Prince Albert youth advocate calls for stronger youth voices, better transit and public spaces

“I feel like some people’s voices that are the least heard are youth voices,” she said. “People don’t really want them to be in adult spaces where they can give their opinions.”

To address that gap, Bonney became involved with the Student Commission of Canada (SCC), a national non-profit organization focused on youth engagement and advocacy.

“They really do everything, but it’s mainly to help youth be a part of society.”

Madin Hoey, a Grade 11 student from Wesmor, said he was invited to be part of the SCC and had no hesitation in joining.

“I really wanted to be a part of this because I like how we can get feedback from the public and how the city of Prince Albert can help and adapt and create the Prince Albert we want,” he said.

Hoey and Bonney took part in a youth engagement event Friday at Gateway Mall, organized through a partnership between the City of Prince Albert and the SCC, said Anna Dinsdale, Community Safety and Well-being Manager for the city.

“This has been mainly led by that group of youth who are hoping that we can get a much broader range of feedback from youth across Prince Albert,” she said. “This is just an initial event to try and gather feedback from youth across P.A. rather than just a narrow group.”

Bonney said she and other members of the Prince Albert chapter worked alongside city officials to organize the event and develop discussion questions.

“It was really a group effort to think of all the questions and collaborate with the City of Prince Albert to put it on,” she said.

According to Dinsdale, the feedback gathered during the event will be reviewed and shared across multiple civic departments.

“We all work with the youth who have co-designed this event and the Students Commission of Canada to collect and gather that feedback in themes,” Dinsdale said. “That feedback will be provided across departments because there are questions that relate to lots of different areas.”

Youth organizers are also expected to bring their concerns directly to city council in the future.

“They’re really asking for some formalization of youth voice,” Dinsdale said. “What we really recognize is that we need to amplify the voice of youth in our community and understand the feedback they have.”

She said council is expected to review the recommendations and potentially work with youth organizers to develop a more permanent structure for youth engagement.

Third spaces

Among the concerns raised by participants was the lack of “third spaces” — public places outside of school, work or home where people can gather freely.

“Lots of those spaces are not there anymore or you have to pay to be in there,” Bonney said. “There’s not a lot of places other than school or work to just be a youth or be a person.”

She pointed to restaurants and coffee shops as examples of spaces that are often inaccessible for young people who cannot afford to stay long-term.

“People go to somewhere like Tim Hortons to study, but there’s a 30-minute wait time and then they get kicked out,” she said.

One challenge Prince Albert youth have identified is places to hang out that don’t cost money or limit time. (Image Credit: Susan McNeil/paNOW)

Employment issues

In Madin’s view, employment is the single biggest issue young Prince Albert residents are facing.

“I find it’s really important for youth to find employment and a job and a career,” he said.

Hoey works at Creeland Mini Mart, a job he loves, but before getting that position, he applied at multiple other places and never got a response. Chain companies that used to be reliable sources of employment for youth now only take applications on their website. The applicant first answers a series of questions from the site’s AI bot and then waits to hear back – or not.

Finding a job has been a struggle for these local teens. (Image Credit: Susan McNeil/paNOW)

Transportation issues

Bonney also highlighted concerns about transportation and pedestrian infrastructure in Prince Albert, describing the city as difficult to navigate without a vehicle.

“Prince Albert is not really a walkable city, especially for how small it is,” she said.

She noted that some neighbourhoods still lack sidewalks, forcing residents to walk on roads, particularly during winter months when snow-covered pathways can make travel difficult.

“When it is snowy, sidewalks aren’t really plowed down most of the time, so it’s hard to get to bus stops,” Bonney said.

Dinsdale said the city recognizes that youth rely heavily on sidewalks and public transit, particularly during winter conditions.

“So often when we think about pathways and sidewalks with snow, we think about seniors or people with mobility concerns walking around the city,” Dinsdale said. “But actually students walk around our city and access transit.”

While Bonney said conditions are beginning to improve, she believes more work is needed to ensure residents across the city can easily access essential services.

Looking ahead, Bonney hopes youth engagement initiatives continue beyond a single event.

“I’m just really hoping that youth events like these aren’t just a one-time thing,” she said.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com

by Susan McNeil

Prince Albert youth advocate calls for stronger youth voices, better transit and public spaces

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