Today, MP Bachrach (Skeena - Bulkley Valley) joins residents of Prince Rupert in celebrating long-awaited federal funding to address Prince Rupert’s water infrastructure crisis.
Bachrach is in Victoria where the federal government announced it is providing $77,200,000 to the City of Prince Rupert through its Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund. These funds add to the $65 Million contributed by the BC government in March 2023.
“I am so pleased that our years of advocacy has finally paid off,” said Bachrach. “Prince Rupert residents have been living with the uncertainty of a failing water system. The team at the city has worked incredibly hard to demonstrate to the federal government how important this funding is, and they should be rightly proud of today's announcement. It was an impressive team effort."
Over the past few years, Prince Rupert has faced multiple serious water main breaks, boil water advisories, and even a local state of emergency in December 2022. City staff have warned that without major work, the entire water distribution system is at risk of catastrophic failure.
MP Bachrach has tirelessly advocated for federal support on behalf of the residents of Prince Rupert. He wrote to, and met with the Minister of Infrastructure, rose in Parliament, questioned the Minister of Infrastructure in committee multiple times, and brought the Mayor of Prince Rupert to the Transport Committee to discuss the urgency of the situation.
"Prince Rupert is a nationally significant trade gateway with a lot of growth on the horizon, and securing core infrastructure is a vital part of realizing that potential," said Bachrach. "With this funding finally in place, the city can finally get shovels in the ground and start working toward the safe, reliable water system its residents deserve."
