Fort St. John is supporting a proposed travelling science exhibition that aims to bring interactive learning about the immune system to young adults.
During Monday’s regular council meeting, council approved providing an in-kind donation to the Bridge Research Consortium’s (BRC) travelling science exhibition.
The city’s support will include helping promote the event, supporting community engagement, providing municipal space and allowing the use of the city’s logo for promotional and advertising purposes.
The BRC is a federally funded national network of researchers and clinicians focused on improving understanding of immunity science in Canada, while supporting trust and access to immune-based innovations.
According to a staff report, the organization is developing an interactive exhibition designed to make immunology more accessible through creative, digital and storytelling-based experiences.
“The exhibition is intended to engage young adults by demystifying immunology concepts, highlighting new innovations and increasing access to evidence-based health information through creative, digital and narrative-driven experiences,” the report said.
The exhibition is expected to travel to smaller communities across Canada, with organizers looking at ways to tailor the experience to each location through youth consultation.
The city said supporting the initiative aligns with council priorities for community wellness, youth engagement and educational opportunities.
“The travelling exhibition presents an opportunity for Fort St. John to contribute to a provincially and federally supported initiative focused on science literacy and public health education,” the report added.
The BRC is currently working with organizations including Foundry BC and Northern Health, and early community engagement will help determine whether Fort St. John can host the exhibition in spring 2027.
Not all councillors supported the recommendation.
Councillor Gord Klassen said he was concerned the initiative went beyond the city’s role in providing local services and questioned whether partnering with an external organization could create challenges in the future.
“I think we kind of need to stay in our lane…I don’t see any operational benefit to municipal services by giving our resources towards that,” Klassen said.
Councillor Tony Zabinsky supported the motion, saying the city’s contribution would come at little financial cost.
“What we’re actually doing is lately we’re going to provide a venue, i.e. Festival Plaza, [which] is identified,” Zabinsky said.
He added that the city’s communications department would also assist with promoting the exhibition.
Council’s approval allows the BRC to continue exploring the possibility of bringing the travelling science exhibition to Fort St. John in 2027.
