Frequently Asked Questions

The City is in this position due to multiple factors including, but not limited to, decades of severe economic downturn which resulted in a mass exodus of population; annual subsidization by ~$1 million of the only municipally-run ferry service in the Province; limits to available revenues due to local tax regimes that limit industrial property tax rates and payments; alongside the fact that our budgets intended for capital replacement are far too often eaten up by emergency repairs. 

In addition, in the past, there was limited appetite from previous Councils to further raise taxes to renew infrastructure, due to the community’s hard economic times. That delay in rate adjustment has now caught up and set our commercial and residential rates at among the highest in the Province. The impacts of those severe cuts (by up to 75% in some cases) to operational spending are being felt today – with the City responding to record level emergency water breaks daily, culminating in a Local State of Emergency called in December of 2022.

Given the extent of upgrades needed, a major road block to addressing our infrastructure deficit sooner is constraints on local revenues. That's why our staff have also been advocating to Provincial and Federal levels for increased financial supports above and beyond those project-specific grants that are available for qualifying projects. Although we've been able to fund portions of our dam replacement and water treatment projects through grants, grant funding is generally not available for things like replacement of our water distribution system - which, as you'll well know because of the Local State of Emergency, is in dire need of attention. We are making headway with other levels of Government, and will continue to advocate for Prince Rupert as we have been doing for the past several years.

Infrastructure replacement has long been a priority for the City. Staff efforts across multiple areas have all been with the main goal to obtain new revenues - this includes removing the pulp mill and getting Watson Island back on the tax roll, achieving a long term Resource Benefit Agreement for the Northwest, coordination of multiple annual meetings with other levels of Government, work to advocate for subsidization of our airport ferry, and advocacy for resolution to the industrial tax caps and disagreements with the Port of Prince Rupert over their Payments in Lieu of Taxes. We want to thank the community for being patient with us as we navigate these challenges together, in the shared spirit of a better future for Prince Rupert.

To address known infrastructure needs (especially our water system) head on - the City commissioned an Infrastructure Replacement Strategy based on known age and condition of City infrastructure in the summer/fall of 2022.

This strategy sets the trajectory and priority for future infrastructure spending over the next five years. This process had been initiated prior to the Local State of Emergency in December of 2022 related to the state of water pipes, because the City is keenly aware of the escalating need to address local infrastructure.

A map identifying the City’s priority 26 km slated for replacement, as well as additional information is available here: https://engage.princerupert.ca/community-infrastructure-replacement  (Note that the map may be subject to amendment as additional data is collected through the course of the project). 

The City is continuing to work with our partners in the Federal and Provincial governments to implement a sewage treatment plan that will bring us in line with Federal and Provincial environmental standards. Until recently, it was believed the options available for sewage treatment would require the City to use traditional forms of treatment. This is a significantly cost prohibitive option for a community of our size – and is anticipated to cost in excess of $175 million.

To avoid this expense, the City completed work in 2021 to explore available options to treat sewage with a wetland system, which is an innovative and environmentally friendly approach to treating community wastewater used elsewhere in the world.  In addition, this is a low maintenance approach that will reduce overall operating cost and capacity requirements for the future. The City will be completing design and construction in 2024 to implement this technology on a small-scale within the Moresby Pond area in the same location that previously housed the WWII bunker c fuel tanks that were removed in recent years.  This was identified as an appropriate location due to the limited other potential uses of this land, and will be fenced with signage once complete.

This is just a start though, additional areas for wetland systems will need to be identified in other areas if/when the initial wetland system is proven effective. 

It may sounds strange, but although the area will be clearly blocked off and identified, there will be no noticeable look or smell to the project. Solids and sediment will be filtered out of the water in the first step of treatment, before wastewater makes its way to beneath the wetland where pollutants are broken down through natural processes in the vegetation of the marshland. Once it goes through that natural treatment process, wastewater will be treated and pumped back into the existing sewer network while we work to demonstrate that it can be treated to a standard acceptable to our regulators. If it’s determined to be safe, then in future the treated water may be discharged back into the natural environment – which is common in other areas that treat their water this way. For instance, many communities use treated wastewater for irrigation.

The City was successful in achieving two grant applications to complete the work to do the wetland treatment system in Moresby Park (originally proposed for the Omenica area but relocated due to logistical and access considerations). This  is currently estimated to cost approximately $6 million. As we move forward, we will be closely monitoring the success of the project to confirm that it meets all Provincial and Federal regulatory standards, and if so, the approach can be applied elsewhere throughout the community - with total costing for full build out of this treatment system still unknown. A contract has been awarded to Magna Engineering to complete this work over the Summer/Fall of 2024. 

The following is a list of key infrastructure priorities identified in the City's Strategic Plan for 2023-2025:

• Complete and implement Asset Management and Infrastructure Replacement Strategies, as well as streamlined asset data collection policy.
  • Project Status: Under way, with near completion of asset age/condition inventory as well as replacement priority for water infrastructure. The City has now successfully advocated for $65 Million in funding from the Province of BC that will be directed towards replacing water distribution infrastructure. To support the full plan, the City is also advocating for Federal funding to support the most critical replacement work, including for support to replace sewer works that are in the same areas. The City has applied for and has received $77.2 m from the Federal Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF) for  this work. To be eligible for Federal funding also requires borrowing on the City side, so Council has approved borrowing of $5 Million for design works and $40 Million for sewer works through an Alternative Approval Process (AAP). 
• Proceed with pursuing water treatment for the City and securing sufficient funding
  • Project Status: Under way - with $20 million in secured grant funding - however as noted elsewhere, the City had to pivot to address the potential failure in the water distribution system before proceeding with treatment. In addition, due to cost escalations since the City applied for our initial grant, the cost of treatment anticipated to be a minimum of $12 million more than the $30 million originally budgeted. 
• Proceed with developing sanitary sewer treatment and securing sufficient funding
  • Project Status: Currently underway with the first wetland treatment project beginning in Summer of 2024 in the area adjacent to Moresby Pond. If this site is successful, the City will look to deploying this approach to treatment in the remainder of the community. 
• Continued relocation of Public Works
  • Project Status: Under way and the City has awarded a progressive Design-Build contract in April of 2024 for the work. The relocation is required due to current facility conditions.
• Continued construction of the RCMP building
  • Project Status: Mandated, and under way with the award for construction granted to Coast Tsimshian Northern Contractors Alliance (CTNCA). We anticipate the building will be complete and ready for occupancy in Fall of 2024. For more information, check out our project page.
• Explore and pursue development of a new Fire Hall Building (subject to securing adequate funding and priority review).
  • Project Status: Currently very early in the process of determining potential costs, scope and partnership opportunities for this project.
• Continue to pursue negotiations and advocacy with the Federal and Provincial Government to ensure the City has the revenue sources required to run the city and service industry.
  • Project Status: Partial success, with the City achieving a 5 year Resource Benefits Agreement alongside our other partner communities in the northwest. The amount allocated annually to Prince Rupert individually is still unknown. The City continues to meet with Federal and Provincial representatives to advocate for additional revenues to address critical infrastructure needs, as well as the limitations on our ability to collect fairer revenues from certain local industry.

The City has now successfully advocated for $65 Million in funding from the Province of BC that will be directed towards replacing water distribution infrastructure, and $77.2 million from the Federal DMAF program to support the most critical replacement work, including for support to replace water pipes as well as sewer works that are in the same areas. The City is also borrowing $45 million towards the project with the bulk of the borrowing allocated towards sewer work. 

The City's water is potable and treated through a chlorine injection system across the harbour at the site of our two water supplies. We are working towards implementing multiple barriers of treatment that will prevent future issues over the longer term, however in the meantime we have had events that temporarily impact water quality related to construction on the dam or construction on water lines in area neighbourhoods.

During construction to replace our 100 year old dam, the City relied on our secondary source of potable water at Shawatlans Lake. Due to its lower elevation, this source is more susceptible to sediment run-off during rain events, which led to a significant increase in the number of Boil Water Advisories since construction began. Following the activation of the new dam at the primary source at Woodworth Lake, the City has seen water quality improve significantly. 

Still, there have been a few Water Quality Advisories since the dam came online in early 2023. This is due to more localized issues within our distribution system - where Northern Health requires the City to put a Water Quality Advisory into effect as a precautionary measure when there is active construction on a water main. Unfortunately there will be lower level advisories that will continue to occur given the known major construction on waterlines in the coming years.  

Phase 3 of the water project – water treatment and replacement of the submarine line has been delayed due to known leaks within the City’s water system due to age/condition of pipes. Given a significant proportion of water is known to be leaking from within the system, this became the more urgent priority due to the potential for failure of the system as a whole. Treating water is also an expensive process, and so treating it only to lose 40% of it through leaks would be an inefficient use of public funds. The City will be focused on replacing the worst areas of the distribution system in the near term, however we will be aggressively pursuing additional funding for treatment implementation now that funding for the distribution system has been secured. 

Unfortunately this isn't something that the City can offer. The water utility is self-funding (all money to fix repairs, and operate the service come directly from utility fees). Although we know that there have been challenges during the notices, we still have to cover the cost of delivering water during advisories - to wash with, flush toilets, fight fires, and to drink (even if it has to be boiled first). 

We can't provide refunds because that approach would effectively prevent our utilities from functioning. All fees collected are needed to keep the water on - which includes funding dam operations, conveyance infrastructure, communications technology, labour costs, water treatment at our chlorination station, our pump house operations, lift stations, and to repair the pipes when they break. Taking money out of our operational costs has the potential to bankrupt the utility and could effectively result in residents having no water at their home. We absolutely appreciate that it has been inconvenient, and that's why we have pushed so hard to get major capital grant funding to replace the worst of our water and sewer lines, so that we have a system that residents now and into the future can rely on.

The City isn't an owner of private property, and so there are significant legal limitations to what we can require from property owners. That being said, there are things we can and will do that are within our municipal authority. That ranges from directing clean up through bylaw enforcement, to the programs that we offer to incentivize growth and reinvestment. 

Let's start with how we can help businesses. We have our business façade improvement program which offers grants of up to $5,000 for beautification.  City Council has also put into place a Downtown Core Revitalization Tax Exemption Program to encourage redevelopment and revitalization in our community's downtown. City Council also passed regulations relaxing parking requirements in a set area in the downtown core. Understanding the  physical and economic constraints of providing off-street parking in Prince Rupert's downtown city core, the Parking Specified Area waives off-street minimum parking stall requirements for new or upgraded commercial and mixed use developments. Lastly, the City has also waived all Development Permit, Variance, OCP amendment, Rezoning and Building Permit fees in the downtown core. The above fee waivers also apply to any development in Prince Rupert that results in a new housing unit. These programs currently run until December 31^st, 2024, at which point Council may reconsider whether to extend the waivers.  This is all to say that we are open for business and understand the need for support to see our downtown thrive. 

Meanwhile, if there are buildings or properties in need of attention, the severity of bylaw enforcement varies from building owners being directed to maintain a certain standard of care/cleanliness for their properties to remedial action orders, which are a last resort that gives Council the ability under the Community Charter to remove buildings in hazardous condition or declare a nuisance and remove that nuisance. This process is not something that Council takes lightly, and it follows a formal process with direction provided during a Council Meeting. The Community Charter outlines specific requirements for a Remedial Action Order which includes delivering notice to the owner on title of the property. Going to Council for a Remedial Action Order is a final effort where other attempts to encourage an owner to clean-up their property or remove a nuisance has failed. Notice is required after the order is resolved at Council and there is an opportunity to appeal the order to council, in writing, under the Community Charter.

Enforcement regarding property maintenance is possible through our property maintenance bylaw - but it should be noted the intent of the bylaw, nor the enforcement of the bylaw, is intended to punish residents, rather it's a tool for us to work with residents and owners to make and keep our community beautiful.

As part of the Official Community Plan that was adopted in 2021, Council adopted a suite of policies called "Development Permit Guidelines" that provide direction to things like the form, shape, colour and general aesthetic that is desired in different areas of the community's downtown core (as well as other areas). Similar guidelines have been in place in Cow Bay since the 1980s, and the intent of those rules is to gradually impact the look and feel (called 'form and character' in planning speak) of the city streetscape. Over time, those guidelines as well as reinvestment from local business have helped to turn Cow Bay into the attractive place that it is today.  

Because these policies were adopted as part of the Official Community Plan, they are a bylaw that staff are required to follow when evaluating any development applications that are received. It is a matter of practice with staff to find solutions to allow a proposal to go ahead. However, if business owners  may request that Council amend a Bylaw to change a guideline, or there is an appeal process to Council if staff makes a decision that a business owner disagrees with.  

Again, as with any bylaw, the intent is not to be punitive or put up unnecessary 'red tape' - but rather to achieve the vision that Council and the community have laid out in the Official Community Plan. Our latest Official Community Plan looked closely at the 2030 Vision developed with significant community input as part of the Redesign Rupert process, and the different areas of the community in the Plan align with that vision. Plans like these are made for the long term so that as things change, the way the community develops reflects the priorities of the people who live here. 

The cost of housing has skyrocketed over the last several years, among both owners and renters. This is due to hard-to-build-on land, our remote location, and a need for more skilled trades people, as well as very little housing being built over the last 35 years  and the anticipated growth from the port expansion that has brought in new population as well as speculation. This increased cost worsens existing housing problems, including:

• An aging housing stock, meaning homes that are affordable are in poor condition and require additional costs for renovations.
• A high rental demand (even compared to the province), with low rental supply.
• A growing population who can’t afford to rent or buy, but don’t qualify for subsidized housing.
• Not enough subsidized housing
• And a labour shortage. In turn, affecting our healthcare, service, and trade industries that are needed to build new homes and create demand for development.

These conditions frame our housing landscape and contribute to housing need. 

In 2022, we looked at the numbers and found that:

• 14.3% households are paying more than they can afford for their housing, a number likely higher now.
• 14%  households require major repairs, a number that is significantly higher than the average across the rest of the province; and
• 6% of households are overcrowded.

In every way that we measure housing need, renters fare worse that homeowners.

And from 2018-2023, the number of people counted as experiencing homelessness doubled from 71 to 145. Due to structural barriers related to colonialism and racism, Indigenous people are overrepresented among this number in Prince Rupert.

Our assessment also showed that we have gaps in the housing supply for:

• Accessible housing for seniors and people living with disabilities
• Multi-unit development for singles
• New market housing across the spectrum
• Rental housing for low- and moderate-income households
• Housing with support services
• Larger units for families

The City of Prince Rupert understands that our community is in serious need of more housing, and for the past several years has been working to not only encourage the Province to invest in additional non-market/affordable units, and has also listed a number of City-held lots for sale in order to free up new lands for development within the City's limited urban footprint.  Below is a more fulsome list of recent actions:

• Adoption of a Revitalization Tax Exemption Bylaw for downtown
• Removal of permitting and development fees for construction resulting in the creation of new units, and,
• Adoption of a Rental Licensing and Maintenance Standards Bylaw intended to reduce potential future loss of rental housing and to support housing standards for tenants.
• Council has also approved changes to the City's Zoning Bylaw to permit Secondary Suites in two-family homes (duplexes) and lock-off suites in multi-family homes (3+ principle units) and to allow housing to be built from modular units on permanent foundations.
• Applications to the Housing Accelerator Fund and Rapid Housing Initiatives that were unfortunately unsuccessful due to over-subscription of the programs. However those programs are reopening and the City intends to reapply. 
• The City has also entered into an agreement to sell former quarry site in Seal Cove to see up to 300 potential units developed, with the developer still looking into the feasibility of the development.

For more information on our Housing Needs Assessment, Housing Accelerator Action Plan, and other resources, head to this page.

The existing Public Works buildings are failing, and require replacement in order for staff to have a safe and healthy workplace. 

The City had invested a set of used ATCO trailers as an interim solution to house staff, following discovery of maintenance issues with the existing facility that were beyond repair. In the meantime, Management worked to find a more permanent and suitable solution for housing its over 60 staff members. 

As the community knows, existing industrial lands in the community are challenging to find, especially with existing buildings and servicing. The City identified the former McCarthy dealership, which had been closed for 2 years, as both a central location with adequate lot space to house City works. This is a far more cost effective approach as compared to building a new public works/operations building. 

In 2022, the City signed a 5 year lease for the building with an exclusive option to purchase. The lease option is anticipated to save the City significant time as a fully new build of a Public Works facility would first require identifying appropriate lands, to be followed by architectural designs and obtaining contracting services. 

The existing Wantage Road facilities will still be used for storage of gravel and materials, with staff offices and primary work areas moving to the new location. 

Up to $10 million inclusive of property purchase in anticipated costs for 3 phases of the project are being covered by a dividend from Prince Rupert Legacy Inc., the City’s wholly owned Development Corporation. 

In August of 2024,Council took the next steps to upgrade the former GM MacCarthy dealership site to meet the needs of the Public Works Department as a new facility. The building has already undergone upgrades to the interior mezzanine since the City took occupancy of the site, and the first phase of design and cost estimating for the full build-out was awarded to CTNCA in the first quarter of 2024 through an open bid process. 

With a price of approximately $6 Million, current estimates anticipate the cost to come in lower than previous estimates for the project, and will allow for a phased occupation of the building starting by the end of 2024. All estimates have been exclusive of the purchase price of the property, and costs are currently proposed to be funded by new revenue sources and by Legacy Inc. 

This proposal includes a new purpose-built office and lunchroom building space on the Chamberlin Avenue side of the site (see proposed design image), and use of the existing dealership building primarily for mechanic and warehousing use. This will limit the scope of improvements to the existing building to mechanical and electrical service improvements to suit the proposed use and ensure that all buildings can easily comply with current Building Code. 

The City has leased the building since 2022, with project and holding costs thus far funded through Legacy Inc. The City’s intention is to maintain paying for this project through new revenue or dividends from Legacy, and not property taxes. 

You can pay the fine or dispute the ticket but it must be dealt with. If not dealt with your ticket will be forwarded to collections for payment.

Paying a Bylaw Ticket

Please note that unpaid Bylaw Ticket fines may be sent to collections. If you would like to report an incoming payment, or would like to request a payment plan, please contact the Bylaw Department. 

Online - Directly scan the QR Code on the frontof the ticket with the camera on your smartphone to be taken automatically to an online payment option. OR, if you don't have the ticket but have your license plate number and infraction number, head to this website to pay: https://rushbrook.enforcement.zone/

By Mail – Cheque or money order (no cash) can be sent to: City of Prince Rupert, 424 3rd Ave West, Prince Rupert, BC, V8J 1L7

In Person – Cash, cheque, credit or Interac accepted at City Hall, 424 3rd Avenue West, Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. After hours and statutory holidays – put cheque or money order in City Hall mailbox, directly outside the entrance to City Hall.

If paying by cheque, make your cheque payable to the City of Prince Rupert, in Canadian Funds and send it, along with the other required information listed below, to:

City of Prince Rupert

424 3rd Avenue West

Prince Rupert, B

V8J 1L7

If you are paying by a money order or cheque, please ensure that it is payable to the City of Prince Rupert.

A receipt will not be sent back to you. Your payment must be accompanied by a copy of the front of the ticket or a note giving sufficient information to the municipality, including:

• The ticket number from the top right hand corner of the ticket
• Your full name and mailing address
• The date of the offence and the bylaw name and section of the offence

If you do not provide sufficient details, your payment might not be credited to you and the fine may remain outstanding. By paying the fine, you will be deemed to have pled guilty to the described offence.

Ticket Dispute Process

1. Dispute Request:

Fill out and submit a Dispute Request Form, located on the City’s website (here). You must submit the form by the date indicated on the front of the ticket.

2. Compliance Officer:

Reviews details of the ticket with all parties.

Compliance Officer can:

a. if applicable, cancel a ticket.

b. enter into a Compliance Agreement and reduce the penalty upon completion.

c. uphold the ticket.

d. forward to an Adjudication hearing.

3. Adjudication Hearing:

A date and time for the adjudication is provided and a hearing is scheduled to occur at City Hall.

After evidence is presented, the adjudicator decides if an offence did or did not occur.

a. If an offence did occur, the ticket must be paid in full, plus an additional $25 administrative fee.

b. If an offence did not occur, the ticket is cancelled and no penalties are assessed.

For more information on the process, check out our brochure.

Fill out our online form to dispute a ticket, or dispute by bringing the ticket in to City Hall.

See below for the process the City takes after a ticket dispute is received. 

Once a dispute has been received, a Compliance Officer will be in contact to discuss the dispute. This process typically takes 4-6 weeks.

If a penalty is unpaid after 45 days, a ticket is usually forwarded to a collection agency for recovery. The City may take other debt collection steps to recover outstanding penalties.

No. Once a ticket is paid it is closed.

After a dispute is filed and reviewed with a Compliance Officer.

When a disputant agrees to correct a bylaw violation, where applicable, the City may accept a 50% reduced penalty. Parking violations are not eligible for compliance agreements.

No. You may send a written submission or arrange for a conference call if you are unable to appear in person.

Yes, however, penalty payments received after 14 days from when the ticket was issued must be paid in full.

No. The adjudicator will only determine if the offence occurred. The adjudicator has no authority to raise or lower the penalty amount. 

No. An adjudicator’s decision is final.

All residential addresses that currently receive solid waste pickup service from the City of Prince Rupert are served by the new curbside recycling program. Multi-family dwellings served by private waste collection contractors will not be receiving this service from the City, however we encourage them to use the North Coast Regional District recycling depot in the industrial site. 

If you’re unsure which of the new collection areas you’re in, you can look at a more detailed interactive map by visiting our online map. If you’re still not certain after looking at this map, you can call the City Hall front desk to have a clerk assist you, at 250-627-1781.

The City’s curbside recycling program collects all paper, metal, and rigid plastic consumer print and packaging materials. This includes newspapers, magazines, cardboard boxes, and cartons, as well as aluminum, tin, steel, and hard plastic containers. A visual guide to the included materials and the most common excluded materials is included below.

Soft plastics (like plastic bags and overwrap material) glass, Styrofoam and hazardous materials (such as propane canisters, batteries, paint, or biological waste) will not be collected. Many of these excluded materials will continue to be accepted at the North Coast Regional District Recycling Depot. Please check https://www.ncrdbc.com/services/waste/recycling to see what materials can be accepted directly at the depot outside of the curbside pickup program.

Not sure what goes where? The City has partnered with Recycle Coach to offer residents access to their helpful schedule and sorting tools. Look at your individual collection schedule, set reminders for your pickups, or use the "What Goes Where" tool by clicking on the link to the right.

No. The City has provided new recycling and garbage bins to every household receiving solid waste pickup services. These bins are sturdy upright wheeled bins with hinged lids. The recycling bins being provided have 240L of capacity while the garbage bins have a 120L capacity. They are coded to each household. 

If you believe you are entitled to receive bins from the City but have not received them or you have lost them, contact recycling@princerupert.ca to request that your bins be delivered. Please provide your name, telephone number and home address, and if you are eligible for curbside collection service, City staff will make arrangements with you to deliver a new set of bins to your address.

Please be aware that it is the responsibility of property owners to keep their bins safe and secure to the best of their ability. Bins that are lost or damaged due to negligence or intention on the part of a property owner or their tenant may result in the charging of a replacement fee.

The City has heard that some residents would like additional capacity in their garbage bins, can provide larger bins provided to those who request them. Residents who would like to request a larger bin should understand that there is a one-time exchange fee of $10 and an additional $100 annual charge for the increased solid waste service, which will be charged to your annual utility bill.

Before requesting a larger bin and incurring the associated fees, we recommend that you try to recycle! Reducing your waste going to landfill is not only good for the environment, but extends the life of the City’s landfill, which lowers the costs incurred by all local taxpayers.

Still certain you want to request a larger bin?

Request a Larger Bin

You can use any size of bag to contain your garbage, provided it is placed in the City-provided bin. If you have requested a larger bin but have not yet received it, please put any additional garbage that can't be contained in your City-provided bin in standard sized black garbage bags, as they will need to be collected manually by the City's collectors.

No. The City is providing single-stream collection at this time, meaning all of your eligible recyclable material can be placed in the same recycling bin. However residents should make sure to only include eligible materials in their recycling bin, and be careful not to include common contaminants such as Styrofoam, glass, food waste, or plastic bags.

No. In fact, no bags will be accepted as part of curbside recyclable pickup. All recyclable material will need to be placed loose in the bin to allow for the easy removal of any ineligible or contaminated materials by City collectors.

Not at this time. The curbside collection program only collects paper, metal and plastic print and packaging material as described above.

Zoning:

The City currently has zoning regulations that specifically apply to commercial (recreational) retail sales and commercial (recreational) growing of cannabis. Note—this section does not apply to the growth or sales of medical cannabis, which is regulated by Health Canada. (See lower down the page for information on regulation of medical cannabis).

In our Zoning bylaw, there are two different uses that we regulate pertaining to Cannabis—Cannabis Retail Sales and Commercial Cannabis Operations.

COMMERCIAL CANNABIS OPERATIONS means cannabis cultivation, propagation and processing for retail purposes

CANNABIS RETAIL SALES means a business under the regulations of the Cannabis Control and Licensing Act and where the principal business is the retail sales of Cannabis for consumption off site and includes government and private stores.

In 2018 the recreational use of cannabis was made legal by Provincial legislation. Following public notification and input, the City put into place zoning regulations that permitted the retail (not growth) of recreational cannabis in our downtown area. These new regulations restricted the retail sale of recreational cannabis to the downtown and Cow Bay areas only. In addition, the Bylaw restricted the number of retailers, stating that no Cannabis Retail Store may occur within 75 meters of another.

When the City updated our Zoning Bylaw in 2021, we also included restrictions on commercial growing of recreational cannabis. Commercial cannabis operations are only permitted in M2 (General Industrial) and M3 (Waterfront Industrial) zones and must be contained within enclosed buildings.

Recreational cannabis grow operations for retail purposes are a also prohibited use as a home occupation in our Zoning Bylaw.  However, individual residents are permitted to grow up to four plants for personal use, as permitted by the new  Provincial Cannabis Act.

Business Licensing:

In 2018, at the same time our Zoning was amended, the City also updated our bylaws to include a new fee structure and Council consideration process for when we receive application referrals for commercial cannabis retail licenses from the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB).  To obtain a municipal business license, applicants must:

· Go through a public notification and feedback process, with that feedback provided to Council prior to the granting of a license.

· Provide a detailed security plan, written proof from the Fire Chief that all fire safety standards are met, and owners and staff must provide criminal record checks and be free of convictions under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act for a period of 10 years.

Council will make a determination on granting a business license based on public feedback as well as the above-provided information. The LCRB will not approve a retail license for a business that has not first received approval from the local government.  In addition, growth of cannabis on site, drive through and delivery sales are not permitted, and operators must pay a business license application fee of $5,000 and annual renewal fees of $2,500 to the City.

The Federal government exercises sole authority over the regulation of medical cannabis, including by authorizing individuals and entities to produce medical cannabis. This licensing framework is overseen by Health Canada, who maintain a  record of all medical growing licenses, the number of plants permitted, and location information.

The Federal government allows adult medical cannabis users to register for authorization to produce medical cannabis for their own purposes. Designated growers may grow medical cannabis for up to two authorized users, and one site may only be authorized for the production cannabis for up to four registered users. This type of cannabis production may occur in dwellings, as well as outdoors. There is no process for notifying local governments of this type of cannabis production.

Growth of medical cannabis is a right that is Federally protected, and so the municipality cannot unduly restrict an individuals right to medical access to cannabis by prohibiting it in certain areas—like we might otherwise do with zoning regulations.

In addition, due to individual privacy rights, Health Canada does not provide the City access to information on locations where cannabis growing operations are licensed for medical purposes, as well as the number of plants they are permitted to grow. It can therefore be challenging to know which operations are operating legally or illegally, or where they are to be able to conduct inspections of the premises for fire safety or other health and safety concerns. Although this information can be shared by Health Canada with law enforcement—this is only permitted if there is an investigation being pursued into suspected illegal activity.

Given the principle of paramountcy of Federal as well as Provincial law over Municipal law, local governments can regulate, but not prohibit, the growth of cannabis for medical purposes. Based on Council’s decision at the May 30th meeting, staff will be proceeding to develop a bylaw to regulate cannabis cultivation through the use of nuisance (odor) considerations as well as imposing building code, electrical code and fire safety regulations. Any updates to new or existing Bylaws will need to ensure there is no conflict with Federal or Provincial legislation and the supremacy of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is recognized. Once the Bylaw(s) come into effect, the City will have additional mechanisms in place to enforce community standards for nuisance as well as health and safety.

Community members and municipalities who are concerned about potential illegal cannabis growing operations in their respective communities can register a complaint with Health Canada using the location address of the potential site. If you have concerns about an operation, we encourage you to use this mechanism for reporting.

The Health Canada cannabis reporting portal, is available online at:

https://health.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-medication/cannabis/recalls-adverse-reactions-reporting/reporting-form.html  

Prince Rupert Legacy Inc. was initially founded in 2014 to negotiate with Exxon on Lot 444 for an LNG project (which is no longer proposed). Later, Legacy leased Watson Island from the City in order to repurpose the property. These initial funds from Lot 444 as well as new revenues from Watson Island have since been transferred to the City in the form of annual dividends that originally covered expenses associated with proposed LNG development at the time, but also planning and investment in critical infrastructure renewal. The intent of the Corporation is to develop property, which is an activity above and beyond the City’s core services. Profits from Legacy are then used to finance onetime costs, and large non-recurring capital expenses, such as the replacement of critical infrastructure like roads, as well as future water and sewer upgrades, so that these multi-million dollar expenses are not borne solely by tax and utility payers. So why have a separate corporation? When municipalities sell lend, the proceeds are set aside in a land reserve fund which can then only be spent on more land or capital projects. Because of this restriction, many municipalities now rely on Development Corporations for greater flexibility in use of these revenue streams. In addition, Development Corporations can transact more freely, while still serving the community good.

In the years following its establishment, Legacy has acquired lands on Watson Island (via lease with the City), as well as Lot 9 (purchased from CN) and Lot 444 across the harbour (transferred from the City) to explore development options and bring in new sources of revenue. After the removal of the mill, portions of Watson Island have been leased by Legacy to Pembina for the development of their propane facility and United Transload Services for container staging. These leases benefit the City through additional tax revenues and leases via dividends paid to the City.

For one, Exxon was not in favour of transacting with the City in which case the exclusivity arrangement on Lot 444 may never have happened. These funds were integral to the City being able to begin to reinvest in infrastructure renewal and revitalization. More importantly however, the City owns Watson Island through tax sale. If lease revenues were to come directly to the City as an operating inflow, the minute those leases end and the City lost lease revenues along with the taxes, it would mean a significant financial impact and a massive tax increase in one year in order to retain the same operating budget. Having Legacy distributing funds for one time projects protects future taxpayers from the otherwise significant financial risk and disruption associated with industry closing shop on City-owned lands. Having Legacy also enables the City to focus on its core services while the development company focuses on developing the lands under its management.

If the City had not pursued the lease and development of properties via Legacy, rather than having significant tax and utility increases identified in the previous page, many of these projects would most likely never have been completed—especially those planning initiatives like Redesign Rupert and our new Official Community Plan. Other expenses, like the dam, are unavoidable, and putting them off could potentially lead to infrastructure failure and a risk to community health and safety. In cases where the City had to act, costs would likely be born through debt, with tax and utility payers covering the costs of repaying the loans—however this would still mean a fee increases of up to 75% for the debt for the dam alone.

Legacy was established with the approval of the Inspector of Municipalities, a Provincial oversight body that ensures the Corporation continues to act in the best interests of the community. The Board of Legacy is comprised of four senior City staff, appointed by Council, who are unpaid for this additional role. Legacy undergoes an annual audit, produces financial statements, and is required to report to Council with respect to any major Agreements or transactions. Additionally, in undertaking any development, Legacy is also required to abide by the regulations laid out in the City’s Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw – which identify permitted and intended uses for different areas of the community.

The City has a long list of infrastructure priorities that will require us to contribute a portion of funds to qualify for grants, or which may not qualify for external funding. So long as Legacy continues to generate revenue, the intent is to reinvest in the community in both critical infrastructure and ‘nice to have’ projects that make Prince Rupert a more livable place. 

For an info sheet from 2022 on past projects funded by Legacy Inc., click here.

Individual property owners and businesses are responsible for shoveling snow and de-icing the sidewalk area in front of their properties, while City staff tackle public sidewalks. If you have a neighbour who is unable to shovel due to physical limitations, we ask that residents consider pitching in to be a 'snow angel' so that the sidewalks are safe for all. Collectively, we can do our part to help keep the sidewalks clear and walkable in winter months.

The operator must plow snow to the curb or right hand side of the road, and has limited control over the amount and direction of snow that comes off the blade.  The plow blade is at a set position, and does not have the ability to swivel around driveways and crown of the road.  When clearing your driveway, pile the snow on the right side (if you are standing in your driveway and looking towards the street).  This can help reduce the amount of snow that is pushed onto your driveway when a snow plow passes.

In order for our snow plow operators to provide the most efficient and cost effective snow removal, continuous movement is required.  With hundreds of driveways in the City, it is not practical or cost efficient for operators to lift their blades at every driveway as our main goal is to safely open roads as soon as possible.

The snow plows are designed to plow snow to the right hand side of the road.  In order to plow all the snow to one side, the equipment would have to drive on the wrong side of the road creating unsafe traffic conditions.

To help keep sidewalks and roads safe for travel, residents must avoid pushing or blowing snow from their sidewalk or driveway into the street because it can potentially create dangerous conditions for motorists, and is unlawful under the Highway Traffic Act.

Depositing the snow back onto the roadway after a plow truck has gone by creates issues for our snow removal crews. The plow will need to make an additional run down your street to clean it up which increases City’s costs with additional staff time, fuel and equipment wear and tear, not to mention delays in getting to other areas of the City that also need to be plowed.

The City of Prince Rupert does not perform work on private property.

After a snowfall the streets are prioritized based on our Winter Snow and Ice Control Policy, with first priority being emergency vehicle and public transportation routes.  When snow exceeds 5 centimeters (2 inches), and when ice control is necessary, staff will commence with snow control activities within two (2) hours of the decision to mobilize.  The City relies in part on our residents to inform us when road conditions are hazardous – contact Public Works weekdays from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm at 250.624.6795 or after hour emergency line at 250.624.3000.

To view a copy of the Winter Snow and Ice Control Policy, please visit our website at www.princerupert.ca

Own a business? This section applies to you! 

Sidewalk Clearing in Commercial Areas

Local bylaws designate the clearing of sidewalks in commercial areas as the responsibility of the occupant and/or property owner of buildings, businesses and vacant property in the Commercial and Light Industrial areas. See below for regulatory requirements.

• Owners are responsible to promptly remove any snow, ice or rubbish from the sidewalks and footpaths bordering on the property, and shall not allow any snow, ice or rubbish to remain on the sidewalks and footpaths bordering on the property after the hour of 12:00 o’clock noon on any day except Sunday or a statutory holiday.
• When clearing the sidewalks, the City requests that businesses and property owners do not use table, rock salt or a sodium based product as it will damage the surface of our sidewalks.  Suitable alternative de-icing products such as gravel are available for purchase from local retailers.
• Sidewalks should be clear of snow and ice the full length and width of the walkway to bare concrete to ensure accessibility for all residents.
• As in residential areas, please do not shovel onto the Street, due to safety hazard. 

Failure to comply with the bylaw places the public and municipality at risk.  If required, the City will fulfill these obligations for you at your cost in the interests of public safety.  Should the City be required to manage snow on your behalf, the Property Owner will be invoiced accordingly with a minimum charge of $150.00 per occurrence.

Want to report a violation?  Contact the City of Prince Rupert Bylaw Officer at 250.624.6852 or by email at bylaw@princerupert.ca or call the Public Works Department at 250.624.6795, and press 2 for Customer Service.

For a full list of zones where regulations apply, and more information, see the City of Prince Rupert Traffic Bylaw No. 2470, as amended, at www.princerupert.ca.

The Agreement between the contractor and the City provides for on-demand access to contractors at set competitive rates, and keeps work in the local economy. The MSA also provides greater cost certainty to taxpayers, as rates for projects are pre-determined in the Agreement, and so are less prone to the significant increases that many infrastructure projects are facing due to inflation. 

Given hyper-economic activity in the North, the City is having to compete with multi-billion dollar projects for contractors. Our projects, though large, are not always going to be top priority for available contractors, especially given recent investment announcements in relation to continued port expansion. To make sure that we can follow through with the aggressive plans we have for infrastructure renewal and activating the 2030 Vision as well as Council’s Strategic Priorities and our Infrastructure Replacement Strategy, we needed the certainty that this MSA will provide.

The particular MSA that the City has with Coast Tsimshian Northern Contractors Alliance (CTNCA) also provides direct benefit to Metlakatla and Lax Kw’alaams, who are partners in the construction consortium. CTNCA, which also works locally on other projects, has employed over 100 local people to date, who have worked over 175,000 hours, been paid over $7 Million in gross wages, with over $800,000 in pension contributions. All workers also receive full health/dental coverage. When local work is slow, these employees are redeployed to other regional projects, which is not captured in the data above. In addition, CTNCA has sub-contracted services from over 50 local businesses, which keeps revenues provided through the MSA circulating in the local economy. 

In addition, the use of the MSA with a company that can mobilize workforces from out of town when demand is quite high means that smaller companies aren’t put into a position where they staff up for a particular job or time of peak demand, and then have to lay people off once that project ends. Meanwhile, there remains enough regular maintenance contracts to sustain local contractors at current or higher levels. Additionally, hiring of local people by CTNCA provides a potential training ground for future City employees like pipefitters and other specialists, including Metlakatla and Lax Kw’alaams members, which will have significant familiarity with City infrastructure. 

The City empathizes with those who have been impacted by the ER closures – we live here too and we absolutely share your concerns and have been in frequent contact with the Ministry of Health and Northern Health around this issue. Although health care is technically outside of the jurisdiction of the municipality, the City is meeting with Northern Health and other regional stakeholders in the coming days so that we can put our heads together to expedite solutions. 

We know that Northern Health and the Province is working on longer term recruitment, retention and training for health care workers – but we also recognize the need to find solutions to this issue in the shorter term. 

As everyone is aware, healthcare systems across BC, Canada, and the globe, are having staffing shortages. Local hospital management are doing everything possible to prevent disruptions through working to backfil when shortages occur, and Northern Health is working to recruit, retain, and train healthcare workers to the community. 

There has been funding allocated to train more doctors and healthcare professionals here in B.C. Undergraduate and residency seats have been increased to educate more physicians and a new medical school is being built with Simon Fraser University. 

Specific incentives also exist to support the unique challenges northern health workers. That includes assistance with travel, housing and childcare. Rural and remote doctors are paid more as part of the Rural practice program. There  are three payment components to the Rural Retention program:

1. Fee Premium paid as a percentage on a physician’s fee-for-service (or APP) billings for providing service in an eligible rural community;
2. Flat Fee Payment paid on a quarterly basis to physicians who reside and practice in eligible rural communities and
3. The Rural Business Cost Modifier (RBCM) benefit which is paid as part of the Flat Fee. 

There can be a variety of factors contributing to a physician’s need to take a period of leave or make a choice to leave a community. As independent contractors, they are not required to ‘apply’ for time off as is required in other work environments. Neither the City or Northern Health can control the movement of independent primary care providers and private citizens. Northern Health continues to focus on recruitment for current vacancies, and the City is working to support those efforts. 

PRRH is a regional hospital supporting northwest communities, including two other hospitals in Haida Gwaii. Services do change with what services are available at our local hospital at different times. This is especially true right now during the global health human resource crises. The Province has assured the City there will always have a hospital in Prince Rupert and that there will be reinvestment in local facilities.

This new Provincial legislation means that short-term rentals (any thing rented out for less than 90 consecutive days) is only allowed within the principle residence of the host and one secondary suite on the same property, with some exemptions. If you do want to be a host, you will have to include a valid business licence with your listing and register with the Provincial Registry. They are also introducing new tools for local governments to enforce their own bylaws regarding short-term rentals, as well as introducing their own enforcement arm. Read more about the Provincial Changes here: Short Term Rental Regulation

This requirement applies  to us, and we also have our own local regulations that limit short term rentals. The Province’s regulations are the ‘floor’ that we have to meet with our Bylaws, and we also need to make sure that we meet our distinct local needs. This means that while we can’t be less restrictive, we can be more restrictive if the local housing conditions warrant it. Across BC, this means that different communities are taking different approaches to these changes based on what will fit their local circumstance best.  The City will be proposing new bylaws to align with the Province’s requirements and meet our own need to protect the availability of rental housing stock.

The Province is introducing a registry that will require all hosts and hosting platforms to register if they offer short term rentals, and will help enforce the need for a business licence to be displayed on all listings. This will enable municipalities to review and identify what listings in their communities do not have valid business licences, and the province will be able to require platforms to remove those listings. This will apply to the following platforms:

• Offers hosted by a platform (e.g. Airbnb, Expedia, VRBO& Homeaway, Flipkey)
• Offers on other web listings (Facebook, property managers, Kijjiji, Craisglist)
• Offers in classified ads in newspapers. 

Yes, an AirBnB or Vrbo is considered a “Short-term Rental”. We are putting in legislation to allow business licenses for these types of accommodation in your principle residence (where you live for a longer period during a calendar year than any other place). That means you can rent out bedrooms or areas of your home, or your whole home while you’re away as long as it’s the residence where you live longer than any other location during a calendar year, and you obtain a business license. 

Yes, the City allows one accessory dwelling unit that is on the same property as the host’s principle residence to be used for Short-Term Rentals, including AirBnB. This means you can have one (1) accessory dwelling unit, or suite, used as a short-term rental (AirBnB or similar), as long as the suite is on the same property as the residence you live in the majority of the year. An accessory dwelling unit can be attached, or it can be a distinct and separate unit from the principal residence.

Yes! These are permitted in single-family houses and require the business owner to live in the unit and have breakfast included in the cost. Like other short-term rentals, visitors would have access to separate sleeping units but not a full kitchen, and the primary resident also needs to hold the business license. 

Yes. For anything that’s considered a ‘short-term’ rental, you’ll need a business license from the City. This helps us ensure that you’re following land-use regulations as well as meeting requirements outlined in our policies and bylaws for short-term rentals. If you plan to list your rental on any platforms like AirBnB, Vrbo, or even Facebook, new provincial legislation will allow the City to request that it gets taken down if you don’t have your business licence displayed on the listing. We are also introducing some tools that we can use to fine people operating a short-term rental without a licence or not conforming with our bylaws. 

We know we’re in a housing shortage in town, and therefore the City, like the Province, has restrictions on short-term rentals as they take away options for permanent homes for people. We also want to make sure that short-term rentals aren’t taking away from the tourism industry, which is more regulated and contributes through a special tax that goes directly to our local Tourism agency towards reinvestment into the community and promotion of Prince Rupert. Short-term rentals have historically not contributed in this way. 

There are several exemptions under the provincial legislation and ours. You may qualify for one but you’ll need to come in an get a Business Licence anyway so we can determine that. Here are the exemptions:

• Where a fractional ownership agreement is on Title that prevents principal occupancy as defined in this Bylaw;
•  Timeshare properties;
•  Accommodation in commercial buildings that is a component of an of an outdoor recreation operation with a valid business licence, including fishing and water sports, and is provided and operated only for that purpose.
•  Formal Home Exchange arrangements.
•  Living accommodation primarily for students or employees of an educational institution that is owned or operated by the educational institution or a non-profit organization. 

The Province’s regulations are the ‘floor’ that we have to meet with ours (ie. The baseline standard – we can’t be more lenient than the Province). However, we also need to make sure that we meet our distinct local needs – which in our case means addressing the current housing shortage. Therefore, Council may decide to retain stricter legislation than the Province on a few items. Here is how the proposed local bylaws align with the Provincial requirements. 

Not at this time. A short term rental accommodation is not permitted in a mobile home, structure without a permanent foundation, or any structure or shelter that is not a dwelling unit. Therefore, if your tiny-home is on-wheels, then you can’t Airbnb it. If you want to put it on a permanent foundation you will need a building permit from the City, and will need to comply with the Provincial building code and our zoning bylaw. 

Yes. Off-street parking requirements for short-term rentals require one spot per sleeping unit rented out. 

The Province has changed the way that municipalities in BC regulate Small-Scale Mutli-Unit Housing. This information has been developed to help residents understand how those changes are impacted local legislation. 

Small-scale multi-unit housing is a Provincial Housing Legislation that requires local governments to allow up to four units on residential lots, where historically only one or two housing units were allowed (example: single residential dwelling or duplex). This change allows for more infill development into existing residential neighbourhoods.

The new housing rules mean that up to 4 housing units will be allowed on most properties in single family neighbourhoods. As shown below, examples could include single-family houses, secondary suites, garden suites, coach houses, duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes.

Image Credit: BC Ministry of Housing

Single-family detached homes are out of reach for many people in a growing number of BC communities. However, zoning regulations that exclusively permit single-family detached homes often cover the mayority of the privately held residential land base in communities. The Province considers that the current approach to zoning regulations limits the diversity of housing supply required in BC communities. Through the SSMUH legislation, the Province is aiming to increase housing supply, create more diverse housing choices, and over time, contribute to more affordable housing across BC.

No. Although zoning and density may enable your suite, you still require a building permit and occupancy certificate to ensure compliance with the BC Building Code. This protects you and your tenants. Note that this is the case even if you are paying extra for utilities and garbage/recycling. Please contact the Prince Rupert Building Department for more information.

A public hearing must not be held for any residential development that is consistent with the Official Community Plan.  

The initial project footprint is the area that used to be home to one of the WWII fuel tanks  that has now been removed on the Park Ave side of the Moresby trail. To be very clear, we’re not using Moresby Pond itself. This area is ‘public facilities’ zoning, which allows for utility and supporting uses as well as park and recreational uses. By using the existing footprint of the old fuel tanks, we’re saving costs of having to blast into the bedrock to develop the system. 

What is going in will look like a contained cylindrical tank filled with marsh and wetland plants, which is the only thing visible at the surface. There will also be a ‘headworks’ building, essentially a small outbuilding that will be where all of the wastewater is screened for removal of solid materials, and also where the wastewater returns after treatment so it can be tested.  This occurs in a contained system as well. 

From the outside, there will be a fence around the cylinder and building and some interpretive signage to explain what’s happening there. It will be just off of the trail in the existing cleared space and will have no impact to the trail itself or recreational uses of the space, except some potential impacts to trail access during construction. You will be able to see the top of the enclosed tank surface from the trail above, and will just be able to observe the plant life at the top. 

A map of the specific location is pictured  below.

The treatment wetland will be constructed as a contained system inside an impermeable lined metal cylinder so that materials won’t leach into the surrounding environment. The steel cylinder will have cathodic protection to prevent rust and corrosion. Monitoring will also be conducted to ensure that it is operating properly, which is a requirement for permitting with Environment Canada and the Province. All levels of Government are aware of the project, and are supporting this solution for our community. 

Overall, this project will substantially reduce the downstream impacts of our wastewater on the marine environment. Right now, as most people are aware, our wastewater is piped untreated directly into the harbour. If successful in this location, we hope to use this technology in other areas of the community so that we can have a wastewater system in place that is environmentally conscientious, easy on our capacity, and saves the massive expense of  installing traditional treatment.

The alternative to this proposed solution is a series of concrete buildings on the waterfront that treat and then discharge wastewater through more standard methods like settlement, filtration and disinfection. Traditional treatment does have a more strong odour, and generally see substantial public outcry when they are proposed in other communities due to the potential impacts. In addition, it would be tens of millions more in capital and operating expense to implement standard forms of treatment because it would require additional storm/sewer separation and would also require a higher overall operating cost for maintenance and oversight. We are doing our best to avoid this outcome for Prince Rupert. 

All wastewater first goes through a process of removing the solids within a confined system housed in the outbuilding in the drawings provided, and then is piped underground to the treatment wetland system. There is an existing sewer line running through the area, and a small portion of wastewater will be redirected into the treatment wetland system and the treated water will be tested and then piped back into the existing sewer line.  As part of the treatment process, the contaminates found in the wastewater are absorbed naturally by the plants—essentially becoming plant food. Treatment happens naturally beneath several layers of soil and treatment media within three distinct treatment cells, occurring under the ground. No open water will be present during normal operations and only plant life and mulch will be visible at the top of the tank. You also won’t see any standing water at the top of the tank that would be a source of odour. 

The solid material will be sent to the landfill for now, however if this system is effective in our local conditions, the City may explore other repurposing of material such as soil enhancement or heat to energy conversion. 

To start, the outbuilding will be attended by staff regularly to monitor the process, which is similar to what currently occurs at existing sewer pump house locations throughout the community. Eventually, the City also intends to incorporate this operation into our remote monitoring (SCADA) system that allows staff to monitor and control on/off valving to our water and sewer systems from a central computer system. 

Constructed wetlands (CWs) are engineered wetlands that mimic physical, chemical, and biological processes that happen in natural wetlands for wastewater treatment purposes. This is a nature-based solution that is becoming more and more prevalent worldwide because of its low-cost of operating and maintaining the system, minimal aesthetic impact, and environmental friendliness. They essentially operate similar to one of our existing ‘lift stations’ that are already scattered throughout the community. 

Meanwhile, a conventional treatment system would require us to install multiple concrete treatment facilities at our community’s already precious waterfront. Conventional treatment has been estimated at about $200 Million to install, and also much more staff capacity and associated costs to operate. Because the proposed system is primarily nature-based, there is also more limited maintenance and need for replacement of mechanical parts. 

We’re very excited to have found an option that we hope will solve the longer-term issue of wastewater treatment for Prince Rupert, which we are Federally mandated to address by 2030. If we are unsuccessful in implementing treatment, we may be subject to steep fines (which then takes money that could otherwise be spent on treatment – not something we want!)

There are two levels of operations for the system – normal, and ‘high flow’ or storm conditions and capacity has been built into the system to accommodate both. Plus, if there is an ‘extreme’ rain event (so one that happens every Tuesday for us), there are fail-safes that will stop any wastewater from entering the treatment system. Once it’s full, excess wastewater will bypass treatment all together and stay in the main distribution line. The engineers supporting this project understand the unique levels of rain that we regularly receive and incorporated that into the design, and these overflows are permitted within Federal wastewater standards. 

The best way to treat hydrocarbon is through biological processes. Because the system is contained, this treatment would occur within the cylinder slowly over time and would not impact the surrounding environment. 

Construction crews will work to minimize any tree removal needed in order to retain the landscape surrounding the treatment system. The existing footprint of where the WWII tanks were located is understood to be sufficient to accommodate the treatment area and so no additional clearing should be needed apart from what may be done in order to construct the small out-building and access the site during the construction phase. 

The engineers have completed 60% of designs, and the City has awarded a contract for a project construction consultant to ensure that we take into account any additional site specific considerations for the remainder of the design work. We anticipate the project will begin construction in 2025. 

This project is budgeted to cost approximately $6 Million and has been funded fully through Provincial and Federal grants.  

If the technology is successful, there will likely be a number of smaller scale facilities, or potentially 2-3 larger ones, however we are still in the process of evaluating the costs and benefits of those options. Our overall goal is to minimize the impact to the community and keep our operating and capital costs as low as possible. 

Communities across Canada are being mandated to implement wastewater treatment so that what is discharged into the natural environment meets Federal regulatory standards, and limits impacts on marine ecosystems. This is why you may have seen press coverage of projects in places like Victoria and North Vancouver. Something that is very important to note is that the scale of these projects and facilities are MUCH greater, treating hundreds of thousands of households’ and businesses’ waste. They have greater visual impact and higher likelihood of smell, and so have been met with greater public demand for input. These are the standard treatment facilities and associated impacts that we are trying to avoid with our small-scale local approach. 

The City has provided community updates on this project over the past few years since we began applying for funding to explore this particular approach, and we do plan to hold an information session to answer questions about the proposal and hopefully to address any remaining concerns. Unlike other work that we do, projects relating to critical and/or mandated infrastructure might not have the same opportunity for public input because 1) we are beholden to higher level of governments to complete them and have an Administrative Directive from the Federal government to implement treatment by 2030, and 2) they are quite technical in nature and so we rely on specialized expertise to support decision making. The  high value the public places on public waterfront, the obvious desire to reduce the smell of the operation, the need to keep costs low, and the overall value the public also places on protecting our marine environment were all strong considerations for selecting this form of treatment and siting the pilot project. 

Staff have compiled a video of the engineering consultant’s imagery that gives a more technical overview of the project, and we will also be hosting an in-person open house event at the Eagle Room  in the Prince Rupert Civic Centre at 1000 McBride Street on October 8^th at 7 pm.