Prince George, British Columbia 2016 Community Profile
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PRINCE GEORGE, BRITISH COLUMBIA 2016 COMMUNITY PROFILE MAYOR’S WELCOME On behalf of City Council and the citizens of Prince George, it is my pleasure to welcome you to our great city. We are proud to be located in the heart of the province and on the traditional territory of the Lheidli T’enneh. The Prince George area is rich in natural resources and the forest industry lies at the foundation of our diverse manufacturing sector and increasingly diversified economy. We are connected to the world by modern telecommunications, road, air, and rail, which make the city an ideal location for manufacturing, transportation, logistics and export operations. The diversification and growth of the city is also enabled by our two great post-secondary facilities: the College of New Caledonia and the University of Northern British Columbia. No city of our size in Canada has the same diversity of educational programs and, in fact, UNBC, which is known as Canada’s Green University, was recently recognized by Maclean’s magazine as the top small university in Canada. Prince George is very competitive when it comes to attracting new business. We have innovative downtown incentive programs to stimulate development on a variety of projects in Prince George. Council recently approved an exciting multi-family housing incentive to encourage new home construction in the city centre, along major thoroughfares, and near busy retail centres. We strive to support existing businesses, grow and diversify our economy through our Business Retention and Expansion program, and work closely with many local business organizations. We celebrated our centennial in 2015 and we have seen many big economic changes in recent years. Since 2012, more than a quarter of a billion dollars has been spent on significant projects and developments in Prince George. It is an exciting time for Prince George. Great things are happening here, and I hope that you choose to become a part of our wonderful city. Mayor Lyn Hall of Prince George Page 2 www.investprincegeorge.ca 2016 COMMUNITY PROFILE TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION 6.0 GOVERNMENT 1.1 Location . 5 6.1 Municipal Council. 12 1.2 Economic Overview . 5 6.2 Regional District . 12 6.3 Provincial Government . 12 2.0 DEMOGRAPHICS 6.4 Federal Government . 12 2.1 Population. 6 2.2 Population by Age Characteristics . 6 7.0 UTILITIES 2.3 Language & Immigration . 6 7.1 Telecommunications. 13 7.2 Waste Management & Recycling. 13 3.0 LABOUR FORCE 7.3 Natural Gas . 13 3.1 Industry Structure by Employment . 7 7.4 Electricity . 14 3.2 Employment and Unemployment Rates . 7 8.0 BUSINESS CLIMATE 4.0 REAL ESTATE 8.1 City of Prince George Tax Rates. 15 4.1 Non-Residential Building Permit Values . 8 8.2 Development Services. 15 4.2 Commercial and Industrial Development . 8 8.3 Development Cost Charges. 15 4.3 Residential Market Trends . 8 9.0 QUALITY OF LIFE 5.0 TRANSPORTATION 9.1 Climate . 16 5.1 Road Transportation . 10 9.2 Airshed Management . 16 5.2 Air Transportation . 11 9.3 Communications & Media . 16 5.3 Rail Transportation . 11 9.4 City Living . 17 5.4 Marine Transportation . 11 9.5 Health & Safety. 20 9.6 Education . 21 ALASKA [USA] YK NWT NU BC NL Prince AB George SASK MB Pacific Ocean QUE CANADA ON Vancouver NB Seattle USA www.investprincegeorge.ca Page 3 2016 COMMUNITY PROFILE 1.0 INTRODUCTION Welcome to Prince George, British Columbia, the largest city in one of Wholesale & Retail Trade the fastest growing regions in Canada. Prince George offers diverse Employment in Wholesale & Retail Trade increased 29% between employment opportunities and an affordable quality of life, where 2005 and 2015, reflecting the establishment of new businesses and four-season recreation opportunities amidst the natural beauty of the the continued growth of the Cariboo development region and Prince outdoors are complemented by a full range of urban amenities. These George as the service and supply centre for communities across qualities differentiate the community from other locations, making Prince northern BC. George a preferred location to live, work, play, invest and study. Manufacturing 1.1 LOCATION Manufacturing remains one of the largest sectors in Prince George, Prince George is situated in the heart of the province, 800 km north of with a broad range of production activities including wood products, Vancouver, British Columbia and 740 km west of Edmonton, Alberta. machinery & equipment, chemicals & plastics, and food & beverage Located at the junction of major provincial Highways 16 & 97, Prince manufacturing. George is also located at the confluence of the Fraser and Nechako Rivers. Healthcare & Social Assistance Established on the traditional territory of the Lheidli T’enneh, Prince George is surrounded by vast natural beauty, yet offers full urban amenities and Over the past decade, employment in the Healthcare & Social Assistance superior connectivity to global destinations. sector has remained steady. Significant investments have been made to expand health services in the city over this time, including the BC Cancer 1.2 ECONOMIC OVERVIEW Agency Centre for the North, which is the most recent investment in The Prince George economy is well-diversified across all sectors. Over 71,363healthcare71,363 infrastructure in Prince George recent decades, Prince George has developed from a mainly forest-based CITYAccommodationCITY & Food Services economy to a city that has a strong natural resource base, but also supplies Accommodation & Food Services sees consistent employment goods and services for a broad range of sector activities throughout 83,823numbers83,823 and contributes to the overall economic growth in the city, northern BC, within Canada and internationally. Prince George is the largest CENSUSand is indicativeCENSUS of a growing tourism industry across northern BC. city in the Cariboo development region. Its estimated population of 71,363 AGGLOMERATIONAGGLOMERATION 74%74% makes up 46% of the total Cariboo population. Construction 91,277 Construction91,277 remains one of the key employment sectors in Prince The Cariboo development region’s five largest employment sectors are: REGIONAL DISTRICTREGIONAL DISTRICT George and the Cariboo region, due both to capital investment in 47,00047,000 Wholesale & Retail Trade; Manufacturing; Healthcare & Social Assistance; Accommodation & Food Services; and Construction. Over the past decade, 320,221Prince George320,221 and local companies providing support to major ANNUALANNUAL combined employment in these sectors has seen consistent growth, SERVICEprojects AREA throughoutSERVICE AREA northernYOUNG BC. POPULATIONYOUNG POPULATION increasing the relative presence of the sectors and contributing to the (Under 55) (Under 55) EMPLOYMENTEMPLOYMENT economic strength and diversity of the region and city’s economy. PRINCE PRINCE GEORGE 6.4%GEORGE 6.4% PRINCE PRINCE 71,363 GEORGE GEORGE 65.6% 65.6% CITY BC BC 6.2% 6.2% BC 59.5%BC 59.5% CANADA CANADA 83,823 6.9% 6.9% CANADA CANADA CENSUS 61.3% 61.3% AGGLOMERATION 74% 91,277 REGIONAL DISTRICT 47,0006.4%6.4% 65.6%65.6% 320,221 ANNUAL UNEMPLOYMENTUNEMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENTEMPLOYMENT $98,060$98,060 SERVICE AREA YOUNG POPULATION MEDIANMEDIAN FAMILY FAMILYINCOME INCOME (Under 55) EMPLOYMENTRATE (2015)RATE (2015) RATE (2015)RATE (2015) Page 4 www.investprincegeorge.ca Fort Nelson Fort Nelson PRINCE RAIL HOURSRAIL HOURS GEORGE 6.4% PRINCE 82FROM82 CHICAGOFROM CHICAGO Fort St. John Fort St. John GEORGE 65.6% WHEREWHERE RAIL HOURSRAIL FROM HOURS FROM BC PRINCE RUPERTPRINCE RUPERT 6.2% BC 59.5% 17 17 WE FLYWE FLY HOURS CLOSER TO HOURS CLOSER TO CANADA ASIA THAN OTHER ASIA THAN OTHER Smithers Smithers 6.9% CANADA 61.3% WEST COAST PORTS WEST COAST PORTS 12-4012-40 Terrace - Terrace - Kitimat Kitimat PRINCE PRINCE TRUCK HOURS TRUCK HOURS ACCESS TO NORTH ACCESS TO NORTH GEORGE GEORGE 6.4% 65.6% 12-2612-26AMERICAN MARKETS AMERICAN MARKETS $98,060 CONNECTEDCONNECTED TO DOMESTIC TO DOMESTIC470,849470,849 UNEMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT & INTERNATIONAL& INTERNATIONAL MARKETS MARKETS YEARLYYEARLY YXS YXS RATE (2015) RATE (2015) MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME Kamloops Kamloops Vancouver Vancouver PASSENGERSPASSENGERS Victoria Victoria Kelowna Kelowna Puerto Vallarta, MexicoPuerto Vallarta, Mexico Fort Nelson RAIL HOURS 82FROM CHICAGO WHERE Fort St. John RAIL HOURS FROM 17PRINCE RUPERT WE FLY UNBC UNBC HOURS CLOSER TO STUDENTSSTUDENTS ASIA THAN OTHER Smithers OverOver 4k 4k WEST COAST PORTS 12-40 Terrace - Kitimat PRINCE CNC CNC TRUCK HOURS ACCESS TO NORTH GEORGE STUDENTSSTUDENTS 12-26 AMERICAN MARKETS OverOver 5k 5k CONNECTED TO DOMESTIC 470,849 & INTERNATIONAL MARKETS YEARLY YXS Kamloops Vancouver PASSENGERS Victoria Kelowna Puerto Vallarta, Mexico UNBC Over 4k STUDENTS CNC Over 5k STUDENTS 2016 COMMUNITY PROFILE 2.0 DEMOGRAPHICS 2.1 POPULATION 2.3 LANGUAGE & IMMIGRATION The census agglomeration population of Prince George was estimated Prince George’s diverse population includes a large Francophone to be 83,823 in 2015; the population in the Regional District of Fraser-Fort community and a number of established and growing immigrant George was estimated at 91,277. BC Stats estimates that the population of communities. In 2011, more than 80% of immigrants had called Prince the region will increase over coming decades. George home for 13 years or more. POPULATION NATIVE TONGUE % OF TOTAL POPULATION AREA 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 English 88.2% Prince George 73,803 73,509 73,850 73,321 71,363 Panjabi (Punjabi) 1.8% Regional Distric of 93,887 93,452 93,712 93,288 91,277 French 1.5% Fraser - Fort George