NDIT - Northern BC in Action (Projects)
Direct Economic Development Initiatives
Community/local government | Initiative | Announced or advanced | Summary |
Prince George | Five-year Economic Development Strategy | June 2026 | New strategy centred on business-friendly policies and approvals, downtown investment, talent attraction, industrial and logistics development, and improved service delivery. City announcement |
Prince George | Employer and Workforce Survey | March 2026 | Survey of employers and workers to identify labour-force participation, recruitment, retention and workforce-development needs. City announcement |
Prince George | Civic Core District Plan | 2026 | Long-term plan for municipally owned downtown properties, intended to encourage investment, improve public spaces and determine future land uses around City Hall and major civic facilities. Project page |
Kitimat | Downtown Concept Plan | Approved July 2026 | Framework for downtown revitalization, public-realm improvements and new investment. Actions include bringing municipal properties to market, advancing an outdoor market, improving parks and transportation, and pursuing infill development. District project page |
Kitimat | Industrial Land Strategy | Advanced November 2025–2026 | Identifies land and servicing requirements for light-industrial and commercial growth, including properties suitable for short-, medium- and long-term development and possible redevelopment incentives. District project page |
Kitimat | 2025 Business Walk | October 2025 | Joint District–Chamber outreach initiative gathering business information to guide future priorities, programs and economic-development decisions. Business Walk page |
Prince Rupert | City Core Spring Spruce Up Campaign | May 2026 | Temporary streamlined approvals allowing downtown businesses to undertake minor repainting, rebranding and façade improvements more easily. City announcement |
Prince Rupert | 2026 Business Façade Improvement Program | May 2026 | Matching grants of up to $5,000 for eligible Downtown and Cow Bay façade projects, intended to stimulate private investment and commercial revitalization. Program information |
Prince Rupert | Extended Downtown and Housing Development Incentives | Reported June 2026 | Downtown tax exemptions, relaxed parking requirements, and selected development and building-permit fee waivers extended to 2029. City annual-report announcement |
Terrace | 4600 Lakelse Avenue Revitalization | Adopted as 2026 capital project | Downtown pedestrian and streetscape project developed with the Terrace Downtown Improvement Area to create a stronger shopping, gathering and visitor destination. Project page |
Fort St. John | Labour Market Research Study | June 2026 | Research into labour supply and demand, workforce composition, employer needs, youth employment and temporary-resident workers, leading to recommendations for employers and job seekers. City notice |
Williams Lake | Economic Development Standing Committee | December 2025 | New Council standing committee created to place greater focus on the city’s economic well-being and economic-development priorities. City website |
Williams Lake and Cariboo Regional District | Cariboo Chilcotin Forestry Action Process | August 2026 | Regional forum identified six priorities: partnerships, wildfire resilience, communications, reliable fibre supply, land restoration and better utilization of harvested trees. Working groups and a regional action plan are to follow. City announcement |
Williams Lake | 2026 Business Façade Improvement Program | February 2026 | $20,000 program offering businesses up to $5,000 for improvements in the downtown and highway-commercial areas. City announcement |
Quesnel | Sport and Event Attraction Initiative | May 2026 | Work produced an inventory of tourism and event assets, a 15-year event-bidding pipeline and an economic-development model for attracting events. Council highlights |
Quesnel | Explore Cariboo Digital Marketing Initiative | June 2026 | Procurement launched for regional tourism social-media and digital marketing services under the Explore Cariboo brand. |
Quesnel | #SkiNorthBC Tourism Project | November 2025 | City-led regional winter-tourism marketing initiative supported by an $18,571 NDIT contribution. NDIT funding announcement |
Houston | Economic Diversification Strategy | 2025–2026 implementation | Community-driven diversification roadmap developed with Deloitte in response to major economic shifts, emphasizing Houston’s workforce, location and natural assets. District information |
Houston | Financial Sustainability and Economic Prosperity Initiative | June 2026 | Council initiative examining long-term municipal financial sustainability alongside economic prosperity and diversification. |
Cariboo Regional District | Expanded “Make the Move” Campaign | 2026 budget | Expansion of the North Cariboo resident-attraction campaign, alongside support for agritourism and circular-economy initiatives. CRD budget information |
Cariboo Regional District | 2026 Business Façade Improvement Program | 2026 | Regional program providing eligible businesses and property owners with 50% reimbursement, up to $5,000, for commercial-frontage improvements. CRD program page |
McBride | 2026 Business Façade Improvement Program | March 2026 | Matching grants of up to $5,000 for exterior commercial-building improvements, with priority given to properties that have not previously participated. Village program page |
McBride | Five-Year MRDT Strategy and Renewal | 2026 | Updated tourism strategy supporting renewal of the Municipal and Regional District Tax and setting tourism-development and marketing priorities. Village plans page |
Valemount | Economic Development Strategy | Announced as a 2026 priority | New strategy identified among the Village’s upcoming strategic priorities, following tourism impacts associated with the Jasper wildfire and highway disruptions. Village year-in-review document |
Investment-Enabling Projects and Plans
Community/local government | Initiative | Announced or advanced | Economic-development relevance |
Terrace | Major Initiatives Department | August 2026 | Temporary five-person department created through 2031 to deliver a large infrastructure and development portfolio. LNG Canada is contributing $900,000 toward capacity. City announcement |
Terrace | Skeena Industrial Development Park Improvements | August 2026 update | Anticipated infrastructure improvements intended to advance the city’s principal industrial-development area. Included in Terrace’s growing major-project program. City announcement |
Smithers | Land Needs Assessment—Phase 1 | February 2026 | Inventory of residential, civic, commercial and industrial land intended to improve use of constrained land within town boundaries. Town engagement page |
Smithers | Airport Demand and Leakage Study | December 2025 | Analysis of passenger demand and travellers using competing airports to identify opportunities for the municipally owned Smithers Regional Airport. Town engagement page |
Smithers | Airport Master Plan | June 2026 | Long-term development roadmap for Smithers Regional Airport, an important regional transportation and investment asset. Town engagement page |
Smithers | Seniors’ Workforce Housing | August 2026 | Eight new two-bedroom seniors’ rental units, supported by a $76,000 NDIT housing incentive. The project also supports resident retention and housing turnover. Funding announcement |
Vanderhoof | MarDel Place Seniors Housing | November 2025 | Seniors’ housing project supported by a $96,000 NDIT contribution, addressing housing availability and resident retention. Funding announcement |
Fort St. John | New Aquatic Facility and Indoor Fieldhouse Planning | March–September 2026 | Feasibility studies completed and procurement advanced for facilities intended to support quality of life, workforce attraction and regional event hosting. City news page |
Williams Lake | 2025–2050 Official Community Plan | December 2025 | Updated framework for land use, housing, transportation, development certainty and economic opportunity. City announcement |
Prince Rupert | 2026 Resource Benefits Alliance Capital Program | June 2026 | Includes bridge rehabilitation, sewer and wastewater works, public-works relocation and other projects needed to support growth and port-related development. City announcement |
Lillooet | $5-million BC Hydro Community Agreement | September 2026 | Agreement supporting critical municipal water-system improvements, strengthening infrastructure capacity and readiness for future growth. District announcement |