Employment directly related to activity at the Port of Prince Rupert has risen over the last five years by 110%, reaching 3,060 person-years in 2014, according to a new economic impact study released today by the Prince Rupert Port Authority.
The study revealed that the $1.2 billion in economic activity related to the transportation of Port-related exports and imports directly provides the equivalent of 3,060 permanent full-time jobs, with combined wages of $200 million.
The employment number represents an increase of 1,600 jobs since 2009, and over 800 in the last three years alone.
When estimating the impacts of indirect and induced employment, total employment reached over 6,000. Indirect employment refers to jobs that service or supply port-related companies, while induced employment is labour resulting from money spent by employees in their communities.
This study shows that growth in port-related trade is creating new and lucrative opportunities for skilled workers throughout British Columbia’s northern region,” said Don Krusel, President and CEO of the Prince Rupert Port Authority. “Prince Rupert may be the gateway for goods and Canadian commodities, but its significant economic impact is not restricted to any one community.”
The study showed that port-related employment is distributed across northern BC. A full 43% of jobs that support trade through the port are located outside the Prince Rupert and Port Edward area.
The average annual wage also rose by $4,000 since 2011, continuing a steady climb documented by the Port Authority’s previous economic impact studies. The average wage hit $64,000 for jobs in the gateway industry that include occupations in rail and trucking, terminal operations and stevedoring, marine services and other direct port activities.
Benefits of the trade gateway are not limited to workers and families. Annual tax contributions by the companies that operate the Port of Prince Rupert and their employees exceeded $80 million in 2014, with two-thirds being paid to the federal government. The provincial government received $20.8 million, and municipalities that host the port industry profited to the tune of $6.4 million.
“These results are a credit to the initiative, drive and commitment of BC’s working men and women,” said Krusel. “By enabling the efficient trade of more than $5 billion in goods and commodities each year, they have built a prosperous present and laid the groundwork for an even more promising future.”
The survey was conducted by surveying on- and offsite employers associated with the operation of the Port of Prince Rupert. Indirect and induced effects were calculated using economic multipliers developed by Statistics Canada.