It is a day of celebration for the city of Prince Rupert, as it has secured a historic $77.2 million in federal funds to overhaul its sputtering water pipes and sewage infrastructure.
The provincial government allocated $65 million towards the city’s water pipes almost a year ago in March 2023, following a winter of serious water main breaks that nearly pushed the city to evacuation. More water main breaks plagued the city in the fall of 2023, almost causing the water reservoir to dry up.
“A world-class port needs a world-class port city if we’re going to meet our potential,” said Prince Rupert Port Authority CEO Shaun Stevenson. “The previous Council replaced the water dam, it was well over 100 years old. There’s no point in replacing the water pipes, as we’re doing, if the dam fails,” Pond said.