October 15, 2022

Often there are issues of significant importance in our community which aren’t the responsibility of the City of Prince George.  I feel it is important that mayor and council be a voice for those issues and that we are championing them with the Provincial or Federal government.  Here are a couple of issues that I believe mayor and council should be advocating for.

SENIOR’S CENTERS 

Recently the Provincial government changed the legislation for gaming grants that our nonprofit organizations rely on to provide supports for our community.  The change that was made directly affects our Senior’s Centers.  If they provide food for free, they are allowed to apply for the gaming grant.  However, if they charge for the food they serve, even if it is just $7.00, they no longer qualify for the gaming grant.   

Unfortunately, our Senior’s Centers are facing the same inflationary challenges we all are when we go to the grocery store.  They are caught in a catch 22 where they can’t provide nutritious lunches for the seniors they serve with the grant money, but if they try to make up the shortfall by charging, they no longer qualify for the gaming grant.  The end result is they are having to scramble to find other ways to make their budgets work.   

This is an area where Mayor and Council (I want to recognize the work that Susan Scott has been doing on this) can advocate for the Provincial Government to reverse the legislation and allow our Senior’s Centers to apply for the gaming grant money they need to provide affordable meals and community to our elders. 

 VETERINARIAN CARE 

At the end of June this year we learned that our veterinarians were stretched so thin that they could no longer provide emergency medical care for our pets.  I know how much my family and I love our two rescue dogs.  I cannot imagine someone’s loss should they lose their pet because something traumatic happened after the clinics were closed.   

Our community rallied around “if we train them in the north they will stay in the north”.  That led to both the Northern Medical Program and Engineering being added to UNBC.  I believe that with advocacy from Mayor and Council and our MLA’s we can find a similar solution to this urgent need for our city.