Meet Manny

From Farm to Fishing Town

Manny Singh arrived in Prince Rupert in 2019 as a single, self-described “farm boy” that “had never stepped foot on a boat before.” Now, he is Captain of the AMWAAL, the Prince Rupert Port Authority’s (PRPA) largest vessel, and owner of a home with his wife Barpreet that they share with their daughter Rubani and the family dog Simba.

“Ever since we came to Canada, we’ve been looking for an anchor to keep us somewhere securely. Prince Rupert became that anchor – both for my work and because it lets me spend a lot of time with my family. My commute to work is 5 minutes.”

While Manny has since built a career on the water, he arrived in Prince Rupert working for a private security company. He met Jamie Malthus, a Port Authority employee and prominent community volunteer, who recommended Manny volunteer at the local Royal Canadian Marine Search & Rescue.

Manny immediately took to it, saying “I was a sponge, ready to learn everything, and the whole station welcomed me.”

Locals Willing to Share Advice

Over time he met a few Gateway Operators from the Port Authority who provided encouragement and advice on the education he would need to start a marine career. Through Manny’s hard work, he quickly progressed from just wanting to be on the water, to supporting others on a boat, to leading a team responsible for maintaining a safe harbour for neighbours, whales, and international trade at Canada’s 3^rd largest port.

“I would see boats cruising up and down the harbour and know I wanted to be in a boat all the time. Now, there’s no work when I go to work for me. I just like spending all my time on the water.”

The Draw of Prince Rupert

When Manny came in 2019. Barpreet was already here. They knew each other but weren’t together. Manny then moved to Vancouver to work on his marine education and Barpreet went to Calgary, but as they started to connect from different provinces, opportunity and emotion pulled them back to Prince Rupert.

Barpreet explains, “Manny told me he was applying (at the Prince Rupert Port Authority) and I wasn’t sure about coming back. I had built a life in Calgary. But everybody was so nice and welcoming that a part of me always missed Rupert. It felt like home.”

They moved back in March 2023 as a couple. Within 3 years they bought their house, adopted a dog, got married, and had a daughter, all while Manny became a boat captain. When describing the life they’ve built in Prince Rupert, Barpreet says it best, “We’re just so comfortable here. We belong here.”