So Why Prince Rupert?

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Why Prince Rupert?

I have to respond esp to the piss and moaners on this post after being one in the past, until a pending lay off came… Personal growth that situation gave me was my wake up call… I redeveloped my love side for this town…

I have had a love and hate relationship with this town for many years… Yes it is costly to travel out of town, however if one manages to be holding employment here that pays well, you can still find rents here cheap. Shopping is horrible here except for Safeway and Overwaitea. However most everything can be had through online shopping for those who cannot get out of town to shop. Between Terrace and online shopping everything is here that you can get down south. For those that can get south oh the shopping is great there but if I lived there I could not afford to shop down there… On a trip last September a friend and I confirmed what we already knew that groceries are not much different in cost in the major supermarkets whether you are north or south…

I have the good fortune to have two jobs and am very grateful. While cheap rents are tough to find, they do exist… The cost of fuel is scary at near $1.30 per liter but distances around town are short and one can get by as I have done all my life without a car…

I lived many years here on a disability income+ odd jobs here and there and I never felt deprived of anything there is way that the rich and poor are integrated here that you won’t find any where else. Clicky yes I agree, and my circle of close friends is small, however the list of people I could call on if I needed them is vast. I left high school at a young age and had good paid union work on the waterfront… After tiring of that I worked in retail until health issues become serious and I had to go on disability. i managed through part time work as well as volunteer to build a vast network of people and eventually this led me back to work when i was able to.

Thankfully things improved and I reentered the full time work force just over 4 years ago. This past fall I was nearly laid off, but thanks to someone with seniority who voluntarily took a lay off I was able to stay on. Oh I looked around down south for years and took some time when the lay off was pending and yeah the weather is better, but to acquire anything beyond minimum wage you need a degree… Those areas have their own clicks as well… So what good is sunshine if one is under the threat of homeless ness no thanks… I will take the rain and the costly vacations that I can afford to do…

A very close friend get a great job on the second resume he put out… The pay is good here but he would be just surviving down south on the same income and same as me take my income south and just get by, and that is if I could even get the same elsewhere… As I said anything beyond minimum wage is tough to get without a degree down south…

To those that want to leave: I wish you well. Rupert has and continues to provide me with a great quality of life…Will it boom no I think not… Rupert provided my family with a lot 60s-80s … Since 1990s it declined, so education is the only key to leaving town… I have known that for years and some day I may still leave yes it is isolated, but many people plan to leave without looking at the big picture…

My family left in 1980 and my step father hated so much about Rupert esp the isolation and weather, however after leaving good paid union jobs my family struggled on far less in Easter Canada, and regretted the move for a long time… In the end it all worked out but it all takes time…The rules of EI allowed people to quit back then and still collect after penalty time. slowly but surely employment was reacquired but the trade off for better weather an no isolation was a lower wage, but over time it got better, any big change takes time…

if people want out and are determined enough they will manage… I guess there is and always will be something in the north that makes me feel at home…Oh I know that many are struggling here and my heart goes out to you, many that are do not have the skill set for today’s work force south or north. I know my skill set would only get me at most casual work at decent pay but not enough hours + minimum wage work + rents that are crazy… In many ways rich or poor this place is still the best place to be…

Some will piss and moan about Rupert, and piss and moan about how tough it is to get out. Determination and being happy with one’s self comes first…

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I agree with most of your post roja . For those financially capable of tripping out of here often, then they have no issues. For those without that benefit, I think they settle for a life that is not what they want due to the limitations of the area and their own. I wonder what will happen to the youth of this era, will they have to leave town also to live a productive life. I have to question your EI problem though . I didn’t think a living situation could disqualify you but if it did and you are still able to take your vacations in the sun then why can’t some of that money pay for the retraining you need to take. I would qualify that as a priority if I were trying to move from here or can’t your partner or whoever assist you with this goal? Good Luck with everything though.

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Jazella - The vacations were planned before the lay-off. On EI I sure don’t make enough to travel anywhere. Yes, i am disqualified because of my living situation. They take into account the household income not the individuals. This means the 50/50 financial deal i currently share with my living partner won’t fly. He is trying to pay down any debts he has and try and save a bit before retirement. Our deal was never that he fully 100% support me. Why should it be so? We aren’t married. I was told they may consider a different living arrangement - say sharing a house with a girlfriend. So why should that be different? Maybe the girlfriend and I are lesbians and having a full partnership…or they said maybe if i lived with a family member…so i disagree with their whole way of thinking. No my partner does not make enough to support me, yes, he does make enough to gift me with a few perks. At this point he would have to pay the entire tuition, books and associated fees plus all my bill payments, shelter, loans, etcc… for the 10 months the course lasts.anyway, that is more information than i need to give but it is no small fee. I had hoped after paying into the systmen for many years I would qualify for a small living alllowance. Stuck again in the Catch 22 we call the system. I will make a road-trip down south to look for work soon. That is nuts as well…hotels, gas, meals…more than the EI check likely. Yet, it seems resumes from out of area aren’t considered very much down south. I think you have to be there ready to pound the pavement to make it happen. Thanks for your good wishes…i do hope I find work before the EI runs out.

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I find the 50-50 spilt thing strange, as some people’s 50% percent of household expenses could be more than other’s full cost of their expenses being single…
I thought that type of combined income thing applied to BC Social Assistance not EI… I know when I looked at EI training options nothing had really changed since the early 90s when i was last on EI, I was not impressed… Very grateful to be working and also that my friend is full time employed after being on EI…

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I want to say thank you for putting your thoughts out there for me and its all very interesting. This gives me more of an idea what is with Prince Rupert, its me stories of the community and not just what the newspapers say. I hope to read more of them. I’m sorry for the people who are stuck there and I wish the best for you…

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I am very curious as to where you live tayls? No one is really ever stuck anywhere unless they choose to be stuck. Many of the stuck will complain wherever they live… Prince Rupert or any location is what you make it. Prince Rupert with good paid employment has many perks, come and try it…

Have you been here any length of time? Thank you for the topic, and thank you as well for your interest in my community.

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Please, if someone wants to work with good pay, benefits, but mind you lots of stress, earn your bachelors degree in social work …I beg you, lots of work in the north and you would help reduce my stress…I am from the north chose to go back to school 13 years ago, earn a degree, and have been over worked and sometimes felt under paid because of stress ever since. Regardless I love what I do and love living in the North, as it is where I want to be…I love Prince Rupert, I love walking in the rain, along the water front with the spray of the waves hitting you on a wet windy day…the best way I can suggest in reducing stress…Yeah the town is looking a bit stressed but I don’t care it’ home and I love it.

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This is a pic taken last week over our wonderful community…
I was fortunate enough to take my first sea plane ride ever with a friend to a nearby community…
What an awesome place …

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Why Prince Rupert, if you have to ask, you don’t get it. If you don’t like it, just follow the highway and take it to where ever makes you happy. It’s a free country after all.
I get offended by people who feel the need to drag down our town because they don’t like the weather, distance, etc. None of that has changed since before we arrived but somehow something has changed with them or their circumstance here and they drag themselves around bemoaning the town.
I have been here over 30 years and have made a comfortable living, great lifelong friends, meet and married my wife and we love our life here.
Yes, it could rain less, it could be closer to major cities, it could be warmer and a host of other things too. That, however is not the case yet I still enjoy living here.
I do not run around whining about all that’s wrong with it but rather deal with it and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us and take great pleasure in it when the weather is good.
Another thing that bothers me is why you need to gripe about a town you have no intention of staying in. That seems really moot when you think about it.
Those of you who like to whine about our city, please keep it to yourself. Find a place you do like and I for one promise not to slag the choice you have made with the city you choose. Sorry it’s not good enough for you but just keep it down till you leave maybe? We really love out town and don’t need you approval necessarily.
What happens business wise here will happen regardless of what any of us thinks we do or don’t like about the place. Big business in any feild will be a welcomed change for sure but you either get the place and stay regardless of the draw backs or you move on with, hopefully, some nice memories.
Often I realize that all that makes the difference with some people is the money? If that is the case, I hear that Fort Mac is lovely this time of year and they are hiring!

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[quote=“BOW”]Why Prince Rupert, if you have to ask, you don’t get it. If you don’t like it, just follow the highway and take it to where ever makes you happy. It’s a free country after all.
I get offended by people who feel the need to drag down our town because they don’t like the weather, distance, etc. None of that has changed since before we arrived but somehow something has changed with them or their circumstance here and they drag themselves around bemoaning the town.
I have been here over 30 years and have made a comfortable living, great lifelong friends, meet and married my wife and we love our life here.
Yes, it could rain less, it could be closer to major cities, it could be warmer and a host of other things too. That, however is not the case yet I still enjoy living here.
I do not run around whining about all that’s wrong with it but rather deal with it and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us and take great pleasure in it when the weather is good.
Another thing that bothers me is why you need to gripe about a town you have no intention of staying in. That seems really moot when you think about it.
Those of you who like to whine about our city, please keep it to yourself. Find a place you do like and I for one promise not to slag the choice you have made with the city you choose. Sorry it’s not good enough for you but just keep it down till you leave maybe? We really love out town and don’t need you approval necessarily.
What happens business wise here will happen regardless of what any of us thinks we do or don’t like about the place. Big business in any feild will be a welcomed change for sure but you either get the place and stay regardless of the draw backs or you move on with, hopefully, some nice memories.
Often I realize that all that makes the difference with some people is the money? If that is the case, I hear that Fort Mac is lovely this time of year and they are hiring![/quote]

Many good points there BOW : Possibly Fort Mac is a good place for those unhappy with the hiring situation here… Northern Towns are the reality for people without university if they want to make a decent wage. Northern Girl brought up many good points as well. I have a friend in Victoria who just finished BSW and is considering a move back north as even with that oportunities that pay a good rate are tight in Victoria.
For me any complaints I have had about Prince Rupert had more to do with just being personally unhappy… If someone is personally unhappy they will be unhappy no matter where they go…There is a lot of joy in calling a friend and being able to have them drive over in 5 minutes, larger centres you spend you whole life in traffic…

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[quote=“northernguy”]This is a pic taken last week over our wonderful community…
I was fortunate enough to take my first sea plane ride ever with a friend to a nearby community…
What an awesome place …[/quote]

That is simply beautiful

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4yp_vk3NUk)

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[quote=“sea flake”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4yp_vk3NUk

I really enjoy the videos thanks for posting them.[/quote]

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[quote=“northernguy”]

I am very curious as to where you live tayls? No one is really ever stuck anywhere unless they choose to be stuck. Many of the stuck will complain wherever they live… Prince Rupert or any location is what you make it. Prince Rupert with good paid employment has many perks, come and try it…

Have you been here any length of time? Thank you for the topic, and thank you as well for your interest in my community.[/quote]

I have never stay long there but I have been there once or twice growing up. I move around a lot, mostly in Ontario but recently I have live in Alberta and British Columbia, I love it to find the differences and similarities. I don’t believe anyone is really stuck because people have always have options and if you really want to leave you will be determine to get out of anywhere.

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There are always haters and whiners, so Rupertites don’t take it personally. I remember visiting family and friends in Vancouver, and there would always be a couple of people that thought Vancouver was boring and lacking. They wanted to be somewhere more exciting, like Toronto or Los Angeles. When visiting friends in Toronto I ran into long time Torontonians who thought that Toronto was lacking, and they wanted something more exciting along the lines of New York or Miami. It doesn’t matter where you go in this world, you will always find somebody there that would prefer to be somewhere else. The ones that can’t afford to be anywhere else will be the crankiest ones.

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Good points people often think the grass is greener elsewhere until they get there… and some just are not happy regardless…

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Rupert is a mill town without the mill. The best days for this town were during ww2 and they’ve been predicting booms ever since. Not gonna happen.

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We stopped being a “mill town” a long time ago. That ship has sailed (so to speak). We are a beautiful coastal community with an ever growing port economy and wonderful people. i love living here, sure I feel the need to get out and go somewhere - thats what airmiles are for :wink:

But after a week I always miss it.

I’m a rupertite for life :smile:

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for life???

sounds like something that should be served at millhaven in kingston ontario…

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[quote=“StackedSports”]We stopped being a “mill town” a long time ago. That ship has sailed (so to speak). We are a beautiful coastal community with an ever growing port economy and wonderful people. i love living here, sure I feel the need to get out and go somewhere - thats what airmiles are for :wink:

But after a week I always miss it.

I’m a rupertite for life :smile:/q

I feel the same stacked, I am so grateful that a co worker wanted to move on to warmer climate, allowing me to keep my job and remain here.
Those that dont like it we have 3 planes a day out, BC Ferries regularly, 2 buses most days, rail 3 days, and a highway with some of the best scenery you will find any place.
Those that want the Okanagan, Lower Mainland, or the island I wish you the best but very costly to live in those areas… I will use my airmiles as well when I need a break but the North is home always…[/quote]