The Mayor of Quesnel says reconciliation was front and center during 2023.
Ron Paull says Council made progress in several areas, including making history in co-hosting a major event in 2024.
“We’re looking forward to the 2024 Lhtako-Quesnel BC Winter Games, and again we are proud of the fact that our games is the first with a land recognition built right into the title of the games.”
Paull says they continued to make progress on a community forest as well.
“We’re still awaiting the final rubber stamp on that to officially establish our Three Rivers official Community Forest, and we have a very active and robust fire smart program in conjunction with that.”
Paull says there were several other accomplishments by Council this year as well.
“We’re very proud of the fact that we’ve got the number one fire hall completely renovated and back into operation, we’ve got a very active and robust Airport strategic plan that is underway, we have water treatment with chlorination of our water on the agenda. It’s basically looking for some opportunity for some grant funding there. Housing is a red letter item on our agenda and we’re talking about housing on all levels. We’ve just established a new Housing Committee. And speaking of new committees, I’m proud to say that we have a new Accessibility Committee that was appointed.”
2023 also wasn’t without its challenges.
“Obviously the thing that hits at the top of the agenda is inflation, I mean costs are going up all over the place and we’re doing our darndest to try to keep the tax increases as low as we can. Things like fuel and natural gas and electricity, things that we have to consume, have all gone up. Our fleet management again is suffering. Again we just had some bids on some heavy equipment and they came in over the top.”
He says the social issues that every community is faced with also comes with its challenges.
Paull says they still plan to go down to Victoria in the new year to get some help.
“I will be perfectly honest here that a lot of these problems that we have with mental health and addictions is rooted in regulation and I guess permission that comes out from senior levels of government, so it’s something that we have inherited. We have a very active Public Safety and Policing Committee. We just recently had a meeting with the downtown association on this. We’re working diligently to try to keep everything under control. I am certainly looking forward to going to next May’s North Central Local Government Association and Union of BC Municipalities convention.”
Paull says he doesn’t have the answers but he is hoping to learn from other communities, and he says he is also interested to see what come out of the new Save Our Streets Coalition as well.
He adds that it could be worse.
“I think that we don’t have the problems that they’re having in other areas. I mean if you to to Prince George. and look at the tent city in downtown Prince George, I take a deep breathe an say thank you that I live in Quesnel.”
