Land Use Plan
PRPA Land Use Plan Update
The Prince Rupert Port Authority is committed to maximizing the capacity of the lands under its administration to the highest and best use in the fulfilment of our mandate of enabling Canadian trade and realizing the economic contribution it makes to Canada. Land use decisions are made based upon thoughtful development planning that seeks to optimize operational efficiency, maximize capacity and ensure the diversity of capabilities at the Port to support Canadaâs competitiveness in international trade now and into the future.
We are committed to responsible land stewardship by balancing environmental, social, and economic impacts to drive sustainability and innovation in development planning and operations. Through collaboration with stakeholdersâincluding Indigenous communities, local governments, and industry partnersâwe ensure transparency in decisions related to land-use to support sustainable port development.
The Land Use Plan: Finalized & Adopted can be found here:
The Land Use Plan 2 page summary can be found here:
The Land Use Plan 2 page summary can be found here:
Land Use Plan Frequently Asked Questions
A Land Use Plan is a strategic document used by Canadian ports to provide a framework for port designated lands and navigable waters for future use. For more information, please refer to section 2 âPurpose of the Land Use Planâ.
PRPA has been granted three categories of jurisdiction over land and water through the Canadian Marine Act to enable trade through the Port of Prince Rupert. Schedule A lands are navigable waters under the Prince Rupert Port Authority jurisdiction, Schedule B lands are federal land administered by PRPA, and Schedule C lands are owned directly by the Prince Rupert Port Authority. For more detail, please refer to section 5.1.2 âPrince Rupert Port Authority Letters Patentâ.
No, the Land Use Plan does not replace the need for environmental assessments, project reviews, and regulated permits as legislated by the Government of Canada. The Land Use Plan is used by Canadian Ports to help shape future land and water use but does not address project-specific requirements.
During phase 1 of engagement, PRPA heard the importance of waterfront access for the community. PRPA has incorporated in the Land Use Plan update ways to recognize and increase public waterfront access, including a âWaterfront Recreationâ land use designation that recognizes current and future access as a specific use found within all three planning districts. For more details, please see section 4.2.2 âSocial Sustainability Projectsâ, section 8.3.2 âLand Use Designation Descriptionsâ, and section 8.4 âPlanning Districtsâ of the plan and section 9.1 âImplementation Measuresâ.
PRPA is committed to leading increased cumulative effects modelling and monitoring as it relates to port activities, including cumulative impacts on the airshed, water quality, greenhouse gas emissions, habitat and biodiversity. Information on cumulative effects and current PRPA monitoring can be found in section 4.5 âCumulative Effects Monitoringâ.
This update formalizes and defines an industrial use moratorium on Flora, Agnew and Horsey Banks, and is being putin place for a minimum of 20 years. The moratorium will be reviewed every 5 years, at which time a decision will be made whether to reset another 20 year period.
While Lelu Island has inherent development challenges, it is included in the federal land designated to the portâs core mandate of facilitating Canadian trade, and is considered important for future industrial development within the port. Any potential development on Lelu Island is subject to the development moratorium on Flora, Agnew and Horsey Banks. For more Information on Lelu Island, please refer to Section 8.4.2 âRidley & Lelu Island Planning Districtâ. An overview on the development moratorium is available in Section 4.2.1 âEnvironmental Sustainability Projectsâ.
Impacts on cultural and heritage values are considered within individual project reviews. Similar to environmental impacts, the projects consider ways to avoid, manage or compensate for impacts. Heritage values can be difficult to quantify, and PRPA has committed to investigating ways to better identify and evaluate these values, which should lead to improved mitigation options and solutions. Please refer to Policy Direction 4.4.3 in Section 8.2 âLand Use Objectives & Policy Directionsâ.
Ridley Islandâs land use has always been designated industrial, and continues to be designated as such. In addition to considering those impacts within project-specific reviews, the land use plan update incorporates a new âViewscape Bufferâ land use designation on Ridley Island across from Port Edward that is designed to recognize the value of a physical separation from industrial activities, and should improve potential visual and acoustic impacts. Please see section 8.4.2 âRidley & Lely Island Planning Districtâ and figure 46 âRidley & Lelu Island Mapâ
While the Land Use Plan only considers land use designations on properties within the port jurisdiction, and does not directly consider CN mainline operations, rail connectivity is a key principle with PRPAâs land use planning. Investing in gateway infrastructure that ensures rail traffic remains fluid, and ensures that future port terminals can continue to facilitate unit trains, will minimize the number of trains required, keep them moving through urban areas, and minimize the number of long-haul trucks needed as an alternative.