Prince George is the largest city in northern

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...

, Canada, with a population of 74,004 in the metropolitan area. It is often called the province's "northern capital" or sometimes the "spruce capital" because it is the hub city for Northern BC. It is situated at the confluence of the

Fraser Fraser may refer to: Places Antarctica * Fraser Point, South Orkney Islands Australia * Fraser, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb in the Canberra district of Belconnen * Division of Fraser (Australian Capital Territory), a former federal e ...

and Nechako rivers, and at the crossroads of

Highway 16 Route 16, or Highway 16, can refer to: International * Asian Highway 16 * European route E16 * European route E016 Australia - Thompsons Road (Victoria) - South Australia Canada ;Parts of the Trans-Canada Highway: *Yellowhead Hi ...

and

Highway 97 Route 97, or Highway 97, may refer to: Australia - Olympic Dam Highway, South Australia Canada * British Columbia Highway 97 ** British Columbia Highway 97A ** British Columbia Highway 97B ** British Columbia Highway 97C ** British Columbia ...

History

The origins of Prince George can be traced to the

North West Company The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what is present-day Western Canada and Northwestern Ontario. With great weal ...

fur trading post of Fort George, which was established in 1807 by Simon Fraser and named in honour of

King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great B ...

.Runnalls, F.E. A History of Prince George. 1946 The post was centred in the centuries-old homeland of the

Lheidli T'enneh The Lheidli T'enneh Band also known as the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation and historically known as the Fort George Indian Band is the First Nations band government for the Lheidli T'enneh, a subgroup of the Dakelh people whose traditional territo ...

First Nation Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

, whose very name means "people of the confluence of the two rivers." The Lheidli T'enneh name began to see official use around the 1990s and the band is otherwise historically referred to as Fort George Indian Band.George, N. D. "Decolonizing the Empathic Settler Mind: An Autoethnographic Inquiry". Antioch University, 2014.

1800s

Throughout the 19th century, HBC Fort George trading post remained unchanged, and

Fort St. James Fort St. James is a district municipality and former fur trading post in northern central British Columbia, Canada. It is located on the south-eastern shore of Stuart Lake in the Omineca Country, at the northern terminus of Highway 27, which conn ...

reigned as the main trading post and capital of the

New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...

area. Even during the

Cariboo Gold Rush The Cariboo Gold Rush was a gold rush in the Colony of British Columbia, which later joined the Canadian province of British Columbia. The first gold discovery was made at Hills Bar in 1858, followed by more strikes in 1859 on the Horsefly Rive ...

, Fort George was isolated although

Quesnel Quesnel or Quesnell means "little oak" in the Picard language, Picard dialect of French language, French. It is used as a proper name and may refer to: Places * Le Quesnel, a commune the Somme department in France * Quesnel, British Columbia, a c ...

prospered as the

Cariboo Road The Cariboo Road (also called the Cariboo Wagon Road, the Great North Road or the Queen's Highway) was a project initiated in 1860 by the Governor of the Colony of British Columbia, James Douglas. It involved a feat of engineering stretching fr ...

was built to its doorstep, making it the main staging area for the miners going to the goldfields at

Barkerville Barkerville was the main town of the Cariboo Gold Rush in British Columbia, Canada, and is preserved as a historic town. It is located on the north slope of the Cariboo Plateau near the Cariboo Mountains east of Quesnel. BC Highway 26, which ...

. Then, when the Collins Overland Telegraph Trail was built in 1865–67, it bypassed Fort George trading post, following the Blackwater Trail from Quesnel and continuing northwest towards Hazelton. In the late 1800s many

lived in a village built next to the HBC trading post due to the ease of preparing furs and trading directly, without great distances to travel.

Townsite development and the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway

In 1903, the area's fortune began to change when reports said that the

Grand Trunk Pacific Railway The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway was a historic Canadian transcontinental railway running from Fort William, Ontario (now Thunder Bay) to Prince Rupert, British Columbia, a Pacific coast port. East of Winnipeg the line continued as the National Tra ...

(later part of

Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States. CN i ...

) would pass near the fur trading post. In 1906, agricultural settlement began around the HBC post and then in 1909, development of two townsites began as two rival land speculation companies built the communities of

South Fort George South Fort George is a suburb of Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. Before the arrival of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway in 1914, the Prince George area was known as Fort George and was a Lheidli T'enneh village and Hudson's Bay Company s ...

and Fort George (sometimes referred to as Central Fort George). South Fort George was built on the Fraser River near to and just south of the

Hudson's Bay Company The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake business di ...

's trading post. The GTP meanwhile was trying to acquire land for its own townsite which delayed the constructions of what would become Prince George for several years.

Fort George townsite

Fort George townsite was built to the northwest on the Nechako River. The name had been registered by the district lot original purchasers with some concerns due to its similarity to the HBC trading post's name. George Hammond, the CEO of the Natural Resources Security Company, bought nine district lots and promoted his community of Fort George in exaggerated and questionable advertisements all over Canada and Britain, describing Fort George in glowing terms as being the future hub of British Columbia, the "Chicago of the north", and having mild winters and being suitable for any agricultural endeavour. Hammond claimed the existence of buildings and facilities in advertising when none existed at the time.Bumby, Anna. The Sales Campaign of George J Hammond and the Natural Resources Security Company. CNC. 1981. Lots sold in 1912 for $400, rising to $500-$1,000 by 1913. Ten paddle steamer sternwheelers serviced the area, coming up on the Fraser River from

Soda Creek Soda Creek is a rural subdivision 38 km north of Williams Lake in British Columbia, Canada. Located on the east bank of the Fraser River, Soda Creek was originally the home of the Xat'sull First Nation. Soda Creek Indian Reserve No. 1 is ...

docking at both South Fort George and Fort George Townsite.

South Fort George

South Fort George developed close to the near defunct HBC post, along the Fraser River after being purchased in 1909 by the Northern Development Company, with lots going on sale in 1910. BC Express Company paddle wheelers landed in South Fort George and the area grew with speculation about the railway coming to the area. South Fort George would remain its own community until 1976 when it incorporated into the City of Prince George.

Growth and creation of Prince George

Properties were sold in both of the townsites with railway speculation driving up prices. By 1913, South Fort George and Fort George each had a population of around 1,500 and were booming as thousands of rail construction workers came to town for supplies and entertainment. Both communities believed that the Grand Trunk Pacific station would be built in their town, and both were disappointed when the railway purchased the of land in between them from the Lhiedli T'enneh instead, even though

Charles Vance Millar Charles Vance Millar (June 28, 1854 – October 31, 1926) was a Canadian lawyer and financier. He was the president and part-owner of the Toronto brewery of O'Keefe Brewery. He also owned racehorses, including the 1915 King's Plate–winning h ...

, then the owner of the BC Express Company, was well into negotiations to purchase that property himself. The railway compensated Millar by giving him of the property and, by 1914, when the railway was completed and the first train arrived, there were four major communities in the area: South Fort George, Fort George Townsite, the Millar Addition and the railway's townsite, Prince George, where the station was built. Hammond also developed his lots further, including additions such as Central Fort George. Although George Hammond fought a series of bitter legal battles for a railway station in Fort George. The Railway argued against a station in Fort George as it was their investment and risk, thus they would build a station in a townsite of their own (Prince George). Plans for the townsite for Prince George were created by Brett and Hall of Boston, and the land cleared in May 1913. Fort George, South Fort George, and Prince George pursued the right to incorporate with initial proposals including all three townsites. The GTP shows no interest in including Fort George, and South Fort George left the negotiations. The GTP lands now knows as the City of Prince George were incorporated on March 6, 1915, following the borders of the 1,366 acres they had initially acquired. At this time, many owners of Prince George businesses, particularly ones on George Street, lived in South Fort George. As the Prince George townsite developed and grew, many buildings were moved from the older townsites to the new business areas of Prince George, often being rolled into the city.

Lheidli T'enneh Village and the railway

In 1908, the

identified the Reserve No.1 land as an ideal area for a railway and station site, and attempted to claim all the 1366 acres as needed for railway purposes, and thus circumvent negotiations with the

Department of Indian Affairs Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

. This was rejected. The Department of Indian Affairs wished to protect the Lheidli T'enneh's interests but also supported railway development. By 1910 the DIA agent in the area was concerned about the influence of white settlers on the Lheidli T'enneh, including the supply of liquor to the village and that "civilization has overtaken them too rapidly" DIA Indian Agent John McDougall however saw that the Lheidli T'enneh had come to see the value of the land and employed that in negotiations. Between 1908 and 1911 several offers for the acquisition of the Reserve No.1 lands were made by the GTP and others such as Charles Millar (of BC Express) who wanted to develop the land. The Department of Indian Affairs in conjunction with railroad representatives made several offers for the land. In 1910 Chief Louis described the attachment to the land and village to McDougall, who reported that "Land, Cash, and farm equipment" would be needed to overcome resistance, and the band was considered to be averse to a sale. McDougall met with Chief Louis again in December 1910 offering $68,300 ($50/acre) but Chief Louis told McDougall that "they could not in their present mind surrender this reserve". A vote was held at a meeting two days later with members of the Band over age 21. The vote approved the surrender of the reserve land 12–11, but Chief Louis asked to talk with his people and the Band did not consider the vote final. The Band appointed Oblate Missionary E.C Bellot as an emissary to Ottawa with a larger cash demand of $1000 per acre, which was refused by DIA representatives. Upon return to Fort George, a new vote by the Band unanimously turned down the sale. During this time, the business developers of Fort George Townsite opposed the sale of the reserve lands as it would lead to its rival building a competing town while South Fort George, which was built close to the old HBC Post and the village, welcomed the railway and its townsite. Lheidli T'enneh village

In 1911, federal

Indian agent In United States history, an Indian agent was an individual authorized to interact with American Indian tribes on behalf of the government. Background The federal regulation of Indian affairs in the United States first included development of t ...

W.J. MacAllan took on the negotiations with assistance from

Nicolas Coccola Nicolas Coccola (December 12, 1854–March 1, 1943) was a French Oblate missionary in British Columbia, Canada from 1880 until his death in 1943. He spent 63 years in different regions of the province, working among the Shuswap, Kootenai, Da ...

, a reverend. Coccola had interests in the well-being of the Lheidli T'enneh but was also negotiating on behalf of the railway company which might connect to his mission on Stuart Lake. Father Coccola had wanted to relocated the Lheidli T'enneh to a safer area where they would be away from settlers and could be schooled in agriculture and in religion. Coccola suggested to the band that "if it tolerated intoxicating liquor and moral disorders, he would be the first to insist to have them removed". Coccola made several statements that he would convince or persuade the Band to relocate if they refused offers, and even involved himself in pricing amounts that could be offers to the Lheidli T'enneh. With several offers and refusals, the Lheidli T'enneh saw a split in support for a land sale. Chief Louis favored the surrender of the land, but Joseph Quah, an influential leader in the Band, wanted a higher price. On 18 November 1911, The Fort George Indian Band eventually agreed to sell the Reserve No.1 lands for $125,000 (one quarter to be paid immediately) which included $25,000 for construction on reserve No.2 and No.3 and the preservation of the original village cemetery. The band committed to relocate by June 1912. The vote for this agreement saw 32 in favor and one against, and three abstentions. The timeline was difficult to keep as new buildings had to be constructed. Delays in contracts being awarded by the government to build a new village meant that few could move by the deadline and Band members planted crops needed later in the year. The June 1912 payment was withheld as the DIA saw the planting as refusal to leave. Chief Louis argued that the agreement stated that the payment was to be made in June and was not contingent on relocation. Winter was also coming and the crops would be needed if the new village was not built or supplies given to the Band. The new village was completed in 1913 with Band members moving there in September. The old village was destroyed "to force the Indians away" and ensure that it was not reoccupied. The Fort George Herald reported the destruction of the old village as "the torch of the white man will be thrust into the remaining houses and the village will disappear quietly in a cloud of smoke". Indian Agent W. J. MacAllan's accounts of the situation reveal a need on his part and the part of the GTP to strong arm the bandmembers out, targeting two cabins in the village that were empty as the residents were away hinting "I knew that to set fire to the cabins would cause a flare up of intense excitement and give me the break I needed, for a crisis had to be created before the deadlock could be broken". LC Gunn Park

The site of Reserve No.2 (Shelley) was much further away from the new Prince George townsite and other communities. The land was not particularly fertile for agriculture and the Band suffered economically. The site of the old village and the HBC post would become Fort George Park (renamed Lheidli T'enneh Memorial Park in 2015). The Cemetery would become Reserve No.1A.

Etymology

There were three rationales given for naming the new city as ''Prince George'': *In 1911, Grand Trunk Railway documents justified the name to clearly distinguish it from nearby Fort George neighbourhoods. *In 1914, the railway said that the name would honour the recently crowned King

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother ...

. One suggestion recommended the name ''George''. *A third rationale was to honour

Prince George, Duke of Kent Prince George, Duke of Kent, (George Edward Alexander Edmund; 20 December 1902 – 25 August 1942) was a member of the British royal family, the fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary. He was a younger brother of kings Edward VIII and Geo ...

, the fourth son of reigning King George V. Businessmen in Fort George petitioned the provincial government to block the new name but they were unsuccessful. In May 1915, residents voted by plebiscite to name the new city as ''Prince George'' with a vote of 153–13.

First World War

With the onset of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

in 1914, the local economy was devastated as many local men enlisted and the construction of the

Pacific Great Eastern Railway The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

was halted, creating a massive drop in population. Many men enlisted in Prince George from the surrounding communities and were primarily sent to Vernon, BC for training before being shipped overseas. 17 names of soldiers who died in World War I are inscribed on the cenotaph, although many more enlisted. Population decline continued with the ensuing

Spanish flu The 1918–1920 influenza pandemic, commonly known by the misnomer Spanish flu or as the Great Influenza epidemic, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 influenza A virus. The earliest documented case wa ...

epidemic of 1918. The epidemic took at least fifty lives in the area, including First Nation's leaders

1920s and 1930s

Prince George persevered through the 1920s and the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

of the 1930s and did not experience any significant growth until

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

when an army camp was built at the foot of Cranbrook Hill, bringing new life to the struggling businesses and service industries. The Great Depression saw massive decline in lumber production in the region, falling from 105 million board feet in 1929 to only 15 million board feet by 1932 and a significant increase in unemployment. Unemployed men were often housed in one of several relief camps east of Prince George, where the men works on construction projects or remained idle, but away from the city of Prince George. Between 1930 and 1935, Prince George and the work camps were home to labor protests and sit ins organized by a local branch of the Communist sympathizing National Unemployed Workers Association, who sought basic needs for the unemployed. In the 1920s air transport began with sea planes and landing on Central Avenue. In the 1930s Prince George saw air transport increase and became a hub for air mail to Takla Landing, Fort Saint James, and Manson Landing, later including stops in Edmonton, Whitehorse, and Fort Nelson and an airport was developed by Carney Hill (The Golf Course today). In 1939, Prince George was selected as a spot for an aerodrome, and construction began on what is now YXS Prince George Airport.

Second World War

Army Camp Prince George was opened during WWII and once housed 6,000 soldiers. From March 1942 to October 1943, divisional troops and units of the 16th Infantry Brigade (

8th Canadian Infantry Division The 8th Canadian Infantry Division was a military formation of the Canadian Army that served within Pacific Command in Western Canada during World War II. The Division units were raised on 18 March 1942 and the HQ was raised on 12 May 1942 at P ...

) were housed there. The camp was located in the area of 1st Street, Central Street, 15th Avenue, to the bottom of Cranbrook Hill. Barracks were built to house the soldiers, dining halls constructed to feed them, and wet canteens for their leisure and entertainment. There were rifle ranges, mortar ranges and artillery ranges. The camp closed at the end of the war. Most of the buildings were either demolished or moved to new locations, although some remain in their original locations, such as the former transportation building on 15th Avenue, that was used by the British Columbia Forestry Service from the late 1940s to 1963. It is now owned by the City of Prince George for use by the Community Arts Council. The Nechako Bottle Depot on First Avenue is also another former camp building. Others include the first Overwaitea store, at Victoria and Third, formerly a barracks and the original civic centre, which was the old drill shed, was removed and rebuilt on Seventh Avenue. Population during the war saw 2,027 in 1941 rising to 3,800 in Prince George by 1945. After the war, as the ravaged European cities rebuilt, the demand for lumber skyrocketed and Prince George, with its abundance of

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logging, logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes ...

s and spruce trees, prospered. Finally, in 1952, after 40 years of construction, the Pacific Great Eastern was completed and joined with the CN line at Prince George, and with the completion of Highways 16 and 97, Prince George finally fulfilled George Hammond's long ago promise of being the hub of British Columbia.

Modern history

Canadian Forces Station A Canadian Forces base or CFB (french: links=no, base des Forces canadiennes, BFC) is a military installation of the Canadian Armed Forces. For a facility to qualify as a Canadian Forces base, it must station one or more major units (e.g., army r ...

Baldy Hughes (ADC ID: C-20) was constructed in 1952 as a General Surveillance Radar station. It was located south-southwest of Prince George, and was closed in 1988. It was operated as part of the

Pinetree Line The Pinetree Line was a series of radar stations located across the northern United States and southern Canada at about the 50th parallel north, along with a number of other stations located on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Run by North Ame ...

network controlled by the

North American Aerospace Defense Command North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD ), known until March 1981 as the North American Air Defense Command, is a combined organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and protection ...

(NORAD). Today the former station is The Baldy Hughes Addiction Treatment Centre. The original radar system has been removed and the location now operates a weather station and Nav Canada system. In 1953, (Central) Fort George Townsite incorporated into the City of Prince George. On June 25, 1956, at just after 7 p.m., a

Lockheed P-38 Lightning The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinctive tw ...

fighter plane built in 1943 (serial number 8300, bearing Canadian registration CF-HSC) flown by Frank Samuel Pynn, out of the

Prince George Airport Prince George Airport (abbreviated in initials as PGA) is an airport that serves Prince George, British Columbia, Canada, and the surrounding area. It is located just within the southern boundary of the city, southeast, and is run by the Princ ...

, was observed flying in an unsafe manner, it went into a half roll, seemed to fall over on its back and nosed into a deep ravine in the cut-banks on the north side of town approximately one kilometre from the city centre. Pilot Frank Pynn, a former

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

Transport Command pilot, and his passenger, 15-year-old Jimmy Clarke, died on impact. Alcohol consumption was believed to be a factor in the crash and the Coroner's inquest found that Pynn died "through his own neglect and complete disregard for the Aeronautical Regulations of Canada." The wreckage is still there; however, most pieces are less than in length. In 1964 the first

pulp mill A pulp mill is a manufacturing facility that converts wood chips or other plant fiber sources into a thick fiber board which can be shipped to a paper mill for further processing. Pulp can be manufactured using mechanical, semi-chemical, or ...

, Prince George Pulp and Paper was built, followed by two more in 1966, Northwood Pulp and Intercontinental Pulp. New schools and more housing were needed and the new subdivisions of Spruceland, Lakewood, Perry and Highglen were built. Then, in 1975, Prince George amalgamated and extended its borders to include the Hart area to the north, Pineview to the south and the old town of South Fort George to the east. In 1981, Prince George was the second largest city in British Columbia with a population of 67,559, narrowly edging

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

out of the honour, whose population was then 64,379. Low-lying areas adjacent to the confluence of the rivers, which can freeze, mean that those areas suffer recurring flooding. In late 2007 an

ice jam Ice jams occur when a topographic feature of the river causes floating river ice to accumulate and impede further progress downstream with the river current. Ice jams can significantly reduce the flow of a river and cause upstream flooding—som ...

formed on the Nechako River and soon grew to a length of more than , causing widespread flooding in the city. Faster runoff due to devastation of nearby

lodgepole pine ''Pinus contorta'', with the common names lodgepole pine and shore pine, and also known as twisted pine, and contorta pine, is a common tree in western North America. It is common near the ocean shore and in dry montane forests to the subalpin ...

forests by the

mountain pine beetle The mountain pine beetle (''Dendroctonus ponderosae'') is a species of bark beetle native to the forests of western North America from Mexico to central British Columbia. It has a hard black exoskeleton, and measures approximately , about the siz ...

was identified as a contributing factor. A state of emergency was declared on December 11. On January 14, 2008, with the ice jam still present, the

Provincial Emergency Program The Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR), formerly Emergency Management BC (EMBC), is a provincial government department in the Canadian province of British Columbia. EMCR works with local governments and other provincial ...

approved an unprecedented plan to melt the ice by piping water from a pulp mill steam plant to the jam area where it would be mixed with well water and poured into the river at a temperature of . In the interim an amphibious excavator was used for 10 days to move some of the ice. Costing C$400,000 to build and C$3,000 per day to run, the "Warm Water System" was completed on January 29, by which time the ice jam had grown to long. As a result of long-term lobbying from local groups (championed by local advocate Sheldon Clare, and members of 396 Air Cadet Squadron, 2618 Army Cadet Corps, 158 Sea Cadet Corps, 142 Navy League Corps, Branch 43

Royal Canadian Legion The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian ex-service organization (veterans' organization) founded in 1925. Membership includes people who have served as military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial and municipal police, Royal ...

, and the Peacekeepers Association) in February 2011,

Canadian Armed Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...

39 Canadian Brigade Group 39 Canadian Brigade Group (39 CBG; french: link=no, 39e Groupe-brigade du Canada) is a Canadian Forces formation of the Canadian Army under the 3rd Canadian Division. The brigade group is composed of Canadian Forces (CF) Primary Reserve units, all ...

Headquarters announced that a detachment of the

Rocky Mountain Rangers , website = , colors = , colors_label = , march = "The Meeting of the Waters" , mascot = , equipment = , ...

Army Reserve unit was to be formed in Prince George. In 2014, the Rocky Mountain Rangers increased recruiting efforts in the community to reach platoon and then company size. Prince George hosted the

Regional District of Fraser-Fort George In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

near the transition between the northern and southern portions of the

Rocky Mountain Trench The Rocky Mountain Trench, also known as the Valley of a Thousand Peaks or simply the Trench, is a large valley on the western side of the northern part of North America's Rocky Mountains. The Trench is both visually and cartographically a ...

. Prince George proper contains several areas: South Fort George, the Hart, the residential and light industrial neighbourhoods north of the

Nechako River The Nechako River arises on the Nechako Plateau east of the Kitimat Ranges of the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, and flows north toward Fort Fraser, then east to Prince George where it enters the Fraser River. "Nechako" is an angl ...

; College Heights, the southern part of the city which contains a mix of residential and commercial areas, and the Bowl, the valley that includes most of the city and the downtown. There are also a number of outlying localities that are also part of Prince George, such as Carlson. The cutbanks of the Nechako River are one of Prince George's many interesting geological features. Local wild edible fruit include bunchberries,

rose hip The rose hip or rosehip, also called rose haw and rose hep, is the accessory fruit of the various species of rose plant. It is typically red to orange, but ranges from dark purple to black in some species. Rose hips begin to form after pollina ...

s, blueberries,

cranberries Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus ''Oxycoccus'' of the genus ''Vaccinium''. In Britain, cranberry may refer to the native species ''Vaccinium oxycoccos'', while in North America, cranberry m ...

chokecherries ''Prunus virginiana'', commonly called bitter-berry, chokecherry, Virginia bird cherry, and western chokecherry (also black chokecherry for ''P. virginiana'' var. ''demissa''), is a species of bird cherry (''Prunus'' subgenus ''Padus'') nat ...

, strawberries, raspberries, saskatoons, currants, gooseberries, and soapberries (from which " Indian ice cream" is made). Morel mushrooms are also native to this area.

Climate

The area has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

''Dfb''), but is very close to (and once had) a

subarctic climate The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of an ocean, g ...

(''Dfc'') as May and September averages are both close to the threshold. Winters are milder than the latitude and elevation might suggest: the January average is , and there are an average of 38 days from December to February where the high reaches or surpasses freezing. Winter months in which Pacific air masses dominate may thaw on a majority of days, as in January 2006 when the mean daily maximum temperature was . On the other hand, Arctic air masses can settle over the city for weeks at a time; in rare cases, such as January 1950, the temperature stays well below freezing over a whole calendar month. Summer days are warm, with a July high of , but lows are often cool, with monthly lows averaging below . The transition between winter and summer, however, is short. There is some precipitation year-round, but February to April is the driest period. At the airport snow averages each year and is heaviest in December and January, usually, but not always, falling between October and May. The highest temperature ever recorded in Prince George was on 28 and 29 June 2021. The lowest temperature ever recorded was on 2 January 1950 at

Sewer and water utilities

Prince George's drinking water is taken from the Nechako and Fraser Rivers via ten wells. The raw water is disinfected with

sodium hypochlorite Sodium hypochlorite (commonly known in a dilute solution as bleach) is an inorganic chemical compound with the formula NaOCl (or NaClO), comprising a sodium cation () and a hypochlorite anion (or ). It may also be viewed as the sodium s ...

. The local government treats sewage in a treatment facility in the Lansdowne area, on the west side of the Fraser River, or one of three other smaller treatment facilities on the east side. In the 2014 municipal election, the people of Prince George voted in favour of removing

fluoride Fluoride (). According to this source, is a possible pronunciation in British English. is an inorganic, monatomic anion of fluorine, with the chemical formula (also written ), whose salts are typically white or colorless. Fluoride salts ty ...

from their drinking water in a non-binding referendum. Prince George's new mayor and city council, at their first meeting, decided to follow the wishes of its voters.

Fluoridation Water fluoridation is the controlled adjustment of fluoride to a public water supply solely to reduce tooth decay. Fluoridated water contains fluoride at a level that is effective for preventing cavities; this can occur naturally or by addin ...

of the city's water supply ended in December 2014.

Air pollution

The Prince George

airshed An airshed is a part of the atmosphere that behaves in a coherent way with respect to the dispersion of emissions. It typically forms an analytical or management unit. Also: a geographic boundary for air-quality standards. Alternatively - an airs ...

has many local sources of various air pollutants including several major industrial sources (pulp mills, sawmills and an oil refinery), vehicle emissions, locomotives, uncovered coal cars, unpaved and paved road surfaces, vegetative burning and residential and commercial heating. Because a large part of the city and its local sources of air pollution are contained within a valley, there are often meteorological conditions that trap pollutants and result in episodes of poor air quality and unhealthy levels of air pollution exposure in some areas. More people die in Prince George every year due to diseases associated with air pollutants than any other community in the province, according to data gathered by two BC physicians. Although, "Copes said it was difficult to definitively say certain deaths are caused by pollution because it's not a factor that is easily recognizable."

Demographics

In the

2021 Census of Population The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is sli ...

conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; french: Statistique Canada), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and cultu ...

, Prince George had a population of 76,708 living in 31,793 of its 33,643 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 74,003. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. In 2001, 23% of households were one-person households, below the 27% average provincewide, and 31% married couples with children, above the 26% average. Prince George had a smaller proportion of married couples than the province, 47% compared to 51%, but very similar persons per households. Only 14% of residents between 20 and 64 years of age completed university, almost half the provincial average, and 22% did not complete high school, similar to the 19% provincial average.

Ethnicity

*Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses.

Religion

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Prince George included: *

Irreligion Irreligion or nonreligion is the absence or rejection of religion, or indifference to it. Irreligion takes many forms, ranging from the casual and unaware to full-fledged philosophies such as atheism and agnosticism, secular humanism and ...

(44,685 persons or 59.5%) *

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global popula ...

(25,840 persons or 34.4%) *

Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...

(2,405 persons or 3.2%) *

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...

(585 persons or 0.8%) *

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ...

(535 persons or 0.7%) *

Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

(190 persons or 0.3%) * Indigenous Spirituality (165 persons or 0.2%) *

Judaism Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in th ...

(90 persons or 0.1%)

Crime

For three consecutive years, from 2010 to 2012, ''

Maclean's ''Maclean's'', founded in 1905, is a Canadian news magazine reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events. Its founder, publisher John Bayne Maclean, established the magazine to provide a uniquely Canadian pers ...

'' named Prince George the most dangerous city in Canada, with its crime rate being 114% above the national average. In 2011, the magazine cited gangs, drug-related crimes, and nine homicides as the reason for its high crime rate, although the magazine did state that the city's crime rate is declining each year. In 2016, Prince George was named #4 on the list of the most dangerous cities for violent crime in Canada.

Economy

The economy of Prince George in the first decade of the 21st century has come to be dominated by service industries. The

Northern Health Northern Health is the publicly funded healthcare provider for the northern half of the Canadian province of British Columbia. Northern Health serves over 300,000 people in an area of 600,000 square kilometres. It was established as one of five g ...

Authority, centred in Prince George, has a $450 million annual budget and invested more than $100 million in infrastructure. Part of these investments was the 2012 opening of the

BC Cancer Agency BC Cancer is part of the Provincial Health Services Authority in British Columbia, Canada. Facilities BC Cancer's first cancer treatment centre (then known as the British Columbia Cancer Institute) officially opened in Vancouver on November 5, ...

's Centre for the North, which includes for radiation therapy facilities and associated buildings for modern cancer care. Education is another key dominant part of this city. With the

University of Northern British Columbia The University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) is a small, research-intensive public university in British Columbia, Canada. The main campus is located in Prince George, with additional campuses located in Prince Rupert, Terrace, Quesnel, and ...

, the

College of New Caledonia The College of New Caledonia (CNC) is a post-secondary educational institution that serves the residents of the Central Interior of British Columbia. This region has a population of about 145,000, and it encompasses three school districts: #28 ( ...

and School District #57, education adds more than $780 million into the local economy annually.

Forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. ...

dominated the local economy throughout the 20th century, including

plywood Plywood is a material manufactured from thin layers or "plies" of wood veneer that are glued together with adjacent layers having their wood grain rotated up to 90 degrees to one another. It is an engineered wood from the family of manufactured ...

manufacture, numerous sawmills and three pulp&pellet mills as major employers and customers. The

spruce beetle ''Dendroctonus rufipennis'', the spruce beetle, is a species of bark beetle native to British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, Northern Manitoba, the Yukon, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and Maine. They are known ...

epidemic of the late 1980s and 1990s resulted in a short term boom in the forest industry as companies rushed to cut dead standing trees before the trees lost value. Sawmill closures (and the creation of 'supermills') occurred around 2005, and the largest pellet mill closed in 2022 due to dwindling supply and lack of a sea port. Mining exploration and development may become the future of Prince George. Initiatives Prince George estimates that the Nechako Basin contains over of oil. Other industry includes two chemical plants, an oil refinery,

brewery A brewery or brewing company is a business that makes and sells beer. The place at which beer is commercially made is either called a brewery or a beerhouse, where distinct sets of brewing equipment are called plant. The commercial brewing of bee ...

dairy A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting or processing (or both) of animal milk – mostly from cows or buffaloes, but also from goats, sheep, horses, or camels – for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on ...

, machine shops, aluminum boat building, log home construction, value added forestry product and specialty equipment manufacturing. Prince George is also a staging centre for mining and prospecting, and a major regional transportation, trade and government hub. Several major retailers are expanding into the Prince George market, a trend expected to persist. In recent years, several market research

call centre A call centre ( Commonwealth spelling) or call center (American spelling; see spelling differences) is a managed capability that can be centralised or remote that is used for receiving or transmitting a large volume of enquiries by telephone ...

s have opened in Prince George. Heritage, College Heights, Hart Highlands and St. Lawrence Heights are prime residential areas, both commercial and residential development are growing at an accelerated rate and more subdivisions are planned for St. Lawrence Heights, West Cranbrook Hill and East Austin Road.

Education

Prince George's education system encompasses 40 anglophone elementary schools, eight secondary schools, and eight private schools. The anglophone public schools are all part of

School District 57 Prince George School District 57 Prince George (SD 57) is a school district in central British Columbia that encompasses urban Prince George, its surroundings, and the outlying communities of McBride and Valemount to the southeast, and Mackenzie to the north ...

. It is also home to a public francophone elementary and secondary school, both of which are part of School District 93 Conseil scolaire francophone, a province-wide francophone school district. Post-secondary education choices include the regional

(CNC), which offers two-year university-transfer courses, plus vocational and professional programs. Several BC universities,

British Columbia Institute of Technology The British Columbia Institute of Technology (also referred to as BCIT), is a public polytechnic institute in Burnaby, British Columbia. The technical institute has five campuses located in the Metro Vancouver region, with its main campus in B ...

(BCIT) and the

Open Learning Agency The Open Learning Agency (OLA) was a Crown Agency of the province of British Columbia, Canada. Its primary function was the management of the Knowledge Network, a public television station in British Columbia, and the Open Learning Institute. It ...

have integrated their local programs with CNC. Prince George is also home to Guardian Aerospace Flight School. The

(UNBC), established in 1990, is the second-newest university in Canada. A total of 55 undergraduate programs, 15 masters programs and two PhD programs are now offered at UNBC, as well as the new Northern Medical Program, a joint program with the University of British Columbia intended to alleviate the shortage of physicians in the north. A degree-granting institution with regional teaching centres in nine BC communities and a sponsor for several research institutes, UNBC has recently completed the construction of the I.K. Barber Enhanced Forestry Laboratory. UNBC's hilltop campus overlooks the City of Prince George and has views of the foothills of the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico ...

to the east. In 2015 and 2016 UNBC earned the top small university in Canada ranking by ''

.'' UNBC has consistently been positioned in the top three for the last ten years. The university was first entered into the McLean's rankings in 2005 as the best small university in Western Canada. The

(CNC) is a post-secondary educational institution that serves the residents of central British Columbia. It was established in Prince George in 1969, and has since expanded across northern British Columbia, with campuses in Quesnel, Mackenzie, Burns Lake, Valemount, Fort St. James, Fraser Lake and Vanderhoof. CNC enrolls about 5,000 students each year in approximately 90 distinct programs in business and management, community and continuing education, health sciences, adult basic education / upgrading, trades and industry, social services, and technologies. About 75 of these programs are available at CNC Prince George. CNC offers university classes leading to degrees and professional programs in more than 50 subjects, with excellent transferability to universities in BC, Alberta, and elsewhere. All university classes are available at CNC Prince George, and many are available at other campuses.

Sports and recreation

Prince George's teams include the

Prince George Cougars The Prince George Cougars are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team currently members of the B.C. Division of the Western Conference in the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team is based in Prince George, British Columbia, and plays its home ...

of the

Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior ...

(WHL), the

Prince George Spruce Kings The Prince George Spruce Kings are a junior "A" ice hockey team based in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Mainland Division of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at Kopar Memor ...

of the

British Columbia Hockey League The British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) is a Junior A ice hockey league from British Columbia under Hockey Canada and BC Hockey. Founded in Vernon in 1961, the BCHL now includes 18 teams. From 1993 to 2021, the league was a member of the Ca ...

(BCHL), Youth Bowling Club (YBC) bowling teams (Nechako Bowling, 5th Avenue, and also a ten pin team), and Prince George Curling (Prince George Golf and Curling Club). Recently, the Duchess Park Secondary School Senior boys basketball team won the provincial AA title for the first time in 26 years. The February 1978 Northern B.C. Winter Games hosted by Prince George and organized by John Furlong were highly attended by 5,600 participants from age 8 to 90 in 38 events. The Spruce Kings hosted the 2007 Royal Bank Cup May 5–13 at the CN Centre. Prince George has been home to several

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey sports league, league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranke ...

players, including Murray Baron,

Blair Betts Blair Betts (born February 16, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played nine seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Calgary Flames, New York Rangers, and Philadelphia Flyers. Betts was born in Edmonton, ...

Tyler Bouck Tyler John Bouck (born January 13, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Dallas Stars, Phoenix Coyotes and the Vancouver Canucks. He spent the last five seasons of his ...

, Chris Mason,

Ronald Petrovický Ronald Petrovický (born February 15, 1977) is a Slovak former ice hockey right winger. He played professionally in Europe and in North America in the National Hockey League (NHL) as well as international play for the Slovak national ice hockey ...

Justin Pogge Justin Pogge (; born April 22, 1986) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing with Grizzlys Wolfsburg of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He played in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the ...

Dan Hamhuis Daniel Hamhuis (born December 13, 1982) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in 2001 by the Nashville Predators. Hamhuis played major junior hockey with the Prince ...

Sheldon Souray Sheldon Souray (born July 13, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New Jersey Devils, Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, and Anaheim Ducks. ...

Derek Boogaard Derek Leendert Boogaard ( ; later ; June 23, 1982 – May 13, 2011) was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played for the Minnesota Wild and the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). A native of Saskatchewan, w ...

Dustin Byfuglien Dustin Byfuglien ( ; born March 27, 1985) is an American former professional ice hockey player. He previously played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Atlanta Thrashers and Winnipeg Jets. Drafted as a defenseman, he has played both forward and defens ...

Devin Setoguchi Devin Setoguchi (born January 1, 1987) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He had most recently played under contract for Adler Mannheim in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). Setoguchi is half- Yonsei (fourth-generation) ...

Turner Stevenson Turner Ladd Stevenson (born May 18, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, and Philadelphia Flyers. He won the Stan ...

and

Darcy Rota Darcy Irwin Rota (born February 16, 1953) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who spent eleven seasons in the National Hockey League. Playing career Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Darcy's formative years including Bantam ...

. Eric Brewer and

Zdeno Chára Zdeno Chára (; born 18 March 1977) is a Slovak former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played 24 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, and Washington Capitals between 1997 a ...

were also teammates on the Cougars in 1995 and 1996. Prince George Citizen Field opened in the spring of 2006. The baseball facility has established itself as one of the most unusual diamonds in British Columbia. Recreation facilities include 116 playgrounds and parks, baseball, soccer and lacrosse fields, eight golf courses, plus tennis courts, ice rinks and roller rinks, a new modern Aquatic Centre as well as an older swimming pool and the CN Centre, which is a 5,995-seat multi-purpose arena. For hikers there is an riverfront system of urban hiking trails called the Heritage Trails. Four provincial parks in the region provide downhill, cross-country and

heliskiing Heli-skiing is off-trail, downhill skiing or snowboarding where the skier reaches the top of the mountain by helicopter, instead of a ski lift. History In the late 1950s, helicopters were used in Alaska and Europe to access remote terrain. ...

. Parks include: North of Prince George is the Huble Homestead and

Giscome Portage The Giscome Portage was a portage between the Fraser River and Summit Lake, which connected with the river route to the Peace Country via Finlay Forks. BC Parks administers the Giscome Portage Trail. The Huble Homestead Historic Site, at the sou ...

. The Otway Nordic Centre, operated by the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club, is home to one of the largest Nordic ski clubs in the province, and boasts more than of groomed trails – of which are lit trails for evening skiing, a biathlon range, and a day lodge. The Caledonia Ramblers Hiking Club offers weekly hikes in the city and surrounding countryside from May to October, as well as snowshoeing in the winter months, while the Prince George Section of the

Alpine Club of Canada The Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) is an amateur athletic association with its national office in Canmore, Alberta that has been a focal point for Canadian mountaineering since its founding in 1906. The club was co-founded by Arthur Oliver Wheeler, ...

offers year-round hiking, scrambling, climbing, skiing and ice-climbing trips in the nearby

Cariboo The Cariboo is an intermontane region of British Columbia, Canada, centered on a plateau stretching from Fraser Canyon to the Cariboo Mountains. The name is a reference to the caribou that were once abundant in the region. The Cariboo was the ...

and Rocky Mountains and local crags. The Prince George Backcountry Recreation Society is an umbrella organization representing these and several other Prince George outdoor clubs. For race fans, the Prince George Auto Racing Association (PGARA) offers a variety of racing events at the PGARA Speedway including the locally famous hit-to-pass races. The Prince George Rod and Gun Club maintains two range sites. Hartman Rd Range offers Trap/Skeet, rifle, silhouette, and handgun ranges, while the Blackwater Range offers multiple action bays and a 1500 m rifle range. Prince George offers a Pride Centre for all

LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term ...

Q and ally members in Prince George and the greater north. Located at the University of Northern British Columbia, the PC, an organization under the Northern Pride Centre Society, offers a safe space, resources, and support. Prince George offers several nightclubs, sports bars, pubs and fine dining facilities. The Treasure Cove Hotel and Casino is located at the junction of Highways 16 and 97. Moviegoers can choose between the

Famous Players Famous Players Limited Partnership, DBA Famous Players, is a Canadian-based subsidiary of Cineplex Entertainment. As an independent company, it existed as a film exhibitor and cable television service provider. Famous Players operated numerous m ...

, now

Cineplex Entertainment Cineplex Inc. (formerly Cineplex Galaxy) is a Canadian movie theatre and family entertainment centre chain headquartered in Toronto. The company was formed in 2003 via the acquisition of Loews Cineplex's Canadian operations (which included t ...

, six-plex or the Park Drive-in Theatre, which also offers mini-golf facilities and a go-kart track. Cinema CNC hosts two arts cinema series each year in the fall and winter, as well as a festival of Canadian films each February. As part of its 100th anniversary, the City of Prince George hosted the

2015 Canada Winter Games The 2015 Canada Winter Games, officially known as the XXV Canada Games, is a Canadian multi-sport event that was held from February 12 to March 1, 2015, in Prince George, British Columbia. Sports Alpine skiing quilt A quilt is a multi-layered textile, traditionally composed of two or more layers of fabric or fiber. Commonly three layers are used with a filler material. These layers traditionally include a woven cloth top, a layer of batting or wadding, ...

ers',

potters A potter is someone who makes pottery. Potter may also refer to: Places United States *Potter, originally a section on the Alaska Railroad, currently a neighborhood of Anchorage, Alaska, US * Potter, Arkansas * Potter, Nebraska *Potters, New Jer ...

weavers Weaver or Weavers may refer to: Activities * A person who engages in weaving fabric Animals * Various birds of the family Ploceidae * Crevice weaver spider family * Orb-weaver spider family * Weever (or weever-fish) Arts and entertainmen ...

' and spinners'

guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometim ...

s. Its sister building, Studio 2820, is a

Ticketmaster Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc. is an American ticket sales and distribution company based in Beverly Hills, California with operations in many countries around the world. In 2010, it merged with Live Nation under the name Live Nation Enter ...

outlet and houses the Artisan Gift Shoppe.

Theatres

Prince George Amusement Company opened the 550-seat-capacity Princess Theatre on the corner of Third Ave and Vancouver Street in 1914, which appears distinct from its namesake on Central Ave. The company's Rex Theatre opened on George Street that December. The Dreamland Theatre, which relocated to George Street from

in January 1915, staged some

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

, and charity concerts,Prince George Star, 5 Dec 1916 and accommodated political, religious, and sundryPrince George Leader, 3 Mar 1922 meetings. Movie screenings were irregular prior to a 1918 reopening. Initially, while the Rex primarily screened movies, the Princess was largely vacant when not a venue for opera, charity concerts, and political and sundry meetings. The 1919 relaunch as a movie venue was short lived. The Rex also held wrestling, charity concerts, and political, religious, and sundry meetings. Levi Graham (1879–1947), who took over the Rex Theatre in 1921, had gained industry experience since 1907. He also operated poolrooms. Further enterprises were movie screenings at select interior towns, refurbishing and managing the Royal Hotel, and operating club establishments. Al Gardner and Jim Bord briefly managed the Dreamland Theatre in 1922. Acquired by Graham, the Princess Theatre reopened for movies in 1923. That year, Capitol Entertainments of Canada purchased the Dreamland Theatre, and renamed it the Capitol, with Adams remaining as resident manager. Graham and two partners, operating as Prince George Theatres, acquired the Capitol two years later. Facing insufficient demand, it continued mainly as a venue for live performances and public meetings. Graham moved the Rex to the corner of Third Avenue and Dominion Street. After gutting and upgrading, it opened in 1926 as the 500-seat Strand Theatre. Condemned as a safety risk, the Capitol was demolished in 1934. Adding a level floor above the existing one in 1935, the Princess served as a dance hall/ballroom, and community centre for indoor sports. After an extensive 1942 upgrade, it returned as a movie theatre. Graham built, briefly operated, and sold the Wells theatre. Selling his two local theatres to Herb G. Stevenson in 1944, Graham devoted his attention to his Six Mile (Tabor) Lake Lodge enterprise. Odeon Theatres acquired the Strand and Princess in 1969, demolishing the former in 1975. Eighteen months later, the latter suffered the same fate, replaced by a three-screen complex on the site. Cinema Treasures appears reasonably accurate in covering later theatre developments.

Live theatre and symphony

*Theatre Northwest is a professional theatre company producing stage productions throughout the year. *The Prince George Theatre Workshop Society is a stage production company founded in the 1960s which puts on amateur theatre events throughout the year. *The Prince George Playhouse (originally built by the Prince George Theatre Workshop Society, now owned by the City of Prince George) has many different uses such as amateur and professional theatre, musical events and major plays put on by local small businesses. *The Prince George Symphony Orchestra (PGSO) is a mixed professional and semi-professional

orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...

. The orchestra plays a number of concerts each year at venues around the city and occasionally tours other communities in northern

. The PGSO performs at a variety of venues, such as Vanier Hall and the Prince George Playhouse. *The Street Spirits Theatre Company is a Prince George youth-oriented social-action theatre group founded by its Artistic Director Andrew Burton with support from The Youth Around Prince Resource Centre. The group creates and presents audience interactive performances using improv theatre techniques inspired by

Theatre of the Oppressed The Theatre of the Oppressed (TO) describes theatrical forms that the Brazilian theatre practitioner Augusto Boal first elaborated in the 1970s, initially in Brazil and later in Europe. Boal was influenced by the work of the educator and theor ...

(

Augusto Boal Augusto Boal (16 March 1931 – 2 May 2009) was a Brazilian theatre practitioner, drama theorist, and political activist. He was the founder of Theatre of the Oppressed, a theatrical form originally used in radical left popular education movemen ...

) and Theatre for Living ( David Diamond) along with many other influences. The group has been running since 1999 and has been given several grants from organizations such as the

Vancouver Foundation The Vancouver Foundation is an organization based in Vancouver, British Columbia. It administers over 1,600 funds and assets totalling $930 million, on behalf of individuals, families, corporations and charities. History Vancouver Foundation wa ...

and awards such as the Otto Rene Castillo Award for Political Theatre and the Canada Peace Medal, among others. The group writes and performs interactive plays about issues affecting communities, such as drug addiction, teen pregnancy and racism and has put out several movies including a feature-length film dealing with northern sex trade recruitment entitled "Streetwise." A 2005 cultural project that involved Prince George had 'Spirit Bears' placed throughout various locations around the city. The 'Spirit Bear' is a fiberglass statue of a bear that has various sceneries painted on it.

Museums and libraries

Prince George Public Library (Bob Harkins)

*The Exploration Place Museum and Science Centre is located in Lheidli T'enneh Memorial Park and offers a wide variety of galleries and exhibits, including a

paleontology Paleontology (), also spelled palaeontology or palæontology, is the scientific study of life that existed prior to, and sometimes including, the start of the Holocene epoch (roughly 11,700 years before present). It includes the study of fossi ...

exhibit, First Nations exhibit, children's gallery, the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame, and the

narrow gauge A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structu ...

Fort George Railway complete with a working steam locomotive. *The

Prince George Railway and Forestry Museum The Prince George Railway & Forestry Museum is in Prince George, British Columbia. Its collection consists of over sixty pieces of rolling stock (including a 1906 steam locomotive being restored and a GMD GF6C electric locomotive), ten historic ...

opened in July 1986, coinciding with

Expo 86 The 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication, or simply Expo 86, was a World's Fair held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from May 2 until October 13, 1986. The fair, the theme of which was "Transportation and Communicat ...

and 150 years of rail travel in Canada. The museum has one of the largest vintage rail collections in the province, including vintage rail cars,

locomotive A locomotive or engine is a rail transport vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. If a locomotive is capable of carrying a payload, it is usually rather referred to as a multiple unit, motor coach, railcar or power car; the ...

s and historical buildings. Most of the museum pieces are located outdoors on the lot. Some historical buildings include a building showing the advancement of the telephone and a building that was once a train stop. There is also old firetrucks and forestry equipment. A mini-train goes around the museum lot. *The

Prince George Public Library The Prince George Public Library (PGPL) is the public library system for the city of Prince George, British Columbia. Between its two branches, the Prince George Public Library offers the public access to a collection of over 171,529 items. Hi ...

has two branches in the city, the Bob Harkins branch in the downtown area, which is considered the "main" library of the city and the smaller Nechako branch in the Hart. The College of New Caledonia and University of Northern British Columbia both have libraries available to local residents.

Monuments and art installations

Mr PG - Prince George - British Columbia

Mr. PG Mr. PG is a mascot for and monument in Prince George, British Columbia. He was first constructed in 1960 as a symbol of the importance of the forestry industry to the city. He currently stands at the junction of Highway 97 and Highway 16. He is ...

was first constructed in 1960 as a symbol of the importance of the forest industry to Prince George. That year he took part in the Prince George May Day parade and could speak and bow. In 1961, he was entered in the Kelowna Regatta and the Vancouver PNE Parade, and also travelled to Smithers. Two years later, he appeared in the 1963 Grey Cup parade. Today, Mr. PG stands at the junction of Highway 97 and Highway 16. He is tall and his head is in diameter.

Notable people

Anne Pomeroy Autor Anne Pomeroy Autor (January 26, 1935 – November 13, 2018) was a Canadian scientist who was a professor of biochemistry at the University of British Columbia. She worked closely with policy makers to inform public health campaigns and was commit ...

(born 1935), biochemist and Professor at the

University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks among the top thr ...

* Aviel Barclay (born 1969), first trained and certified female ''

sofer A sofer, sopher, sofer SeTaM, or sofer ST"M ( he, סופר סת״ם, "scribe"; plural of is , ; female: ) is a Jewish scribe who can transcribe Sifrei Kodesh (holy scrolls), tefillin (phylacteries), mezuzot (ST"M, , is an abbreviation of t ...

'' (religious scribe) * Murray Baron, former

(NHL) defenceman, played for the

Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce ...

* Birdman (born 1969; real name: Bryan Williams), American rapper, producer, and co-founder of

Cash Money Records Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Birdman" Williams. Distributed by Republic, formerly known as Universal Republic, the label has been home to a roster of mostly hip ...

Shirley Bond Shirley Bond (born 1956 or 1957)P.G. Mount Robson's Liberal candidates: Party members choose their candidate Friday and Saturday: inal EditionHoekstra, Gordon. Prince George Citizen rince George, B.C27 Sep 2000: 5. is a Canadian politician who ...

, politician * Lois Boone, politician * Dean Butler, actor *

, Slovak ice hockey defenceman, played for the Prince George Cougars before his NHL career *

Denise Chong Denise Chong, OC (; born 9 June 1953) is a Canadian economist and writer. Early life and schooling A third-generation Chinese Canadian, Chong was born in Vancouver, British Columbia on 9 June 1953,Brett Connolly Brett Connolly (born May 2, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for HC Lugano of the National League (NL). During his major junior career with the Prince George Cougars, he was named Western Hockey League (WHL) and Canadian Hockey ...

, Canadian professional ice hockey player * Jon Cooper, NHL coach *

Grace Dove Grace Dove (born July 25, 1991) is a Canadian actress and television host, early known for her role as Hugh Glass' wife in the 2015 film '' The Revenant''; as well as Ricki, a talented mechanic in the 2018 film '' How It Ends''. Currently (2022) ...

, actressFrank Peebles,
Rising Star
" Prince George Citizen, December 30, 2015 *

Brian Fawcett Brian Fawcett (May 13, 1944 – February 27, 2022) was a Canadian writer and cultural analyst. He was awarded the Pearson Writers' Trust Non-Fiction Prize in 2003 for his book ''Virtual Clearcut, or The Way Things Are in My Hometown''. He wa ...

, writer *

Donna Feore Donna Feore (née Starnes, born June 20, 1963) is a Canadian choreographer and theatre director, most noted for her work with the National Arts Centre and the Stratford Festival. Early life Donna Starnes was born in Dawson Creek, British Colu ...

, choreographer and musical theatre director * John Furlong, former president and CEO of the

Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) (french: Comité d’organisation des Jeux olympiques et paralympiques d’hiver de 2010 à Vancouver - COVAN) was the non-profit organization responsible ...

(VANOC) *

Marcel Gagnon Marcel Gagnon (born April 19, 1936) is a former Canadian politician. A businessman, he served as a legislator for both the National Assembly of Quebec and the House of Commons. Provincial politics Gagnon ran as a Parti Québécois candidate in ...

, musician *

Charles Jago Charles Joseph Jago (born 1943) is a Canadian academic and university administrator. He was born and raised in St. Catharines, Ontario. He received his BA in Honours English and History from the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario i ...

, university past-president, Member of the

Order of Canada The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the cen ...

Cody Legebokoff Cody Alan Legebokoff (born 21 January 1990) is a Canadian serial killer convicted in 2014 by the British Columbia Supreme Court of murdering three women and one teenage girl, between 2009 and 2010, in or near the city of Prince George, British ...

, serial killer * Harold Mann, boxer *

Brandon Manning Brandon Manning (born June 4, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Straubing Tigers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). Manning previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Philadelphia Flyers, Chica ...

(born 1990), Canadian professional ice hockey player *

Barry McKinnon Barry Benjamin McKinnon (born 1944) is a Canadian poet. Born in Calgary, Alberta, he taught English at the College of New Caledonia in Prince George, British Columbia. Bibliography * ''The Golden Daybreak Hair''. Toronto, ON: Aliquondo Press, ...

, writer *

Ben Meisner Ben Meisner (June 3, 1938 April 2, 2015). Meisner was born in Maryfield, Saskatchewan in 1938, the youngest of the four children of William Meisner and Anna Wolowska. In the early 1950s he moved to Winnipeg, where he worked as an office boy for ...

, journalist *

Bridget Moran Bridget Moran (September 1, 1923 – August 21, 1999), née Drugan, was a Canadian social activist and author in British Columbia. Born in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, shortly after her birth her family emigrated to Success, S ...

, social activist and writer * Mayo Moran, legal scholar *

Hubert Patrick O'Connor Hubert Patrick O'Connor (17 February 1928 — 24 July 2007) was a Canadian Catholic bishop from Huntingdon, Quebec who was famously forced to resign from the church following charges of multiple sex crimes stemming from his time as principal at the ...

, Catholic bishop who resigned due to charges of sexual abuse *

Meryeta O'Dine Meryeta O'Dine (born February 24, 1997) is a Canadian Snowboarding, snowboarder, competing in the discipline of snowboard cross. She won two bronze medals in Snowboarding at the 2022 Winter Olympics – Women's snowboard cross, Women's snowboard ...

, Olympic snowboard medalist * Nilesh Patel, filmmaker *

David William Ramsay David William Ramsay (1943–2008) was a Canadian lawyer and judge notorious for being sent to prison for sexual assault on minors, some of whom appeared before him in court. Ramsey was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1943 and moved to Port Albern ...

, disgraced judge * Paul Ramsey, politician *

Daryl Reaugh Daryl Kevin "Razor" Reaugh (pronounced "Ray") (born February 13, 1965) is a retired professional ice hockey goaltender and now a broadcaster for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL), ''NHL on NBC'' and ''Hockey Night in Canada''. H ...

, former NHL goaltender, commentator *

Dave Rosin Dave Cameron Rosin (born July 28, 1981) is a Canadian guitarist and singer. Rosin was the lead guitarist of the rock band Hedley. Career Dave Cameron Rosin was part of a band named ''Day Theory'' in 2003. Rosin, Tommy Mac and Chris Crippin wer ...

(born 1981), musician, electric guitarist *

, former NHL forward, played for the Vancouver Canucks * Anthony Sedlak, chef and host of

Food Network Canada Food Network, formerly called Food Network Canada, is a Canadian English language specialty channel based on the U.S. cable network of the same name. It airs programming related to food, cooking, cuisine, and the food industry. The Canadian versi ...

's ''The Main'' *

George Sipos George Sipos is a Canadian poet best known for his Charles Taylor Prize-nominated 2010 memoir ''The Geography of Arrival''.

, poet and writer *

, former NHL forward *

Alyxandria Treasure Alyxandria Treasure (born May 15, 1992 in Prince George, British Columbia) is a Canadian track and field athlete competing in the high jump. She competed in the high jump event at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, where she finished 7th. I ...

, high jumper, member of 2016 Canadian Olympic team * Gillian Wigmore, writer *

Lynda Williams Lynda Williams (born February 17, 1958) is a Canadian science fiction author and blogger. Williams' fiction is centered on a series of ten novels set in the fictional Okal Rel Universe and published by Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishi ...

, writer *

Jared Young Jared M. Young (born July 9, 1995) is a Canadian professional baseball second baseman and first baseman in the Chicago Cubs organization. He made his MLB debut in 2022. Amateur career Young attended Prince George Secondary School in Prince Geor ...

, Major League Baseball player

Transportation

Located at the intersection of Highways 97 and 16, Prince George is the hub for northern British Columbia. Considerable truck traffic passes through Prince George, which also has extensive facilities for maintenance of trucks and heavy equipment. The streets in the "Bowl" area of Prince George are laid out in a grid, with streets travelling north–south, and avenues travelling east–west. The streets are named after prominent citizens, and they are placed in alphabetical order, starting with "A" (Alward Street) near downtown, and continuing westward to "R" (Ruggles Street) in the western part of the city. Some avenues in the city are numbered. 1st Avenue is located the northern part of the Bowl, and the numbering increases southward until 22nd Avenue (the highest-numbered avenue in the city). The grid in the downtown area is rotated so that avenues run from northwest to southeast, and streets run northeast to southwest. All avenues in downtown are numbered, while most of the streets are named after various cities and provinces of Canada. Many streets in College Heights are named after various colleges and universities. However, College Heights streets are not laid out in a grid like the Bowl. Instead, many roads in College Heights are curved and/or winding, and most are called avenues or crescents. There is an

inland port An inland port is a port on an inland waterway, such as a river, lake, or canal, which may or may not be connected to the sea. The term "inland port" is also used to refer to a dry port. Examples The United States Army Corps of Engineers pub ...

Prince Rupert Prince Rupert of the Rhine, Duke of Cumberland, (17 December 1619 (O.S.) / 27 December (N.S.) – 29 November 1682 (O.S.)) was an English army officer, admiral, scientist and colonial governor. He first came to prominence as a Royalist caval ...

in Prince George which is served by

CN Rail The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States. CN ...

, located just within the southern boundary of the city, southeast. The airport is classified as an

airport of entry In general, a port of entry (POE) is a place where one may lawfully enter a country. It typically has border security staff and facilities to check passports and visas and to inspect luggage to assure that contraband is not imported. Internat ...

Nav Canada Nav Canada (styled as NAV CANADA) is a privately run, not-for-profit corporation that owns and operates Canada's civil air navigation system (ANS). It was established in accordance with the ''Civil Air Navigation Services Commercialization Act ...

and is staffed by the

Canada Border Services Agency The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA; french: Agence des services frontaliers du Canada, ''ASFC'') is a federal law enforcement agency that is responsible for border control (i.e. protection and surveillance), immigration enforcement, and c ...

(CBSA). The airport can handle aircraft with up to 30 passengers or 120 if they are unloaded in stages. In 2016, 462,007 passengers used Prince George Airport. The primary air connection to the rest of the world is provided by multiple daily flights to

Vancouver International Airport Vancouver International Airport is an international airport located on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia, serving the city of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland region. It is located from Downtown Vancouver. It is the second busie ...

Air Canada Express Air Canada Express is a brand name of regional feeder flights for Air Canada that are subcontracted to other airlines. As of March 2021, Jazz Aviation is the sole operator of Air Canada Express. They primarily connect smaller cities with Air Cana ...

and

WestJet Encore WestJet Encore is a Canadian regional airline headquartered in Calgary, Alberta that operates feeder flights for WestJet, owned by the same parent company WestJet Airlines, Ltd. In response to internal market studies about future growth limitat ...

Flair Airlines Flair Airlines is a Canadian ultra low-cost carrier (ULCC) headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta. The airline operates scheduled passenger and chartered services with a fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft. The company slogan is ''Plane and Simple.'' The a ...

provides twice weekly winter seasonal service to Tucson, Arizona.

WestJet WestJet Airlines Ltd. is a Canadian airline headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, near Calgary International Airport. It is the second-largest Canadian airline, behind Air Canada, operating an average of 777 flights and carrying more than 66,130 ...

provides seasonal service with a weekly direct flight to

Puerto Vallarta Puerto Vallarta ( or simply Vallarta) is a Mexican beach resort city situated on the Pacific Ocean's Bahía de Banderas in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Puerto Vallarta is the second largest urban agglomeration in the state after the Guadalaj ...

, Mexico during the winter months.

Pacific Coastal Airlines Pacific Coastal Airlines Ltd is a Canadian regional airline that operates scheduled, charter and cargo services to destinations in British Columbia. Its head office is located in the South Terminal of Vancouver International Airport in Richmond ...

offers a daily flight to and from

Victoria International Airport Victoria International Airport serves Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It is north northwest of Victoria on the Saanich Peninsula, with the bulk of the airport (including the passenger terminal) in North Saanich, and a small portion of the ...

Central Mountain Air Central Mountain Air Ltd. is a Canadian regional airline based in Smithers, British Columbia, Smithers, British Columbia. It operates scheduled, charter, and transborder services. Its main base is Smithers Airport, with other bases at Calgary In ...

and

Northern Thunderbird Air Northern Thunderbird Air Inc or NT Air is a Canadian charter airline and medevac service based in Prince George, British Columbia. History NT Air was formed in 1971 with the amalgamation of two of northern British Columbia's airlines: Norther ...

fly to regional and smaller centres.

Horizon Air Horizon Air Industries, Inc., operating as Horizon Air, is an American regional airline based in SeaTac, Washington, United States. Horizon Air and its sister carrier Alaska Airlines are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, and all Horizon-opera ...

provided daily service to

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region o ...

for a few months in 2008, but the service no longer exists as of 2009. Charter services provide flights to outlying areas primarily by

floatplane A floatplane is a type of seaplane with one or more slender floats mounted under the fuselage to provide buoyancy. By contrast, a flying boat uses its fuselage for buoyancy. Either type of seaplane may also have landing gear suitable for land, m ...

, though helicopter service is also available. An expansion study to allow the airport to handle

Boeing 747 The Boeing 747 is a large, long-range wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2022. After introducing the 707 in October 1958, Pan Am wanted a jet times its size, ...

cargo flights was completed. The airport was expanded and is listed as having the third longest runway in Canada but since it was opened in 2009 it has not seen expanded use by any new airlines or 747s other than the test use by one cargo flight. CNR freight lines operate out of Prince George as well as

Via Rail Via Rail Canada Inc. (), operating as Via Rail or Via, is a Canadian Crown corporation that is mandated to operate intercity passenger rail service in Canada. It receives an annual subsidy from Transport Canada to offset the cost of operating ...

passenger service; the

Jasper–Prince Rupert train The Jasper–Prince Rupert train (formerly the ''Skeena'' and ''Panorama'', now known as Trains 5/6, sometimes called ''The Rupert Rocket'') is a Canadian passenger train service operated by Via Rail between Jasper, Alberta, Prince George and P ...

overnights at the

Prince George station Prince George station is a railway station in Prince George, British Columbia. It is on the Canadian National Railway mainline. Via Rail's Jasper–Prince Rupert train service overnights at this station between Prince Rupert and Jasper Jasper ...

. Local public transportation consists of the PG Transit bus service.

Directions

West of Prince George is Vanderhoof (), Fraser Lake (),

Burns Lake Burns Lake is a rural village in the North-western-Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada, incorporated in 1923. The village had a population of 1,779 as of the 2016 Census. The village is known for its rich First Nations heritage, and ...

(),

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 ...

(), Smithers (),

Terrace Terrace may refer to: Landforms and construction * Fluvial terrace, a natural, flat surface that borders and lies above the floodplain of a stream or river * Terrace, a street suffix * Terrace, the portion of a lot between the public sidewalk an ...

(), and

(). East of Prince George is Giscome (), McBride (),

Jasper Jasper, an aggregate of microgranular quartz and/or cryptocrystalline chalcedony and other mineral phases,Kostov, R. I. 2010. Review on the mineralogical systematics of jasper and related rocks. – Archaeometry Workshop, 7, 3, 209-213PDF/ref ...

(), and

Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city an ...

(). North of Prince George is

Mackenzie Mackenzie, Mckenzie, MacKenzie, or McKenzie may refer to: People * Mackenzie (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Mackenzie (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) * Clan Mackenzie, a S ...

() and Fort St. John (). South of Prince George is

(), and Williams Lake ().

Annual events

* The British Columbia Northern Exhibition, also known as the BCNE, started in 1912 and is the city's largest summer event. The four-day show was known as the Prince George Exhibition or PGX until 2012 when the name was changed as part of 100th anniversary celebrations. The BCNE is held each August and attractions include a large midway, food fair, trade show, art and

horticulture Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...

exhibitions, 4-H exhibitions, firefighter competitions and many other events. * The Forestry and Resources Expo began in 1985 to educate the public about the importance of forests to the city and region, while displaying the latest in forestry technology, supplies and services. The Expo was revamped in 2013 and renamed the Canada North Resources Expo to reflect a focus on the wide range of sectors that impact the economy in Prince George and northern British Columbia including forestry, oil and gas, mining, independent power producers, the biomass industry and transportation. * Downtown Summerfest was revived by the Downtown Business Improvement Association in 2012 and is held every August. The street party takes place in downtown Prince George and features entertainment, vendors, activities for children and a Taste Pavilion featuring food from local restaurants. * The Prince George Coldsnap Festival (formerly known as the Prince George Folk Festival) is a national

folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has ...

festival held annually in the winter at various venues throughout Prince George. Past artists have included

John Denver Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, activist, and humanitarian whose greatest commercial success was as a solo singe ...

Bruce Cockburn Bruce Douglas Cockburn ( ; born May 27, 1945) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist. His song styles range from folk to jazz-influenced rock and his lyrics cover a broad range of topics including human rights, environmental issues, p ...

Sarah Harmer Sarah Harmer (born November 12, 1970) is a Canadian singer, songwriter and environmental activist. Early life Born and raised in Burlington, Ontario, Harmer gained her first exposure to the musician's lifestyle as a teenager, when her older sist ...

Janis Ian Janis Ian (born Janis Eddy Fink; April 7, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter who was most commercially successful in the 1960s and 1970s. Her signature songs are the 1966/67 hit "Society's Child, Society's Child (Baby I've Been Thinking)" an ...

Alpha Yaya Diallo Alpha Yaya Diallo is a Guinean-born Canadian guitarist, singer and songwriter. He incorporates Guinea's rich musical tradition into his original compositions. Diallo has won two Juno Awards, shared a third, and was nominated another three times. ...

. 2006 saw

Matthew Good Matthew Frederick Robert Good (born June 29, 1971) is a Canadian musician. He was the lead singer and songwriter for the Matthew Good Band, one of the most successful alternative rock bands in Canada during the 1990s and early 2000s. Since the ...

Fred Eaglesmith Frederick John Elgersma (born July 9, 1957), known by the stage name Fred Eaglesmith, is a Canadian alternative country singer-songwriter. He is known for writing songs about vehicles, rural life, down-and-out characters, lost love and quirky rur ...

The Paperboys The Paperboys (sometimes billed and credited as Tom Landa and the Paperboys) are a Canadian folk music band from Vancouver that formed in 1991. The Paperboys blend Celtic folk with bluegrass, Mexican, Eastern European, African, zydeco, soul an ...

, and others. * The Snow Daze Winter Festival is held each February. Some of the featured events include the Mr. PG pageant, curling, bed races, OTL (over the line) baseball,

Texas hold 'em Texas hold 'em (also known as Texas holdem, hold 'em, and holdem) is one of the most popular variants of the card game of poker. Two cards, known as hole cards, are dealt face down to each player, and then five community cards are dealt fa ...

poker tournament and snow golf. * Prince George celebrates BC River's Day on the last Sunday in September at Lheidli T'enneh Memorial Park with a live free music festival. Performers in 2006 included

and Fear Zero among many others. * The Father's Day Show and Shine is held in Lheidli T'enneh Memorial Park and features vendors, live performers and both vintage and modern cars. 2007's event saw an estimated 25,000 visitors and 365 cars were on display. * The Prince George Iceman Multi-sport race takes place, usually the second week of February. This event starts with an 8 km ski, then a 10 km run, a 5 km iceskate, a 5 km run and then wraps up with an 800 m indoor swim. This event has been happening since 1988. Participants can compete as individuals, or on teams of 2–5. Junior teams can compete in a slightly modified course, a shorter ski and swim and the 15 km run is broken into 3 segments instead of 2.

Media

Government and politics

Lyn Hall is the Mayor of Prince George and serves with eight councillors. Prince George holds four of the fourteen seats at the

. Trent Derrick is the chair of the Board of School District 57, which includes not only the city of Prince George but a large, sparsely populated area to the east and north, and serves with six other elected school trustees. Provincially, Prince George is divided into two electoral districts: Prince George-Valemount represented by

, and

Prince George-Mackenzie Prince George-Mackenzie is a provincial electoral district in British Columbia, Canada established by the ''Electoral Districts Act, 2008''. It came into effect upon the dissolution of the BC Legislature in April 2009, and was first contested ...

represented by Mike Morris. Both are BC Liberals. Federally, Prince George is divided between

Cariboo—Prince George Cariboo—Prince George is a federal electoral district in the province of British Columbia, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 2004. Geography The riding of Cariboo—Prince George extends from near Wil ...

represented by

Todd Doherty Todd Doherty (born 1968) is a Canadian politician who was elected as a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of Canada to represent the federal electoral district Cariboo—Prince George during the 2015 Canadian federal election The ...

and

Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies (previously Prince George—Peace River) is a federal electoral district in northern British Columbia, Canada. It has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 1968. Geography It co ...

with

Bob Zimmer Bob Zimmer (born October 20, 1968) is a Canadian politician and a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of Canada. He was elected to represent the riding of Prince George—Peace River in the 2011 election, and re-elected in the 2015 el ...

. Both are federal

Conservatives Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

Notes

Footnotes

References

* * * * * * * * * * http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository

External links

* * {{authority control Cities in British Columbia Hudson's Bay Company trading posts Populated places established in 1807

History

1800s

Townsite development and the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway

Fort George townsite

South Fort George

Growth and creation of Prince George

Lheidli T'enneh Village and the railway

Etymology

First World War

1920s and 1930s

Second World War

Modern history

Climate

Sewer and water utilities

Air pollution

Demographics

Ethnicity

Religion

Crime

Economy

Education

Sports and recreation

Theatres

Live theatre and symphony

Museums and libraries

Monuments and art installations

Notable people

Transportation

Directions

Annual events

Media

Government and politics

See also

Notes

Footnotes

References

External links