Prince Rupert City Council and senior staff members are in Victoria this week, taking part in the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) conference.
Prince Rupert’s delegates have voiced their concern on several issues, with the emphasis on water treatment in the city. The city of Prince Rupert has been on a boil-water advisory since Aug. 6 and has been working to improve water quality.
At the UBCM Conference city officials brought physical water samples from Prince Rupert collected in August along with five years of data showcasing the frequency of water quality notices. The city hopes the data presented emphasizes a need for financial support to fund a modern treatment facility.
The city brought up other issues such as health care recruitment and retaining medical professionals, provincial property tax for the port, which has hindered the city’s revenue and blocked Prince Rupert’s ability to fund essential services, and it also raised the need for regional power infrastructure to attract clean energy industries to the region.
The city attended the conference to advocate for the community of Prince Rupert, said Mayor Herb Pond
“We’re here to ensure that the voices of northern communities are heard loud and clear. Prince Rupert has immense potential, but we need the province to partner with us in unlocking it—starting with clean water, reliable health care, and infrastructure that supports sustainable growth.”