The audience for the public hearing on Prince George’s new draft Official Community Plan, held Wednesday, March 19, filled all available seats and left some residents standing against the side walls of council chambers. Additionally, more residents called in to share their thoughts.
After almost three and a half hours of speakers, council adjourned the hearing and set a date to reconvene on Wednesday, April 9, for further comments from residents. As a result, the third reading of the bylaw approving the OCP was not passed as scheduled.
The most prominent topics raised during the hearing included calls for increased protections for greenspaces and concerns from developers who felt changes to the OCP could affect the value of their land.
Following the passage of the first two readings of bylaws establishing the new OCP and related zoning changes, council was required to hold a public hearing before proceeding with the third and fourth readings.
Municipalities and regional districts are required by provincial legislation to have an Official Community Plan as an overarching guide for growth and development. Local governments must update their OCPs by the end of 2025 and again by the end of 2028.
Before the meeting, representatives from the local advocacy group Ginter’s Green Forever (GGF) handed out packages to attendees labelled "Three Amendments of the OCP to Save Ginter’s and Forests for the World."
Ahead of the meeting, GGF expressed relief that planned road expansions through the greenspace along the bottom of Cranbrook Hill had been removed from the draft OCP but urged council to remove certain properties within the meadow from the Urban Containment Boundary and redesignate a right-of-way from Massey Drive to Ferry Avenue as parkland.
The OCP discourages "further intensification of urban uses and densities on lands outside of the Urban Containment Boundary" and "further subdivision (both infill and new multi-lot development) or development of properties outside the Urban Containment Boundary that are urban in density and may warrant an urban level of servicing."
The hearing alternated between residents speaking in person and those calling in by phone.
The first speaker was GGF organizer Jenn Matthews, who called in to reiterate the group’s position on removing the roads and advocating for more protections. She said the Urban Containment Boundary signals to developers where the city wants construction. With a relatively stagnant population, she argued that the boundary should shrink to protect cherished natural spaces while limiting urban sprawl.
In addition to advocating for Ginter’s Green, Matthews said she felt there was a lack of food security policy in the OCP and a need for more mixed-use residential options.
Michelle Oster, a 31-year resident of Prince George, called for more of Moore’s Meadow to be zoned as P1 (Parks and Recreation) rather than AF (Agriculture and Forestry). She cited a 2023 study from the University of Northern British Columbia in which most respondents "strongly agreed" that the wildlife in Moore’s Meadow was important to them.
Oster also referenced the city’s own public engagement findings, which showed that residents prioritized parks, trails, and recreation areas. She argued that AF zoning would put an established wildlife corridor at risk and that spills from future development could harm the local water supply.
Nav Aulakh, the owner of a property on Silvercrest Road in the Hart, said he had not been properly notified that his property was being excluded from the Urban Containment Boundary. He added that he wouldn’t have purchased the property if he had known this would happen and asked that his property remain within the boundary.
Glen Froese of Hyland Properties said his company’s $200-million development on 2000 Central Ave. was delayed due to the timing of the public hearing. He noted that city staff had previously told them the new plan would be approved by February or March.
Froese later responded to criticisms from speakers who said that many of the developers raising concerns were not based in Prince George. He clarified that he lives in the city and that his company was founded through a donation to the Mennonite Central Committee, which helps people globally.
Another developer, Victor Nguyen of Glenview Crescent Development Inc., said his company’s development plans for Knight Crescent in the Hart have been affected by the removal of his property from the Urban Containment Boundary.
Tierney Watkinson, a frequent user of Ginter’s Green and Forests for the World, urged council to protect these spaces and focus development in existing urban areas. "Please do not let money kill the environment, especially with climate change," Watkinson said.
Perry Slump, president of the Prince George Farmers’ Institute, expressed concern that the OCP did not adequately address agriculture, food, and food security. He said it was more important than ever to protect access to agricultural lands, given recent geopolitical tensions.
Martha Ridsdale voiced her support for protecting Ginter’s Green in the OCP, saying she uses the trails there year-round.
Kevin Cunin, president of the Prince George Western Heritage Society, asked for the OCP to reflect the society’s growth, including the need for a large, covered grandstand at their rodeo grounds, which currently lacks sufficient shelter or seating.
At one point, there was a moment of levity when a speaker inadvertently spoke to someone else off-microphone, unaware that the audience could hear. City staff moved on to the next speaker.
Will Dong, the owner of a property on Shamrock Drive, said he was unaware his land would be excluded from the Urban Containment Boundary and designated as Rural Resource. He argued this would jeopardize his plans to build 550 housing units near Hart Highlands Elementary. Dong also criticized the planned road network, asking council to reinstate road extensions from the previous OCP.
A later speaker, however, contested Dong’s comments, arguing that the area around Shamrock Road was not fully within the Urban Containment Boundary in the previous OCP and opposing the proposed development.
James Wylie, a Shamrock Road resident, expressed support for Dong’s development, saying that landowners’ opportunities to develop should be supported.
UNBC professor and registered professional planner Annie Booth criticized the OCP’s public engagement process. She argued the plan did not reflect the values of the entire city, particularly those of younger generations. Booth also criticized piecemeal decision-making in the city and suggested that Prince George should focus on providing appropriate housing options for students. She left a package of illustrations created by her students, urging council to consider the desires of the next generation.
Selene Maxwell, another member of Ginter’s Green Forever, called Ginter’s Green a sanctuary for residents, likening it to Stanley Park in Vancouver. She argued that brownfields, not greenspaces, should be used for development.
James Steidle, a GGF organizer and Citizen columnist, said the city should take natural assets more seriously. He argued that the city does not know if new developments are paying for themselves and criticized the increasing urban footprint despite a relatively stable population.
Kayla Wiens, who moved to Prince George in 2017, said the city’s trails and greenspaces were a major reason she chose to stay. She expressed concern about the potential loss of trails around Forests for the World.
Kelly-Anne Heinrichs opposed urban sprawl into greenspaces, citing empty lots in areas like University Heights as better development options.
David Greenberg warned that unchecked growth could lead to the loss of important greenspaces, calling for the northern end of Moore’s Meadow to be rezoned as a park.
Sabrina Angus, interim CEO of the Prince George Airport Authority, called for the restoration of the airport’s land use authority in the OCP. She noted that Transport Canada’s guidelines require consideration of land use around aerodromes to ensure compatibility with aircraft safety.
One speaker raised concerns about the lack of discussion around 15-minute cities and smart cities in the OCP, referencing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by the United Nations.
Ed Dylke expressed concerns about the potential for wildfires to affect Prince George, referencing the devastation seen in other communities like Kelowna and Fort McMurray. He urged council to include more thorough action plans for wildfire threats.
Kyle Moffat, a First Nations woman, implored council to protect natural areas for future generations to learn from.
Patrick Cummins echoed previous speakers’ concerns and urged council to "do the right thing."
After all the speakers finished, Coun. Cori Ramsay noted that the hearing had been scheduled during spring break, when many residents were out of town. She suggested that it might be prudent to reschedule the hearing to ensure more people could attend.
Ethan Anderson, manager of legislative services, said that returning speakers would be given an additional five minutes, while first-time speakers would receive the full 10 minutes.
Ramsay moved to adjourn the hearing and reconvene on Wednesday, April 9, at 7 p.m. in council chambers. The motion passed unanimously.
Deanna Wasnik, director of planning and development, reminded council that the city has time to adjust the OCP but must meet the provincial deadlines. She also suggested concurrent changes to both the current and draft plans to allow developers to proceed with their projects.
Coun. Susan Scott thanked the more than 60 residents who had reached out to council to share their opinions.
Mayor Simon Yu thanked the audience, calling the evening an invigorating experience, and thanked staff for their work in preparing for the meeting. All members of council participated, although Coun. Ron Polillo connected remotely.
