Moving to Prince George: a new resident checklist
A checklist for settling into Prince George: utilities, garbage day, alerts, MSP and a family doctor, ICBC, voting, schools and winter readiness.
Updated
At a glance
- Set up City utilities, find your garbage day, and sign up for emergency alerts in your first week.
- Enrol in MSP right away and register for a family doctor on the Health Connect Registry.
- ICBC gives new BC residents 90 days to switch to a BC driver’s licence.
- You can update your address with several provincial agencies at once through AddressChangeBC.
- Winter arrives early: get winter tires and learn the October 15 to April 15 street parking rules.
Welcome to Prince George. This checklist puts the essentials in order, with links to our detailed guides and the official pages where you actually get things done. The City’s all-purpose contact is 311 (or 250-561-7600 from outside city limits), 311@princegeorge.ca, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at City Hall, 1100 Patricia Boulevard.
Week one: the house
- Utilities. Water, sewer and garbage are billed by the City. When you buy a home, the account follows the property, so confirm your mailing address with the City. Electricity is BC Hydro; natural gas is FortisBC. See property taxes and utilities.
- Register for MyCity to see tax and utility bills online and switch to email billing.
- Find your garbage day on the collection calendar or in the cityofpg app. Learn the 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. set-out rule. See garbage and recycling.
- Too big or too small a garbage cart? New homeowners can swap sizes for free within six months.
- Sign up for emergency alerts with the Regional District’s Public Alerting System, and look up your evacuation zone. See emergency services and alerts.
- Home owner grant. If you own your home and live in it, claim the provincial grant each year when your tax notice arrives.
- Install the cityofpg app to report potholes, streetlights and graffiti, and to check garbage schedules.
Week one: health
- Enrol in MSP. There’s normally a waiting period before coverage starts, so apply right away and buy private coverage for the gap.
- Register on the Health Connect Registry for a family doctor or nurse practitioner, online or by calling 8-1-1.
- Learn your options: UHNBC emergency, the Urgent and Primary Care Centre, and the 8-1-1 nurse line. See health care.
First month: ID, vehicles and paperwork
- Driver’s licence. ICBC gives newcomers 90 days to switch to a BC licence. Ask ICBC or an Autoplan broker about registering and insuring a vehicle you brought with you.
- Update your address in one place for several BC agencies (including ICBC and MSP) through AddressChangeBC. Update the CRA separately.
- BC Services Card. This is your health card and can also be your online government ID.
- Service BC handles many provincial services in person: birth, marriage and name change documents, and more.
- Voter registration. Register or update your details with Elections BC for provincial elections and Elections Canada for federal ones. Municipal voting uses same-day registration.
Getting around
- Buses. Prince George Transit is run by BC Transit. Pay with Umo. Kids 12 and under ride free. See transit.
- Parking. Downtown streets are free for up to three hours. See parking.
- Winter. Winter parking rules apply October 15 to April 15: residential streets have no parking 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and overnight you park on the odd-numbered side unless signed. Plan on winter tires. Highways 97 and 16 require winter tires or chains for much of the year. Check DriveBC before road trips. See snow and roads.
Family and community
- School. Register kids with School District 57. See schools and post-secondary.
- Library cards are free for city residents. See libraries.
- Dog licence. Required for dogs over four months. See bylaws and animal control.
- Pools and rinks. The Canfor Leisure Pool is open downtown. Public skating usually runs October to March. See recreation centres and pools.
- Neighbourhood community association. Many run outdoor rinks, programs and events.
- Parks and trails. Prince George has an extensive park and trail network. See parks and facility bookings.
Know your local government
- City Council: the mayor and eight councillors. See city council.
- Vote this fall. The municipal election is Saturday, October 17, 2026, and the provincial election is Saturday, October 24, 2026. See election 2026 and provincial and federal representatives.
- Land acknowledgement. Prince George is on the unceded traditional territory of the Lheidli T’enneh. See First Nations governance.
- Stay informed. Subscribe to City news and public notices at princegeorge.ca/subscribe. See public notices and engagement.
Useful numbers
| For | Call |
|---|---|
| Emergency | 9-1-1 |
| City services | 311 or 250-561-7600 |
| Nurse line | 8-1-1 |
| RCMP non-emergency | 250-561-3300 |
| Fire Rescue non-emergency | 250-561-7664 |
| Bylaw Services and Animal Control | 250-561-7622 |
| Conservation Officer (bears, wildlife) | 1-877-952-7277 |
Find local businesses and services in the directory, and live weather, air quality and road conditions on the dashboard.
Common questions
What’s the first thing to do after moving to Prince George?
Enrol in MSP (BC health coverage), since there’s normally a waiting period. Then set up your City utility account or confirm it transferred with your home, find your garbage day, and sign up for emergency alerts.
How long do I have to get a BC driver’s licence?
ICBC says you have 90 days after moving to BC to switch to a BC driver’s licence. Its moving-to-BC page lists the documents you need and explains how to register and insure vehicles brought from elsewhere.
How do I contact the City of Prince George?
Call 311 from inside city limits or 250-561-7600 from elsewhere, email 311@princegeorge.ca, or visit City Hall at 1100 Patricia Boulevard, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Can I vote in Prince George if I just moved here?
For the October 17, 2026 municipal election, you must have lived in BC since April 16, 2026 and live in Prince George now. For the October 24, 2026 provincial election, you must have been a BC resident since April 23, 2026.
Where do I get a library card?
At either Prince George Public Library branch or online. It’s free for city residents. If your ID still shows your old address, you get three months to show proof of your new one.
Sources
Official links
More in city services
- Garbage, recycling and the landfillHow curbside garbage and recycling work in Prince George: cart sizes and costs, set-out times, bear rules and where to take what the cart won’t.
- Water, sewer and sprinkling rulesWhere Prince George tap water comes from, year-round sprinkling rules, frozen pipes, leaks, water meters and what not to flush.
- Property taxes and utility billsPrince George property tax and utility due dates, how to pay, the home owner grant, MyCity accounts, utility rates and what if you fall behind.
- Snow clearing, winter parking and roadsHow Prince George plows its streets, when your road gets cleared, winter parking rules, spring sweeping, road closures and reporting potholes.
- Getting around by busA practical guide to Prince George Transit: fares, Umo, passes, handyDART, free-ride days, trip planning and service alerts.
- Parking downtown and around the hospitalParking in Prince George: free three-hour street parking, downtown lots and parkades, monthly and residential permits, paying or disputing tickets.
