesn’t specify which instruments to use. It’s just a melody to have fun with—it’s a little like folk music in that way.”

Tickets are $75 for “royal” seating, which includes the three-course meal, and $35 for “peasant” seating, which includes light snacks and drinks.

For more information or to purchase tickets visit pgcantatasingers.ca.

by Norm Foster

PRINCE GEORGE CANTATA SINGERS PHOTO

Members of the Prince George Cantata Singers dress in period garb for a rehearsal of their new production, A Night of Medieval Merriment.

Stll getng down to the Nity Grity afer 59 years

Legendary

country band plays Prince George on May 6

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has scheduled a Tuesday, May 6 stop at the CN Centre as part of the All the Good Times: The Farewell Tour.

This will be the band’s final full-length tour — a 100-day run — but they promise it won’t be the last you hear from the legendary, long-running group.

The lineup features co-founders Jeff Hanna (lead vocals, guitar) and Jimmie Fadden (drums, harmonica, vocals), along with Bob Carpenter (keyboards, vocals), a member since 1980; Jim Photoglo (bass, vocals); Jaime Hanna (guitar, vocals); and Ross Holmes (fiddle, mandolin, vocals).

Since its beginnings in 1966, the band has won three Grammy Award winners and has performed with the likes of Tommy Emmanuel, Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley and Linda Ronstadt.

Six decades of music and memories will be celebrated on the tour, with timeless hits like Mr. Bojangles, Fishin’ in the Dark, An American Dream, and many more.

The Citizen spoke with longtime band member Carpenter about the upcoming tour and what inspired their unique farewell to life on the road.

“It feels a lot better than it felt in 2020 when we thought we were done because of COVID. That was our farewell day,” said Carpenter. “We all got

off stage and ran home for a year and a half. So at least this way it feels like we’re finally tying things up. We’re still in the studio recording new tracks and stuff. We’re still alive. It’s just that we’re not going to do 100 days on the road anymore. We’re done with these long bus tours … We’ve been doing it for a long time and it’s really fun. We’re just going to sort of tie this thing up in a little bow while we can still do this to the best of our abilities.”

The band is three weeks into the tour and excited to come to Canada, a country they’ve grown to love over more than 60 years of performing.

“I’ll tell you what, we’ve never had a bad gig up in Canada,” said Carpenter. “We love coming up there. We’ve been coming up there since, what, ’82 or something like that. And we’ve played all over the place. We’ve played all over the east, but we’ve been out west the most. And it’s always fun for us. We love coming up there.”

Carpenter said his favourite part of touring is performing, and he especially enjoys interacting with fans across the country and around the world.

“The rest of it’s just work,” he said.

“Sitting on planes or running to airports or waiting for your run to be ready or the bus breaking down — all that fun stuff.”

He added that he enjoys performing because it means helping fans forget their problems, if only for a few hours.

“We do it to be on stage and play music for people and see their happy faces,” said Carpenter. “They can forget about whatever when they come into the venue to hear us and forget about all that stuff for a while. Because that’s what we do too. We have all the same problems in our lives as other people have. We have a home life and we have families and we have other things we have to deal with. But when we’re on stage, it all goes away for a couple of hours.”

Carpenter emphasized that without the fans, their impressive six-decade career would never have been possible — a fact they’re deeply grateful for.

“This is an unprecedented run in a career for any band,” he said. “There were a lot of things that contributed to it, but the number one thing that contributed to it was the people — our fans — because if they don’t come to

the shows, we don’t tour anymore. Now we’ve been very lucky as far as having stuff on the radio that exposed the fans to our music. But still, you know, if nobody wants to come, you don’t have a career.”

Despite many changes in both their lives and the music industry, Carpenter said one thing has remained constant.

“It always feels good to sing and play — that’s why we’ve ended up doing it as a career,” he said. “Everything around it, except for the music and the experience of playing live music on stage, has changed. The travel’s changed, all the electronic things that help you travel have changed. So much of it has changed. The buses haven’t changed though — they still break down like they used to.

“But as far as everything else, the way that you reach your fans has changed. Social media has changed, but that’s all things other than the music… So all that’s changed. But the experience of getting on stage and playing has not changed at all.”

After the tour ends, Carpenter said the band still plans to make more music — though the details remain uncertain.

“As usual with us, it’s a matter of our health,” he said. “As long as everybody stays healthy, we’ll see what the future holds. I have no idea, but we’re not gonna hop on the bus for 100 days a year, that’s all I know… We’re just one foot in front of the other. We’ve never planned more than six months ahead ever in this band. So we’ll get to the end of the year and we’ll see what happens.”

Tickets for the May 6 show are available at Tickets North.

‘Pants’ is a solo performance by veteran artst Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg. ‘BABY’ is a contemporary dance theatre piece by Calder White.

NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND PHOTO

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is, from left, Jim Photoglo, Bob Carpenter, Jimmie Fadden, Jeff Hanna, Jaime Hanna and Ross Holmes.

Boundary-Breaking Dance Theatre Comes to Prince George May 10

night as Tara Cheyenne and Calder White take the stage at the Prince George Playhouse.

Tara Cheyenne’s Pants is a genre-blurring solo work that dives into the messiness of gender identty, parenthood, and aging. With her trademark mix of raw movement, comedy, and intmate storytelling, Cheyenne explores what it means to exist in the no “man’s” land between the “moms” and the “dads” at the playground—while her child defes the gender binary before recess. Described as “refreshing gender liberaton” by dramaturge Joanna Garfnkel, Pants is an honest and hilarious refecton on the shifing nature of identty.

Tara Cheyenne Performance (TCP) is known for theatrical works that blur the lines between dance, theatre, comedy, and tragedy—always rooted in the human experience. Cheyenne’s use of text and humour draws in audiences who may not typically engage with contemporary dance, making her work as accessible as it is afectng.

The evening also features Calder White’s Baby, a contemporary dance theatre piece that uses puppetry, props, and costume to disrupt the audience’s percepton of the human form. Characters in Baby exist at the crossroads of intmacy and horror, projectng themselves onto others in strange, beautful, and sometmes unsetling ways. White’s choreography explores the limits of embodiment in the pursuit of connecton.

Based between Vancouver and Otawa, Calder White has performed across North and South America, Europe, and Israel. His work premiered at Dancing on the Edge in 2022, and this is his second visit to Prince George—following a successful workshop with Method Dance Society in winter 2024. He’ll also be leading two workshops the morning of May 10 at the Prince George Playhouse.

As Prince George contnues to grow as a hub for contemporary performance, this double bill ofers an excitng opportunity to engage with Canada’s natonal performing arts scene—right here at home. Tickets are available at www.KnoxCentre.ca or in person at Studio 2880. Don’t miss this night of bold, unforgetable performance.

Pedal harpist closes out Mainstage Concert Series

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

World-renowned guest star Joy Yeh will take centre stage during a pedal harp solo during Dances Sacred and Profane, the grand finale of the Mainstage Concert Series presented by the Prince George Symphony Orchestra.

The concert takes place Sunday, May 4 at 2 p.m. at Vanier Hall.

Yeh is a Taiwanese-Canadian harpist who earned her doctorate degree in harp.

After graduating from UBC with a bachelor degree, she continued her master’s degree at Yale University with full scholarship and became the assistant instructor at Indiana University, one of the world’s best music graduate institutes, while she obtained her doctoral degree.

Throughout her career Yeh has traveled the world to teach and perform.

“I have such respect for all musicians who live in small towns,” Yeh said. “I consider it such a privilege to perform with the musicians during the upcoming concert.”

Yeh had a connection to the Prince George Symphony Orchestra when Kevin Zakresky was music director between 2012 and 2015. She and Zakresky had attended Yale University together.

“He invited me to play a solo and it was a really difficult harp session,” Yeh recalled.

“He really wanted me to present the original work and I was very touched by the community because I saw how volunteers came together as they would drive us around and take us out for meals and it was just so heart-warming to see.”

Incredibly, Yeh’s harp had to be driven from Vancouver to Prince George because at that time the symphony did not have a harp. And once again volunteers made the trip.

So now Yeh’s back to perform but this time the PGSO has a concert harp that she’ll use that was purchased about a year ago.

The Salvi Daphne SE 47-string concert harp made in Italy and worth more than $20,000 was purchased through the generosity of Fred and Daniella van der Post along with support from a Prince George Community Foundation grant.

The harp is housed at the Prince George Conservatory of Music when not in use at the PGSO, providing opportunities for harpists at the Conservatory to learn the instrument where they now have a robust student harpist community.

Joy Yeh, world-renowned pedal harpist, will perform with the PGSO in the ﬁnal performance of Mainstage Concert Series at Vanier Hall on Sunday, May 4 at 2 p.m.

On May 10, Prince George audiences will have the rare chance to experience two dynamic contemporary performances in one

Dancing feet make her pedal harp ‘sing’ onstage Donaton to Honour House

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Over the years Yeh has come to Prince George to perform and when she does she is asked by harpist and the conservatory’s Artistic Director Shoshanna Godber to host workshops so the students can gain further insight into the instrument.

“I find that so precious and valuable and I teach a lot in Vancouver so to come to a smaller community to teach is precious, too,” Yeh laughed.

Even an aficionado gets the jitters about an upcoming performance.

The concert harp has seven pedals and offers a more complex sound because of that.

“So I am practicing every day,” Yeh said.

“During the performance my feet will be dancing along those pedals — it’s going to be crazy! Every time I perform I pray I don’t mess up because sometimes it’s not about anything else but your foot just slipping off the pedals. You never know what’s going to happen — so we’ll see!”

Yeh feels deeply connected to the harp, an instrument played with your fingertips on strings.

“So there’s no big nails,” Yeh laughed. And there’s nothing else between her and the instrument.

“You know for violin there’s a bow, and for a piano you do use your fingers to hit the keys but you are triggering a hammer against the strings inside the piano,” Yeh explained.

Yeh said over the last decade the harp community has grown significantly in British Columbia.

“I think me and Shoshanna (Godber, Prince George Conservatory of Music’s artistic director) have both been working really hard to get people interested in harp and in learning more about the harp,” Yeh said.

“So in Vancouver 10 years ago when I started out at the Vancouver Academy of Music we had three students and right now the harp department

is the biggest in Canada and one of the biggest in North America. We now have more than 100 students in Vancouver.”

Students are involved in harp ensembles, youth orchestras and one-on-one lessons, Yeh added.

“And what’s so special is that 10 years ago when I came to Prince George Shoshanna had a lovely studio at the Prince George Music Conservatory and over the years the numbers of students have doubled and tripled so every time I come to give group classes I am always amazed at the number of students. She told me since the symphony bought the pedal harp there is even more interest.”

It’s easy to engage more people when students have an opportunity to use the pedal harp to take their skills to the next level, Yeh added.

“So to see the harp community grow in Prince George and in Vancouver is so amazing,” Yeh said.

There is an ongoing partnership between the two and Yeh had Vancouver students who were guest performers during PGSO shows in Prince George.

“So I really love the partnership we have going right now,” Yeh said.

“And even though we’re a bit far away we’re still in BC and I love the collaboration we have going. There are endless possibilities of collaboration and that’s what I love.”

During the Dances Sacred and Profane concert audience members will enjoy a full program of music inspired by dance by French and Spanish composers, including de Falla’s energetic Three-Cornered Hat, while the concert will also premiere Prince George resident composer José Delgado-Guevera’s newest piece, a celebration of music from the streets of his childhood in Costa Rica, called Las Cimarronas.

Tickets for the concert are on sale at www.pgso.com/concerts/ dances_sacred_and_profane.

Assembly

makes a $500 donation to Corey Timms for Honour House on April 21. The Honour House charity, founded in 2010 has provided over 16,000 nights free accommodation for military, veterans and ﬁrst responder attending medical appointments in the Vancouver area. Timms’ employer, Inland Trucking and Equipment. supports Honour House in BC through the Project Courage program.

Knights of Columbus

1321 (Prince George) representative Brian Goetz (left)

Grand piano restored for a new chapter in local arts

After 55 years at Vanier Hall, it was moved to the PG Playhouse, which was no simple task

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

In 1970, purchasing a nine-foot grand piano cost nearly as much as the average home.

The Bechstein (pronounced Beckschteen) piano, purchased in partnership by School District 57 and the Community Arts Council of Prince George & District (CAC) 55 years ago, cost $9,000, while the average house price was $17,000.

Today, a new Bechstein of the same size would cost roughly US$300,000. The piano is now undergoing tuning and repairs so it can once again play a role in the Prince George performing arts scene.

After 55 years at Vanier Hall, the Bechstein was recently relocated to its new permanent home at the Prince George Playhouse.

There, it will be stored in its own secure space when not in use.

The piano’s story may surprise many arts patrons in the community.

“The Community Arts Council was formed for that piano,” said CAC executive director Eli Klasner. “In the Canadian centenary years, in the late ’60s, centennial project funds were being created. This was before the B.C. Arts Council existed, but the government wanted to get money out to communities for centenary projects.”

Vanier Hall was itself essentially a centennial project, he added.

“TherE was no concert grand piano in town at the time, and the government also wanted to see local arts councils develop. The idea was that these councils would distribute grants to artists and arts organizations, because there was no BC Arts Council then.”

The BC Arts Council wasn’t established until 1995.

“The CAC was created so it could apply for funding to help buy Prince George’s first and only nine-foot grand piano,” Klasner said.

“There’s a real emotional and historical connection between my organization and that piano. The piano is here because the CAC was formed, and the CAC was formed for that piano.”

He said that the $9,000 price tag at the time was a significant expense, which was split between the school district and the CAC. Since then, the piano has remained co-owned, with School District 57 and Prince George Secondary School responsible for its care and maintenance.

“It was the school district’s duty to maintain the piano, protect it, charge fees for its use, and keep a maintenance fund,” Klasner said. “That’s been the case since 1970.”

For those who remember, one infamous moment stands out in the Bechstein’s history.

“The piano fell off the stage and was kind of wrecked,” Klasner said. “There’s a hydraulic front to the stage at Vanier Hall, and during a lowering of the stage,

one of the piano’s legs had been left over the edge. The piano went flying, and it cracked and broke. It was a real catastrophe, but it was repaired at the time — that was in the early 1980s.”

As Vanier Hall became more of an instructional space and less accessible to the public, the piano fell into disuse.

“It has fallen into disrepair,” Klasner said. “In its current condition, it can’t be used by any visiting concert pianist.”

The piano needs restoration, he said.

“It needs all new hammers, and most of its internal mechanism needs to be either replaced or repaired,” he said.

“The shell and keys are still in great condition — it’s like rebuilding the engine in a vintage car. That’s what we’re going to do, and our goal is to place it at the Playhouse.”

The Prince George Playhouse, which has been refurbished and is now managed by the CAC, is available seven days a week.

“There are no limitations on access for rehearsals or setup,” Klasner said. “The Playhouse is fully activated. It’s the city’s civic theatre and performance venue, and it’s important we get our

community groups back in there. A restored Bechstein will be a fantastic asset for the venue.”

The restoration will be carried out by local craftsman Peter Stevenson, owner of P.S. Pianos in downtown Prince George.

“Prince George is lucky to have Peter Stevenson,” Klasner said. “He’s the crème de la crème of piano technicians. He’s been spearheading the Bechstein restoration for years. We have a whole plan ready, and we’ll likely start next week. The first phase, which we aim to complete this summer, has a budget of around $12,000.”

Klasner launched a fundraising appeal on Monday and raised $10,000 within 24 hours.

“There’s huge enthusiasm,” he said. “Some donors said they also contributed to buying the piano in 1970 and are thrilled to support it again. It’s come full circle.”

The restoration project also aligns with broader goals for the city’s arts infrastructure.

ELI KLASNER PHOTO

Workers reassemble the nine-foot Bechstein grand piano after its move from Vanier Hall to its new home at the Prince George Playhouse last week.

New pilot program aims to support seniors in need

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

The Prince George Community Foundation (PGCF) has launched a new pilot program aimed at providing assistance to seniors in need.

The Seniors Emergency Pilot Program (SEPP) was developed in partnership with the Prince George Council of Seniors (PGCOS) and will offer low-barrier financial aid to local seniors facing urgent, unexpected expenses.

The program is intended to provide short-term relief to those with limited or unstable incomes.

The PGCF said it was inspired by the work of Miracle Theatre, whose current productions are raising funds for the creation of a long-term Seniors Emergency Support Fund.

Soon after, an anonymous donor approached the PGCF with a desire to make an immediate impact. The foundation and PGCOS quickly collaborated to develop the guidelines and application process for SEPP.

Although still in its soft-launch phase, the program has already received and approved several applications — something the PGCF says clearly highlights the pressing need for emergency support in the Prince George area.

“PGCOS supports an average of more than 21,000 seniors each year,” said

Malhar Kendurkar, executive director of PGCOS. “While we already offer a wide range of services, SEPP is the first program of its kind in our region, providing direct emergency financial relief to seniors facing crisis situations.”

Jenine Bortolon, seniors housing navigator with PGCOS, said a key goal of the program is to reach seniors who

may hesitate to seek help.

“There can be a stigma around asking for assistance,” said Bortolon. “We want people to know they’re not alone. SEPP is here to help with those unexpected emergencies because no one should have to choose between two necessities.”

The PGCF noted that it is working

to ensure the funding process is as straightforward as possible.

To be eligible, individuals must be 55 or older, reside in Prince George or the surrounding area, and be facing an urgent, unexpected expense.

Eligible expenses include any unexpected need that, if unmet, could jeopardize a person’s physical or mental health or safety — or that of others or pets in their household.

Examples of eligible expenses include, but are not limited to:

• Emergency housing

• Utility payments

• Sudden medical or dental needs

• Essential home or vehicle repairs

• Emergency veterinary care

Applications can be submitted through PGCF’s secure online funding portal. A trusted support person can also assist with the application process, or seniors may call PGCOS at 250-5645888 for staff assistance.

Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis by a dedicated committee, with funding amounts determined on a case-by-case basis depending on individual needs and available resources.

SEPP is currently funded through the end of 2025.

To learn more about the Seniors Emergency Pilot Program and to apply visit the PGCF website, www.pgfc.ca.

Piano is part of Playhouse’s return to its original glory

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Klasner said the CAC ultimately hopes to see a performing arts centre built in Prince George’s downtown civic core.

“One reason we wanted to revitalize the Playhouse was to help make a strong case for a new concert venue,” he said.

“But no one is going to support building a new concert hall if the one we already have isn’t being used. So we’ve addressed that — fixed the staging and rigging, remodeled the lobby and rotunda, and we’re securing grants for lighting and other upgrades.”

The goal, he said, is to return the Playhouse to its original glory and show there’s demand for a larger venue.

“We’re already busy,” Klasner said. “Every week we have at least two shows. Once restored, the Bechstein will also play a role at the new concert hall when it’s built. This project is part of a larger strategy for developing performing arts infrastructure in Prince George.”

Vanier Hall, he noted, is owned by the school district and not the city.

“We need a new civic performance centre,” Klasner said. “Leaving the piano at Vanier Hall, where it’s barely used,

won’t inspire investment. Restoring the Bechstein is part of moving toward a new future.”

The CAC plans to make the piano available for special events at Vanier Hall when required. A custom skid was built to transport the instrument, and the move from Vanier Hall to the Playhouse — including disassembly and reassembly — took just 90 minutes.

“There’s a new storage box at the Playhouse built specifically for the Bechstein,” Klasner said. “So when needed, we can move it back to Vanier Hall for special concerts.”

For now, the Bechstein’s home is the

Playhouse.

“Until a new concert hall is built — but it’s available for special events,” Klasner said.

The CAC is planning a concert series for the upcoming season at the Playhouse, including a performance by one of the world’s top concert pianists. The announcement will be made later this year.

“I need a good piano for that,” Klasner said. “It will also be available for community groups — choirs, festivals, and others. It’s not a toy; it requires a certain level of proficiency, but it will be there for the community.”

BRENT BRAATEN PHOTO

Simon Blake and Missy Christensen appear in Miracle Theatre’s production of Lunenburg by playwright Norm Foster. The Prince George Community Foundation has launched a new pilot program inspired by Miracle Theatre’s support of local seniors.

Brand-new cofee shop coming to Books & Company

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

No more wishin’ and hopin’ and thinkin’ and dreaming for downtown coffee connoisseurs.

The old Ani DeFranco song says it all when it comes to Books & Company bringing back a coffee shop where people can once again enjoy delicious baked goods and specialty coffees in the relaxed atmosphere of everyone’s favourite bookstore.

The good news came out on social media Friday, April 18 and it kinda blew up, Caitlin Pedde, owner of Cait’s Sweet Bites & Beanery, said when she and Books & Company owner Owen Lubbers made the recent announcement about their latest collaboration.

Mid-May is when the café will open but as construction is still taking place at the bookstore there is no grand opening date set as yet.

Caitlin said she couldn’t be happier about taking on this new project.

For a year she worked in Café Voltaire that was in Books & Co. before Lubbers made the tough decision to shut it down during the pandemic.

Caitlin said she has had her café in the Hart Mall for the last three years and as things started to slow down when other coffee shops came into the Hart area she knew it was time for a change.

“It just wasn’t busy enough for me up here,” Pedde said.

At first Pedde was going to have a popup in the bookstore but then she approached Lubbers with the idea of making it more permanent and he agreed.

Pedde started baking because her mom and grandmother were great bakers, she said.

“But I actually went to pastry school in Vancouver,” Pedde said.

“I lived there for almost a decade and I have been in the hospitality and food industry since I was 16. Going to pastry school really opened a lot of doors for me. The goal was to open a bed and breakfast but since then things have evolved. I worked in lots of restaurants and cafes. I love the coffee and I love the

treats and I love them together.”

Everything is made from scratch, Pedde said about her baked goods. Her most popular items are her pecan sticky buns and a variety of scones.

She creates her own syrups for her specialty coffees whenever she can.

“And we actually do coffee flights and I think we’re the only place in town that does it but I could be wrong,” Pedde said.

“So we do four little mason jars and you get to pick anything off the menu you’d like to try.”

Coming back to Books & Company is full circle for Pedde.

“People are so excited the coffee shop is coming back,” Pedde said.

“But I do want people to know that it’s going to be different than Café Voltaire. There’s not going to be a kitchen. I have a commercial kitchen that I rent off-site. So there will be a little kiosk, a little barista area and lots and lots of seating.”

Along with baked goods and a variety of specialty coffees Pedde will be offering lunch items as well.

There will be some similarities between Café Voltaire and Cait’s Sweet Bites & Beanery, Pedde said.

“I have been asked for open mic nights and trivia nights so if we have

more butts in seats we will absolutely do special events,” Pedde said.

“I just want to ask people to support local as much as possible. I am putting my whole heart and soul into my business. I want it to be very successful. I love to bake, I love feeding people. I love making people happy. So I just hope people come out and support and if you don’t like my stuff I know there are four other coffee shops downtown — just support local.”

Books & Company owner Owen Lubbers knows Café Voltaire was missed.

“But in food service there’s a lot to not miss,” Lubbers laughed.

“However what we lost when we closed the coffee shop was being a meeting place and a hang out and our unofficial nickname back then was Prince George’s living room. So what we missed was being the place people came to hang out and bring visitors from out of town to spend the afternoon. Now it’s time to bring it back to the way it used to be.”

Lubbers said the idea to bring back the coffee shop started pretty quickly after Café Voltaire was closed because so many people would talk about how much they missed it.

“So it was always kind of in the back of my mind,” Lubbers said. “But I also

knew I didn’t want to own it and run it this time around. So I knew if it was going to work out it had to be someone coming in to run their own business. So I kept that in the back of my mind and then in November I went up to visit Caitlin and pitched the idea to her.”

They figured out pretty quickly that they could make it work.

The special events will be a welcome addition to the downtown vibe once again.

“That was another part of what made our place special before,” Lubbers said.

“We weren’t open late every night but having events in the evening typically free to the public I think contributed to being a community hub so I don’t know if we’ll launch all of that right away because we’ll need to let the dust settle from getting the coffee shop open but we know there’s a desire for it in the community.”

Caitlin is probably one of the most qualified bakers in town, he added.

“So people can expect delicious baking and food,” Lubbers said.

“And we’re excited to welcome people back into the store because that’s really what it’s all about.”

Keep checking Books & Company Facebook page for updates on when the coffee shop will open.

Cait’s Sweet Bites & Beanery offers coffee ﬂights so customers can discover their favourite. Soon they will be served within the walls of Books & Co. as the downtown Prince George store has a coffee shop in it once again. Opening will be mid-May with no ofﬁcial date set as yet.

Throwback Thursday: Week of May 1

May 1, 2014: All residents were safely evacuated but several units were extensively damaged after a re broke out early in the morning at 3271 Westwood Dr. The Red Cross and the Salvation Army set up an emergency shelter across the street at the John McInnes Learning Centre., while representatives of the St. Michael’s Anglican Church thrift store handed out clothing. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY BRENT BRAATEN

May 2, 1966: Good advice not taken — the sign reads ‘Do Not Enter’ but a local driver hit the ditch despite the warning. The Citizen reported on its front page that the driver’s brakes failed on the hill near the Old Nechako Bridge, sending him into the ditch and causing $400 in damage, but no injuries. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY DAVE LOOY

May 1, 2001: Foothills Elementary School bike riders are put through a slalom course during a safety rodeo at the school. The emphasis that year was on helmet safety. The program was sponsored by the Foothills Community Program, ICBC and the PARTY program. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY DAVE MILNE

May 3, 1983: An ambulance crew tends to a 34-year-old Quesnel man who suffered burns after his pickup ipped and burst into ames near the junction of Highway 16 and Highway 97. Police said sparks likely ignited fuel as the vehicle slid along the road after ipping. The driver spent some time in the hospital. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY RICK ERNST

Thriving Indigenous food systems beneft everyone

AMELIA COOPER Northern Health

Earth Day 2025 calls on us to recognize Our Power, Our Planet — not just in terms of renewable energy, but also the power of communities to lead climate action.

As a white, settler dietitian and uninvited guest on Dane-zaa territory, I continue to learn — and unlearn — what it means to support sustainable food systems.

From my perspective, prioritizing First Nations, Métis and Inuit (hereafter referred to as Indigenous) knowledge and Indigenous food sovereignty* is about more than food security — it’s about honouring long-standing relationships with the land and waters as essential to our sustainability.

Connecting Indigenous food sovereignty to climate action

Indigenous communities have nourished both people and the planet for thousands of years. However, colonial harms — including forced resettlement, barriers to economic and agricultural development, and the legacy of residential schools — have disrupted traditional foodways. Today, climate change, resource extraction and environmental degradation further threaten these systems.

“The world cannot feed itself sustainably without listening to Indigenous Peoples.” — FAO

For many, food is just something to eat, and our relationship with the land is centred on what we can take from it. Indigenous knowledge and practices remind us that food is culture, medicine and connection — and that our relationship with the land can be reciprocal, where we give back more than we take. Indigenous food systems:

• Reduce environmental harm

• Build resilience and community connection

• Enhance biodiversity by supporting a variety of plants and animals

• Mitigate climate change

• Align with national and global climate goals, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Indigenous-led projects drive climate-resilient food action

In 2021, Northern Health and the First Nations Health Authority (Northern Region) created a grant specifically to support Indigenous-led food action. The Rural, Remote and Indigenous Food Action (RRI) grants were developed as part of a broader provincial effort to strengthen food security in BC.

Since then, 30 projects have received up to $50,000 each to support local food systems. Many of these projects take a holistic approach to food sovereignty and climate resilience, including:

• Revitalizing traditional foodways — Supporting the legacy of fishing, hunting, agriculture and gathering food and medicines in sustainable ways

• Strengthening local food systems — Expanding access to fresh produce and animal protein while reducing reliance on supply chains

• Reducing waste and practising regenerative agriculture — Composting, soil restoration and low-waste food systems that nourish the land through skillful cultivation

• Engaging youth — Connecting Elders, Indigenous Knowledge Keepers and Holders, and youth to share land-based knowledge and environmental stewardship

Reflections on the RRI food action grants

Through my work, I recognize that the RRI food action grant is only a small part of something much larger. Indigenous foodways carry the power to grow, harvest and share food in ways that honour traditional knowledge, strengthen communities and nourish both people and the land. The overall impact of Indigenous community-led action far exceeds what any single program can achieve.

In my three years working in food security at Northern Health, I’ve learned that truly sustainable local food systems improve access, support fair practices for producers and make communities more resilient to supply-chain disruptions.

Programs like the RRI grant offer valuable support — but real change comes from sustained investment in Indigenous food sovereignty.

Supporting Indigenous food sovereignty supports climate action

By actively supporting Indigenous food systems and food sovereignty, we fight agricultural decline, promote sustainability and take action on our collective commitments to Truth and Reconciliation.

Non-Indigenous people and colonial systems can support this work through listening, unlearning and meaningful systems change.

On a personal level, and outside of work, I continue learning by connecting with the territory where I live and discovering the traditional foods and medicines that grow there.

I also aim to amplify Indigenous-led initiatives — for example, by sharing resources like the Tea Creek documentary (available on CBC Gem).

I often reflect on how Western food systems prioritize efficiency and profit at the expense of sustainability — disrupting ecosystems and limiting access to local food. What would a better system look like? Indigenous world views offer guidance: we must act in relationship with the land, not merely take from it.

In 2022, RRI grant recipient Witset First Nation used funds to support food security planning, which included expansion of their vibrant community garden.

Let’s look at changing the conversaton around fertlity

Content warning: This story deals with fertility, infertility and pregnancy loss, which may be dif cult for some readers

HOLLY HUGHES Northern Health

Becoming a parent is harder than you’d think. I was under the impression that when the time was right — when I was financially stable, had a good job, extended health benefits and a willing partner — everything would fall into place.

I was wrong.

This is also the case for one in six Canadians, who struggle with fertility. Canadian Fertility Awareness Week (April 20–26, 2025) is a crucial time to shine a light on the challenges and triumphs of those facing fertility issues. In BC, this week serves as an opportunity to educate the public about the causes of infertility and the available treatments, as well as the emotional, financial and physical toll the journey can take on individuals, couples and their families.

The theme of this year’s campaign is #FertilityUnfiltered – Changing the conversation, one story at a time. I have always wanted to be a mom. I couldn’t have imagined that the monumental decision to try to grow my family would be followed by years of struggle, personal research, medical testing, soul-searching, hope and heartbreak.

For most of my adult life, I’d been actively trying not to get pregnant— driven by the fear that if I let my guard down, it would happen at the wrong time or with the wrong person. I believed that once the barriers were gone, I’d be pregnant and holding a baby in no time.

Within a few months of trying, I got pregnant. But a few weeks later, just as we were getting ready to tell family, we experienced our first pregnancy loss. It

Not all fertility journeys look the same, Holly Hughes (pictured with her dogs) writes today. We’re shining a light on the struggles and triumphs of those facing fertility issues, one story at a time.

was devastating and isolating.

Because it was so early, we hadn’t made any grand announcements or even seen a doctor yet. Most people don’t see a primary care provider until between eight and 12 weeks. That leaves many pregnant people feeling vulnerable during the first trimester, as there’s often little information available about what’s happening and whether the pregnancy is healthy.

Miscarriage is far more common than I had realized. In Canada, about 15 to 20 per cent of pregnancies end in miscarriage. Before it happened to me, I had no idea.

We took some time, and then we tried again. For a few years, we rode the roller coaster of emotions that came with a string of recurrent pregnancies and recurrent losses. I read all the books. I scoured the blogs, the chats and the vlogs looking for tips on:

• How to get and stay pregnant

• What worked for others who struggled

• What the possible explanation was for why it wasn’t working for us

Many of my friends and co-workers were becoming pregnant—some more than once in that same timeframe. Questions from family and friends were emotional. Baby showers at work were difficult. My own feelings of inadequacy

can cost between $12,000 and $30,000 per cycle. For many, that’s a significant financial strain — especially if multiple cycles are needed. Insurance rarely covers fertility treatments, adding to the burden.

People in northern B.C. face additional challenges due to the limited number of fertility clinics. Many must travel to larger centres like Vancouver for procedures.

I had hoped we could try a less invasive or less costly option, like a simple surgery or intrauterine insemination (IUI). But IVF offered the best chance of success — even though it was invasive, costly and still came with no guarantees.

and failure made it hard to celebrate the success of others. I was jealous and envious.

Fertility issues can stem from various factors affecting either partner. Common causes include:

• Ovulatory disorders

• Endometriosis

• Low sperm count

• Hormonal imbalances

Genetics and age also play a significant role, with fertility declining as people get older. Lifestyle factors such as stress, smoking and alcohol use can also affect fertility.

For same-sex couples, individuals trying to get pregnant on their own, and intended parents pursuing surrogacy, fertility can involve additional complications based on their unique circumstances.

I sought help and advice from my primary care provider. That meant undergoing numerous blood and lab tests, internal exams, procedures (like ultrasounds and hysterosalpingograms) and fertility drugs.

After six years of trying, we finally got a diagnosis: getting and staying pregnant naturally — or with minimal intervention — would be nearly impossible. That led us to explore fertility treatments.

We quickly learned fertility treatments are expensive. In vitro fertilization (IVF)

By then, I was six years older. I’d been pregnant six times without a successful outcome. The toll — both physical and mental — was heavy. I didn’t know if I could handle more disappointment, especially with such a large price tag attached.

Fortunately, people in B.C. will soon have some of the financial burden lifted through the new Publicly Funded In Vitro Fertilization Program. A one-time funding amount of up to $19,000 is available to eligible B.C. residents who require IVF on their path to parenthood. This kind of support could have made a huge difference in my own outcome. I’m so grateful others will now have access to more options.

I’ve carried this story with me for more than a decade. Eventually, the decisions you’ve made and the heartbreaks you’ve lived through hurt a bit less—and become easier to talk about.

Not all fertility stories end with a baby. But they deserve to be shared, and the people who live through them deserve to be celebrated, too.

My hope in sharing is that more people will understand the struggles and show more compassion toward those still in the thick of it.

To learn more, talk with your primary care provider, or if you don’t have one, phone the Northern Health Virtual Clinic at 1-844-645-7811 or register directly with the Health Connect Registry.

NORTHERN HEALTH PHOTO

Local Sports Sun shining on a new season of golf

Local courses are open, with tournaments and more ahead

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

After being forced to chill for more than five months, golfers itching to shake off the winter blues are getting back into the swing of things on city golf courses.

Blair Scott, head of the pro shop at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club (PGGCC), says there’s been a steady stream of foursomes teeing off every nine minutes on the first hole at the city’s oldest golf course, established in May 1949.

Temperatures never dropped below -28 C this past winter, which helped minimize the risk of winter kill on the course. PGGCC opened on April 12, the same date as last year.

“We came out of the winter very good,” said Scott. “It wasn’t the coldest winter, but I think the work of our grounds crew before winter — with tarping the greens, the fertilizer they’re using and their expertise — helped the course come back in good shape. The greens are green, and we’re just waiting for some heat to get the fairways starting to bloom.”

The course is undergoing a major redevelopment of the No. 10 par-3 hole, which will result in a larger green expected to be ready in 2026. A temporary hole is in place until then.

Right now, the course is running nearly flat-out, with tee times booked between 9 a.m. and 7:54 p.m. — and the days are still getting longer.

“We get a shorter season here compared to Vancouver courses, but very long days,” said Scott. “People can get off work at 5:30, get to the course by 6

and comfortably sneak in nine holes, maybe even 18. I don’t think you can do that at many places.”

PGGCC will host several events this year, including the senior men’s tournament (June 28–29), Cougars alumni tournament (July 5), Junior Simon Fraser Open (June 26–27), Ladies Simon Fraser Open (Aug. 9–10), and Men’s Simon Fraser Open (Aug. 30–Sept. 1).

Pine Valley offers convenience, fast rounds

Right next to PGGCC off Range Road, Pine Valley Golf Centre bills itself as “the best little golf course in Prince George.” Its par-3 executive course is unmatched

for location and the time it takes to play a round.

Pine Valley manager Margaret Goings says it takes just 2½ hours to play 18 holes, and golfers can finish nine in about an hour.

“A lot of people like this course because it is a quick course,” said Goings. “It’s not like Alder Hills or Aberdeen — it’s a fairly flat course.”

Pine Valley opened March 31, just two days shy of last year’s earliest-ever opening date, and business has been brisk. The season usually runs through late October, setting up a potential seven-month stretch.

“It’s really busy,” she said. “We’ve had

a lot of compliments on how green the course is for this time of year — they’re really awesome. Being the first to open helps us. Some of the other courses just opened this past weekend. Because we’re in the city, the snow disappears quickly.”

Alder Hills draws strong early-season crowds

Alder Hills, the city’s other par-3 course, located at 6011 Giscome Rd. east of the airport, opened its front nine on Good Friday and the back nine on Easter Monday.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Emily Fleming makes a chip out of the sand on the tenth hole at Pine Valley Golf Centre Saturday, April 26.

Special Olympics golf is on the schedule this summer

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Clubhouse manager Aurora Richards said the greens are responding well after a mild winter, and golfers have been impressed with the early-season conditions.

“Everyone is very pleased — the course is very nice and we have really nice people running it,” said Richards with a laugh. “The greens are just beautiful right now — very green and pristine.”

Even on bad-weather days, golfers can head indoors to Alder Hills’ lounge, which features virtual golf screens.

Men’s night is held Tuesdays, and ladies’ nights happen twice a week — Wednesdays and Thursdays.

With nearly 300 women registered, ladies’ nights have become extremely popular.

“We have lots of people return from previous years,” said Richards. “It’s a good sense of community. It’s a really good short course and the green fees are cheaper than most.”

Aspen Grove to host Special Olympics tournament

One of the city’s biggest golf events of the year will be held July 11–12 at Aspen Grove Golf Course, when it hosts the BC Special Olympics Summer Games golf tournament.

Forty-four golfers from across the province will compete in the two-round event to determine provincial champions and qualifiers for the 2026 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Lethbridge.

“We started planning when they contacted us five years ago, and we’ve been working with the committees,” said Aspen Grove manager Jen Bradner. “They’re very organized, so we don’t have to do a lot.”

Bradner said her 18-hole course will offer a challenging venue.

“The water and the trees get people all the time — just because we don’t have bunkers doesn’t mean it’s not difficult,” she said.

One unique feature of the course is the No. 4 hole, where the tee box is at the bottom of a hill that obscures

the landing area, which intersects the fairway for No. 18. To avoid accidents, golfers ring a bell to alert others before teeing off uphill.

Aspen Grove, located south of the Prince George Airport at 4555 Leno Rd., opened on Good Friday (April 18) and has been busy ever since.

“It’s been fantastic,” said Bradner. “Anytime the snow melts enough to open in April, that’s a good start.”

Aberdeen Glen opens with upgrades, snow-moving tricks

Aberdeen Glen, perched on the hilly terrain in the city’s north off Aberdeen Road, opened its front nine on Thursday (April 24).

Head groundskeeper JB Baquiel says the course is in excellent shape after a winter with slightly less snow than usual.

As typical, the Hart area received more snow than downtown.

Baquiel shared a behind-the-scenes trick used to speed up snowmelt on the back nine.

“Nobody knows that we send our heavy machines — the D6 and the loader — to push snow off holes No. 12, 13 and 11,” he said. “It takes about a week, but you’ll see the D6 on the fairway pushing snow. We do that anywhere snow won’t melt in time to help the course open fully.”

He expected the back nine to open by Friday.

Baquiel, who has worked at Aberdeen for 20 years, said they take golfer feedback seriously — which led to revamped white (men’s) and red (women’s) tee decks on holes No. 10 and 17 for the 2025 season.

He’s especially proud of the driving range, which he calls the best in town. They recently added sprinkler heads to prevent the mats from getting soaked, so early-morning golfers don’t kick up water as they swing.

Aberdeen Glen has three major tournaments lined up this year: the Aberdeen Glen Ironman (June 7–8), the Aberdeen Glen Ladies Open (July 5–6), and the Aberdeen Glen Men’s Open (July 18–20).

CITIZEN PHOTOS BY CHUCK NISBETT

ABOVE: Geoff Salton tees off on the eleventh hole at Pine Valley Golf Centre Saturday.

BELOW: Ray Dumoulin swings to tee off a round of golf on the ﬁrst hole at Pine Valley Golf Centre.

Mom helped put Prince George on speed skatng map

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

Years before she developed the cancer that ultimately claimed her life late last month, Ariadne Holness de Hiller had a close friend fighting that same disease — and decided to do something visible to show her she wasn’t alone.

So she shaved her head bald. It was her way of saying: we’re in this together, and together we will be stronger.

That spirit led Hiller to join the Prince George cycling team Wheelin’ Warriors of the North to participate in the Tour de Cure — an annual August ride in the Lower Mainland that has raised more than $100 million for cancer research. In 2022, the year after she was diagnosed with uterine cancer, Hiller took up cycling — despite never having ridden a road bike before — and completed the Tour de Cure with her team. Her cancer was in remission at the time following surgery. But it returned in 2023, while she was fundraising for the 200-kilometre ride. She was unable to travel to Vancouver, yet still completed the distance on her own, riding the streets of Prince George.

“She was an amazing champion for the cause — the work that we do as Warriors of the North — she was all in, an amazing teammate,” said team member Karin Piche.

“That saying, ‘To know them is to love them’ — she definitely fit that. Everyone respected her, loved her, and enjoyed having her on the team.

“She was a doer. Ariadne was a reminder to everyone on the team why we do what we do. Whatever she chose to do, she did it well. It’s very sad to lose her.”

Although the Tour de Cure has since been permanently cancelled by the BC Cancer Foundation and will not be held this year, Hiller remained committed to the cause. She planned to take part in the Workout to Conquer Cancer, a month-long May fundraiser now

supported by the Wheelin’ Warriors, with proceeds going to the BC Cancer Centre for the North.

After her first diagnosis, Hiller — a devout Catholic — leaned on her faith and family for strength. She volunteered as a patient partner, speaking to doctors around the province in Zoom sessions organized through the BC Cancer Foundation’s Gynaecologic Cancer Initiative in an effort to help improve treatment options.

By her own admission, she was a “professional volunteer.” She gave generously of her time to support her church and her children’s schools — especially Immaculate Conception School and College Heights Secondary — organizing activities and helping wherever she could.

All three of Ariadne and Bruce Hiller’s children got involved in speed skating at

a young age with the Prince George Blizzard Speed Skating Club. The idea first took root in 1988, when Ariadne, still living in her native Panama, watched short track speed skating as a demonstration sport at the Calgary Olympics.

She thought it would be a great sport for her future kids to try.

Her parents were both teachers, but Ariadne chose a different path. With high academic standing, she earned a full-ride scholarship to study geology in Sofia, Bulgaria, eventually becoming one of Panama’s first female geologists. She met Bruce in 1992 while working on a geology project in Panama City. They married in 1993 and moved to his hometown of Prince George the following year.

By 2001, their eldest, seven-year-old Lucas, and five-year-old twins Carolina and Nico, were lacing up their first

skates at the local arena. Like many skating parents, Ariadne became deeply involved in the club, helping organize races. Her passion for volunteering soon led her to take on the role of meet co-ordinator.

She trained and worked her way up the ranks of BC Speed Skating, eventually overseeing events such as the BC Winter Games. As a certified Level 3 meet co-ordinator, she was in charge of short track competitions at the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George — a meet that ran without a hitch.

Hiller took her role seriously and was dedicated to preparation and safety. She introduced new safety protocols after a skater suffered a life-threatening gash at the 2010 BC Winter Games in Terrace.

Ariadne Holness de Hiller rst saw the sport during the Calgary Olympics while still living in Panama

HILLER FAMILY PHOTO/FACEBOOK

Ariadne Holness de Hiller got her kids into speed skating at a young age as members of the Prince George Blizzard Speed Skating Club. From left are Lucas, Ariadne, Nicolas and Carolina.

Swimmers hit the water for a new season

Competitors dive over the swimmers from the last race as they start their 100 meter breaststroke ﬁnal at the 2025 Prince George Barracudas Dental Moose Meet Sunday, April 27 at the Aquatic Centre. the meet, which ran Friday, Saturday and Sunday, featured 153 competitors from nine clubs, including swimmers from Prince George, Williams Lake, Quesnel, Smithers, Kitimat, Terrace, Prince Rupert, Terrace, Kitimat and Nanaimo. It was the ﬁrst long course (50 metre) meet for most of the attending swimmers and served as a qualifying event for the North/Interior summer divisional championships in Kelowna, June 27-29 and to achieve qualifying standards needed to compete in the summer provincial championships in Vancouver, July 17-20.

‘She went all in with everything she did,’ daughter says

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Thanks to her foresight, an ambulance and first-aid attendants were on-site, and volunteers were ready to respond — helping avoid the worst-case scenario.

Former Blizzard head coach Carol Dennison recalled the energy and care Hiller brought to the rink.

“We were at BC Winter Games down in the Okanagan, and some kid from another zone had a broken blade. She’s running around trying to find this kid a blade — she heard about it and made it happen,” said Dennison.

“She was so inclusive. It wasn’t about her kids being the best. It was about helping someone else do their best — how do I help that person? Always positive, always supportive.”

After the Canada Games, with her twins moving to Calgary to pursue national team goals, Hiller moved back to Panama for five years to work as a field geologist and reconnect with her family.

Carolina, now a two-time world team sprint champion in long track speed skating and ranked 11th in the world, credits her mother for her success.

“Honestly, everything is because of her. She really motivated us to do anything we wanted — sports-wise or extracurricular-wise — but my brothers and I really loved skating, so she dove headfirst into it,” Carolina said.

“She was always volunteering, all the way up to being a national-level meet co-ordinator. She went all in with everything she did. She supported us in every possible way. The only reason I’ve gotten this far is truly because of her. She was my biggest cheerleader. She always believed in my potential.”

No matter where in the world Carolina raced, her mom stayed connected, sending motivational texts before and after competitions. Carolina was in Europe for the final World Cup events of the season this March, preparing for her third-straight world championship, when it became clear her mother’s health was failing.

A surgery in August had revealed an inoperable tumour on her adrenal gland.

After completing chemotherapy in January, Hiller travelled to Calgary to

watch Carolina race, but her condition continued to worsen.

With her national team carding for next year already secured, Carolina decided to skip the world championships and return to Prince George to spend the final three weeks of March at home with her family.

After a week at their College Heights home, Ariadne, in increasing pain, chose to spend her final days at the Prince George Rotary Hospice House. She died on March 31 at age 63, surrounded by loved ones.

“It was the absolute best place we could have been as a family — a really neutral, peaceful place,” said Carolina. “We got the pain under control pretty quickly after she got there, and I feel like she really came to life a little bit more for another week.”

“My mom’s best friend, Manuela, decorated the whole room. There were pictures everywhere, and we had this really big beach photo on one of the walls. My mom used to say, ‘That’s where I’m going — back to the beach.’”

Ariadne Holness de Hiller at home in College Heights with her dog Copper. Hiller, the longtime Prince George Blizzard Speed Skating Club volunteer, died of cancer March 31 at age 63.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHICK NISBETT

Brad Tesink signs on as head coach of Spruce Kings

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

Brad Tesink is no longer the interim head coach of the Prince George Spruce Kings.

He shed the interim tag when he signed a two-year contract to remain the team’s bench boss, a job he took over Nov. 25 when Alex Evin was relieved of his duties.

Tesink guided the Spruce Kings into the 2025 BCHL playoffs after they put together a 17-13-2-1 record to finish the season. The Spruce Kings then took the first-place Chilliwack Chiefs to seven games in the Coastal Conference opening playoff round before the Chiefs eliminated them on April 15.

“Brad was tasked with a difficult situation when he took on the interim head coach role midseason,” said Kings general manager Mike Hawes. “Over the next few months, I watched closely and analyzed every on-ice and off-ice aspect of how he handled the group and staff. Early in the process I was able to see that he affected a lot of positive changes within our athletes, staff and the group. The players responded very well to him.

“Our on-ice play improved and continued to get better and better each day. By the end of the process I was more than convinced that Brad was the perfect head coach to lead our team into the future. I’m thrilled to remove the interim tag and to promote Brad to the head coach position. I look forward to working closely with him to continue to move our organization forward.”

Tesink, a 36-year-old native of Saint John, N.B., joined the Spruce Kings as an associate coach on Oct. 31, 2022, after two seasons with the South Shore Lumberjacks of the Maritime Junior A Hockey League. The former QMJHL defenceman also coached Team New Brunswick in the 2023 Canada Winter Games.

“I’d like to thank Mike Hawes, (team president) David Keough, and the rest of the board for their continued support,” said Tesink. “I’m excited to lead such a world-class organization and look forward to helping develop the

next generation of Spruce Kings players on and off the ice. Prince George has an excellent sense of community and hockey history, and I am fortunate to be a part of that.”

The Spruce Kings also announced Brandon Manning has taken on a larger role as assistant coach and director of hockey camps.

The 34-year-old Prince George native served the past two seasons as the Kings’ skills and development coach and stepping up his role with the team as they made their playoff push. Manning will continue to work with the players on their skills and there be for team practices and home games but

he went on the road with the team in the playoffs and was on the bench and I think that really lit a fire under him. I know he really enjoyed working with the staff and the players.”

The former NHL defenceman who played for Philadelphia, Chicago and Edmonton before moving to Europe to play in Germany and Sweden, has 672 games on his professional hockey resume, from 2011-24.

He signed a one-year deal.

“I’m excited to take on a bigger role with the Spruce Kings next season,” said Manning. “Thanks to Mike and Brad for the opportunity as I continue to learn and grow. I’m looking forward to working with Brad and learning from him as I jump into coaching.

“I enjoyed working with our players last season on a limited basis and can’t wait to get going next year, helping build a competitive team and passing on my knowledge of the game to help our players pursue the next step in their careers.”

Manning will continue to work with minor hockey players during the season in development camps and will also run the team’s three-week hockey school in August.

“Our Spruce Kings development ice took a more individual approach last season,” Manning said. “I’m looking forward to building on that next year to give our local kids an opportunity to improve their hockey skills, get to know our Spruce Kings players and have fun.”

won’t be available for all road trips so he can remain close to his young family in Prince George.

“When you get a guy like Brandon who’s a Spruce Kings alum, a local guy and has the vast amount of playing experience that he has it’s a no-brainer when somebody like that wants to get involved, so from that standpoint I’m thrilled to be bringing Brandon into a more prominent role next year,” said Hawes.

“He’s going to make a way larger commitment than what he was able to make this year and we’ll see where it goes. He really stepped it up at the end because he was enjoying it so much and

Hawes said associate coach Taylor Harnett remains with the team but is actively pursuing a head coaching position elsewhere in the hockey world. The Kings hired Harnett as their associate on Dec. 9, after he was released from the Amarillo Wranglers of the North American Hockey League. Prior to that he was head coach and general manager for seven seasons (2017-24) with the Waywayseecappo Wolverines of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.

“He has a wealth of head coaching experience so he is exploring other options and if that happens then we will be looking to add another full-time associate coach at that time,” said Hawes.

DAMON JAMES/ISLAND IMAGES PHOTOGRAPHY

The Spruce Kings announced last week that Brad Tesink has signed a two-year contract to be the head coach of the BCHL team.

Life Events

Andrew Thomas Vinczencz

July 30, 1970 - March 28, 2025

With deep sorrow we announce the passing of Andrew Vinczencz at the age of 54.

Predeceased by his father John, mother Terezia and brother in law Stephen, he is survived by his sister Terezia, brother John (Jody), daughter Haley (Bradley) and grandson Felix Andrew was passionate about the outdoors and camping. He enjoyed riding bicycles and motorcycles. Most of all he loved being a Grandpa.

He was loved and will be deeply missed. A service will be held at Grace Anglican Church on May 3, 2025 at 1:00 pm.

Ivy Whitfeld

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beautful mother Ivy Whitfeld on Thursday, April 10, 2025. She was a woman of unwavering strength and boundless love, and was a true inspiraton to all that knew her.

She is survived by her children Allan (Lynn), Brian, Barry (Marilyn), Cheryl (Steve); her grandchildren Chris, Neal (Kathy), Mandy (Will), Ramsey, and Kassy (Ty); her great grandchildren Zach, Alexa, Reese, Morgan, Lucas, Dominick and Evelyn; Cathy and Ruth, and so many other relatves and friends who will miss her dearly. She was pre-deceased by her husband Roy, sons David and Carey, and grandson Steven.

A Celebraton of Life will be held on Saturday, May 17, 2025 at the First Baptst Church in Prince George, B.C. at 1 p.m. Refreshments will be served aferwards.

In lieu of fowers, her family requests that a donaton of your choice be made in her memory.

Deborah Sharon Hartley

August 21, 1947 - April 15, 2025

The Hartley family is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved wife, mother, and Bubbe, Deborah Sharon Hartley, who died on April 15, 2025, at the age of 77. She passed peacefully, surrounded by those she loved, afer a courageous twelve-year ba le with Parkinson’s Disease. Despite her declining health in recent months, Debbie remained the e ervescent, vibrant spirit we all cherished untl the very end.

Debbie is survived by her devoted husband of 56 years, Garry; her two grateful daughters, Kirsten and Sarah (Quinton); and her treasured grandchildren, Bella and Jack. She is also mourned by her sister, Shana (Alan), and their children, Joel and Neil (Karli), who will deeply feel her loss.

Born and raised in New Westminster, Debbie was part of a family that nurtured her creatvity and curiosity. Her love of books, music, sewing, science, and learning was encouraged from a young age, and she found a lifelong passion in the arts. As a talented oboist and pianist, Debbie’s musical journey led her to meet Garry at band camp—a bond that later blossomed at BC and into a beautful marriage and a shared life flled with love and discovery.

Debbie s career in educaton began in 1 as a teacher in Burnaby, and in 1973, she and Garry made Prince George their home, where Debbie dedicated 31 years to School District 57. She was an ardent supporter of the arts community and an inspiraton to countless students, serving as a teacher-librarian and the driving force behind the renowned Library

Debbie became a proud and beloved Bubbe not only to her own grandchildren but also to many others, o ering a warm, enveloping spirit that made her an honorary Bubbe to all who were fortunate enough to know her. In 2010, Debbie and Garry moved to Kelowna, where in 2012, Debbie was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Undeterred, she embraced her diagnosis with unyielding curiosity and positvity, immersing herself in learning about the disease. It was through this journey that she formed some of her closest friendships, partcularly with her Good ibratons Group and the Parkinson s Support Group. She also proudly served on the commi ee for the Annual Parkinson s Super Walk, trelessly raising funds for the Parkinson’s Society of BC.

Debbie was a bright light a beacon of positvity and grace. She loved the natural world, and never lost her wonder for the stars and the earth. In the end, her walks around Munson Pond with Garry brought her as much joy as her motorhome adventures and internatonal travels. er inquisitve mind was never satsfed; there was never enough tme for all the stories to be gathered or shared. It was her mantra, A tude, Forttude, Grattude that held her steady throughout these past months. Aren t we lucky she would ofen say. And indeed, we are.

A celebraton of Debbie s life will be held at The Balmoral Community Private Clubhouse at 2365 Stllingfeet Road in Kelowna on Sunday, une th from 1- pm. Please RS P to hartley-pg shaw.ca.

In Loving Memory

Victor Bartell

May 8, 1927 - May 1, 2015

In loving remembrance of Vic. Always near in our hearts. And close by at every step. Mavis and family.

Ines Maria Manfredi

August 6, 1933 - April 21, 2025

Born-August 6, 1933. Carpanzano, Cosenza, Italy

Passed away- April 21, 2025. Prince George, B.C

Ines Maria Manfredi, age 91. Born in Italy, moved to Canada at very young age. She was a devoted wife to her husband Antonio and an amazing mother and grandmother to Vincenzo (son) Frank (son) and Antonio (grandson). Ines was someone who would always go out of her way to make sureher friends and family were taken care of. Ines spent most of her tme at home taking care of her family. She would always host family and friends for dinners and gatherings. Something she took pride in. She had many gifs and talents. Her heart was made of gold.

Survived by her son Frank Manfredi (Joanne), Grandson Antonio Frank Manfredi. Sisters Elena DePalma, ranca ascuzzi. ister In aw Teresa aro a and numerous nieces and nephews around the world. redeceased by parents Vincenzo and aria aro a, husband Antonio Manfredi, son Vincenzo Manfredi.

Ines will defnitely be remembered for her beautful smile and caring heart. We would love to see friends and family join us at her celebraton of life aturday, ay rd am at acred Heart Cathedral with ather Rectorino o ciatng.

In lieu of fowers, donatons may be made to Hospice House or Cancer ociety.

Thank you to Dr. Nadeem for all his help and support and the health care workers

Norma Mae Spiers

September 3, 1947- April 14, 2025

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Norma who on April 14 peacefully passed with her husband and family members by her side

Loving wife to Vern and mother to Jackie J. McFadzen and Brenda L. McFadzen Norma was a true matriarch and a cherished mother and grandmother to her grandchildren and great grandchildren and a beloved sister to her siblings. She touched the lives of many with her kindness, generosity, and unwavering spirit. Her legacy will live on through her family and friends, and she will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Her compassion extended beyond her immediate family to her neighbors and community. Norma’s dedicaton to fostering strong bonds and nurturing relatonships was evident in every aspect of her life. Her wisdom and warmth will contnue to guide and uplif those she leaves behind, ensuring that her spirit remains a beacon of hope and love for generatons to come.

Norma was a dedicated and hardworking individual spending decades working in the forest industry in the Prince George area with her husband Vern. Norma cherished family gatherings and celebratons, fnding joy in the moments shared with loved ones. Her and Vern’s home was ofen the center of festvites, flled with laughter, warmth, and the company of those she held dear. These occasions were a testament to Norma’s ability to bring people together, creatng lastng memories and fostering a sense of unity within her family.

Norma also had a passion for traveling with Vern, which allowed her to experience and appreciate the beauty and diversity of the world. Their adventures took her to various destnatons, each journey adding a new chapter to the vibrant tapestry of her life.

email: frontdesk@pgcitizen.ca or call 250.562.2441

There will be a celebraton of Norma’s life on May 11, 2025, 1pm-4pm This will be held at the Elder Citzens Recreaton Associaton 1692 10th Ave, Prince George, BC

In lieu of fowers donatons can be made to Norma’s favorite charity Variety-The Children’s Charity of BC

Mary Kathleen “Kai” Boyce (nee Batchelor) November 3, 1936 - April 11, 2025

Mary Kathleen “Kai” Boyce (nee Batchelor) passed away peacefully on April 11, 2025 in Prince George, ritsh Columbia at the age of .

orn November , in Nelson, ritsh Columbia, ai lived a full and vibrant life rooted in the natural beauty of her home province. ver the years, she embraced many roles with grace and dedicaton housewife, swim instructor, and ifeline operator each refectng her commitment to caring for others and staying actve within her community.

Kai and Harry had a deep love for the outdoors and spent countless joyful hours skiing at Purden Ski Hill during the winter months and relaxing by tuart ake in the summer. Their adventurous spirits also took them across the globe later in life. They toured Mexico in a camper van and spent winters in New Zealand, embracing new experiences with enthusiasm.

An avid sportswoman and lover of nature, Kai found great pleasure in skiing, golfng, fshing, and camping. he also enjoyed uieter pastmes such as playing cards and tending to her garden actvites that brought her peace and connecton with those around her.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Harold oyce. he leaves behind a loving family who will cherish her memory sons ike Catherine , tuart eborah and Tim grandchildren ean Tori , Nick acey , and randon as well as three great grandchildren.

Kai’s legacy is one of warmth, resilience, and a zest for life. ay her memory bring comfort to those who knew and loved her.

pecial thanks to r Racheal c hee and the sta of the imon raser odge for their e emplary care.

A Celebraton of ife for both ai and Harry will be held ay , to p.m. Island ark rive, , C

Classifeds

WAREHOUSEMAN’S LIEN ACT

Whereas the following are indebted to Ace Auto Wrecking Ltd., dba NC Ron’s Towing, for towing and storage of personal property, and ought to have been paid, and are still unpaid, notice is hereby given that the said properties will be sold to pay the outstanding debt, plus costs of seizure, advertising and sale, two weeks from the date of this notice on the 15th day of May, 2025, at 1360 Foley Cres, Prince George, BC

Kodi Jay Owadi Unknown Alterra quad Unknown

David Madden 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe 5NMSG13D29H284902

Derek Charlie

Pamela Prince 2009 Ford F150 1FTPW14V29FA71543

Hope Durack 2017 Ford Escape 1FMCU9G91HUD98149

Rebecca Rose e 2022 odge Ram 1500 1 6RR7GT2 S175651

Ricky Mc abe

Brandon

Shannon Abel 2011 Chevrolet Equinox 2CNFLEEC1B6455091

Juniper Joy 2000 Suzuki Motorcycle JS1VP52A3Y2102598

Jonathon Peterson 2003 BMW X5 5UXFA53543LV90183

Sherwood Penner 1994 Chevrolet Blazer 1GNDT13W3R2168285

evin oseph

Sinclar Group Forest Products Ltd. has prepared Amendment 27 to its approved Forest Stewardship Plan (FSP) #10, which applies to operatons in the StuartNechako and Prince George Natural Resource Districts. This amendment adds Stellat’en Duchun Forestry Inc. as a Holder to the FSP in respect of Forest License (FNRFL) A98544 in all Forest Development Units (FDUs) within the PG tmber supply area.

In accordance with the Forest Planning and Practces Regulaton, the amendment is available for public review and comment from May 1st, 2025, to May 31st, 2025.

The amended FSP can be viewed at Lakeland Mills Ltd. Woodlands Ofce, 1325 Foley Crescent, Prince George, BC, V2L 4V4, during regular business hours (8:00 AM – 4:00 PM).

If you are unable to review the proposed plan during regular business hours, please contact Andrew Peacosh at andrew.peacosh@sinclar.com or 250-617-1184 to arrange an alternatve tme or to leave comments by phone or email. Forest Stewardship Plan (FSP) #10 Amendment 27

Aviaton fees charged to the operaton of aircraf at Prince George Airport will be increased efectve July 1, 2025 to ofset increases in airport operatng costs.

Please visit our website at www.pgairport.ca/business-informaton/rates-charges/ for details

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER

* On May 12, 1896, New York City passed America’s first anti-spitting law in an effort to combat tuberculosis, imposing fines and even jail time on unruly protesters who demonstrated their discontent by expectorating on anti-spitting signs. By 1910, more than 2,500 arrests had been made.

• On Nov. 11, 1831, Nat Turner, an American slave and educated minister who believed that he’d been chosen by God to lead his people into freedom, was hanged in Jerusalem, Virginia, for leading a revolt with 75 followers through Southampton County, killing about 60 white people.

ARIES (March 21 to April 19)

The cautous side of your usually adventurous nature stands you in good stead this week. Someone might, indeed, be trying to pull the wool over the Sheep’s eyes.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20)

* On May 13, 1846, in response to a request by President James Polk, the U.S. Congress declared war on Mexico. The conflict, which ended two years later with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, eventually cost the lives of 11,300 American soldiers and resulted in the annexation of lands that became parts of Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah and Colorado.

* On May 14, 1998, legendary crooner, actor and show business icon Frank Sinatra died of a heart attack in Los Angeles at the age of 82. A heartthrob who married four times and divorced three, Sinatra’s career

• On Nov. 12, 1969, investigative journalist Seymour Hersh revealed the extent of the U.S. Army’s charges against 1st Lt. William L. Calley at My Lai, Vietnam, in a cable picked up by more than 30 newspapers, saying that “The Army says he [Calley] deliberately murdered at least 109 Vietnamese civilians during a searchand-destroy mission in March 1968, in a Viet Cong stronghold known as ‘Pinkville.’”

Planetary alignment stll causes unsetling situatons. Consider delaying maters that aren’t a priority untl the weekend. Cheer up! The next such alignment isn’t untl 2028.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Family maters take precedence. Spend more tme with those close to you. A career move sounds promising, but ask for more facts before making a decision.

spanned more than five decades, including a notable comeback in the 1950s.

* On May 15, 1948, 3-year-old June Devaney of Blackburn, England, was abducted from the hospital where she was recuperating from pneumonia. After her body was found two hours later, the detective inspector assigned to the case ordered the fingerprinting of the more than 40,000 men residing in Blackburn, which took nearly three months but eventually led to the killer, who was convicted and executed later that year.

* On May 16, 1975, Junko Tabei of Japan became the first woman to summit Mount

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Your watchword this week is “tact”! While honesty is, of course, the best policy, it’s best to temper your tendency toward bluntness with discreton.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) Nothing pleases our LEOs and LEOnas more than to know they’re admired, and this week, you’ll be overwhelmed with compliments. Enjoy the adulaton! You earned it.

• On Nov. 13, 1979, Philadelphia 76ers center Darryl Dawkins leaped over Kansas City Kings forward Bill Robinzine for a memorable slam dunk that shattered the fiberglass backboard. His equally memorable comment on the move, which was not his last and the sound of which spectators likened to a bomb going off: “It wasn’t really a safe thing to do, but it was a Darryl Dawkins thing to do.”

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) You’re making progress in your dealings with a troubled loved one. Contnue to ofer understanding and support. You’ll soon see positve results.

• 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.

Everest. She later gained further fame as the first woman to scale all Seven Summits, the tallest mountains on each continent.

* On May 17, 2000, the final episode of “Beverly Hills, 90210” aired after 10 seasons.

* On May 18, 2012, Facebook held its initial public offering (IPO) and raised $16 billion. It was the largest technology IPO in American history at the time and thirdlargest IPO in the United States, after those of Visa and General Motors. When it went public, the social network was valued at $104 billion and boasted some 900 million registered users around the world.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Change is favored this week. You might want to reassess a situaton that has become too demanding. Also, reconsider a job move that you rejected earlier.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) A loved one returns afer a long separaton. At work, a decision is made that could lead to the changes you hoped for. The next step is up to you.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) This is a good tme to set things straight in your personal relatonships. Some decisions might be difcult but necessary if you’re to turn things around.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Cupid rules the CAPRICORN Goat’s heart this week. It’s a good tme to start a new romance or reafrm your commitment to your current beloved.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Travel and entertainment are favored for the rest of the month. You earned this good tme. Enjoy it with friends and family members!

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Someone you’ve been close to reveals a secret that could put this relatonship at risk. Consider the full impact of the admission before making a decision.

Homes & Living

Outdoor Flowering Plants for a Northern BC Garden

Gardening in Northern British Columbia presents unique challenges due to its shorter growing seasons, cooler temperatures, and occasional unpredictable frosts. However, with the right selection of hardy, vibrant plants, gardeners can enjoy beautiful, flourishing flower beds throughout the season. Here’s a guide to some of the best outdoor flowering plants that thrive in Northern BC gardens.

Lupines are a fantastic choice for Northern BC. These hardy perennials are well-suited to cooler climates and poor soils. They produce tall, colorful spikes of flowers in shades of blue, purple, pink, and white from early summer through mid-season. Lupines also enrich the soil by fixing nitrogen, making them beneficial companions for other plants.

Columbines are delicate-looking yet

tough perennials that are perfect for the cooler climates of the North. Their unique, nodding blooms appear in a range of colors, from deep blues to vibrant reds. Columbines prefer partial shade, making them ideal for gardens with some tree cover or dappled sunlight.

The old-fashioned bleeding heart is a classic plant for shady, moist garden spots. With its arching stems and heartshaped pink or white flowers, it adds a romantic touch to any landscape. It blooms in late spring to early summer and can tolerate the cooler soil temperatures typical of Northern BC. Daylilies are renowned for their adaptability and low maintenance needs. They thrive in a wide range of conditions, including Northern BC’s cool climate. With a broad palette of colors and a long blooming season,

daylilies are perfect for gardeners seeking continuous bursts of color throughout the summer.

For a touch of elegance, Siberian irises are a must. These hardy perennials offer slender foliage and stunning purple, blue, or white flowers. They prefer moist, well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade, aligning perfectly with many northern garden conditions.

Peonies are a timeless garden favorite. Their massive, fragrant blooms are incredibly cold-hardy, making them ideal for Northern BC. Although they take a few years to establish fully, once they do, peonies can thrive for decades with minimal care.

For those looking for annuals to add instant color, marigolds are a great option. These bright, cheerful flowers are frost-tolerant once mature and provide vivid yellow, orange, and red

hues all summer long.

To maximize the growing season, start some plants indoors or purchase established transplants. Mulching helps retain soil moisture and moderate temperature swings. Choosing native or hardy varieties ensures better survival through unpredictable spring and fall frosts.