Prince Rupert

Prince Rupert, often referred to as just Rupert, is a small port city on the North Coast of British Columbia, Canada.

Understand
The population of about 14,000 people (2020) is about half First Nations (Indigenous) people. The Tsimshian Nation is the First Nation in the Prince Rupert area; archeological excavations show they have been there for at least 5,000 years.

History
Prince Rupert was named for Prince Rupert of the Rhine, the first Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company. Prior to the opening of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTP), which developed a terminus at Prince Rupert, the business centre on the North Coast was Port Essington on the Skeena River. After the founding of Prince Rupert at the western terminus of the GTP, Port Essington was bypassed by many businesses and declined to being a fishing community.

Charles Melville Hays, president of the Grand Trunk Railway, had many grand ideas for Prince Rupert, including berthing facilities for large passenger ships and the development of a major tourism industry. These plans fell through when Hays died in the sinking of the RMS Titanic in April 1912. Mount Hays, the larger of two mountains on Kaien Island, is named in his honour, as is a local high school, Charles Hays Secondary School.

Local politicians used the promise of a highway connected to the mainland as an incentive, and the city grew over the next several decades. American troops completed the 100-mile (160-km) stretch of road between Prince Rupert and Terrace during World War II to facilitate the movement of thousands of Allied troops to the Aleutian Islands and the Pacific. Several forts were built to protect the city at Barrett Point and Fredrick Point.

After World War II, the fishing industry, particularly for salmon and halibut, and forestry became the city's major industries.

In the 1990s, both the fishing and forestry industries suffered a significant downturn in economic activity. The forest industry declined when a softwood lumber dispute arose between Canada and the USA. After the pulp mill closed down, many people were unemployed, and much modern machinery was left unused. After reaching a peak of about 18,000 in the early 1990s, Prince Rupert's population began to decline, as people left in search of work.

1996 to 2004 was difficult for Prince Rupert, with closure of the pulp mill, the burning down of a fish plant and a significant population decline. 2005 was a critical turning point: the announcement of the construction of a container port in April 2005, combined with new ownership of the pulp mill, the opening in 2004 of a new cruise ship dock, the resurgence of coal and grain shipping, and the prospects of increased heavy industry and tourism may foretell a bright future for the area.

Weather
Prince Rupert holds the title of rainiest city in Canada, with about 2500 mm of precipitation annually. That's even more than the notoriously rainy Vancouver, so bring good rain gear!

By car
Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway) travels west from Prince George. The drive takes roughly eight hours. Don't drive this road in winter months if you are not familiar with treacherous winter highway conditions.

Ferries

 * Crossing time between Ketchikan and Prince Rupert is 6.25 to 7.5 hours.
 * Routes serving Prince Rupert:
 * From Graham Island (Skidegate) ferry terminal in Haida Gwaii. Single sailings 4-6 days/week in summer; fewer in other seasons. Voyage takes 7 to 8 hours. Departure times differ; some crossings occur overnight.
 * From Port Hardy (Bear Cove) ferry terminal (in North Vancouver Island) via Bella Bella (McLoughlin Bay) ferry terminal and/or Klemtu ferry terminal. During the summer, sailings arrive every other day, and depart the following day. Fewer sailings in other seasons. Crossing time from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert is 16.25-22 hours, 10-12.5 hours from Bella Bella, and 7.75-9.5 hours from Klemtu.
 * From Port Hardy (Bear Cove) ferry terminal (in North Vancouver Island) via Bella Bella (McLoughlin Bay) ferry terminal and/or Klemtu ferry terminal. During the summer, sailings arrive every other day, and depart the following day. Fewer sailings in other seasons. Crossing time from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert is 16.25-22 hours, 10-12.5 hours from Bella Bella, and 7.75-9.5 hours from Klemtu.



Cruise Ships
Prince Rupert is a port-of-call for cruise ships plying the inland passage, serving over 50,000 visitors each season. The Northland Terminal is in Cow Bay, close (up a short hill) to the downtown core. Many shore excursions can be accessed at the Atlin terminal (just east of Northland), ranging from bus, boat and seaplane sight seeing tours to saltwater fishing, kayaking and native cultural experiences.

Get around
Most of downtown Prince Rupert is accessible on foot. A good place to get oriented is the Visitor Information Centre, located on the east end of the Atlin Terminal.

A taxi ride anywhere in town will be no more than $10.

Do
Prince Rupert is famous for its fishing expeditions. Mostly salmon and halibut, with potential catches over a hundred pounds.

Go next
Visit the Haida Gwaii for a unique wilderness adventure you will never forget.