PRINCE RUPERT – Today CityWest officially provided its sole shareholder, the City of Prince Rupert, with a distribution payment of $400,000.
“In spite of the increased competitive pressure we faced this year, we remain a profitable company, and we are once again able to give our distribution payment to our shareholder,” said Chris Marett, CEO of CityWest. “This is all thanks to our amazing staff, who have worked hard all year to provide a superior customer experience in all our markets.”
In particular, Marett said CityWest has worked hard to improve its customers’ experience by:
Improving the culture of the organization by empowering employees to make decisions in alignment with corporate values;
Announcing a $10 million investment into fibre-to-the-home services for Prince Rupert, with the first customers being installed early in 2018;
Expanding deeper into the Bulkley Valley, with the new communities of Houston and Lake Kathlyn coming online throughout the year;
Reaching out directly to customers, with more events held throughout the year, as well as the implementation of a regular customer feedback survey.
These achievements, said Marett, were made possible by listening to what customers want. “For us, the customer experience is the top priority,” he said. “We continue to hear from our customers that they keep coming back to us because of our superior customer service. We’re proud to keep providing that to all our valued customers in the North.”
“As the sole shareholder of Citywest, the City welcomes another annual payment,” said Robert Long, City Manager and Board Chair. “This payment means a portion of the telecommunication services paid for by Rupertites will now be recirculated back into the City’s operational budget, supporting both municipal services and the local economy.”
Since it spun out into a corporation in 2005, CityWest has provided the City with $7.1 million in dividends and distribution payments, as well as over $1.8 million in local taxes and levies.