Join the E-Newsletter – Notes on City Council
Coastal Growth
Prince Rupert is situated to grow from the ground up because we are uniquely positioned with abundant resources — such as a deep water and ice-free port, rail access to major trade centres throughout Canada and the United States, and proximity to marine, forest, and mineral resources.
Given all this, Prince Rupert and our coastal neighbours are ready to grow; not “growth for the sake of growth” but instead growth for quality of life, for the people here. Economic growth should be aimed at improving our lives, building a stronger community, and supporting the vitality of the entire region.
We have what’s needed to build, expand, and grow our community and its economy — in terms of people, skills, knowledge, resources, and opportunity. So, let’s put it all to work.
- Grow the population by growing the economy — by focusing on providing opportunities for young families to work and stay, supporting older residents with housing and health care so that they can remain here, and expanding economic opportunities for workers and businesses alike
- Build affordable housing for families, seniors, and communities — housing that’s affordable for low and middle income earners, that’s safe and secure for everyone, and that’s liveable for a good quality of life – the bedrock of a strong community
- Continue to invest in community amenities, essential public services, and critical infrastructure — we can work with the province to invest in improved infrastructure and operations for health care, education, transportation, and trade — and we can continue investing in fixing our municipal pipes, water, sewer, roads, community facilities, library, and other critical community infrastructure and amenities
Growth from the Ground Up
Prince Rupert is the region’s largest city and it serves as a regional transportation and services hub for the region. The health and vitality of Prince Rupert, and the region as whole, relies on a growing economy, growing population, and strong community.
Growth of the Prince Rupert economy strengthens services and provides infrastructure for the region as a whole. That is one reason why we should focus on growing the city’s population from within, developing its economy, expanding opportunities for people and businesses across the region — so that more young people remain here and that families who remain here will prosper in this community.
This starts with a focus on building housing and community amenities that serve everyone — epically for people with low, middle, and fixed incomes — to provide housing security for current and future residents alike. As we continue to work with builders, developers, and other levels of government to build affordable housing (for all market levels), we should also invest in parks and recreation, our local library, walkable pathways, and cultural programs.
Through the provision of common sense zoning and building regulation, constructing and maintaining necessary housing infrastructure, and providing amenities for all city residents and businesses, the city supports housing affordability and a good quality of life for residents.
The primary roles for the city, when it comes to ensuring affordable housing for all, is to build and maintain infrastructure, provide reliable zoning and building regulation, keep taxes and fees lows, deliver on municipal services, and ensure that there is an open and level playing field that encourages affordable housing development for all.
A liveable city provides the foundation for a strong economy to attract and retain skilled workers, small and big businesses, and effective government services. Secure housing and quality community amenities must allow older people to remain in the city as they age (especially as health care needs increase), will provide opportunities for young people to start a family here, and will increase the services available for residents and businesses.
A larger population base will ensure that we have the health care, shops, schools, library, and trades that are all essential to our quality of life. Families need good and stable jobs – building on the skills and resources of our region. Young people need opportunities that challenge them and that rely on their skill and dedication. And everyone relies on the services provided by health care workers, builders, and other community workers.
- Focus on building the community as part of a pro-growth strategy — housing, jobs, infrastructure, and expanded economic development at all levels of the economy (big and small business, private and public sector, etc.) are key to growing the region to better meet people’s needs
- Create a great business environment — the best way to attract and retain a competitive marketplace (that delivers jobs and services to the community) is by making this a good place to start and grow a business
- Align education, library services, and training with needed jobs and careers for our community and ensure that there are entry-level and career-paths in place to attract and retain young workers with plans of settling in the North Coast region and other coastal communities
Prosperity and Growth Through Innovation
Sustaining a strong innovation, resource, trade, and craft economy should be a top priority for every community in the region. This requires a commitment to effective government, building partnerships with businesses, and supporting economic opportunity for everyone. It also requires respect and reciprocity – a commitment by all levels of government to local decision making and regional coordination.
- Focus on building from our current base of skilled workers — in the innovation, resource, trades, and crafts industries
- Incubate business development at the scale of Prince Rupert and for the region itself — focus on the marine economy, on trade and transportation, resource development, and local expertise
- Focus on value added crafts and industries — prioritize economic conditions for industries based in coastal resources and expertise, build from our strengths and focus on whatever we can do best
- Start small and go medium — build a diverse economy with mid-sized enterprises at the heart of regional economic development — centred in Prince Rupert and expanding out to support our region as a whole
- Improve performance of government-run public services and programs by shifting decisions to the local level, listening to diverse viewpoints when making decisions, working together as a community, ensuring transparency, and focusing on accountable governance systems and models
Image Source: Miko Fox