The City of Prince George has reinforced its commitment to supporting local businesses.
In a statement released Monday, March 17, the city announced it is relaunching the Support PG initiative through a partnership with the Chamber of Commerce.
The initiative, originally launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to support businesses impacted by the crisis, will encourage locals to purchase goods and services from Prince George, British Columbia and Canada whenever possible.
The relaunch is made possible through collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce, which helped the city secure $396,000 in grant funding from the Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP) in February 2024 to revitalize the Support PG initiative.
The city also hopes the initiative will gather critical data from a recent business survey on the impacts of tariffs and what supports could help. The survey remains open until March 31.
“What we have seen through evolving tariff threats from the U.S. is increased awareness about where the products people purchase are made. We are also seeing a united, collaborative approach in terms of retaliation,” said Neil Godbout, executive director of the Prince George Chamber of Commerce, in the city's press release.
He said the threat of tariffs has renewed consumer interest in shopping at and supporting local businesses.
“We are also seeing a more ‘Team PG’ approach," he said. "Take the survey, for example. In the past, each partner would have unilaterally done this kind of survey for their members, clients, or contacts, staying in our silos instead of working together. But now is the time to stop worrying about stepping on each other’s toes and spend more time holding hands and working together.”
Mayor Simon Yu also commented on the need to support local small businesses during this challenging period.
“The situation is constantly changing, and it’s challenging for business owners to predict the long-term impacts,” said Yu. “As a city, we want to explore what changes may be possible within our own procurement processes while ensuring we continue delivering essential services.”
A report on the city's procurement practices was discussed at the March 10 council meeting. It outlined that the city is subject to trade agreements such as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the Canada-UK Trade Continuity Agreement (CUKTCA), the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), and the New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA).
These trade agreements emphasize open and non-discriminatory procurement and prohibit preferential treatment of local suppliers past certain thresholds.
However, council has requested a follow-up report outlining next steps regarding procurement practices, the implications of national tariffs, and potential options for adopting social procurement practices that align with the city’s existing criteria.
