Prepping for the Boom
By 250 News
Tuesday, July 25, 2006 04:00 AM
Prince Rupert is the jewel of the west coast right now, with the new port being developed, a rise in activity, and a gateway to the Pacific and trading partners, Prince Rupert is getting set for a booming economy.
Is it ready for the boost in population, in particular, can it handle the health care needs?
The short answer is yes, says Northern Health’s Board Chair, Jeff Burghardt. “That is one of the reasons why we are in regular consultation with the City Councils within the Northern Health Region.”
Those consultations help the Health Authority plan for the future.
The newly renovated Prince Rupert Hospital, was one step on the road to preparing for the future. The $2.4 million dollar upgrade improves access for patients and working conditions for staff.
As the new port gets into full swing Northern Health CEO Malcolm Maxwell says its important to recognize the different types of population growth. He says a good strong economy and employment driven growth don’t necessarily mean a bricks and mortar solution to handle the needs of the population. Rather, it could mean a gearing up of ambulatory care services.
Board Chair Jeff Burghardt says Northern Health has a very active advisory group “We work collaboratively, and we are confident we will have the right mix of physicians and services.”
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Posted by: Runner46 on July 25 2006 2:57 PM
At the end of the day the New Jobs at the Container Terminal (250) will go a long way to replace the 500 or so jobs that were lost when the Pulp Mill was closed. The new taxes should help the City of Prince Rupert which at this time is about as close to being bankrupt as you can get. (20 Million owed from the Pulp Mill and Lumber Co.s)
250 New jobs to replace 500 Lost jobs could be construed as a boom for the jewel of the North, but in fact it will take much more than that just to get back to where they were 10 years ago.