They spill used hypodermics on kiddies’ sandy beaches. They pollute the marine environment. They serve as unregulated slum housing.
Abandoned boats are a problem for every municipality along the B.C. coast, said Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps.
“Every coastal community in British Columbia is plagued by this issue,” said Helps. “Every time I go the Association of Coastal Communities of Vancouver Island, this is an issue.”
Saanich Coun. Judy Brownoff said one boat recently washed ashore on Gyro Beach, a municipal park with children’s play equipment nearby, spilling hypodermic needles onto the sand. Another, with a concrete hull, leaked fuel oil onto the beach.
Brownoff said she has been told of boats anchored illegally in the Gorge being rented to the homeless for $100 a month.
She is working on a report for presentation to Saanich council with recommendations on how to deal with derelict boats.
“In the old days when you saw an abandoned boat along the coast, it was kind of cute — ‘Oh look at that old boat there,’ ” said Brownoff. “Now people just won’t accept it because it impacts our beaches and parks.”
At a recent Saanich council meeting, Mayor Richard Atwell said an overall strategy is needed. Otherwise, council would be dealing with derelicts one by one.
The big problem for municipal councils, however, is their lack of authority to force boat owners or anybody else to take responsibility for derelict vessels.
For example, one of the boats washed up on Gyro Beach was traced to a local marina, where the boat owner simply stopped paying moorage fees. So the marina seized the vessel and gave it away to somebody who sailed off. When it washed up, nobody took responsibility.
The federal government has jurisdiction over the ocean and the province has some jurisdiction for beach areas and the adjoining shallows, but neither is willing to do anything when it comes to derelict boats.
Brownoff said Saanich proposed that the local, provincial and federal governments share the cost for disposal of one of the Gyro wrecks, paying one third each. It was brushed off.
She said it’s time for senior governments to step in with regulations on proper disposal.
Senior governments could create a fund for dealing with boats at the end of their lives. This could be financed via a surcharge at sale or at registration, or perhaps a tax on marinas. The fund could be distributed to pay for the proper break up and disposal of a pleasure craft at the end of its usefulness, Brownoff said.
“Otherwise, where are the government rules and regulations that say: ‘If you have a vessel at the end of its life this is how you can dispose of it,’ ” said Brownoff. “Our local taxpayers shouldn’t have to look after old pleasure craft or affordable housing on the water.”
