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Prince George election 2018: Cori Ramsay wants to be the 'young, progressive voice' on council

Voters head to the polls Oct. 20
Cori Ramsay
(via Contributed)

On Oct. 20, Prince George residents will pick one mayor, eight councillors and five school trustees. The ballot will have two mayoral candidates, 13 councillor candidates and 11 school trustee candidates. There are also 15 candidates running in the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George.

PrinceGeorgeMatters has sent out a list of questions to those vying for a seat in public office.

Name: Cori Ramsay

Running for: City councillor

Age: 31

Number of years lived in Prince George: 16

Current neighbourhood: South Fort George

Occupation: Communications officer

Reason community would recognize your name: TEDxUNBC, Prince George Chamber of Commerce Top 40 Under 40, Living Wage, Poverty Reduction Specialist, Board Chair Two Rivers Gallery, UNBC Alumni, Beekeeper

What is the most important issue facing Prince George, and how do you propose to deal with it?

The biggest issue in Prince George currently is our homelessness issue. Homelessness impacts tourism, infrastructure, policing, public health and promotion of Prince George as a place to develop business and encourage young families to move to our city. Poverty trickles into the daily lives of our citizens and is starting to significantly impact residents and businesses, impacting our ability to achieve economic diversity. B.C. is the only province without a poverty reduction plan and this means that no one is dealing with the issue. There is a significant amount of spending at multiple levels of government, but no strategy or plan with how to deal with the issue. I am a poverty reduction specialist and I have been consulted on poverty reduction at the provincial level and I believe that my insight could be an incredible benefit on council.

How should Prince George address the issue of crime in the city?

We should be proactive in dealing with our vulnerable populations with respect to community policing and affordable housing. If we tackle the poverty problem, we can start better using our community policing dollars and address issues such as speeding in school zones, distracted driving, crime, social disorder and public safety.

Research shows that reducing homelessness by prioritizing public health programs and affordable housing can directly translate to a reduction of crime such as theft and drug use. It’s important that we support public policing and actively listen to the reports on statistics and issues impacting our local police and make informed decisions based on research and analysis.

What is your specific reason for running?

We have an aging infrastructure and an aging workforce; we need a young, progressive voice on council that is going to learn from experienced councillors so that we have a clear succession plan. I am passionate about local issues and know I can make a big difference when it comes to strategy and long-term planning for our city. As a Chamber of Commerce Top 40 Under 40, I am a young leader in our community and I have a lot to bring to the table. I have a diverse background in finance, marketing, public relations, strategic communications, governance, policy development and poverty reduction.

Where can the city spend less?

I think that every city has the ability to be better at public spending. I plan on being informed and doing my homework to ensure that I am making recommendations that don’t waste public money. For instance, I recently saw the city painting sidewalks and this struck me as an odd thing to do in September because we’re about to head into winter and most of the areas painted will need to be redone come spring; the money is budgeted to be spent, but perhaps, better planning can ensure that the dollars are the most effective they can be.

Where should the city be investing more?

We should be investing in infrastructure and meeting the needs of Prince George. In terms of industry, we need to look at long-term forecasting and diversify our economy so that it remains sustainable but also attractive to young families.

What new business or feature would you like to see in Prince George?

Something that’s near and dear to my heart as an advocate for the arts community is a performing arts centre. I would love to also see an influx in young entrepreneurial startups come to Prince George — we have a great community of young entrepreneurs and supporting and diversifying our economy with these impactful businesses will ensure sustainability in the future. I would also like to focus on infrastructure, such as more frequent public transit that brings the Hart and College Heights together making our community more accessible.

Next time you’re walking in the woods and you come face-to-face with a Sasquatch, what do you do?

I ask them how they are doing.

If the next city council does something film-worthy, who would play you in the film? 

Every council session is recorded so I would play myself in the documentary.

Complete the sentence...

When I’m not at home or at work, you can find me:...beekeeping, dancing, playing with the Prince George Community Band, volunteering at MakerLab, sewing costumes for local theatre groups, or chairing board or committee meetings.

The most random, yet interesting fact about me is: I’m a beekeeper. I once lived in a school bus.

My favourite beverage is: Diet Coke

For Christmas/Hanukkah/the gift-giving season, I would like:...an end to poverty.

The best park in/near to Prince George is: Lheidli T’enneh because it’s closest to my house and I love the trail that goes straight to Cottonwood Park.

If Prince George didn’t exist, I’d be living in:...the place where my family and friends were.

When I need some pump-up music, I listen to: Electro jazz