Province adds to China cash

The province is helping out with the city's upcoming trip to China.

Minister of Jobs, Tourism, Skills Training Pat Bell is giving Prince George $10,000 and the use of his China-based staff to assist them in their travels to Jiangmen.

Mayor Shari Green, councillors Lyn Hall and Dave Wilbur and acting city manager Kathleen Soltis are travelling in November with the intention of signing a memorandum of understanding for a twinning relationship with the Chinese city.

The trip, which is estimated to cost up to $35,000, is funded through the remainder of a $50,000 provincial grant - of which $12,000 is left - this new pot of $10,000 and the city's economic development fund.

"The province recognizes the important and necessary role that mayors play in China, and assistance to communities like Prince George to send their mayors, helps to further the economic and social outcomes of twinning relationships," said Green.

According to Bell, the title of mayor carries "significance in China far beyond our model of governance," and that having Green make the trip is an asset.

Bell made the financial offer after cancelling his own trade mission abroad due to a busy schedule leading up to next spring's election.

"I think it's very important that we have that ongoing presence and the availability of senior political leaders of the province over there," Bell said. "So when I heard that Mayor Green was going over, I thought that was a great opportunity to help support her trip."

With about 70 people who work for Bell's ministry on the ground in China, he said his staff can help the Prince George group in setting up meetings and connecting them with different groups - including some of those who he had intended to meet with himself.

"I thought it was a great opportunity," said Bell. "There's a few other mayors that are making trips and I'm having discussions with them as well."