The City of Prince George is blessed with some of the greatest staff anywhere in Canada, but I have serious concerns about some of the planning and licensing going on at city hall. Case in point: the new strip mall across from Superstore, where an established pet supply store found itself in sudden economic jeopardy because another store almost exactly like it was allowed to open its doors literally next door. To me, this was a huge administrative error that will likely result in people losing employment, and may even have legal ramifications.
It is my opinion that the future economic development of Prince George is intrinsically tied to making every effort to protect the interests of those individuals and companies who are willing to invest in our community. They create jobs, pay taxes, and most are great donors to sport teams, social causes and encourage their staff to do the same as well. But the City must be willing to protect their investments. I'm not suggesting the City limit the number of any type of business, but rather that it limit proximity of businesses offering virtually identical services and products who are competing for the same customer base. In addition to protecting their considerable investments, it maximizes the potential profit for both.
Just because it's a 'free country' doesn't mean that we as individuals, or as a society, are excused from civil and ethical behavior. If we want to attract business to Prince George, we need to offer incentives and assurances to maximize the potential to succeed. Like I said, the City is blessed with some of the world's best civic staff, but they need leadership to identify governmental disincentives and resolve them, while actively insuring the City capitalizes on every potential opportunity.
This brings me to recent staff recommendations to disallow a medical marijuana shipping and receiving company from operating in the Carter light industrial area, despite several other shippers and receivers already located there. I could be wrong but doesn't Save-On foods and Shoppers Drugs both sell and distribute prescription drugs, also in very close proximity to a temple and residential neighborhoods? Is City staff making recommendations to stop one of the world's fastest growing industries in North America from contributing to our economy based on scientific fact and the law, or hypocritical moral and religious conviction? Perhaps this needs further investigation.
Will Lewis
Prince George
