By Nick Dube

Downtown businesses asking for help amid continuing problems

Oct 14, 2025 | 5:32 PM

Prince George – Another week and more fires outside downtown Prince George businesses. With vandalism continuing to be commonplace downtown following the arson of area staple Crossroads brewing has left downtown business owners financially and emotionally exhausted with no end in sight. This has led to one business owner putting his foot down and calling for a state of local emergency.

“I’ve been pushing for the city council to declare a state of local emergency because I think it really sends a strong message to the provincial government that they need to step up and take care of the things that is in their purview and they have to address the root causes of all these issues.The province has not been treating this like the emergency that it is, even though they declared a state of public health emergency, eight years ago. It’s been eight years and things have gotten worse so clearly whatever they’re doing with all the programs and policies that they’ve done over the last eight years to address these issues is completely failing .” said Nancy O’s owner Eoin Foley.

Foley says Downtown crime threatens employment and is a drag on investment downtown. He says foot traffic has also dropped.As a result, he’s calling on the federal government to step in and provide some assistance.

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“A big thing that our city leaders can do is to really put pressure on the higher levels of government. The province has the mandate and the resources to to address the root causes of these issues. To deal with the mental health,addictions and homelessness that ultimately resulted, and the great amount of crime and street disorder that we see on a daily basis the federal government, needs to address bail reform. This is so that people aren’t repeatedly, let go out on bail with the conditions that they frequently break with a revolving door with the justice system and it all needs to stop.” said Foley.

In an open letter to residents of Prince George, mayor and council acknowledge that public safety is the most urgent challenge facing our city. To combat crime and the fires, they say they have considered every tool available to them to address safety concerns downtown and have implemented those which are known to be effective, including funding for CCTV, increasing funding for bylaw and RCMP, and cooperating with the province to build more housing for people living in the streets. Mayor and council are also leaning on the federal government for bail reform to help avoid what they call our “catch and release system.” They finish by stating they have seen some results recently, notably the involuntary care facility announced for Prince George last month.

A safe streets rally is being held for the community this Thursday October 16th at the CN Centre starting at 7pm where many of these issues will be addressed.