(Image Credit: Spruce Capital Seniors Recreation Centre)

By Nick Dube

Community Centre pushes back on lack of funding

Jan 6, 2026 | 5:14 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – At December 15th’s City Council meeting a large group of seniors showed up to voice their opinion of Mayor Simon Yu’s recommendation that the remaining amount in the 2025 contingency fund be given to the Prince George & District Senior Citizens Activity Centre. The Mayor heard opposition from all four other local senior centres and pivoted to given each centre a piece of the pie. Despite the solution the motion was defeated 6-3 leaving many angry with the outcome. One City Councilor hit social media to explain his side of the story but was met with resistance.

“The reason I voted against the initiative that was brought forward was because it was knee jerk and it isn’t going to actually address the problem. If there’s a a gap in support for seniors organizations, which is what we’ve been hearing then we need to address that and we need to address that on a long term sustainable basis.” said City Councilor Kyle Sampson.

Council agreed to meet with the centres to try and generate a permanent solution to the funding issues but this too has been a topic of debate as rumours of the meeting costing $5,000 began to surface with Sampson quickly clarifying that the amount is a ceiling not a spending plan and that cap is put into place to provide flexibility on accessing resources to do the work and the goal is to spend as close to zero as possible. Sampson followed this up by saying he would privately fund the meeting himself. One Senior Centre administrator fired back when the meeting was brought up and issued a challenge.

“We need help. Don’t come to the centers and ask us what we need when we already know. As a matter of fact, if you really care Wednesday at 1:00pm at the ECRA Center will be the very first meeting with the Prince George Council, the seniors and all the seniors clubs. This meeting will be free of charge at 1:00. If you really care.” said Spruce Capital Seniors Recreation Centre Administrator Shirley Morin.

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Sampson says that there are certain responsibilities that go into spending taxpayer dollars and notes that council don’t take these decisions lightly.

“If there’s a gap that seniors organizations are struggling with we need to understand that and there’s not one way to do that. Having a session where we work together, they can understand each other, we can understand them, and then we can come up with a solution that’s going to be effective. It’s also, fair and equitable to each other and also to the rest of the taxpayers of Prince George, who want us to be accountable for where their dollars are going.” said Sampson.

Morin adds that a rally is planned for Monday January 12th’s council meeting at City Hall to address the funding concerns.