North Pacific Cannery Museum to benefit from grant money

The District of Port Edward will be filling out the forms and putting in their best bid to secure some tourism funding from the Provincial government. Port Edward will have access to $17,262.38 through the Community Tourism Funding Opportunity Program, money that they have planned for use in making the North Pacific Historical site better known across the province.

The Daily News featured the story on page one of Friday’s newspaper.

CASH WILL HELP PORT EDWARD PROMOTE CANNERY
By Patrick Witwicki
The Daily News
Friday, November 17, 2006
Page One

The District of Port Edward will be getting some money to help boost tourism in their area.

The province of B. C., recently established a Community Tourism Funding Opportunity Program, and Port Edward will have access to $17,261.38, which will go directly toward increasing tourism in the district, namely, letting more British Columbians know about the North Pacific Fishing Village.

The Cannery just went through its most difficult tourism year, mainly due to the sinking of the Queen of the North back in March. Port Edward council has said it is intent on doing whatever it can to help North Pacific get back on track for the 2007 tourism season.

Chief Operating Officer and city administrator Ron Bedard outlined some of those plans at this week’s council meeting.

“We’ve talked about putting up a billboard near Burns Lake,” he said. “Then, with the money left over, it will (be used) to enhance the services we have out there at the Cannery.

“The good thing about this fund is that we don’t have to match it.”

With that in mind, Coun. Christine MacKenzie asked if there was any way the district could upgrade current signs on Highway 16 that exist prior to the Port Edward turn-off. Currently, those signs state nothing more than “Tourist attraction”, which according to MacKenzie, doesn’t tell travelers what there is to see in the community.

“That doesn’t tell tourists anything,” she said. “Can’t we get a sign that says “North Pacific Fishing Village?”

But Bedard said that just can’t happen based on Highways bylaws and procedures.

“I’ve talked to Highways about that a million times, but they’re mandated to do it (that way,)” he said. “We’ve even tried to get a national historic site sign, but those are federal signs, and they only do the ones they own.

“It’s like trying to walk through porridge.”

Bedard did say he would look at alternatives in trying to get better signage announcing the existence of the cannery.

Council did authorize Bedard to apply for the Community Tourism Program as soon as possible.