A pair of Prince George city councillors are asking for more transparency regarding numbered companies that buy city land, or apply for rezonings, variances or other land use applications.
In a notice of motion on Monday night, councillors Brian Skakun and Trudy Klassen are seeking for city administration to report back on the feasibility of requiring numbered companies to disclose who the owners and directors of the company are. The notice of motion was accepted without discussion on Monday, and will be back before city council for debate on May 31.
“When considering applications for rezonings and variance applications, City Council and the public should be fully informed as to who the owners and directors of these businesses are,” Skakun and Klassen wrote in the notice of motion. “The Province of BC has been proactive with the Land Owner Transparency Act. This requires public disclosure of anyone that has an interest in real estate holdings through a trust, corporation or partnership. Adding more transparency to the applications that the City receives for land sales, rezonings, variance applications and such will help ensure those who want to profit are identified and should help deter those who want to make profit while keeping their identities hidden.”
Five out of seven land use applications before city council on Monday night involved numbered companies.
Currently, the names of the directors and owners of those companies are not included in the public reports included in the city council agenda package. In many cases, such companies will hire consultants to submit reports and speak on their behalf.
