Growing up and moving away is a common experience for many people born and raised in Prince George. It’s normal for people to leave their hometown to discover new things or to chase a work or educational experience in a new city.
But the opportunities within Prince George end up calling a lot of people home.
This experience was true for Christina Doll, who after living in Richmond and attending BCIT, moved back to Prince George for a co-op work placement.
Doll says once she moved back, she realised the benefits of living in B.C.'s Northern Capital.
“For me, there was a lot less stress; I wasn’t spending so much time in traffic, I had time to do the things that I wanted, and I was able to grow my career quite quickly,” says Doll, adding she found that people in Prince George were very willing to offer her career advice and support.
“Everyone I reached out to for an internship or advice in how to take the next step in my career always said yes to me and were willing to help, and I think I grew my career faster than in a larger centre,” says Doll.
She now works as a workforce development officer with the City of Prince George and is in charge of the marketing campaign Move Up Prince George, which is designed to assist in attracting people to the city and acts as a digital relocation guide for people who are making the move.
“It’s a big decision for people, so they can go to the website and find out things like what kind of work is available, what they need to know if they’re moving, what is rent like, and what is buying a house going to cost them,” says Doll.
One of the things Move Up Prince George highlights is the affordability of Prince George compared to bigger cities throughout the province.
The average cost to buy a single-family home in PG is just over $319,167, which is far lower than the average cost in Vancouver at $1,000,000, and the $755,000 average in Victoria.
“The affordability piece is big, too. I managed to buy a house in my mid-20s, and that would not have been doable for me in a larger centre that is for sure,” says Doll.
While it does fluctuate, at 4.6 per cent, Prince George also has a lower unemployment rate than the provincial rate (4.8 per cent). British Columbia has the lowest unemployment rate in the country.
“There is less competition here than in larger centres,” says Doll, who explains that in larger cities, there are often a lot of very well-educated people all competing for the same jobs. “Here, it is a little bit easier to work in your chosen field,” she adds.
Another aspect Move Up Prince George focuses on is lifestyle.
“Prince George is a great place for people who are looking for a bit of a balance between urban and outdoors,” says Doll, adding that Prince George is a great place for people who want the balance of being outdoors with the amenities available in larger cities.
With more than 120 parks and countless surrounding lakes and trails, Prince George is a playground for outdoor enthusiasts.
Prince George also has very low commute times, which is something that many locals may take for granted, but anyone relocating from the Lower Mainland would cherish.
“It is really easy to get around here,” says Doll, “For people who might be frustrated with sitting in a car for hours, or sitting on a bus for hours or being stuck on a bridge for a long time, it only takes about 15 minutes to get anywhere here.”
Anyone thinking about relocating or moving back to Prince George can check out Move Up Prince George for any resources or information they would need to help them make the decision.
Doll says they are also interested in connecting with locals who want to share their experiences living in Prince George on the Move Up blog.
“It could be anything from what they love to do downtown, access to things in the region (and) how to keep your kids busy. There is a huge range of topics,” she says.
