Port Edward residents have a second chance on April 22 to voice complaints about the noise from a large Prince Rupert Port Authority construction project on nearby Ridley Island when the District of Port Edward holds a town hall featuring officials from the authority.
The authority’s $750 million Ridley Island Export Logistics Project (RIELP) has been under construction since October 2023, drawing criticism from residents, who say their quality of life has been severely affected by noise from the 24/7 construction site across the harbour.
A first town hall on Jan. 30 brought significant frustration from those in attendance and while port authority representatives said they would “listen and mitigate what we can,” there were no promises for any other action.
Residents attending the previous town hall complained of their houses shaking and disturbance from the worksite’s fluorescent lights.
While the district said it hopes to maintain “open dialogue and collaborative efforts” with the port, it criticized what it called a lagging response since the January town hall. It also said suggestions from residents, including noise barriers, had been ignored by the port.
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“It is unacceptable that the residents of Port Edward continue to experience disruptions to their quality of life due to the ongoing project,” said Mayor Knut Bjorndal in a press release.
“We demand that PRPA step forward with reasonable and concrete solutions.”
The RIELP project is part of the PRPA’s aims to dramatically increase container capacity at the port, and is expected to begin operations by fall 2026.
The current construction, which is expected to last a little under a year, includes blasting to level the 108-acre greenfield area for train tracks and the container unloading facility. Construction of on-site structures for the project is expected to begin this summer, according to the port.
The town hall will be held at 7 p.m. on April 22 at Port Edward’s community center.
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