‘It’s about a conversation:’ FSJ councillor talks collaboration post-premier meeting

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Fort St. John city councillor Trevor Bolin is reiterating the importance of collaboration following a visit from Premier David Eby. 

During an episode of This Week in The Peace, city councillor Trevor Bolin discussed the importance of meeting with B.C. Premier Eby while the premier was in Fort St. John on July 14. 

“It’s not about politics, it’s not even about policy,” he said. “It’s about a conversation about what Fort St. John needs, what our residents need, what the future looks like, things that we may need to know so that we’re not surprised down the road.” 

According to Bolin, meetings with politicians who are located in the Lower Mainland are important for communities like Fort St. John and Dawson Creek, which are “so far removed” from where meetings usually take place.

Bolin said the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) offers an annual opportunity for city council to meet with ministers and the premier, but the city will take advantage of it when ministers travel to visit Fort St. John. 

“It is a full opportunity for council to advocate what we need,” he said. 

Bolin explained that he doesn’t want promises from meetings with provincial politicians, but rather wants to be able to “lay out” the problems the city is facing.

“Banging our fist on the table and making demands and then not offering a solution is never going to further us along,” he said.

Bolin said people should understand that when provincial cabinets or caucuses are developing their budgets, they will remember meetings with the city council and the concerns and solutions that were raised.

One of the main topics during the meeting with the premier was the Peace Villa care home, Bolin said. 

According to Bolin, the council offered assistance to the province in expanding the Peace Villa care home.

“We’re here, we know everything going on in our city, let us be the ones that help you with this project,” he said.

Bolin said the premier was very grateful for the offer, and the city and province will have conversations in the near future.

He also said conversations like that are how the city will get shovels in the ground.

Bolin urges anyone upset that the council met with the premier because of things he has done or the colours of his party’s flag to “sit back and realize the importance of what these meetings are and the fact that council was willing to set aside a majority of their day to ensure these conversations happen.” 

According to Bolin, the council has also discussed meeting with the Ministry of Health on issues related to Fort St. John Hospital, specifically the issue of “nine people at any given time waiting for a bed to be admitted.”

“The hospital was too small when it was built,” he said. “That was never a secret; it continues to be too small as we continue to grow because Fort St. John is growing, the region is growing.”

Bolin said meeting with the premier gave the city another opportunity to say “hey, this is something we’ve brought up a month or two months ago, but here’s the reality of it.” 

According to Bolin, while the city can send letters, emails, make phone calls, or even go down south to address local issues, it does not have the same impact as “standing at 100 St. or eating at a local restaurant and being able to explain what we’re facing with in Fort St. John.”

To watch the full episode of This Week in the Peace, see below. 

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