When conversations turn to food security in Prince George, there is often a misconception about what local government can, and should, do. While the City plays a supportive role by granting permits, zoning land, and enabling access for vital events like local farmers’ markets, ultimately, food security is not a municipal responsibility.
This isn’t Ontario. Here in British Columbia, our legislative framework is clear: primary responsibility for public health, social safety nets, agricultural regulation, and regional food security rests squarely with the Province of BC and the Federal Government. Municipalities are not structured or legislated to absorb these provincial mandates, and downloading those burdens onto local taxpayers isn’t how the BC system is built to work.
$846 Million in Infrastructure Deficits: Overreach, Fearmongering, and the Need for Common Sense
Hot on the heels of the latest municipal infrastructure report, claiming Prince George needs a staggering $846 million for repairs and upgrades, taxpayers are being handed another dose of sticker shock.
Dropping numbers of this magnitude without context isn’t responsible governance; it approaches fearmongering. For years, city administration has presented over-assessments and worst-case scenarios, numbly conditioning residents to expect endless tax hikes and multi-million-dollar liabilities.
We have become so accustomed to these astronomical estimates that “budget fatigue” has set in across the community. It is a completely unsustainable path for every homeowner, business, and fixed-income resident in Prince George.
Shutting Down Overreach and Returning to Core Basics
A new, proactive council needs to step in on day one and put a firm stop to this administrative overreach. We don’t need panic; we need a reality check.
- Reject inflated, pie-in-the-sky project scope. We must distinguish between absolute critical infrastructure needs and inflated wish-list items.
- Review city operations from top to bottom. Before asking taxpayers for another dime, council must examine how current funds are allocated, spent, and managed.
- Refine capital priorities. Focus strictly on essential services—roads, pipes, and core public safety—rather than chasing gold-plated expansion models.
Prince George cannot tax its way out of an $846 million headline figure, nor should it try. The solution is getting back to core basics, auditing operational habits, and bringing realistic, pragmatic management back to city hall.
Why Expanding Municipal Bureaucracy Fails Local Taxpayers
While local governments can facilitate positive community initiatives, such as granting space for community gardens or streamlining permits for local growers, attempting to build a municipal bureaucracy to tackle systemic food insecurity is a fundamental mistake.
We have seen this play out in other jurisdictions: when cities step in to absorb responsibilities that belong to higher levels of government, the outcome is predictable. Municipalities end up overreaching, creating administrative overlap, and taking on long-term financial liabilities they are not equipped to handle. Taxpayers are then left picking up the tab for provincial mandates through rising property taxes, while the core municipal infrastructure, roads, public safety, and basic utilities, competes for funding.
Prince George must avoid falling into this trap. Accepting or inviting the downloading of provincial duties does not solve food insecurity; it simply shifts the burden onto local property owners while diluting the accountability of the provincial and federal authorities who hold the actual tools, jurisdiction, and funding to manage these issues.
Our local focus should remain clear: supporting grassroots access through smart, simple municipal permitting where appropriate, while demanding that the Province of BC fulfill its legislative duties for public health and social security.
The Cautionary Tale: Lessons from Ontario
Look at what has happened in Ontario, where municipalities took on downloaded provincial roles, including complex social and food security initiatives. Today, many of those Ontario cities are facing severe financial strain and skyrocketing property taxes. What makes this even more telling is that these communities operate under much higher population densities and sit well below the 49th parallel, benefiting from significantly milder climates and longer growing seasons than Northern BC. If attempting to manage food security at the municipal level fails under those favorable conditions, trying to replicate that model in Prince George is a recipe for fiscal hardship.
Tax Overload vs. Real Municipal Focus
Residents and local businesses in Prince George are already squeezed by compounding pressures: federal taxes, provincial taxes, and rising municipal costs. Adding a local tax burden for provincial responsibilities only worsens the cost-of-living crisis.
Our priority in Prince George must be getting our own house in order. That starts with going back over the books, eliminating duplicate efforts, and streamlining how city hall operates. First and foremost, we must focus on delivering efficient core municipal services.
Where the City can add value is by staying in its lane, supporting local agricultural producers through practical permitting, sensible land-use zoning, and removing bureaucratic roadblocks. But at the end of the day, systemic food security remains a provincial and federal mandate. This is British Columbia, not Ontario. We must hold the province accountable for its responsibilities, rather than burdening local taxpayers with problems the city was never legislated to fix.
The Path Forward: Fix the Foundation First
To protect Prince George’s financial future, we must get our own house in order. That requires a council willing to do the hard work, starting with a comprehensive internal audit of every single city department to eliminate waste, stop redundant spending, and keep property taxes under control.
There is no shortage of “pie-in-the-sky” funding requests and “nice-to-have” projects coming before council. But in times like these, municipal government must focus on core priorities, not frivolous extras.
We need a proactive, fiscally responsible council that will take a deep dive into city operations and balance the books. We have to fix the foundation before we start decorating the second floor.
True food security doesn’t start by adding new administrative line items to city hall’s payroll, it starts by lowering the financial burden on local households. When city council keeps property taxes down, we directly relieve pressure on family budgets. Lower household expenses mean more money left in residents’ pockets to put food on their own tables every single month.