Industrial Land Inventory
Council directed staff to apply for a CanExport Community Investment grant and committed up to $34,000 from the Council Initiatives fund to prepare an industrial land inventory and marketing package.
The CanExport Community Investments program provides financial support to Canadian communities to help them attract, retain and expand foreign direct investment. This creates jobs for Canadians, fostering innovation and increasing exports.
Given the current global economy, this will improve Quesnel's ability to respond to investment inquiries and attract new industrial investment to the area.
2025 Quesnel Volunteer Fire Department Annual Call-out Report
The Quesnel Fire Department currently has 4 career and 34 volunteer firefighters to serve the Quesnel/Red Bluff Fire Protection area and provides fire suppression, first responder medical aid, high angle/confined space rescue, motor vehicle road rescue, Haz-mat operations and wildfire structural sprinkler protection.
Fire Chief Richert reviewed the 2025 911 incident calls. The Quesnel Fire Department was dispatched to 856 calls in 2025, compared to 825 calls in 2024.
Increased call types included various burning complaints, serious motor vehicle accidents and BC Ambulance Service and RCMP assists, while decreased calls included medical aid, residential fire and false alarms, vehicle and small wild fires.
Public Safety & Development
In accordance with Council's strategic plan, City Manager McKay provided a report to Council regarding public safety and development, outlining budget considerations for 2026.
The goal was to identify first responder trends in the community and corresponding options for deployment of critical services to mitigate the effects of the ongoing illicit drug epidemic, growing resident concerns and an under-resourced justice system.
To align with Council’s direction to maintain fiscal prudence amid uncertain economic conditions in a City highly dependent on industrial taxation, staff recommended consideration of the following:
- Work with the RCMP and Province of B.C. on recruitment/retention efforts to increase the member count at the Quesnel detachment to 22 by 2027 and 24 by 2028;
- Work with the RCMP to explore options to optimize the deployment of members to transition to a 6-person watch rotation by 2029/2030;
- Work with the RCMP to transition the detachment to a watch clerk system;
- Advocate for a third ambulance unit in Quesnel; and
- Advocate to the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General to ensure the Province is adequately funding and supporting the Quesnel RCMP detachment in view of current public safety concerns.
Given potential staffing ramifications, following the Regular meeting Council moved into a special closed meeting to discuss the options further.
Announcements
- Saturday, January 31, 2026 – 7:15 pm - Quesnel Kangaroos puck drop – West Fraser Centre
- Friday, February 6, 2026 – 5:00 – 8:00 pm - Boots & Toques Winter Carnival – West Fraser Centre & LeBourdais Park
Next meeting:
Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at 5:30 pm at Council Chambers, City Hall, 410 Kinchant Street