Keep a finger on Prince George's economic pulse. Read our quarterly Economic Development eNewsletter to learn about:

To better understand local housing needs, the City of Prince George conducted a Housing Needs Assessment in 2021. This report was created to help the City of Prince George, residents and local organizations better understand the current and future housing needs and gaps in Prince George. The report summarizes those findings and presents the results of statistical analysis of data, a public survey, and engagement with local community members and stakeholders.

Some key findings include:

A love for peanut butter cups inspired Trent Derrick to open a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in Prince George.

Trent lived in Port Alberni for several years and always grabbed a peanut butter cup from Rocky Mountain Chocolate at the ferry terminal when travelling from the island to the mainland.

When he moved back to Prince George, he realized he couldn’t get his favourite chocolate anymore, decided the city needed a Rocky Mountain Chocolate, and the rest is history

In 1998, single mom of two young kids Michelle West bought the rights to sell Joico with support of a silent investor. The sale included a 1-ton diesel van, a client list and northern territorial rights. She hired an accountant and a nanny for her children, hopped in her van and hit the road from Monday to Friday every week to build her customer base.

The City of Prince George has released a series of videos featuring local women who own and/or operate businesses in celebration of International Women's Day.

The female entrepreneurs highlighted work in a variety of sectors, from hospitality, to clothing design, to technology, and forestry. They have built their businesses from the ground up with the support of mentors, other business owners and the community.

View their stories to see why Prince George is an ideal place to start or relocate and grow your business.

The City of Prince George has launched the Young Professionals Network of Prince George (YPNPG) to assist in retaining workforce in Prince George by providing people who are new to the city or growing their careers with opportunities to connect with others in the community.

The targeted age range for those joining the network is 21-45 years of age. However, membership is open to anyone interested in growing their professional and personal networks. Initially, a minimum of four social and professional development events will be held per year with the possibility of planning more events based on engagement levels. There is no membership fee to join the network, although there will be registration fees for some events to cover associated costs.

You can register for the Young Professionals Network at ypnprincegeorge.ca and join the Facebook and LinkedIn groups to stay up-to-date on what’s happening with the group. If you operate or manage a business and want to encourage your staff to make connections in Prince George, email christina.doll@princegeorge.ca to receive a poster to put up on your staff bulletin boards or to send to them in an email.

Every four years, Statistics Canada gathers demographic data for communities across Canada as part of its Census program and is currently rolling out its release of Census 2021 data.

The Census of Population for Prince George was revealed recently and shows a population increase for the city, up to 76,708 for the Census Subdivision area from 74,003 in 2011. This represents a population increase of 3.7 per cent.

The Census Subdivision Population for Prince George sat at 74,003 in 2016 and 71,974 in 2011, demonstrating steady population increases in Prince George over the last three Census periods. This is reflective of the strength of the local economy in attracting people to the city and surrounding area.

The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George has launched a Business Façade Improvement Program and the deadline to apply is fast approaching. This program provides grant funding to business and property owners within the electoral areas of the Regional District to improve retail and building frontages.

Eligible businesses can receive a 50 per cent reimbursement up to a maximum of $5,000 to complete improvements such as building facades, signage, murals, architectural features, siding, lightings and awnings.

Funds available are limited so applications will be processed on a first come, first serve basis. The deadline to apply is May 31, 2022 and projects must be completed by December 31, 2022.