Peace River Regional District, BC

PEACE R I VER REGIONAL DI STR I CT , BC a matter of identifying what is economically feasible for the District. “We will have population growth, and we need to prepare for it,” says Sperling. “Right now it’s steady and I don’t think we’ll see a huge rise until the LNG pipeline actually starts processing and shipping the gas out.” Another challenge concerns healthcare. Attracting and retaining nurses is an issue, so the RD and the municipalities lobbied the provincial government for advance education for nurses. The good news is that those efforts were successful and in two years there will be a nursing school located in Fort. St. John. Northern Lights College already has a campus there and in Dawson. And the University of Northern BC has a campus in each of those towns, as well. When it comes to environmental sustainability, there are between 400 and 600 wind turbines in the Peace River Regional District that tie into the main hydro grid. The District has also been putting solar panels on all the public buildings, opportunities give Peace River RD the edge. Young people working in the oil and gas industry can make an excellent wage, and that’s attractive. Sperling relates, “I think that for the young people who are either moving here, or growing up here and staying, it’s not the city life they want. They like the rural or smaller community and that’s a big part of it. They’re looking for a different lifestyle other than the hustle and bustle of the city. The trails, the camping, and, in the winter, the Pomeroy Sports Centre in Fort St. John with its walking track, the arenas, leisure pool – and Dawson and Chetwynd have similar amenities. It’s very much an outdoor attitude but then, because of our climate, there are a lot of indoor facilities as well.” Broadband connectivity is a challenge; however, it is improving. The PRRD is currently doing a needs assessment to understand what is needed, especially in the rural areas. These assessments are also necessary to apply for grants. There are several service providers in the area, it’s just