Final report - Integrated Land Management Bureau

OONA RIVER
Transportation Assessment of the Central & North Coast of BC
Oona River is a small community of approximately 50, which is mainly a residential
community today. In the 1950s it had three small sawmills, but the last one, Group
Mills closed in 2006.
The community is accessed by a passenger ferry service that operates twice per
week between Prince Rupert and Kitkatla, Oona River and Hartley Bay. Some
residents also use local fish boats to travel back and forth from Prince Rupert.
Residents make arrangements with either North Pacific Seaplanes or Inland Air to
make an on demand stop in Oona River. There is no road connection to other
communities.
TABLE 2-24: TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE, OONA RIVER
Transportation Mode/
Infrastructure
Air Services &
Infrastructure
HARTLEY BAY
Description
With a population of approximately 150, Hartley Bay is the home community of the
Gitga’at First Nation and is located at the confluence of Grenville and Douglas
Channels 54 , approximately 145km south of Prince Rupert and 80 km south of
Kitimat. The downsizing of the salmon fishing industry and the downturn in the
coastal forest industry has hurt the community’s employment but band leadership
has been aggressively trying to improve the economic, social and cultural
wellbeing of Hartley Bay in recent years. These efforts include a new cultural
centre, participation in a small hydro development to replace diesel electricity
generation, tourism plan (including bear and whale watching guidelines),
exploration of new marketing opportunities made available through Ecosystem
54 Kitimat is at the head of Douglas Channel.
• Dock available for float plane
• Accessible by making arrangements for a pick-up at Oona River
with a scheduled North Pacific Seaplanes flight or a charter flight
Ferry/Water Taxi • Scheduled passenger ferry service (2x per week) on Tsimshian
Storm between Prince Rupert and Oona River, Kitkatla and
Hartley Bay, which is owned by North-Co-Corp. Ferry Services
Ltd.
Private/commercial vessel • Small dock for pleasure and commercial fishing boats, operated
by Oona River Community Association, breakwater, difficult to
access in poor weather
Road • Community located on Porcher Island (forest roads)
Chisholm Consulting 53