Media Release – Joint Statement from Prince George Mayor Frizzell and Mackenzie Mayor Kyllo

Friday November 6, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Prince George, B.C. – Mackenzie and Prince George mayors are calling for consistent cell coverage and communications throughout Northern B.C. as well as including a hospital helipad to remain a priority following the bus crash that occurred on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.

“We were all shocked and saddened when the news hit about the bus crash south of Mackenzie on Highway 39,” Prince George Mayor Garth Frizzell said. “It Is not my place to comment on specifics of the injuries or the details of the accident, but I want to commend the actions of the first responders including all the paramedics and RCMP. The fast-thinking decisions and work by the team of Mackenzie healthcare first responders and those in Prince George made a difference. Our thoughts are with those injured and we wish all those impacted well in their recovery. Northern communities always look out for one another, and people always rally together in a time of need.”

This tragic incident also serves as a timely reminder on the need for consistent cell coverage and communications throughout Northern B.C. Universal broadband has not been achieved. B.C. has approximately 15,000 km of primary and secondary highways. As of January 2026, only 62% have cellular service coverage. It also serves as a reminder of the importance for a helipad to be included in the new acute care tower at the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia.

“These are things our council and fellow northern and regional municipalities will continue to advocate for,” Mackenzie Mayor Pete Kyllo said.

“When lives depend on minutes, transportation shouldn’t take hours.”

In 2024 the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George had a resolution through the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) calling on the province to advance the installation of new cellular infrastructure along sections of Highway 16 East from Prince George to the Alberta border, and other British Columbia highways, without adequate cell service, prioritizing the safety, connectivity, and economic well-being of our citizens and travelers.

MEDIA RELEASE - Joint Statement from Prince George Mayor Frizzell and Mackenzie Mayor Kyllo (PDF)