On April 24, 2024, Northern Development held its Annual General Meeting and spring board meeting in Prince George, where the board of directors once again nominated Margo Wagner as the chair.
Wagner was first elected as chair of Northern Development in 2019 and also serves as chair of the Cariboo Regional District and director of Area H – representing Forest Grove, Gateway, Bradley and Buffalo Creek, Ruth, Hawkins, Canim, Mahood and Hendrix lakes.
Vice-chair for a second term is Barry Pages who services as a councillor for the Village of Masset.
The remaining board members are as follows:
Jim Smith – director, Thompson-Nicola Regional District
Rob Fraser – mayor, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality
Dan Rose – director, Peace River Regional District
Gladys Atrill – mayor, Town of Smithers
Mark Paker – chair, Regional District Bulkley Nechako
Lara Beckett – chair, Regional District Fraser Fort George
Alison Hoskins, Fred Sam, Wayne Plenert, Julie Ziebart and Doug Donaldson are all appointed by the Province of B.C. through Order in Council.
The Northern Development board of directors is responsible for setting the policy and framework for the Trust and work closely with staff to determine strategic priorities.
The board also approved the 2023 Annual Report which highlights funding and projects including:
$46,703,725 granted for 421 projects
11.4% overall return on investment
$75 million from Citizens Services to deliver provincial cellular program
$10 million in new funding for core programs from the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation (JEDI)
The board has a strong working relationship with JEDI and in the fall of 2023, the province introduced legislative amendments that allowed for $10 million to be delivered to Northern Development to invest in the region. Learn more about our Board of Directors and view the 2023 Annual Report on our website.
QUOTES:
Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation
“It’s great to see continuity in the leadership of the Northern Development Initiative Trust as we work together to deliver the supports that are building strong and resilient communities throughout Northern B.C.”
Margo Wagner, Chair, Northern Development Initiative Trust
“I am pleased to once again be nominated as chair of Northern Development. Together with the board and staff, I look forward to continuing to support economic development initiatives in communities across our region.”
Joel McKay, CEO, Northern Development Initiative Trust
“As we move ahead in 2024, I will continue to work with our board and staff on initiatives and programs that will help to bolster the economy in our region. I would also like to recognize the Province of B.C. for their ongoing support of Northern Development’s mission.”
