Why PG | April 2014

PG

2014

WHY

DISCOVER WHY

THESE SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES CHOOSE TO

LIVE, WORK & PLAY IN OUR COMMUNITY

A product of

Cover Photo Credit: Bill Campbell - Clarity Photo Design

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A Look Inside Prince George‘s Newest Recreation Centre

A Look Inside Prince George‘s Newest Recreation Centre

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Fort George Park

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Optimism high for Prince George’s future prosperity Prince George has been known as a boom or bust town.

Something unusual has happened in recent years, however, to challenge that stereotype.

Instead of a frantic roller-coaster ride, Prince George now seems more like a sturdy ship riding the waves.

The recent past supports that view. When the forest industry was hit hard by the global economic crisis, when mills ceased operation, when the service elements of the forest sector were forced into transition, Prince George's economy muscled through.

"Diversifying the economy is key, and supporting local business is essential," said Mayor Shari Green about how northern towns get through the latest tough times.

Diversification is the one that keeps coming up to explain the change in Prince George's fortunes.

Lumber companies are still the backbone of the local economy, and they survived by getting traction in Asian markets instead of relying solely on the United States. They had also developed bioenergy (wood pel-

let products or on-site electricity generation) options.

Prince George now has significant public sector economic generators it never had in previous boom-and-bust days. The many programs of UNBC and CNC, combined with the regional work of Northern Health and School District 57, the initiatives of the Regional District of Fraser Fort-George and City Hall itself are all contributors to Prince George's new resilience.

The private sector played a major role as well in the diversification change. The development of the Port of Prince Rupert has positive ripples into this city, most notably in the form of an expanded CN Rail presence. Prince George now has hightech companies large and small. Industrial service businesses, like construction equipment operators and trucking companies and helicopter firms, busy in sectors like tourism and mining. Training and investment to achieve that corporate agility also triggered economic benefits of their own.

As a result, those lessons learned and investments made during challenging times are in place for a robust period ahead. If Continued on page 29

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there is a problem to be solved in the near future, it is not "will we have jobs in the foreseeable future?" it is "who is going to fill all the job openings so the companies involved can operate?"

That is a challenge being met by agencies like the Prince George Chamber of Commerce and their Consider Prince George outreach program; the Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society with a menu of programs aimed at attracting (and retaining) foreigners to Prince George; the business development initiatives underway

by Community Futures, Startup Prince George, the Innovation Central Society, Northern Development Initiative Trust and others; and Initiatives Prince George with its full mandate from the City of Prince George to promote and enhance the local economy.

"At 4.3 per cent (unemployment), Prince George is functionally fully employed and that means that we need to expand the labour force," said IPG CEO Heather Oland.

As the oil and gas industry, mining industry, forest industry, tourist industry and agriculture industry surge, growth continues in the education, medical, high-tech and transportation/logistics fields.

B.C. is expected to have a shortage of 350,000 skilled workers by 2020, according to information released by Initiatives Prince George. There will also be hundreds of thousands of jobs available through retirements, turnovers, expansions and startups.

“The tremendous investments happening now in B.C.’s economy are going to place a huge demand on our human resources, particularly in the north,”

said Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Shirley Bond in a written statement. “Confronting this challenge requires the best labour information we can possibly get in order to understand where the demand for skilled workers is highest and how we can attract the best and brightest to Prince George.”

Spectra Energy is a prime example of how this city is positioned for future growth. Spectra has been one of those veteran investors in the local region and they plan to expand significantly.

Spectra's natural gas activities have involved Prince George since 1956 when a pipeline - still operational today - was installed through the region. Spectra's boss of LNG operations, Douglas Bloom, said his company's experience with Prince George stands as an example of what will likely come here in the few years ahead. Their north-south pipeline goes right through the immediate area, and they hope to install a new line from their Peace-country natural gas holdings to the west coast for shipment to Asia.

"Although it won't go through Prince George, we see your city as a critical staging area for goods, services, supplies, consumables, all those things we will be needing through the construction phase," Bloom said. "Operationally, once construction is done, P.G. will be an important place factoring into our future plans. The north will be an even stronger player in the North American industry and I see this city winning big in our sector as that develops. Then, too, there's all the stuff happening in mining and forestry and all those other sectors.

This is the city situated best in the north to base a lot of those operations."

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Hell Yeah Prince George

Scott McWalter made a loving gesture to Prince George that allows everyone to make their own loving gestures to Prince George.

McWalter constructed a facebook page entitled Hell Yeah Prince George where the community can post photos, videos, anecdotes and comments about B.C.'s northern capital.

The site went live on Sunday at 11 a.m. By Monday noon, it had more than 3,500 members and was climbing by the minute. It got major boosts by mayor Shari Green, MLAs Shirley Bond and John Rustad, and a who's who of local society. Their networks were soon working to build Hell Yeah Prince George interest.

"I am absolutely blown away by the response from the community but this reaction wasn't exactly unanticipated," McWalter said. "I know so many people who agree that P.G. is a great lace to live, work and play. And equally as phenomenal are the people who have moved away and see all the pictures and videos and stories on this page, and they make comments about how much they miss it because they moved away, or they have been here to visit."

Northern B.C. in general has had a case of low self esteem for decades. By the mid-20th century, the Central Interior was a loosely affiliated sprinkling of communities that fashionable people eschewed and was seemingly enjoyed best by working long, hard hours to obscure the sting of cold winters and limited opportunities.

Yet there was a unmistakable beauty to the place, and successful people consistently came from the region and went on to impressive accomplishments elsewhere.

When UNBC was established, a turning point was hammered into the area's turf as solidly as the Fort Fraser last spike about 80 years earlier. Now, a good amount of that human potential could stay in the area. But would they want to? And would the outsiders who came here for the jobs and courses at the U want to remain?

Did they ever. And after decades of societal flirtations, infatuations, and bashful celebrations, the community had it's first taste of true love.

Scott McWalter is a child of that love. He works at the university in the marketing and communications department, and he is a second-generation resident of a skilled professional (his father is a civil engineer and proprietor of a downtown engineering firm) who chose Prince George to raise a family.

"I don't think there's a community in this world that doesn't have problems, but I can't emphasize enough how you should feel proud about Prince George and appreciate this place," he said. "We have so much to offer young professionals, families, all the benefits of a city but in the great outdoors. So people now have this page where they can talk about why P.G. is an amazing place to call home."

With the city's centennial, the university's 20th anniversary, and especially the Canada Winter Games all converging "the timing couldn't be more perfect" for people to express their Pregonian pride.

There are other facebook pages and websites dedicated to this city. McWalter said he wanted to use his page to promote those as well, especially Tourism Prince George's social media channels. TPG's online officer Sufey Chen - another UNBC alum who, like McWalter, made this past year's Top 40 Under 40 list - has been enlivening the links to Hell Yeah Prince George.

There are also online enclaves of negative Prince George sentiment. It was this dark talk about his city that sparked McWalter and a group of friends - Kris Foot, Chuck Chin, David Mothus and Rob Viergever - to counterattack with positive energy.

"It took one nice cover photo and 15 minutes of my time to start this page, but the general ideas have been forming with me for years," McWalter said. "It's up to the people of P.G. to keep this page fresh and active."

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Northland Dodge #1 Dealer in BC for 8 years d

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G N I V I G ST O M E H T LY D U O R P AND DEALERSHIP IN CANADA!

NOrthlaN iON cOmmits $3 mill ! s tO lOcal charitie

Northland Supports the following charities and more... relay for life

help us to be the #1 relay for life event in canada and you could wiN a 2014 JeeP cherOKee For every $500 a registered participant raises (group or individual) they will receive one entry into a draw for a 2014 Jeep Cherokee generously donated by Northland Dodge.

spirit of the North

festival of trees

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Wednesday, November 17, 2010 TNW Wine Festival uncorks a really good time A13

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Newsline 250-564-0005 We are a charitable group dedicated to providing a rapid-response emergency medical helicopter staffed with advanced life support www.pgfreepress.com TNW Wine paramedics ■and critical care nurses.

As a non-profit society, we will have the ability to fund-raise and accept corporate donations to enhance PHILANTHROPY Festival Former uncorks our service. Our mission is to save livesa and reduce the long-term costs of medical care for seriously ill and critically injured patients, and to really good time Emergency Medical Helicopter Service that P.G.willman provide a dedicated Rapid Response fly day and night in all but the worst weather conditions.

Feels like a million bucks Pediatric ward named in honourA13 of Northland Dodge donation

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ARTHUR WILLIAMS newsroom@pgfreepress.com

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Former d n a l h t r o million bucks N P.G. man ur of Northland Dodge donation ing in w s n killed childre explosion Wing c f UhNbPediatric versity Hospital of Northern B.C. has been named the Northland Dodge Paediatric Wing.

Northland Dodge management and staff raised $1 million over five years to support upgrades to child care at the hospital.

“I’d like to thank everyone for what is both a huge honour for my team at Northland Dodge and my family,” Northland owner Brent Marshall said. “I’m just so impressed by how many people in the North took part.

It’s gone by very quickly.”

Marshall said he was, “shocked,” when approached by Northern Health about renaming the wing.

The funding raised by the dealership has supported projects including an outdoor deck adjoining the wing, library and family room, ceiling lifts, wireless communication system, special cribs and many other projects, Northern Health chairman Charles Jago said.

“They were all special things we couldn’t do without donor support. They’re all things that enhance our ability to meet the needs of patients,” Jago said.

“B.C. supports a very good health system. (But) philanthropy is that margin of difference between very good and excellent.”

The maternity and pediatric wings of the hospital are now state-of-the-art facilities, he said.

Health Services Minister Kevin Falcon attended the renaming ceremony on Monday and presented the Marshalls with a plaque honouring their contribution.

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910 Third Avenue, Prince George, BC Canada, V2L 3C9

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A former Prince George man is among five Canadians who were killed in an explosion at a Mexican resort Sunday.

Malcolm Johnson, 33, was killed in a freak gas explosion at the Grand Riviera Princess Hotel in the beach city resort of Playa del Carmen on Mexico’s Caribbean coast.

Johnson, who worked as a realtor in Prince George but moved to Nanaimo and worked out of Coast Realty Group’s downtown Nanaimo office, was in Mexico with his new wife Heather Pynten, whom he had married days before the explosion, and their one-yearold daughter Audrey.

“People were showing up [to work] just sick about it,” said Ron Williams, Johnson’s managing broker in Nanaimo.

Another realtor with Coast who had gone to Mexico for Johnson’s wedding informed co-workers of his death Sunday afternoon.

Johnson had been with Coast Realty for six years, specializing in condominium sales.

“He was never ever down or cranky, he just always saw the positive side of things,” said Forbes.

“He was a real good guy.”

Johnson was also a director on the Downtown Nanaimo Business Improvement Association board.

Five Canadian tourists and two hotel employees were killed in the explosion, which took place Sunday morning in the hotel lobby.

A news release on the Quintana Roo state website states that Mexican officials believe the blast took place because of natural gas accumulating in a cavern under the hotel.

Donation Excedes 1 Million!

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Pediatric Wing The Lodge which opened explosion FOR A one year ago, was the recipient Donation Excedes rdyban o K of a $350,000 pledge from REASON! 1Northland Million! and the Marshall lodge family. All the money stayed Brent Northland Dodge owners local helpedand withtheir the children and Kaliand Marshall eight year old Carter, seven year old construction costs for the lodge.

Cassie and three year old Jaxon celebrate the renaming of the pediatric ward at the University Hospital of Northern BC. The Northland Dodge Pediatric Wing was named in recognition of the $1 million donated by the auto dealership.

A former Prince George man is among five Canadians who were killed in an explosion at a Mexican resort Sunday.

Malcolm Johnson, 33, was killed in a freak gas explosion at the Grand Riviera Princess Hotel in the beach city resort of Playa del Carmen on Mexico’s Caribbean coast.

Johnson, who worked as a realtor in Prince George but moved to Nanaimo and worked out of Coast Realty Group’s downtown Nanaimo office, was in Mexico with his new wife Heather Pynten, whom he had married days before the explosion, and their one-yearold daughter Audrey.

“People were showing up [to work] just sick about it,” said Ron Williams, Johnson’s managing broker in Nanaimo.

Another realtor with Coast who had gone to Mexico for Johnson’s Art hur WI LLI AMS/Free Press wedding informed co-workers Northland Dodge owners Brentofand Kali Marshall and their children eight-year-old Carter, his death Sunday Cassie afternoon. seven-year-old and three-year-old Jaxon celebrate the renaming of the pediatric Johnson been with Coast ward at thehad University Hospital of Northern B.C. The Northland Dodge Paediatric Wing was named recognition of the $1 in million donated by the auto dealership.

Realty forinsix years, specializing condominium sales.

“He was never ever down or up Lennox cranky, he just always saw the posito Rebate* tive side of things,” said Forbes.

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• Gas furnaces • A/C and heat pumps • Indoor air quality systems Roo state website states that Mexican officials believe the blast took place because of natural gas accumulating in a cavern under the hotel.

Northland Dodge owners Brent Northland owner Brent Marshall and his family and Kali Marshall and their children eight year old Carter, seven year old celebrate the renaming Cassie and three year old Jaxon of the pediatric wing at the celebrate the NOrthlaNd renaming of the University Hospital of Northern pediatric cOmmitmeNt ward at the University BC. The Northland Dodge Hospital of Northern BC. The exceeds 2 milliON Pediatric wing was named inNorthland Dodge Pediatric Wing $1,000 recognition of over $1 millionwas dollars donated

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In support of Festival of Trees, Northland owner Brent Marshall purchased this medical UTV which he has donated to the 2015 Winter Games. At the end of the games this unit will have a permanent home with Prince George Search and Rescue.

cancer

Northland od 3rd annual fo s drive for Kid

Kordyban Cancer Lodge

The Canadian Cancer Society’s Kordyban Cancer Lodge is the recipient of a $300,000 pledge from Northland and the Marshall family. All the money has stayed local and has helped with the construction costs for the lodge which is slated to open in late 2012.

The Child Development NOrthlaNd family rOOm Centre

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.O.S. n ldre Healthy Chi e thland c 7th annual North in r P The 7ual d al n Golf Invitation Northla Ann ment golf tourna charity$1,000 e g r o e g + $1,400 dodge for the Centre is to provide needed funds by the Northland Auto ice p rts formission s o o $2,400 o save too much money, p h s r o Group and hosted by the t t pmen develo o charities in northern B.C. as well child e m m e av s is pretty close.

“S The Child Development Proudly Presents Spirit of the North y as providing a dynamic site for user t ie k seatof”Prince George r c a Centre a o centre s PS groups, participants H is Healthcare Foundation. .

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R . n O re and their spectators. ld Helic . hi op C . ter hy Em lt erg Approximately $30,000 ea en also the beneficiary of the H cy Rescue Operatio All proceeds stay Brent Marshall with 100 tickets ns So cie ty $50,000 is raised annually at proceeds from the 7th onal George to taintiPrince purchased for staff, to help support Golf Invi Northland Autogroup golf Annual Healthy Children’s 2012 the10, CDC. August Friday, assist the Hospice Dream Home Lottery.

A r thur WILLIAMS/Fre e Pre s s

ners Brent and Kali Marshall and their children eight-year-old Carter, e and three-year-old Jaxon celebrate the renaming of the pediatric Hospital of Northern B.C. The Northland Dodge Paediatric Wing was of the $1 million donated by the auto dealership.

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Centre of PrinceSociety’s George isKordyban Cancer The The Canadian Cancer Lodge is Northland Motorsports Park is located near the Helicopter Em ency theatre also the the from"INorthland Rescue 10 the recipient of beneficiary a $300,000of pledge anderg the hope that within Opminutes drive-in erationsnorthwest Society of less than two years we The Child the money 7th air ambullocal have a state-of-th ance thaand Marshallproceeds family. from All the has stayed has t can fly e-art helicopter day the the help of Chrysler orcity. nightWith in all in con all diti out ons 2 lyin Annual Children’s . I’d like to see helipa g com munities,is working in conjun theHealthy construction costs forSer the which ds Friday, August 10,201 helped with Development vice lodge ctio n to wit pro Canada, Northland’s two-fold h vid the e the utmost care B.C. Ambulance Invitational sponsored to sick and injured It will benefit all of slated toGolf open in late 2012. people in northern the people B.C. in the North." ~ Brent Marshall - president/chair of Northern B.C. Emergency Rescue HEROS (Helicopte Operations Society r )

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Northland Dodge Annual Food Drive For Kids has local youth, sports teams, H.E.R.O.S. and Northland staff collecting food donations with all proceeds to the Salvation Army, with an annual goal of 50,000lbs!

• Gas furnaces • A/C and heat pumps • Indoor air quality systems

Golf Invitational sponsored by the Northland Auto ds benefit Group andt hosted by the All procee The Child Developmen rge North Spiriteof Geothe Every $1000 helps fund a child for a year at e the development centr

"I hope that within less than two years we have a state-of-t air ambulance tha he-art helicopter t can fly day or nig ht in all conditions in all outlying com . I’d like to see helipa munities, working ds in conjunction wit Service to tournaments. provide the utmost h the B.C. Ambulance care to sick and inju It will benefit all of red peo ple in the people in the No northern B.C. rth." ~ Brent Marshall - president/chair of Northern B.C. Emergency Rescue HEROS (Helicopte Operations Society r )

with PrOceeds tO lOcal charities!

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