By Cheryl Jahn

Public Safety

Public Safety Committee issues front and centre

Feb 23, 2026 | 10:46 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – A number of matters around social services were floated around Council chambers last night, starting with a bylaw generated out of the municipality of Cobourg, Ontario.

The bylaw sets out regulations surrounding the conduct of emergency shelters in that community.

The notion arose from a public safety conference in Lethbridge attended by Councillor Trudy Klassen. She noted there were many communities which expressed concerns around the number of shelters being under strain. She returned a report to the Standing Committee on Public Safety, which subsequently forwarded a series of recommendations for Council to consider.

Of them was a request to have Administration contact the community to determine the success of the bylaw, which has been in place for roughly a year.

“Our downtown is so small, relative-speaking, with a concentration of services,” noted Mayor Simon Yu, who also suggested this may generate a conversation.

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Other s noted to workload to consider such a bylaw and the “unintended consequences” on existing services.

Also arising from a Public Safety Committee meeting from December 2025 was a recommendation for Administration to “provide options to implement criteria set out in the ‘PG Hope and Healing Network Code of Conduct’ when it comes to determining which agencies are eligible for permissive tax exemptions.

According to the Community Charter: “Local governments have the legislated authority under Section 224 of the Community Charter to permit tax exemptions for properties that are owned or held by a charitable, philanthropic or other not for profit corporation, and are used for a purpose that is directly related to the purposes of the municipality.he City grants annual tax exemptions to a number of organizations based on a series of criteria.” A tax exemption is similar in effect to a cash grant, and forms part of the overall City’s financial assistance program.

An organization called the PG Hope and Healing Network is urging Council to consider incorporating ten criteria as part of a Community of Practice for the City’s consideration when looking at eligibility.

Organizations that choose to participate in the Community of Practice must:

1. Be person-centered, involving those most affected by decisions, in decisions

that will affect their lives.

2. Participate in the Digital Network for referrals, to share good practices, and

provide a link to their website’s annual reports and financial statements.

3. Commit to the progressive decolonization of systems and services.

4. Commit to daytime dignity, offering indoor places for socializing and eating.

5. Collaborate with other agencies to address unmet client needs.

6. Be a good neighbor and be accountable for their organizational footprint.

7. Invest in learning, together.

8. Use a common approach for key procedures, including restricted access.

9. Have a board who have experience, expertise and are based in PG.

10. Participate in a community-based feedback and complaints mechanism.

Council has reviewed the request to considered during a review of the City’s bylaw as it stands.