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Prince George facts: population, time zone, distances

Quick facts about Prince George, BC: where it is, population, time zone, elevation, when it was founded, hardiness zone and driving distances to cities.

Updated · Sources checked

At a glance

  • Prince George sits where the Fraser and Nechako rivers meet, in the centre of British Columbia, about 785 km north of Vancouver by road.
  • Population: 76,708 in the 2021 Census. Statistics Canada estimates 85,944 for July 1, 2025.
  • Time zone: Pacific time, UTC−7 all year. BC moved to permanent daylight time in 2026, so clocks don’t change on November 1, 2026 or after.
  • Elevation: about 575 m in the city. The airport sits higher, at 691 m.
  • The City of Prince George was incorporated on March 6, 1915.
  • Plant hardiness zone 4b (Natural Resources Canada, 1991–2020).

Quick answers to common questions about Prince George, with the source for each. For more detail, follow the links to our dashboards and guides.

At a glance
Location Central British Columbia, where the Nechako and Fraser rivers meet
Coordinates 53°54′46″ N, 122°44′43″ W (at City Hall)
Population (2021 Census) 76,708 (city); 89,490 (census agglomeration)
Population estimate (July 1, 2025) 85,944 (city)
Land area 316.74 km²
Time zone Pacific time, UTC−7 all year
Elevation About 575 m (city); 691 m (airport)
Incorporated March 6, 1915
Plant hardiness zone 4b (1991–2020)
Regional district Fraser-Fort George

Where Prince George is

Prince George is in the centre of British Columbia, at the confluence of the Fraser and Nechako rivers. Highway 16 (the Yellowhead, east–west) and Highway 97 (north–south) cross here. That makes the city the main crossroads of northern BC, often called the province’s northern capital.

It is the homeland of the Lheidli T’enneh, whose name means the people of the confluence of the two rivers. The City says they have lived in the area for at least 9,000 years. See Lheidli T’enneh and geography and rivers.

Population

  • 76,708 people lived in the city at the 2021 Census, up 3.7% from 74,003 in 2016.
  • 89,490 lived in the Prince George census agglomeration: the city plus nearby areas closely tied to it by commuting.
  • Statistics Canada’s population estimate for July 1, 2025 is 85,944 for the city. Estimates are adjusted for people the census missed, so they run higher than census counts.
  • Population density in 2021 was 242.2 people per km², over 316.74 km² of land.

For age, languages, income, housing and projections, see the people dashboard.

Time zone

Prince George is on Pacific time (PCT), UTC−7, all year.

  • British Columbia adopted permanent daylight saving time in 2026. Clocks sprang forward for the last time on March 8, 2026.
  • On November 1, 2026, clocks don’t go back. Pacific time replaces the old PST and PDT labels.
  • Alberta stays on mountain daylight time (UTC−6) all year, so Jasper and Edmonton are one hour ahead of Prince George.
  • Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Chetwynd and Tumbler Ridge, in northeastern BC, keep mountain standard time (UTC−7) all year. That is the same clock time as Prince George.

Elevation

The city is at about 575 m (1,886 ft). Prince George Airport, where the official weather station is, sits higher at 691 m (2,266 ft). See climate and the weather dashboard.

History in brief

  • 1807: Simon Fraser of the North West Company founds the fur trade post of Fort George, in Lheidli T’enneh territory.
  • 1914: the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway arrives, and construction of the railway townsite begins.
  • March 6, 1915: the City of Prince George is incorporated. In May, a plebiscite held with the first mayoral election picked the name “Prince George” over “Fort George”.
  • 1975: the city’s boundary is extended to take in the former Village of South Fort George.

More in the history guide and Fort George and the railway boom.

What Prince George is known for

  • Northern BC’s service centre: higher education, health care, government services, the arts and sports for a large region.
  • Forest products and mining, the industries the city has long supported. See economy and industry.
  • Hosting the 2015 Canada Winter Games.
  • Cold, snowy winters and warm summers. See climate.

Plant hardiness zone

Natural Resources Canada rates Prince George zone 4b, using 1991–2020 climate data. The older 1961–1990 map put it in zone 4a.

Driving distances

For nearby towns, including Quesnel, Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake, Burns Lake, Mackenzie, McBride, Williams Lake, Dawson Creek, Tumbler Ridge and Jasper, see nearby towns. That page lists road distance and drive time for each, refreshed every week.

Farther afield:

From Prince George to Distance Driving time
Kamloops 530 km 5.5 to 7 hours
Prince Rupert 720 km 8 to 9.5 hours
Edmonton, AB 740 km 7.5 to 9.75 hours
Vancouver 785 km 8.5 to 10.5 hours

We calculated these routes once with the OSRM route planner on OpenStreetMap data, from downtown Prince George to each city centre. Distances are rounded to the nearest 5 km. The longer time in each range is OSRM’s; the shorter is the typical drive time from Getting here and around. Both are estimates without stops, traffic or weather. Check DriveBC before any long drive. For the trip south, see Prince George to Vancouver.

Common questions

Where is Prince George, BC?

In the centre of British Columbia, where the Nechako River flows into the Fraser. Highway 16 (east–west) and Highway 97 (north–south) cross in the city. By road it is about 785 km north of Vancouver and 740 km west of Edmonton.

What is the population of Prince George?

The 2021 Census counted 76,708 people in the city and 89,490 in the wider Prince George census agglomeration. Statistics Canada estimates the city’s population at 85,944 on July 1, 2025.

What time zone is Prince George in?

Pacific time, UTC−7. British Columbia adopted permanent daylight saving time in 2026. Clocks moved ahead for the last time on March 8, 2026, and don’t go back on November 1, 2026.

Is Prince George on the same time as Alberta?

No. Alberta stays on mountain daylight time (UTC−6) all year, so Jasper and Edmonton are one hour ahead of Prince George year round. Dawson Creek, Fort St. John and Tumbler Ridge, in BC’s northeast, stay on UTC−7, the same as Prince George.

What is the elevation of Prince George?

About 575 m (1,886 ft) in the city. Prince George Airport is at 691 m (2,266 ft).

When was Prince George founded?

The City of Prince George was incorporated on March 6, 1915, after the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway arrived in 1914. Simon Fraser founded the fur trade post of Fort George nearby in 1807, in the homeland of the Lheidli T’enneh.

What plant hardiness zone is Prince George?

Zone 4b, using Natural Resources Canada’s 1991–2020 data. The older 1961–1990 map put it in zone 4a.

Sources

Official links

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