K’awat’si Economic Development Corporation pushes onward towards a late summer soft-opening

Over the last eight months, KEDC and k’awat’si Construction have been working tirelessly alongside our suppliers and partners to get Kwa’lilas Hotel ready to welcome local and global guests to the North Island. We are getting closer to reaching this goal every day and the community is seeing firsthand the work that has already gone into transforming the former Port Hardy Inn to a beautiful cedar-covered, world class hotel we can all be proud of. The project was given a very realistic timeline and due to forces beyond our control, completion is taking a bit longer than we originally planned for.

“There is no question the transformation of the property into a 4-star hotel is taking longer than we expected, but given how important this project is to our community and the North Island, it is critical that we do not compromise on quality and craftsmanship in our rush to open the Kwa’lilas Hotel,” said KEDC CEO Conrad Browne. “Like any large renovation, there are unexpected issues that arise that create challenges and we have no choice but to be creative in finding solutions for them and unfortunately, that takes time. We are continuing to press forward and work through each one with our goal of a soft opening planned for late summer.”

Some of the challenges that have caused changes in our schedule began with a multiple week power outage for necessary upgrades to ensure a safe and reliable electrical supply. This has been compounded by a shortage of local skilled construction trades labour throughout western Canada and delays in receiving accurate shipments of important supplies. While we work through these challenges, we want to thank each of our guests for their continued patience and support of this project. Kwa’lilas Hotel is a huge undertaking and we cannot do it without the encouragement and confidence in our ability and all of the community’s hard work.

“I have every confidence in KEDC, k’awat’si Construction and our partners to rally around us and work through these delays with tolerance and skill,” said Chief Paddy Walkus. “Even though our timelines have moved, my excitement for this project has not changed. It only grows in anticipation knowing what Kwa’lilas Hotel means to our community and what it will bring to the region. We will get there in good time and when we do, we will be proud to show and share our culture and region with the world.”

KEDC expects a soft hotel launch in September and the restaurant and pub will open shortly thereafter. In the meantime, we are working closely with our sister hotel, Pier Side Landing, to accommodate guests and tours.

If you have any questions or concerns about the timeline for the hotel renovation, please let us know through our tourism coordinator Davis Henderson at davis@kedc.ca