The Powell River Good Citizen Committee was formed in 1944 by the Powell River News and the Knights of Pythias. It continued to be sponsored by the Powell River News in conjunction with the International Order of the Oddfellows. In 1973 the Committee was sponsored by the Westview Rotary Club and the Powell River News with assistance by the Municipality of Powell River and MacMillan Bloedel Ltd. This changed in 1992 with the Good Citizen committee being sponsored by the Powell River News and the Powell River Chamber of Commerce. The last Good Citizen award was given in 1997 to 1996 recipient Carol Hamilton, and the Committee disbanded.

The Good Citizen award was made annually to the person named by the Selection Committee, a group to which had been invited a representative of all local organizations. Nominations for the Good Citizen were invited each year from the public, and each was carefully studied. The number of nominations made for any particular person did not influence the choice, as in a 'voting contest,' although more than one nomination might, of course, bring to light unknown factors in a candidate's background worth consideration. The Selection Committee was charged with the duty of finding the person who "has done the greatest amount of community service for the greatest number of people".

In total 62 Powell Riverites were awarded and named a Powell River Good Citizen over the 53 years of the award.