Northern BC communities know better than most how closely their fortunes are tied to major industry. Mills, mines and power generation facilities are more than workplaces — they’re economic anchors… When an industrial business shuts down, it stops paying most of its share of property taxes. This means …the rest of their community must now share more of the tax burden. That’s why a push to revise or eliminate the closure allowance in the BC Assessment Act deserves strong backing from municipalities across northern BC — and why Prince George is in the right place to help lead the charge. The closure allowance allows owners of major industrial properties to ask for their assessed value to be reduced to one-10th of its previous level once operations shut down. …Northern BC communities … deserve a taxation framework that strengthens their resilience rather than magnifying their challenges, and if they speak with one voice, the province is far more likely to listen.