City administration estimates $26.5 million in downloaded costs from higher levels of governments between 2020 and 2024
Here’s a breakdown of these costs:
$4,370,329 for the city’s contribution towards social housing, including a transitional housing facility operated by BC Housing at 397 Third Ave. and for an integrated health and housing development with the province at 805/855 First Ave.,
$2,415,784 relating to the province’s now-cancelled pilot project to decriminalize illicit substances, including an increase in visible social disorder concerns and increasing police patrols,
$2,186,548 relating to policing initiatives aimed at addressing repeat offenders, though funding for 2.2 full-time equivalent positions is provided by the province,
$2,384,997 relating to a downtown safety unit established by the Prince George RCMP to respond to symptoms of the opioid crisis,
$1,987,498 to fund Car 60, a police program responding to people experiencing mental health crises,
$1,665,974 for managing encampments and downtown cleaning for areas like the Lower Patricia Boulevard Encampment commonly known as Moccasin Flats,
$1,379,510 for security costs related to the opioid crisis and lack of social housing,
$1,248,579 for increased bylaw enforcement costs connected to an increase in calls for service,
$732,900 for service agreements and tax exemptions relating to social service issues, like an agreement with the House of Friendship to rent storage lockers unhoused people can use to store belongings,
$370,735 for pre-hospital medical care carried out by Prince George Fire Rescue units responding to medical calls,
$243,918 to pay for outreach workers formerly covered by the province
$169,807 for intergovernmental advocacy efforts with senior levels of government and
$5,350 to purchase naloxone, a medication used to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses
Then there are the costs associated with legislative and regulatory changes:
$1,804,437 relating to the BC medical premium being replaced with an employer health tax,
$1,761,128 for traffic control costs caused by increased safety requirements for maintenance and construction projects
$1,224,602 in lost tax revenues from industrial properties granted closure allowances for their property taxes
$1,108,000 for WorkSafeBC claims relating to psychological injuries,
$599,409 for the city’s rising share of costs at the Prince George Public Library,
$497,998 for the city’s share of policing-related DNA analysis costs,
$165,433 in expenses related to asset retirement obligations connected to changes implemented by the Public Sector Accounting Board and
$120,003 in expenses relating to provincial legislation guaranteeing five paid sick days a year for both full- and part-time employees
Combined, these items are estimated to have cost the city around $26,442,939.