If Mayor Simon Yu gets his way, the City of Prince George will revert back to publishing public notices in the local newspaper.
Last August Prince George city council acted on a recommendation from staff to ditch newspaper advertising in favour of the city’s website and Facebook page for public notices.
Yu, in a report going to council on Wednesday, says the move away from newspaper advertising does not serve the community and should be reversed.
“Upon careful consideration, conversations with council colleagues, and overwhelming community
feedback, I believe that the existing ‘City of Prince George Public Notice Bylaw No. 9329, 2022’
does not align with the principles outlined in the Community Charter for facilitating effective public
notice, as stipulated in the Public Notice Regulation 52/2022,” Yu said in his report. “Furthermore, it does not align with council’s core priorities of accountability, inclusivity, integrity, and transparency.”
He added that Prince George is one of only a few municipalities to drop newspaper advertising for public notices. However, the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George did so earlier this year. He said that while digital platforms like Facebook and a city’s website can complement traditional communication methods, utilizing the local newspaper for public notices ensures a wider reach that encompasses accessibility, inclusivity, credibility, and adherence to legal mandates.
“This approach not only cultivates a more engaged and well-informed community but also guarantees
that essential information reaches all residents, regardless of their technological inclinations or
constraints,” said Yu. “Given Facebook’s response to the recently passed Bill C-18, the City of Prince George has an opportunity to show support for local journalism and bolster its alignment with the local newspaper, rather than directing attention to a U.S. social media conglomerate. By selecting the local newspaper as the avenue for its public notices, the City of Prince George demonstrates an investment in transparency and conducts its legal affairs with greater openness toward its local constituents.”
He said using the newspaper, the city’s website, and social media provides more opportunities for residents to access public notices. In addition, he said, it’s important to note that not everyone uses or has access to social media platforms.
“Social media and city websites can often become crowded with various posts and content, making it
easy for important notices to get lost in the noise,” he said. “Public notices in a local newspaper are more likely to stand out, ensuring the information receives the attention it deserves. Local newspaper outlets are reliable, established, and reputable sources of information. Notices published in newspapers
carry a level of credibility that social media posts may lack. Furthermore, physical copies of newspapers can be preserved and easily referenced, allowing people to revisit the information when
necessary.”
According to the city’s statement of financial information, it spent $173,529.94 with the Prince George Citizen in 2021. The statement does not highlight how much of that was legal/public notice advertising.
Yu’s recommendation to add ‘newspaper’ to the means of publishing legal notices will go before council Wednesday.