Saanich came under criticism Wednesday after a staff member issued a 376-word email on Tuesday to a concerned citizen about how to deal with derelict boats.
On that same day, that concerned citizen, Dorothy Chambers, called the Coast Guard about the same issue, a newly sunken boat that sat about 12 metres from the Victoria Canoe and Kayak Club, she said.
The Coast Guard responded to ChambersB次元官网网址� call within 20 minutes and within two hours, the sunken boat was floated and removed, added Chambers, a longtime activist for the Colquitz Watershed, Cuthbert Holmes Park and the Gorge Waterway. That was about the same time Chambers received the email from Saanich bylaw.
B次元官网网址淪aanich could have just called the Coast Guard, it was that easy,B次元官网网址� Chambers said. B次元官网网址淚nstead, they were dithering. Coast Guard should be recognized for their response. I just looked up the number [online].B次元官网网址�
Chambers was told the Coast Guard had visited the boat about two weeks ago when it was anchored in the Selkirk passage of the waterway. At that time Coast Guard removed gas cans and a motor from the boat to minimize the potential environmental impact.
Shortly after, the boat showed up in Saanich waters. It would have had to have been towed, Chambers said.
On Sunday, Gorge Tillicum Community Association president Rob Wickson (also a ) witnessed someone visit the boat, which he guessed was the owner.
B次元官网网址淗e was hammering something on the starboard side of the boat,B次元官网网址� Wickson said. B次元官网网址淭wo days later, it sank.B次元官网网址�
Saanich bylaw 9358 was amended in 2015 limiting the use of a float home or other floating vessel as a residence, and does not allow anchoring or moorage of any vessel for a continuous period .
Wickson said Saanich bylaw knew about the boatB次元官网网址檚 location and situation about a week before it posted a notice on it, Friday, Nov. 3.
B次元官网网址淲hen the boat was noticed as sunken, Saanich should have called the Coast Guard, donB次元官网网址檛 rely on a citizen,B次元官网网址� Wickson said. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know how often Saanich needs to monitor it but we need to let them know the reaction we expected wasnB次元官网网址檛 what we got.B次元官网网址�
In the 376-word email from Saanich to Chambers (forwarded to Saanich B次元官网网址), Saanich bylaw responded to Chambers
ItB次元官网网址檚 time wasted, Wickson said, noting the current bylaw response is not the appropriate response.
B次元官网网址淲hen a boat is left in the middle of the waterway with no visible registration, SaanichB次元官网网址檚 action is to post a notice on the boat and then go about tracking down the owner [which can be near impossible],B次元官网网址� Wickson said. B次元官网网址淭o my mind thatB次元官网网址檚 false, if itB次元官网网址檚 left in the middle of the waterway without registration it should be gone, take it away. When I reported it to Saanich I was told it would be dealt with, but nothing happened.B次元官网网址�
Coun. Judy Brownoff, , said the response from Saanich bylaw was the appropriate one.
B次元官网网址淧art of the problem is to be able to say, if you see a boat sinking in the Saanich waters, call this number,B次元官网网址� Brownoff said.
Brownoff also clarified that the management of derelicts and abandoned ships is different in the Gorge, which is covered by a zoning bylaw, than and other beaches are led by Saanich engineering.
A Coast Guard spokesperson said its response officers decided to remove the vessel from the marine environment altogether based on a set of exceptional circumstances.
B次元官网网址淸It] included refloating the sunken vessel and confirming it had no pollutants onboardB次元官网网址� the fact that the responding Coast Guard crew was not tasked to another response at the time, and the small size of the vessel,B次元官网网址� said Michelle Imbeau.
In the meantime, Sheila Malcolmson, MP for NanaimoB次元官网网址擫adysmith,
If the public believes there has been, or will be, a discharge of oil from a vessel into the marine environment, they are asked to report to Coast Guard at 1-800-889-8852.
