Coun. Klassen joins call for 'Most Dangerous Cities' rankings to end
And MoreBnb
The Graphic Leader, a Postmedia newspaper in Saskatchewan, reports:
Leaders from 11 Western Canadian cities issue formal request to Statistics Canada: halt release of annual Crime Severity Index rankings until formal consultations are held with smaller communities and Indigenous leadership…
The communities in attendance unanimously supported the formal request for change in reporting by Statistics Canada citing the following concerns as rationale:
Significant economic damage to each community, including stagnant population numbers and struggles attracting new business. “By driving away investment and recruitment and creating fear and division, this statistic perpetuates the very trends it reports on.”;
Difficulty attracting qualified job seekers and new business;
Limited useful application of the Crime Severity Index data for communities with smaller populations, including inaccurate statistics of hub communities that have greatly fluctuating populations;
Data provided by Statistics Canada in the dissemination of the Crime Severity Index rankings for communities with populations of over 10,000 has been categorically misinterpreted and misunderstood by the general public and media, leading to inappropriate and improper
application of the data, and, without a broad understanding of its true meaning, is not a true measure of a community’s safety;Analysis of the Crime Severity Index by the communities present has revealed information which supports the communities’ assertions that the Index is a tool that promotes systemic racial bias;
Negatively impacts the reconciliation process, causing additional harm to Indigenous people.
Prince George is, of course, familiar with these negative repercussions, having been on top of the CSI rankings for three years and still regularly appearing as the worst-ranking city in B.C. Our city was represented at the conference about the crime stats by councillor Trudy Klassen, bottom left in this handout photo from the event:
In Battlesfords Now, Llyodminster mayor Gerald Aalbers went further into the complaints of the western Canadian cities that regularly appear high on the Stats Canada list:
“This report that’s published by Statistics Canada is detrimental to the communities, First Nation communities and many communities throughout Western Canada represented here today, as well as many others.”
“The communities unanimously supported the formal request for change in reporting to Statistics Canada for several reasons, including significant economic damage to our communities, including stagnant population numbers, and struggles to attract new business by driving away investment and recruitment, and creating fear and division that Statistics [Canada] perpetuates, the very trends it reports on,” Aalbers said.
He noted some communities even have a problem trying to attract junior hockey players because parents are concerned about the CSI rankings.
Stats Canada did not comment on the request.
Morebnb
Eventually I’m going to stop sharing short-term rental updates but readers have directed me to two recently published pieces on the topic. In the Walrus, Airbnb’s Devastating Effect on Canadian Housing is a read about “How Montreal priced out long-term renters as thousands of homes became vacation suites.” In Wired, a new report says “New York placed strict restrictions on short-term rentals last year. Rents still remain high, and some former hosts are frustrated. Meanwhile, Airbnb rentals in New Jersey are booming.” The degree to which either city — both major metropolitan tourist destirnations — might provide any insight into the experiences of Prince George one way or another is likely limited, but a reminder nonetheless that B.C. is hardly alone in trying to tackle affordability in housing.
Meanwhile, Mayor Simon Yu’s office has informed me that “Mayor Yu and/or his family do not have any short term rental properties.”
News roundup
Canfor closes 2023 with fourth quarter loss of $117 million.
PG winery eligible for federal funding stream to support sector.
The Community Association’s spring 2024 recreation guide is here.
Theatre NorthWest holding International Women’s Day stage reading performance on Friday.
Williams Lake ice cream shop owner claims $274,000 Lotto Max windfall.
Find out how these snow machines help YXS keep their runways clear.
Which closed business would you wish to bring back to PG? The top answers are Bubba Baloos, College Heights Pub, and “any bakery,” but lots of others if you want to mourn what we’ve lost/walk down memory lane.
Today’s song:
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I would be really surprised if Canfor opens Polar again in 6 months. Its tough to be working in a sawmill these days with all the curtailments and uncertainty....