The city of Fort St. John in northeast B.C. is re-imaging itself as a “winter city,” tapping into principles of urban design and community spirit to help light up the darker months.

In doing so, city leaders hope to reverse the sentiment captured in a 2004 report from the University of Northern British Columbia that found “six months of winter” is a “marketing weakness” in trying to attract new residents.

“We are fixed in our geography but we are not fixed in