Prince George, as BC's Northern Capital, has a great deal to be proud of in terms of supporting and creating a more diversified, vibrant and sustainabe knowledge-based economy connected to the world. The City and the northern region has demonstrated resileince in the midst of a global recession and local challenges. Some of the challenges the City of Prince George has overcome include natural disasters of fires, the mountain pine beetle infestation, a major flood, ice jam, wind storms and following a major downturn in the forest industry, an industry once considered the economic backbone of Prince George and northern BC.
Prince George has excellent academic facilities, is home to one of Canada's finest and greenest Universities (UNBC), College of New Caledonia (CNC), has a vibrant and growing downtown, has market ready industrial lands available at competitive prices located close to, rail and air transportation enabling the connection of products and services to global markets via the Northern Asian Pacific Corridor, is home to excellent health care facilities under Northern Health and will soon be opening a Northern Cancer centre and Kordyban Cancer Lodge to accomodate individuals and their families in need of cancer care throughout the entire north. Prince George is also very proud to have won the bid to host the 2015 Canada Winter Games.
Much of the credit for strengthening and diversifying the local, regional and provincial economy goes to the successful long term partnerships which have been established over many years between Initiatives Prince George, UNBC, the Four Orders of Government, CNC, Northern Development Initiatives Trust, Northern Health, School District 57, Chamber of Commerce, IPG, Prince George Construction Association, CN, Prince George Airport Authority, Canfor, BC Gas and Mining Industry, Western Economic Diversification, Forestry sector, L'heidli Tenneh, OBAC, Resources North Association, Fraser Basin Council, and many many more.
There is vigerous economic development occuring in a variety of sectors throughout northern BC, such as: the transportation sector, forestry, bio-energy, research and education, health care, containerization, air cargo and air logistics, mineral, oil and gas exploration, to name a few. There are some emerging and ongoing challenges that require attention, in particular, capitalizing on the emerging innovation, creativity and technology sectors, labour scarcity, skill shortages, and an aging workforce.
The Province, as a whole, has been, and still is, greatly dependent on revenues driven from the exploration, extraction, and exportation of goods and services from northern BC's resource rich sectors such as forestry, mining, oil, gas, and water. 68% of revenues that go to the province have been generated here in the north. More lobbying is needed to ensure a greater percentage of this revenue comes back to our northern communities. In today's ever changing, competitive and uncertain global economy every community must look out for the economic future of their people. While it is important for Prince George and the north to create wealth, generate new revenues and secure the best and most competitive position in global markets I also feel it is very important, in my view of a strong local economy, to strengthen the community's self sufficiency, to promote and enhance local production i.e., food and fiber, encourage effiecient use of energy, seek to recover and re-use our natural resources i.e., rainwater, wood waste, bio-energy, etc., and provide for employment locally where and when possible. It is also important, in my view, to ensure that economic development occurs with social license, which implies, impacts associated with economic development must also fully consider social, and environmental health and well-being today and well into the future.
Prince George has excellent academic facilities, is home to one of Canada's finest and greenest Universities (UNBC), College of New Caledonia (CNC), has a vibrant and growing downtown, has market ready industrial lands available at competitive prices located close to, rail and air transportation enabling the connection of products and services to global markets via the Northern Asian Pacific Corridor, is home to excellent health care facilities under Northern Health and will soon be opening a Northern Cancer centre and Kordyban Cancer Lodge to accomodate individuals and their families in need of cancer care throughout the entire north. Prince George is also very proud to have won the bid to host the 2015 Canada Winter Games.
Much of the credit for strengthening and diversifying the local, regional and provincial economy goes to the successful long term partnerships which have been established over many years between Initiatives Prince George, UNBC, the Four Orders of Government, CNC, Northern Development Initiatives Trust, Northern Health, School District 57, Chamber of Commerce, IPG, Prince George Construction Association, CN, Prince George Airport Authority, Canfor, BC Gas and Mining Industry, Western Economic Diversification, Forestry sector, L'heidli Tenneh, OBAC, Resources North Association, Fraser Basin Council, and many many more.
There is vigerous economic development occuring in a variety of sectors throughout northern BC, such as: the transportation sector, forestry, bio-energy, research and education, health care, containerization, air cargo and air logistics, mineral, oil and gas exploration, to name a few. There are some emerging and ongoing challenges that require attention, in particular, capitalizing on the emerging innovation, creativity and technology sectors, labour scarcity, skill shortages, and an aging workforce.
The Province, as a whole, has been, and still is, greatly dependent on revenues driven from the exploration, extraction, and exportation of goods and services from northern BC's resource rich sectors such as forestry, mining, oil, gas, and water. 68% of revenues that go to the province have been generated here in the north. More lobbying is needed to ensure a greater percentage of this revenue comes back to our northern communities. In today's ever changing, competitive and uncertain global economy every community must look out for the economic future of their people. While it is important for Prince George and the north to create wealth, generate new revenues and secure the best and most competitive position in global markets I also feel it is very important, in my view of a strong local economy, to strengthen the community's self sufficiency, to promote and enhance local production i.e., food and fiber, encourage effiecient use of energy, seek to recover and re-use our natural resources i.e., rainwater, wood waste, bio-energy, etc., and provide for employment locally where and when possible. It is also important, in my view, to ensure that economic development occurs with social license, which implies, impacts associated with economic development must also fully consider social, and environmental health and well-being today and well into the future.
