A model bylaw could be developed to help deal with derelict and illegally moored boats in local waters, say Capital Regional District staff, who recommend a “consistent and co-ordinated approach” to deal with the issue.
“Dealing with the issue of long-term anchored and moored boats is exacerbated due to the multiple jurisdictions, at the federal, provincial and municipal levels, that may need to be involved,” says the staff report to be considered by CRD directors today.
“Finding solutions to the issue involves the participation of several jurisdictions and, to be effective, needs a consistent, multi-jurisdictional approach.”
The report comes as concerns are being raised about problem boats forced out of Victoria Gorge Waterway only to show up in Central Saanich’s Brentwood Bay.
Central Saanich Mayor Ryan Windsor welcomed the CRD staff recommendation. This week, his council agreed to spend up to $18,000 to remove two vessels — one a sailboat and one a power boat — that are fully or partly underwater in Brentwood Bay. Central Saanich plans to invoice the federal government for the cost. Councillors also directed staff to take preliminary steps toward gaining control of moorage in local waters.
Victoria has been working for years on problem liveaboards, illegally moored boats and derelict boats near the Selkirk Trestle on the Gorge Waterway. After clearing some jurisdictional hurdles, the city recently gave notice that derelict boats and those illegally moored had to be cleared out by Oct. 28.
But in recent weeks, three or four of the Gorge boats have reportedly turned up in Brentwood Bay.
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said a regional approach could help.
“Maybe we’ve solved the problem by displacing it elsewhere, and I don’t think that’s a good way to be a regional player. So I’m looking forward to learning more about a regional approach, and it’s something that I’m willing to consider,” Helps said.
Windsor said the two submerged vessels to be removed were an issue before Victoria’s Gorge deadline.
He said a consistent approach by various jurisdiction “is probably wise.”
“If vessels get pushed out of one jurisdiction, they’re probably going to migrate naturally to another,” Windsor said.
Oak Bay Mayor Nils Jensen agreed, saying that Oak Bay and Cadboro Bay are both trouble spots in his municipality for derelicts and liveaboards.
While a regional approach would be better than the patchwork approach of municipalities dealing with the issue on their own, it still lets senior governments — which have jurisdiction for navigable waters and the seabed — off the hook, says MLA Gary Holman (NDP — Saanich North and the Islands).
“It’s a little bit like a game of chicken where it’s the local governments that are feeling pressure from their constituents to do something,” Holman said.
“I’m not saying they shouldn’t move in, but I don’t think anyone disagrees that it’s a senior-government issue and they’re not moving.”
Jensen agreed, saying the problem is not unlike that of urban deer, where the province owns the deer, but expects municipalities to deal with the problem.
“It shouldn’t be left to small communities who really don’t have the resources to deal with it,” Jensen said.
It has to be remembered, Helps said, that the CRD is a maritime community.
“We need to make a regional approach to make sure that people who want to live on the water have a place to do so that works for everyone in the region. We are a maritime community. We can’t have no boats anywhere. So we’ve got to figure it out as a region,” she said.
The CRD report notes that in the Gorge Waterway (bordered by Victoria, Saanich, View Royal and Esquimalt), there are four anchored wharves, 22 vessels (of which between five and eight are liveaboards) and 12 small vessels such as dinghies anchored in the Selkirk waters.
Some of these vessels are in poor condition and there are two sunken vessels. As well, there are more than 50 boats anchored in Tsehum Harbour near Sidney and more than 30 boats anchored in Oak Bay, it says.
