Keep Ridley Terminals As Public Asset Say Local Community Leaders
By 250 News
Wednesday, June 03, 2009 03:58 AM
Prince George, B.C.- Communities throughout the central and north of B.C. are calling for the Federal Government to hold on to the Ridley Terminal in Prince Rupert.
The terminal is one of several prominent Crown Corporations which the Federal Ministry of Finance has identified as those which could be put up for sale.
That news has sparked a rallying cry among communities throughout northern B.C. who say the Ridley Terminals are part of the puzzle in developing the Asia Pacific gateway and are critical to the future development and well being of the region.
The communities have joined together under the umbrella of the Northern Development Initiatives Trust, and issued a news release speaking loud and clear that the Ridley Terminals must remain a public asset.
According to the release, more than 30 communities and 350 thousand people are connected to the future of ridley terminals as a public asset that “moves the resources that drive economy to the world”.
The release says the North Central Municipal Association and Northern Development Initiative Trust believe that Ridley Terminals is a strategic public asset for the growing bio‐energy, wood pellet and high quality coal products to reach world markets.
Ridley Terminals is the only federal Crown corporation of its kind. It is a bulk commodity terminal that employs 87 people in highly skilled, well paying jobs.
In the joint release, the vision of more resource export products being bulk shipped out of RidleyTerminals’ deep ocean berths was shared “For that, we need a gateway to the world that operates in a public, fair and transparent manner with an understanding of the need for northern solutions to northern transportation issues. As a public terminal facility, we have seen a substantial investment by the wood pellet industry in this storage and loading facility. We believe other industries can be encouraged to invest in an effectively run bulk port that is respectful of the people and the economies of central and northern BC.”
The joint release ( signed by Mayors, Regional District Directors and Chairs, Councillors and Northern Development Trust Board Members) says Ridley Terminals is key to suporting jobs in mining, forestry and bioenergy industries.
“As mayors, regional district and community leaders working together with industry, we intend to pull our region out of this recession with a more diversified economy. This region will be further insulated from a future recession as long as it has a diversified resource base with the most efficient and least congested public port system in western North America. A publicly operated Ridley Terminals is critical to that vision.”
The release suggests Ridley Terminals operate on a not‐for‐profit basis that is focused on delivering high quality, competitive service for northern economic interests and re‐investing to build on the strength of our economy.
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Posted by: Born in BC on June 3 2009 1:06 PM
I would have no problem with NDI expanding their role and using the 'trust' fund dollars to purchase this asset... much rather that they have a $3 million dollar cost for this... than a $50 million dollar one year lose from their trying to maximize their 'investment' returns, invested outside of the north. How could it possible be any worse than their past investments... maybe they could do some good for the north instead? Maybe future profits could be used to invest in related industry that uses the terminal as part of a use agreement with potential exporters?