Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

Transport Canada

Nicomekl boaters call foul on Surrey's allegations of illegality and sewage dumping

Nicomekl boaters call foul on Surrey's allegations of illegality and sewage dumping

Owners of boats anchored on a section of the Nicomekl River known as the "Hole" say the City of Surrey is wrong to say they are illegally moored and responsible for dumping raw sewage and garbage in the water. Fred Pincock, whose homemade 38-foot gaff cutter, Natalia, is moored at the Hole, says he and other boaters feel Surrey is engaged in a "smear campaign" against them. "It's illegitimate to say it's an illegal moorage, because it's not. That's one of the things that irks a lot of the [boaters] down there. They've been accused of breaking the law — in more ways than one — which isn't fair," he said.

Surrey to remove derelict boats on Nicomekl River

Surrey to remove derelict boats on Nicomekl River

Surrey city staff will begin removing derelict boats on the Nicomekl River in South Surrey, with help from Transport Canada. Derelict boats have been illegally mooring on a narrow section of the river and have been dumping raw sewage and garbage into the water, according to a city news release Wednesday. Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke says the river has many spots where boats can legally drop anchor, so there is no reason for any boater to illegally moor their vessel.

Owner of so-called abandoned sailboat in Hamilton Harbour speaks out

Owner of so-called abandoned sailboat in Hamilton Harbour speaks out

A man who says he is the owner of the so-called abandoned sailboat Kraken is telling his story to CHCH News. The boat appeared in the Hamilton Harbour in the fall, becoming a curiosity of sorts. Adrian Monrad of Brant County says he is the owner of the Kraken. The father-of-four says he bought the boat from a young couple in Toronto last spring, before sailing it to the LaSalle Marina in Burlington where he stayed until October. Monrad says he moored it temporarily in Bayfront Park and says he had planned to have the boat taken out of the water at Hamilton’s Harbour West Marina in mid-November, but the plan didn’t work out.

Do people aboard derelict boats in False Creek have squatters' rights?

Do people aboard derelict boats in False Creek have squatters' rights?

There have been longstanding community concerns about derelict boats in False Creek, according to the Vancouver Police Department. Pressure from locals regarding pollution, safety, and aesthetic issues has spurred VPD's Marine Unit along with Transport Canada and the City of Vancouver to embark on a project to clean up the harbour.

Transport Canada to dispose of 11 derelict vessels in Vancouver's False Creek

Transport Canada to dispose of 11 derelict vessels in Vancouver's False Creek

Transport Canada has served notice it will seize and dispose of 11 vessels moored in False Creek that the federal agency deems wrecked, abandoned or hazardous. “Transport Canada can deem a vessel abandoned if it is left unattended for two years or less in circumstances where it appears that the owner will not be returning,” a spokeswoman for Transport Canada said in an emailed response to questions.

Imperial Oil still investigating cause of produced water spill in N.W.T.

Imperial Oil still investigating cause of produced water spill in N.W.T.

Imperial Oil Ltd. says it is still investigating the cause and impact of a pipeline spill in the Northwest Territories that has some residents downstream concerned about the potential impact. The Calgary-based oil and gas company reported on July 27 that it discovered about 55,000 litres of produced water had spilled before it shut down the pipeline in Norman Wells, N.W.T.

Wave of pollution from cruise ships expected regardless of new federal wastewater rules

Wave of pollution from cruise ships expected regardless of new federal wastewater rules

Environmental groups are hoisting red flags as the cruise ship season relaunches after the easing of COVID restrictions on the West Coast despite Ottawa’s recent announcement it will roll out stricter wastewater dumping rules. The federal government’s proposed environmental regulations are ambiguous, but signal Transport Canada is starting to acknowledge cruise ships have been taking advantage of Canada’s lax standards to dump billions of litres of dirty water waste along the B.C. coast, said Anna Barford, Stand.earth’s shipping campaigner.

Wave of pollution from cruise ships expected regardless of new federal wastewater rules

Wave of pollution from cruise ships expected regardless of new federal wastewater rules

Environmental groups are hoisting red flags as the cruise ship season relaunches after the easing of COVID restrictions on the West Coast despite Ottawa’s recent announcement it will roll out stricter wastewater dumping rules. The federal government’s proposed environmental regulations are ambiguous, but signal Transport Canada is starting to acknowledge cruise ships have been taking advantage of Canada’s lax standards to dump billions of litres of dirty water waste along the B.C. coast, said Anna Barford, Stand.earth’s shipping campaigner.

Town taking steps to give teeth to no-wake rules in Collingwood Harbour

Town taking steps to give teeth to no-wake rules in Collingwood Harbour

If all goes according to plan, there should be smoother sailing in Collingwood Harbour this summer. During Monday’s (Feb 7) corporate and community services standing committee meeting, harbour master and director of parks, recreation and culture Dean Collver provided an update to councillors on the town’s process to apply for a Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations (VORR), a federal tool that would be used to help enforce no-wake rules in Collingwood Harbour.

Transport Canada ballast water regs slammed as “half baked”

Transport Canada ballast water regs slammed as “half baked”

The Ottawa, Canada, headquartered Chamber of Marine Commerce doesn’t like new ballast water regulations released by Transport Canada. In fact, Its president and CEO, Bruce Burrows, calls them “a half-baked solution.” The Chamber says the new regulations “unfairly target Canadian ship operators—who have spent billions of dollars on new fuel-efficient, eco-ships—while giving an extra six years for compliance to owners of older vessels, including those of virtually all U.S. ships operating in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence inland waterway.” The Chamber says this “creates an unlevel playing field between Canadian and U.S. domestic fleets (which operate virtually all older vessels) and discourages further investment in new, more fuel-efficient ships that produce significantly lower greenhouse gases.”

City to continue talks with Transport Canada to find potable water solution

City to continue talks with Transport Canada to find potable water solution

The City of Sault Ste. Marie will continue to urge Transport Canada to provide an acceptable solution that will see potable water available at the Pointe Des Chenes campground and day park. But that doesn’t change the status of the campground – at least until potable water is available. Council confirmed that they want staff to continue to press the issue with the federal government, specifically Transport Canada, who is said to be the root cause of the benzene concentrations in the water supply.

Dirty, cheap marine fuel ban will affect Canada's Arctic

Dirty, cheap marine fuel ban will affect Canada's Arctic

New rules cracking down on pollution from dirty, cheap marine fuel kicked into gear this week, placing stricter requirements on cargo vessels and cruise ships that are plying northern waters thanks to climate change. As of Jan. 1, Canada is enforcing a new UN-backed cap on the amount of sulphur allowed in heavy fuel oil (HFO) in the waters north of the 60th parallel, federal officials confirmed to National Observer on Thursday. The cap comes as Transport Canada considers a proposal to ban all HFO for ships operating in the Arctic, to address the environmental risks of oil spills.

Follow us