Steidle pitches fiscal restraint, arena preservation and forestry renewal in Prince George council bid

Among the issues that first prompted him to enter municipal politics were rising property taxes and the loss of green space throughout the city. Steidle said one of the accomplishments he points to over the past four years was the community effort that led to proposed roads through Ginter’s Meadow being removed from the city’s planning documents.

“Through the official community plan and all the folks that got involved, we were able to get those roads off the plan,” he said.

While acknowledging the progress made on that issue, Steidle believes there are still important conversations to be had at the council table. He said he would bring perspectives that may not always be popular but deserve consideration. One of those issues is the future of the city’s aging arena infrastructure, particularly Kopar Memorial Arena.

As city council continues discussions surrounding the Civic Core project and potential replacement facilities, Steidle has emerged as one of the most vocal advocates for preserving Kopar Arena rather than demolishing it. He argues the building remains structurally sound despite its age and questions whether replacing it should be a priority given the city’s broader financial challenges.

“There is no engineering report on record that talks about that building having fundamental structural failures,” Steidle said.

While acknowledging upgrades may be needed, he suggested there could be more affordable alternatives to constructing a new arena. Steidle pointed to renovations completed at an older arena in Trail for less than $10 million and questioned whether a new Prince George facility could ultimately cost significantly more than current estimates.

He also raised concerns about timing, noting that rebuilding on the same site could leave the Prince George Spruce Kings without a home arena during construction.

“Maybe there’s another option on the table that we can talk about,” he said.

Steidle believes Kopar Arena could continue serving multiple community purposes even if a new ice facility is eventually built elsewhere. Among the possibilities he suggested were expanded use by local sports groups, indoor community events and even a year-round home for the Prince George Farmers’ Market during winter months.

His broader concern centres on affordability. With city staff estimating significant infrastructure renewal costs over the coming decades, Steidle said council must carefully weigh major new projects against the growing need to maintain existing roads, utilities and public facilities.

“We have to maintain the infrastructure that we have,” he said, while cautioning against taking on excessive debt during a period of economic uncertainty.

Steidle supports putting major borrowing decisions directly before residents rather than relying on alternative approval processes, arguing that taxpayers should have a direct say in large-scale spending commitments.

Economic diversification is another area he highlighted during the campaign. Asked about the impact of the Northwood Pulp closure and the resulting pressure on the municipal tax base, Steidle said forestry remains a critical part of Prince George’s future and should not be abandoned.

He noted that global market conditions, rather than a lack of available fibre, have contributed to challenges facing pulp producers.

“I don’t want to see those pulp mills go,” he said.

Steidle argued that forestry can play an important role in reducing wildfire risk through increased commercial thinning of previously harvested and replanted forests. Maintaining local pulp-processing capacity, he said, will be important if those materials are to have a viable market. Beyond existing operations, Steidle is advocating for the return of a community forest model in Prince George.

He noted the city gave up its community forest in 2014 and suggested regaining access to a community-managed forest tenure could create opportunities for local entrepreneurs and small forestry businesses.

“This can be Crown land that the city manages and that we can use to prioritize new entrepreneurs,” he said.

A woodworker himself who grew up around the forest industry, Steidle believes the next generation of forestry growth may come from smaller local businesses rather than large outside investors. He pointed to the history of several major Prince George forest companies, which began as family-run operations before growing into major employers.

“I think we can keep doing that kind of a model into the future,” he said.

As voters consider their choices ahead of election day, Steidle’s campaign message is centred on protecting existing public assets, limiting tax increases and supporting locally driven economic development.

Election day in Prince George is Saturday, Oct. 17.

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Email: Adam.Berls@pattisonmedia.com

by Adam Berls

Steidle pitches fiscal restraint, arena preservation and forestry renewal in Prince George council bid

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