The Province has cancelled a crown lease held by Union Bay-based ship breaking operation Deep Water Recovery.
Mid Island-Pacific Rim MLA Josie Osborne posted about the cancellation on social media July 5, saying that the decision was made "in order to protect the public interest."
"Ship recycling, repair and maintenance are important components of B.C.’s maritime industries, and they must be done safely, responsibly, and in accordance with laws and regulations," Osborne wrote. She added that the ship breaking in Union Bay has been an issue since late 2020, and there has been concerns expressed by "many, many people, organizations, and local government and First Nations leaders about impacts to the local environment, including the incredible Baynes Sound marine ecosystem.
"I deeply appreciate all the advocacy, letters, and meetings with local residents, organizations and leaders since 2021," she wrote. "These voices have been consistent in calling for responsible oversight and stewardship, and my office and I have consistently brought these concerns to the attention of the Province. That is why I am also very grateful to Provincial ministers (past and present) and their staffs for their consistent attention to this file."
The ship-breaking operation was issued administrative penalties in January by the province for unauthorized effluent discharge, along with failing to remedy that issue after the province informed them of it.
However, the Province said that "Deep Water Recovery (DWR) has not demonstrated the level of regulatory compliance, operational responsibility, or environmental stewardship required to justify entrusting them with the use of Crown land to enable management and dismantling of end-of-life vessels.
"Given the inherent environmental, operational, and legal risks associated with ship recycling, the regulatory threshold for approving such activities in British Columbia is necessarily high," the province's statement, shared by Osborne, says. "These standards are in place to ensure that any operator undertaking this work does so with the utmost regard for environmental protection, public safety, and legal compliance
"Given DWR’s defaults, the Province has determined and proceeded with the cancellation of DWR’s Lease to protect the public interest."
"Protecting people and the environment while enabling responsible industrial activity is paramount," Osborne added. "Seeking resolutions to this local issue and the larger issue of ship recycling regulations has been – and will continue to be – be a top priority for me and my MLA office staff. I know there will be many questions – please write me at josie.osborne.mla@leg.bc.ca and we will continue to work with the relevant provincial ministries to provide as much information as possible."
The file has now been transferred to the Ministry of Forests' Natural Resource Officer Service, "who will consider any appropriate next steps now that the Lease has been cancelled. NROS will lead any further administration and public engagement related to this," the Province's statement says.
