Trudy Klassen launches re-election campaign

Among those endorsing her campaign was former Prince George Mayor Colin Kinsley.

“Mayor Kinsley just started commenting on my Facebook posts and saying, ‘Good job, Trudy,'” she said. “I asked him, and he said yes. I was beyond thrilled to have him introduce me today.”

Klassen said economic development remains one of the biggest concerns she hears from residents and will continue to be a major focus if she is re-elected.

“We really need to work on that really hard,” she said.

She argued that Prince George needs to take a more proactive approach to attracting and encouraging investment, including creating a development environment that helps businesses navigate city processes.

“We need to build our local economy by having a development services department and an economic development services department that says, ‘How can we get to yes for you?'”

Klassen also emphasized the importance of regional collaboration, saying economic challenges and opportunities extend well beyond city boundaries. With residents facing the prospect of rising taxes and ongoing budget pressures, Klassen said council needs to take a closer look at city spending and identify opportunities for savings. She suggested projects and expenditures should be reviewed to ensure taxpayer dollars are being used effectively.

“We need to take a good look at all of the spending that we do and find savings like every business does,” she said.

Klassen pointed to the CN Centre envelope upgrade as one project that could potentially be revisited as part of a broader review. She also argued council needs better information to make decisions, saying debates over relatively small budget items often distract from larger financial questions facing the city. Klassen said residents continue to express concerns about downtown Prince George, an area she believes reflects the overall health of the community. She said addressing those concerns will require stronger partnerships with local businesses, service agencies, Indigenous organizations, and residents.

“We need to hear feedback from the residents,” she said. “That is sometimes a complaint that we hear, that nobody came and talked to us or asked us for ideas.”

While Prince George already has a downtown strategy, Klassen said she would like to see more tangible results and greater consultation with businesses that are succeeding downtown.

“There are businesses downtown that are doing really well. They’ve got some ideas. Let’s talk to them and include all of them in finding those solutions to bring energy and life back downtown.”

A frequent critic of what she sees as excessive reliance on administration, Klassen said she wants elected officials to play a larger role in decision-making. She said she will support candidates during the election campaign who share that philosophy.

“I really think that politics is about giving back,” Klassen said. “You’re being entrusted to spend taxpayers’ money wisely and make good decisions.”

She added that she hopes voters elect a council committed to making decisions in the best interests of the city.

Looking back on her time on council, Klassen pointed to the closure of the Millennium Park encampment as one of the moments she is most proud of. She said she spent nearly a week at the site during the decampment process in an effort to ensure it proceeded as smoothly as possible.

“The decision had been made to decamp, and I wanted to be sure that our city would not end up in the headlines with it being a disaster,” she said.

Klassen said she wanted to help put “a human face” on council during a difficult period and avoid the kinds of conflicts that accompanied similar encampment removals in other Canadian cities.

As the municipal election campaign gets underway, Klassen says she intends to continue promoting what she describes as a collaborative, fiscally responsible approach to governing while focusing on economic growth and downtown renewal.

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Email: Adam.Berls@pattisonmedia.com

by Adam Berls

Trudy Klassen launches re-election campaign

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