The PG Journey

May 28, 2007 - Prince George City Council makes decision to develop an Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP).

October 27, 2008 - The full plan background report, current sustainability initiatives and recommendations for next steps were brought before Council.

February 16, 2009 - Council supports a cooperative agreement between the City and UNBC for assistance in developing the ICSP.

Provincial and Federal governments support the ICSP development through funding. The plans will enhance the City’s ability to secure future Provincial and Federal funding, and meet statutory requirements for planning.

Terms that would best serve Prince George were developed after researching other community approaches in developing an ICSP.  Communities such as Lethbridge, Alberta and Williams Lake, BC had taken a progressive approach of completing their Official Community Plan (OCP) review in the same process with their Integrated Community Sustainability Plan.  Prince George will also benefit by this approach.

ICSP/OCP plan development objectives:

• To develop an Integrated Community Sustainability Plan for the City of Prince George – myPG
• To review the Official Community Plan within the principles of integrated community sustainability planning
• To engage local First Nations, community groups, citizens and stakeholders in the development of the ICSP and OCP

An OCP is a long range plan that establishes a framework for directing future growth and land use. This framework is accomplished through its statements of objectives and policies to guide decisions on planning and land use management, within the area covered by the plan, respecting the purposes of local government.  Those purposes of a municipality in this regard are as follows:

• providing for good government of its community
• providing for services, laws and other matters for community benefit
• providing for stewardship of the public assets of its community, and
• fostering the economic, social and environmental well-being of its community

The most recent update of the City of Prince George OCP was completed in 2001, in which an OCP is typically reviewed every 5 to 10 years.  Therefore, a review of our OCP began in 2006; part of this review included the Industrial Lands Strategy Review approved in 2007.  Further updates to the OCP will be accomplished in parallel with the community’s involvement in this myPG Plan engagement.

The ICSP (my PG) will develop a sustainable community vision with the community.