Project Goals

Redesign Rupert aims to create a collaborative vision for the future of Prince Rupert in order to solve some of the community’s biggest challenges and present new ideas for civic growth and development. Phase II of Redesign Rupert has three high-level goals that act as a touchstone for all community partnerships, strategic initiatives, and action planning.

Through Redesign Rupert’s community engagement in 2016-2017, we learned that there are some major challenges with downtown. These identified issues are preventing residents not only from spending time there, but also from starting new businesses, supporting existing businesses, and contributing to revitalization efforts.

Key challenges in downtown:

• High vacancy rate, including both empty storefronts & vacant lots, create a feeling of deterioration in the downtown

• Deteriorated buildings (many buildings, whether occupied or vacant, are deteriorated and in need of cleaning and repair)

• Lack of parking (those looking to visit shops and services downtown have difficulty finding parking within close proximity of their destination)

• Challenges for small business owners (access to human capital, competing wages in port industries, high business taxes, and more, make Prince Rupert’s downtown a challenging environment for entrepreneurs)

• Lack of identity (2nd and 3rd Avenue are missing the charm and identity of Cow Bay, making business owners on 3rd Avenue eager to shift their location to the Cow Bay area, where there is currently no vacancy)

• Public parks and gathering spaces (a lack of public space, seating, and weather shelter make it prohibitive for people to spend time downtown)

• Sense of safety (pedestrian safety on sidewalks and crosswalks, inadequate street lighting, and other factors contribute to some residents describing s lack of safety in the downtown core)

What’s Next?

Prince Rupert’s downtown has the potential to be a vibrant centre for local economy, arts & culture, public gathering & celebration, and professional offices. In 2016, the City of Prince Rupert worked with The Planning Partnership to develop a series of plans & ideas for revitalizing downtown. In 2018-19, we are developing actionable strategies to implement these ideas through a number of different strategies, including, but not limited to:

• Updating the City of Prince Rupert’s Official Community Plan and Downtown & Cow Bay Permit Area Design Guidelines

• Engaging with renowned city planning experts to determine best course of action for downtown revitalization through the Prince Rupert 2030 visioning process.

• Researching case studies of revitalization successes and failures in other small, resource-driven towns

• Consulting with the Prince Rupert business community through the Chamber of Commerce and the City of Prince Rupert’s Small Business Advisory Committee

• Collecting data on 2nd & 3rd Avenue vacancy rates and ownership details, in partnership with the City of Prince Rupert’s Planning Department

• Developing list of potential revitalization incentive bylaws and facade improvement programs to incorporate into Downtown Revitalization Plan

• Meeting with major industrial stakeholders, government representatives, and funding organizations to form partnerships and secure funding

• Incorporating community engagement feedback & ideas into planning initiatives and strategies (consulting again with Prince Rupert residents at major planning milestones)

• Working with Larry Beasley & Associates on “Prince Rupert 2030,” a ten-year plan aimed at revitalizing the downtown & other key areas

 There are two key potential development areas along Prince Rupert’s waterfront. These areas were identified in the Planning Partnerships’s 2016 initiative, a process in which many ideas were generated for Prince Rupert’s downtown and waterfront.

Rotary Waterfront Park (Rupert’s Landing)

The proposed site of Rupert’s Landing, a mixed-use public space that will allow for multiple ferry docks, public gathering spaces, retail space (through the refurbishment of the old VIA Rail passenger station), and more, Rupert’s Landing is a vision that Redesign Rupert is working hard to bring to life.

Seal Cove Waterfront Area

The current site of the Seal Cove seaplane base, as well as the Coast Guard base and the Lax Kw’alaams ferry dock, Seal Cove has plenty of open space along the waterfront. Some ideas that have been proposed include a public boardwalk, a floathouse + residential development, a public park, and kayak launch, and more.

The issue of workforce recruitment and retention affects all of Prince Rupert’s industries. Crucial positions in healthcare, education, services, skilled trades, mechanic, and retail require well-trained applicants to take over, and when communities lose these types of key services, quality of life tends to decrease. As a result, it becomes more difficult to attract skilled workers to fill open positions in industrial & port-related industries. The issue of workforce recruitment & retention in Prince Rupert has been a frequent topic of conversation in recent years, with future projects looming and businesses across all sectors continuing to feel the strain.  

Key facts from recent labour market research:

• A provincial labour shortage of 61,500 workers is expected by 2020.

• Provincially, the demand for skilled workers is rising quickly: In the low-skilled market, the number of jobs fell 2% over the last 15 years while jobs held by high-skilled workers rose sharply to 32%.

• Even with no new major projects, Northwest employers will need to fill 1,500 positions annually between 2017-2027 (over 90% of which will result from retirement).

• With major projects approved, there could be up to 10,000 additional direct, construction-related jobs between 2018-2021 (considering a port expansion, LNG facility, & pipeline project).

• In Prince Rupert, 60% of businesses identified availability of staff as their biggest challenge (up from 56% in 2017), while 71% of businesses anticipate they will continue to grow over the next 1-2 years (up from 69% in 2017).

• The real labour force problem is not for the marine terminals but for the lower paying retail, hospitality, and light industry workforce, who are continuously losing employees to the local port industries.

What’s Next?

Prince Rupert has the potential to attract the necessary workforce to accommodate major industry, small business, and all of the necessary services needed for a thriving community with an active downtown, plenty of work opportunities, and great amenities for families and young professionals. From a recruitment perspective, Prince Rupert’s advantages include affordability, career opportunities, a welcoming community feel, lifestyle advantages with short commutes, access to pristine wilderness, outdoor adventure opportunities, and many others. In 2019, Redesign Rupert will be actively designing a recruitment strategy to combat the issue of local workforce recruitment & retention. Our plan will seek to accomplish two high-level goals:

• Goal 1 / Develop & launch a community-wide recruitment brand & web advertising campaign.

• Goal 2 / Create increased recruitment support for local employers through training & promotion opportunities, educational materials, and more.