The City of Prince Rupert is exploring funding options it hopes will help develop an underused strip of waterfront property.

Council approved a motion for city staff to apply to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) at its Jan. 14 general meeting.

The grant is targeted at rural communities and covers up to 90 per cent of the costs on a particular project. In Prince Rupert’s case, the money would go toward relocating the city’s airport ferry terminal from its current location to the area next to Kwinitsa Station.

READ MORE: One year after city takeover, Prince Rupert airport speeds up services

The new terminal would be branded “Rupert’s Landing” and is part of the city’s push to rebrand, develop and improve some of its attractive natural assets.

“The new terminal would be a roll0-on, roll-off ferry ramp access near Kwinitsa Station, including a breakwater asset,” said the city’s communications manager Veronika Stewart, who presented the report at council.

The cost of the project would be an estimated $12.6 million, and if the city were to receive the ICIP grant, it would be responsible for the remaining $1.26 million. The city would then look to other opportunities to obtain additional grants and alternative funding options to make up the difference.

Council passed the motion unanimously following Stewart’s presentation.

“I think this would be a great project for the City of Prince Rupert to have a new revitalized water front like Kwinitsa,” said acting Mayor Wade Niesh. “I think a lot of people have always been waiting for that and once again we hope that we are successful in another grant application.”

The grant application is part of the city’s Re:Design Rupert push. In August of 2018, Phase 2 of the project was launched with city officials and partners gathering feedback from the community on improvements they want to see in the city.

READ MORE: Rupert Redesign move to second phase

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