Tucked inside this week’s issue of the Northern Connector, you will find a publication entitled Progress 2015.
This publication, in a nutshell, examines a number of projects that are either underway or proposed for Prince Rupert and Port Edward as 2015 comes to a close and the calendar turns over to 2016. From LNG export terminals to port expansion to new subdivisions and new condo developments, all the information you need can be found in Progress 2015.
When you put all of these proposals together, it paints a picture of a very active year on the North Coast, all in preparation for what could be an economic boom unlike any seen before.
What is sitting on the table in the region now is billions of dollars in industrial development partnered with hundreds of millions of dollars in associated residential development. And when one takes into account the number of workers that will be needed to take these projects from shovel- ready to completely finished, it boggles the mind.
We’re talking about thousands upon thousands of men and women who will be coming to the community and injecting more money into local businesses.
Speaking of money, while some may dismiss the impact of some of these proposals since shovels have yet to hit the ground, you can bet there has already been thousands of dollars spent in the region on engineering, surveying, technical studies and, in some cases, land clearing. Workers are already arriving and companies are already setting up shop in Prince Rupert, as evidenced by the massive growth in membership of the Prince Rupert and District Chamber of Commerce.
With work underway on the expansion of Fairview Terminal, the Road, Rail and Utility Corridor complete and word of a final investment decision just around the corner, it will be exciting to see what Progress 2016 looks like.
