The quest to build a new home for the SPCA in Prince George received a $1.5-million boost from the provincial government on Friday.
Prince George SPCA manager Jamie Walsh welcomed the influx as a stepping stone to the more than $9 million the agency hopes to raise for the facility, planned for the corner of 18th Avenue and Foothills Boulevard, just west of Exhibition Park.
"It is a good start but not quite where we need to be," Walsh said.
Once a firmer cost estimate has been nailed down, a fundraising campaign will be launched, she said.
The aim is to start construction by late 2018. How long the project will take to build remains unknown.
"It depends on the facilities and the plannings, we're not quite that far yet," Walsh said.
The money from the province is part of a larger $5 million contribution announced earlier in the week for SPCAs province-wide.
"The BC SPCA has always provided a tremendous service in our community, and a new facility will replace one that is run-down, outdated and not really designed to accommodate the modern needs of different animals in care," Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Mike Morris said. "This investment will ensure a bright future for a long time to come."
The city owns the SPCA's facility on Lansdowne Road, which has been criticized for its out-of-the-way location. The new facility will be owned entirely by the SPCA, Walsh said.
