• Northern Capital News
  • Posts
  • Megabust: More predictions on Prince George's economic future and they aren't all good

Megabust: More predictions on Prince George's economic future and they aren't all good

And two posts that made me hungry

January 24, 2023

The conversation around our resource industry continues this week: The Citizen is running a series titled Megabust on what the end of the megaproject-era in northern B.C. will look like. Part one features Joel McKay and largely echoes his comments in this space following the announcement of Canfor’s layoffs — that Prince George and northern B.C. have been in an era of large-scale projects that are set to be complete inside of this decade and that will lead to further slowdowns — or, rather, “the completion of four northern B.C. megaprojects, worth a combined $88.6 billion, will mean the end of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity in the region.”

The Prince George Post, meanwhile, has a piece titled “How can Prince George diversify its economy?” This piece largely relies on comments from the until-recent chamber of commerce CEO Todd Corrigal, as well as MLA Shirley Bond and the city’s economic development officer, Deklan Corstanje. It’s a considerably more optimistic piece than Megabust, breaking down opportunities for retail growth, construction and logistics. But the underlying theme is the same: Economic change is coming, boom times are ending and we need to get ready.

And to underline that pooint:

Weak market conditions blamed in both instances.

In more optimistic news:

This is a continuous refrain I keep hearing — that efforts aimed at phasing out plastics are an opportunity for new paper products. I guess this provides some indication of that?

And finally, a letter to the editor says Neil Godbout’s call to boycott Pattison-owned companies like Save-On Foods in the wake of the Canfor announcement only hurts other unionized workers.

Letters to the editor:

In response to yesterday’s piece about the walkability of the Hart, Gillian Wigmore writes:

I ran the library branch in the Hart for 8 years and I love that neighbourhood. I’m still so grateful they welcomed me and that I got to be a ‘person in your neighbourhood’ for all the library-goers for so long.

That said, I’m so grateful to still have my life after a million near-misses on my lunchtime walks in the Hart! Too many times to count a vehicle screeched to a halt inches from my knees, and I’m not a jay-walker.

This usually happened at crosswalks (of which there are too few) and where the sidewalk ends (of which there are too many). The Hart is a driving neighbourhood for the most part, especially during business hours and up until about 8 pm on a summer evening (at which point the traffic has all left for the Salmon Valley campsite and their fantastic coffees and an evening swim). I’m not the only one who took to wearing a safety vest while I walked — even during daylight hours.

A number of times I left feedback for the City on their website letting them know that we want to walk in the Hart and it’s really hard to do it safely. I developed my safer routes, and I certainly developed some death-preventing skills (like the triple-check for traffic, the step-out-step-back-step-out again, and the omg-run-for-your-life-that-guy’s-not-looking-for-pedestrians!), but although I miss the neighbourhood and its people, and I miss the library, I love my mid-day greenbelt walks in College Heights these days. I wish the Hart community had the same safer walking options!

Have something to say? Reply to this email!

News roundup:

(I need a name for this section, give me some ideas)

Events and volunteer opportunities:

Finally, here are two posts that made me hungry:

Northern Capital News is a free, daily newsletter about life in Prince George. Please consider subscribing or, if you have, sharing with someone else.

Send feedback by replying to this email. Follow me online @mstdn.ca/@akurjata.