The British Columbia government is giving Prince Rupert $240,000 to help attract and keep skilled workers as the city gears up for a wave of jobs tied to a massive new energy terminal on Ridley Island. The funding, announced on July 13, 2026, comes through the province’s Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program and will pay for a marketing campaign aimed at drawing the workforce needed for upcoming growth.
At the centre of the opportunity is the Ridley Island Energy Export Facility, or REEF, a $1.35-billion joint venture between AltaGas Ltd. and Royal Vopak NV. Site clearing is already more than 95 per cent complete and the terminal is expected to come online near the end of this year. Once running, it could create as many as 1,900 jobs, offering new career paths for local residents.
The cash injection is part of British Columbia’s broader Look West strategy, a plan to diversify markets and bring good-paying jobs to communities across the province. “Through our Look West strategy, we’re creating opportunities that benefit people, families and communities across British Columbia,” the provincial announcement stated. Prince Rupert, a coastal city of about 12,000, has seen its share of ups and downs, from the decline of fishing and logging to the rise of port operations that now handle $60 billion in trade each year.
But Mayor Herb Pond has cautioned that the same economic revival is squeezing the housing market. Construction workers arriving flush with cash are pushing up short-term rental rates, and health care officials have told him that job applicants have turned down offers after failing to find a place to live. “Construction workers often arrive with money in their pockets, willing to pay more for short-term rentals,” Pond has said, summing up the strain on a community that supports growth but worries about those left behind.
The workforce attraction campaign aims to bridge that gap, ensuring the city has the skilled tradespeople, engineers, and support staff needed not only for the REEF project but for the port’s broader expansion plans. As the terminal nears completion, residents can expect to see the marketing push roll out, highlighting Prince Rupert as a place where career opportunities and coastal living meet.
