Sheldon Clare, MLA for Prince George – North Cariboo has a set of key priorities for the region and province as 2025 is set to begin.
“As I set out on the first full year of my term as MLA, 2025 promises to be full of challenges and opportunities,” said Sheldon Clare, Deputy Whip and MLA for Prince George – North Cariboo. “I look forward to addressing critical issues facing our communities and province in conjunction with government, community organizations, the public and private sectors, and the public at large.”
Despite being in opposition, Clare said he believes the Conservatives can affect change in the government.
"We have a fair bit of influence given the size of the opposition and the size of the government," Clare said. "There are things that we can agree on that are in the interest of British Columbians that all parties can support, so we'll be looking for those opportunities."
Key priorities in the coming year include:
Transportation
Clare will be pushing for repairs to several roads including Quesnel-Hixon Road, Quesnel Hydraulic Road, Blackwater Road and more. He will also be focusing on pushing for the North-South Interconnector to be built.
"We've been seeing promise after promise about this (the interconnector) for decades," Clare said. "It's just a matter of allocating the funds. I think part of the problem is infrastructure around the province has been in such a terrible disarray for so long." He said it's become very difficult for governments to handle infrastructure.
The province has a plan prepared for the interconnector but has not yet dedicated funds to its construction.
He's also been communicating with the RCMP to address speeding on Likely Road.
Health Care
In one of the biggest issues facing the province, Clare said he was going to focus on health care worker recruitment and retention, emergency room availability, and hospice palliative care fees.
He said the government needs to make sure healthcare workers feel valued and enjoy their work, which is more difficult to achieve when emergency rooms are full.
"It's more about holding the NDP government accountable for its actions and making sure that they see the error of their ways and the steps to correct what they've done," Clare said.
Economy and Jobs
Clare is hoping to prevent the closure of the Tidewater Renewables refinery and hydrogen plant in Prince George. He said the closure could hurt the region and province, causing gas prices to go up.
He cited biodiesel from the United States being cheaper to purchase than locally produced biodiesel as the cause for the potential closure and said the B.C. Conservative Party would introduce a bill to support the plant and prevent the closure. He's hoping it will receive support from all parties and said he hopes it will be a good way to start the year off.
He's also hoping to speed up permitting for industries like mining and forestry.
Agriculture
Railroad fencing, Crown rangeland rents, fees and permitting processes, predator control, forage production and rangeland/watershed management.
While these are some of the priorities Clare has, he emphasized it isn't an exhaustive list and there will be many things he'll be focusing on throughout 2025.
“I’ve been active travelling the riding from Prince George to Big Lake meeting with stakeholder groups, organizations and individuals to take stock of the issues facing the constituency and province,” Clare stated. “I look forward to raising these issues and advocating for meaningful change in the Legislature during the upcoming spring session.”
The Prince George - North Cariboo Constituency Office in Quesnel will open in January and is located at 410 Kinchant Street in City Hall. A secondary office is slated for opening in the College Heights or Vanway area in Prince George in 2025.
"I wish everyone all the very best for 2025, I'm really enjoying getting to know so many folks in the riding and I hope that they are going to feel comfortable approaching my staff and myself about resolving issues that are of concern," he said.
