On Time- On Budget! New Port Ready

By 250 News

Prince Rupert Port ( photo courtesy  Prince Rupert Port Authority) click on  video icon for arrival of cranes video  courtesy Prince Rupert Port Authority

Those involved say it is on time-on budget.  The Prince Rupert Port, which  be a new trade link with Asia will be officially opened today. 

Among those to attend the  official  opening of the $170 million dollar facility  will be Premier Gordon Campbell, Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon,  Federal  Minister of International  Trade, David Emerson,   and  up until  this morning,   there was still  no official  word on the  Prime Minister’s appearance.

Prnce George Mayor Colin Kinsley will head out this morning on a flight chartered by the Mayor of Edmonton and the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation.

To coincide with the opening of the Port, UNBC’s Prince Rupert Campus is  hosting a special  synposium on the impact this Port will have on Western Canada.

Called "Ports, Politics and the Pacific Gateway: Consequences for Regional Development in Western Canada" the one day symposium will  look at various perspectives on social and environmental issues, ports and port logistics, and the effects of the new port on Northern BC, Western Canada, and the Pacific Gateway strategy 

 “The opening of the container port is a major development for all of Northern BC,” says UNBC Political Science professor Gary Wilson, who has organized the symposium and will present a paper on the anticipated local and regional impacts of the port development.  “Many people see this as a coming of age; not only for Prince Rupert but for the entire region. It’s not just about a port, it’s about a region having new political, social, and economic connections to the world and all of the opportunities and challenges this will present. We’re excited to be hosting this event in Prince Rupert and participating in a historic week for the province.”

There  have been concerns expressed by some in the lower mainland that this new port will have a negative impact  on  the operations in the Vancouver region.  Yesterday, the MInistry of Finance announced   legislation will be introduced to extend the  "Port Competitive Tax Initiative" for  ten years.

The Ports Competitiveness Initiative aims to encourage new investments in ports infrastructure and secure the competitive position of British Columbia’s major industrial ports. Introduced in 2003, the initiative provides property tax relief to 20 major industrial ports by capping municipal tax rates on eligible facilities and compensates local
governments for the resulting impact.

"British Columbia’s ports are an integral part of the Pacific Gateway Strategy, providing a vital transportation and trade link to the Asia-Pacific," said Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon. "This extension is an important step to ensure our ports system continues to grow and attract international investment."

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