The two people sitting at the head of the biggest electoral tables in the Prince George region are both excited about 2011 because of one word: diversity.
It is that word, according to Prince George Mayor Dan Rogers and Regional District of Fraser-Fort George Chair Art Kaehn, that has seen our area through an economic downturn that would have crippled the region in years gone by. One of the biggest features of the economic collapse was America, our biggest lumber customer, ceasing to buy milled wood.
Twenty years ago, they both agreed, that would have spelled disaster for the local economy, but not today. With a multi-facetted education industry, an active medical system, a reasonably robust civil service, burgeoning shipping and transportation industries, secondary manufacturing, some forays into technology development, etc. there is more than just forestry for the economy's bread and butter, but forestry's opportunities, too, are beginning to show signs of new life.
That is why, going forward, the fortunes of the region are so bright, they agreed.
"Our economic engines within the regional district are our municipalities - Mackenzie, McBride, Valemount, Prince George - we have this interdependent partnership and those municipalities are all doing very well considering what the economy as a whole has just come through," said Kaehn. "Our role is to create that infrastructure, create that environment for private sector development to thrive, so industry is attracted to our area. We have contracts with Initiatives Prince George and they are working on that branding, the marketing, and it will pay off. The regional district used to have its own economic development agency but this, I think, is a better partnership for the times. There is no point duplicating the same service. Mackenzie, same thing. McBride, same thing. Valemount, same thing."
Prince George's municipality has a lot of construction on the horizon, and it is this that a lot of the city's short-term fortunes will hinge.
"It will be an extremely busy year on the capital side," said Rogers. "It will almost create our own economic stimulation package. Boundary Road is the main one. It is proceeding well. It is creating jobs for construction in the short term, but the true benefit will be in the creation of a light industrial park, stimulating the logistics centre that is the Prince George Airport, making us even more of a key centre for the northern economy."
The other main project, again with short- and long-term benefits, is the building of the city's community energy system that will use available wood waste to heat downtown buildings and drastically reduce pollution.
Rogers also pointed to major developments like the new RCMP building and the 2015 Canada Winter Games as being part of the ongoing improvements the city can benefit from in a major way.
Kaehn said the regional district would be putting a 2011 focus on stimulating rural education, furthering the implementation of an official community plan, taking bigger strides towards a more efficient solid waste management system, an expanded community forest project, and many more.
Both these leaders of local government also stressed a critical need to build meaningful links to local First Nations.
