City council has approved spending $60,000 for local tree and brush thinning projects around Prince George, with the money coming from the city’s EVP Crown Land Forest account.
During Monday night’s council meeting, city staff explained the account is at least 15 years old and came with grant money from previous senior levels of government held for urban land forestry.
The city says it has an inventory of green space properties that have become overgrown with brush and immature trees. Thinning these areas is expected to decrease fire hazards.
A city staff report also indicated that the project would also “decrease areas of cover hiding undesirable activities and reduce illegal dumping of refuse.”
Dave Bradshaw, manager of transportation and technical services, said the city is finalizing the areas on the list but is currently looking at Winnipeg Street with the corridor of greenspace between 15th Avenue and Carney Street, Rainbow Park, and Lower Patricia.
Coun. Trudy Klassen said she was uncomfortable supporting the project.
“Did I understand that part of the plan is to reduce some of the likelihood of people choosing those areas for overnight camping?,” asked Klassen, to which Bradshaw answered “That is part of it, yes.”
Klassen then clarified that she understood the intent of the project but doesn’t feel right supporting it because we are in the middle of a housing shortage and housing affordability crisis.
“I know we don’t want to have people living in our urban space in tents but I don’t think I can support it because I really feel we are in this place in history because of policies we had like 30 years ago, and we have so many people unhoused and we are so short on mental health supports, healthcare and addiction services, and so I don’t think I will support it because of that,” said Klassen.
“I would feel unnecessarily cruel in supporting this.”
However, Coun. Ron Polillo then asked if the main intention of the project is primarily wildfire mitigation and Bradshaw answered in the affirmative.
Council ultimately passed the motion to use the $60,000 in the fund for the localized tree and brush thinning projects, with only Klassen opposing.
Coun. Cori Ramsay also introduced a motion to have city staff report back on the project when it is completed, which was supported by council.
City staff said about another $60,000 of funds remains in the EVP Crown Land Forest Account, which can be used for other one-time urban land forestry projects.
