UNBC - 10_26market1

Research undertaken by the UNBC School of Environmental Planning indicates that the local Farmers’ Market has emerged as a major contributor to the City’s downtown, pumping $794,000 into the local economy.

The research was completed by professor David Connell, who worked with a group of students to survey market customers in September. On their assessment day (September 9), they estimate that 1938 people visited the market. Among those, more than 300 people participated in the survey and the findings illustrate the importance of the market to the revitalization of the downtown:

•   Based on the number of visitors and their reported spending, the annual economic impact of the Farmers’ Market is estimated at $794,000
•   84% of respondents came downtown specifically for the Farmers’ Market
•   55% attend the market regularly, at least two or three times per month
•   64% of respondents attending the Market indicated that they would also visit neighbouring businesses while downtown
•   The economic impact of that additional spending at neighbouring businesses was estimated at $402,000.

“Our research has shown that the Farmers’ Market has had a strong positive influence on downtown Prince George,” says Dr. Connell. “This is borne out by the hard numbers as well as the opinions of market attendees and neighbouring businesses who – almost without exception – see the Farmers’ Market as very positive aspect of the downtown. The results give us a glimpse of what the potential benefits would be of a year-round market.”

The Prince George Farmers’ Market is held Saturday morning in Wilson Square from May to October. It typically features up to 55 vendors who sell items that are either grown or crafted locally. The study of the local market is being added to a broader research project on the farmers’ markets in 26 BC communities. Financial and in-kind support has been provided by participating farmers’ markets, Investment Agriculture Foundation, BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, and the University of Northern British Columbia.