Incumbent Lee Brain has been acclaimed as mayor of Prince Rupert after no challengers came forward. This will be Brain’s second term.
Brain will be joined on council by fellow incumbents Barry Cunningham, Blair Mirau, Gurvinder Randhawa, and Wade Niesh. First-time candidates Nick Adey and Reid Skelton-Morven won the final two seats.
Below is the full list of the candidates for mayor and council.
Candidates
Mayor
Lee Brain (incumbent)
Council
Charmayne Carlson
Barry Cunningham (incumbent)
Blair Mirau (incumbent)
Wade Niesh (incumbent)
Gurvinder Randhawa (incumbent)
Reid Skelton-Morven
Boundary
Prince Rupert is located on Kaien Island on B.C.’s North Coast.
Population (2016)
12,220
History
Prince Rupert was home to the Tsimshian First Nation before it would become a centre of activity on the North Coast.
Sea otter pelts attracted traders in the early 19th century, and Europeans soon saw money in salmon. They would build as many as 200 canneries along the coast.
Prince Rupert would be chosen as the last stop for the Grand Trunk Railway in the early 1900s; it would span almost 5,000 kilometres.
The railway went bankrupt in 1914, but it would be taken over by Canadian National after it was formed by the federal government.
Today, rail transport is key to Prince Rupert’s economy, shipping many goods through the region.
Prince Rupert has nevertheless endured difficult economic circumstances, but fishing one of its prime drivers amid falling stocks.
Median total income of couple economic families with children (2015)/B.C. median
$111,808/$111,736
Crime Severity Index (CSI) — 2016
RCMP — municipal/B.C.
121.14 (-21.67)/93.63 (-0.71)
RCMP — rural
125.33 (-29.03)/93.63 (-0.71)
Violent Crime Severity Index (CSI) — 2016
RCMP — municipal
130.43 (-31.41)/74.86 (-9.81)
RCMP — rural
271.44 (-22.93)/74.86 (-9.81)
Political representation
Federal
Nathan Cullen (NDP)
Provincial
Jennifer Rice (BC NDP)