I’ll be honest: before attending PGPIRG’s Annual General Meeting on December 15th, I had no idea what the acronym even stood for. Prince George Public Interest Research Group? Sure, sounds official. But what do they actually do?
Turns out, quite a lot. And it’s all funded by a small portion of every UNBC student’s tuition, about $30,000 annually. Which made me wonder: where is that money going?
## More Than Just Another Campus Organization
PGPIRG has been around since 1995, starting with campus composting. Three decades later, they’re running programs I didn’t even know existed, from free garden beds to an affordable grocery store to a comprehensive EDI survey.
The meeting itself was small (just a handful of board members on Zoom), but what struck me was the scope of what this student-driven organization actually accomplishes with limited resources.
## Free Vegetables and Garden Beds? Yes, Really
Their “Farm For Thought” program grows organic vegetables and gives them away for free to UNBC students. They partner with the PG Native Friendship Centre and run u-pick harvest events where anyone can grab fresh produce.
The UNBC Community Garden Project provides 20 students with completely free garden beds, soil, plants, and materials. For students interested in growing their own food, PGPIRG covers everything and provides coordinator support.
## The Good Store: Affordable Groceries on Campus
In March 2024, PGPIRG opened The Good Store, an on-campus shop with affordable groceries and local products. What makes it especially interesting is that they specifically support UNBC student businesses by giving them shelf space and opportunities to sell at community fairs and markets.
## That EDI Survey You Might’ve Seen
Remember seeing a QR code around campus for an equity, diversity, and inclusion survey? That was PGPIRG. They created a comprehensive, anonymous survey to gather data about EDI issues on campus.
## The Budget Turnaround Story
For years, PGPIRG was operating in the red. Expenses exceeded revenue, and they were carrying debt. But through careful expense management and securing external grants, including recent funding from the Public Health Association of BC, they’ve turned things around. This year’s budget projects a positive net income, a significant achievement for a small student-funded nonprofit.
## Why This Matters
Most students don’t realize these programs exist. PGPIRG offers tangible benefits like free food, garden space, affordable groceries, and platforms for student businesses, but only if students know about them.
Whether it’s grabbing free vegetables during harvest season, signing up for a community garden bed, checking out The Good Store, or filling out their EDI survey, there are concrete ways to benefit from an organization that’s already funded by a portion of your tuition.
After attending their AGM, I’m convinced more students should know what PGPIRG does. They’re offering resources that could genuinely help students dealing with food insecurity, wanting to learn about sustainable living, or simply looking for affordable groceries.
You can reach them at pgpirg@unbc.ca or follow them on Instagram at @pgpirg and @pgpirg.thegoodstore.
