City gets big infrastructure dollars

PRINCE GEORGE – The City of Prince George has received a significant amount of money from the Province for infrastructure spending. The Government of BC committed $100 million to 22 Northern communities and four regional districts. The City’s portion is $8.135 million while the Regional District of Fraser Fort George will receive $4.182 million.

Acting Mayor Cori Ramsay says the new is very welcome as local government have highlighted infrastructure as an issue for years. The City undertook a recent facilities assessment, looking at the condition of more than 50 civic facilities. That assessment found the City would have to spend $77 million over ten years for repairs and replacement.

While the details of the fund have not been released, Ramsay says what’s underground is equally concerning.

“Every time we dig in the ground, we’re going to find infrastructure that we don’t really know about. The City of Prince George is over a hundred years old and to find wooden pipes behind me [7th Avenue], you never know what you’re going to find underground.”