Over the last three decades, “sustainability” has been core to the discipline of urban planning. To support sustainable community development, growth management policies favour a shift away from low-density urban sprawl, and towards patterns of urbanization that favour dense, compact and recentralized development. In this presentation, I will briefly explore the history of planning in Prince George and discuss how past practices have contributed to the “big” urban challenges of today. Following this, I will highlight several recent research projects, to illustrate current development trends in Prince George – while also reflecting on the future prospects of Prince George as a “sustainable community.”  

Dr. Rylan Graham is an Assistant Professor in the School of Planning and Sustainability at the University of Northern British Columbia. Rylan’s research focuses on issues related to growth management and the transition towards intensification, neighbourhood change and downtown revitalization, and with a particular focus on mid-sized Canadian cities. Rylan is a Registered Professional Planner (RPP) with the Planning Institute of British Columbia and a Full Member in the Canadian Institute of Planners (MCIP). Prior to entering academia, he practiced as a planner in Alberta and Saskatchewan. 

The Natural Resources & Environmental Studies Institute (NRESi) at UNBC hosts a weekly lecture series at the Prince George campus. Anyone from the university or wider community with interest in the topic area is welcome to attend. Presentations are also made available to remote participants through Zoom Webinar. Go to http://www.unbc.ca/nres-institute/colloquium-webcasts to view the presentation remotely.

Past NRESi colloquium presentations and special lectures can be viewed on our video archive, available here.