Background
Abandoned and neglected boats impact the health and safety of our shorelines, especially if fuel, chemicals or garbage are leaking into the marine environment.
Program Details
In December 2016 the CRD Board directed staff to initiate and coordinate a consistent, regional approach to deal with abandoned vessels. In early 2017, the federal government also announced a 5-year Abandoned Boats Program (ABP) to support local initiatives to clean up coastal waters. CRD staff then organized several regional meetings, gathered information regarding vessels that appeared abandoned throughout our region, then successfully applied for funding through two components of the Abandoned Boats Program.
- The Education, Awareness and Research component funded public education projects aimed at raising awareness about boat owner responsibility, including proper end-of-life management practices. CRD received $50,000 from this fund in 2018 for a campaign to increase public awareness about the environmental and safety risks posed by abandoned boats across the region. Information about proper end of life best practices, recycling and disposal options for old boats and how and where to report abandoned boats was distributed at boat and fishing shows, through regular media outlets and by social media. Information was provided about the new federal Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act.
- The Assessment and Removals component funded boat removal assessments, and the permanent removal and disposal of abandoned and/or wrecked small boats. The CRD received $26,575 from this fund to assess the condition and removal costs of 17 vessels identified as abandoned in Tsehum and Sooke Harbours.
In addition to the federal funding, the CRD committed over $300,000 to cover the cost of removing and disposing of over 70 abandoned boats in our region as of March 2020. The federal program covered 75% of the removal costs, and CRD solid waste reserve funding was used to cover the remaining 25%. The CRD worked with community partners (Dead Boats Disposal Society and Salish Sea Industries) to assess, remove and dispose of these boats from our harbours.
To supplement the federal program, the CRD also approved funding to handle the disposal of marine debris associated with abandoned boats (e.g. old wharves, flotation, ropes and miscellaneous flotsam and jetsam).