Opposition Grows to Planned Closure of Kits CCG Base
Opposition is increasing to announced cuts to Canadian Coast Guard facilities and services on the West Coast, including the closure of Kitsilano Station at the mouth of Vancouver’s False Creek, as the boating public and leaders in other levels of government voice concern about the implications for safety on the water.
Over the past FEW weeks it has been revealed that the Coast Guard is also closing marine radio centres at Ucluelet, Comox and Vancouver, and consolidating operations at Victoria and Prince Rupert. While CCG maintains that it is immaterial where radio stations are located, many maritime organizations disagreed, arguing that local knowledge is critical for speedy response.
More of a concern is the outright closure of the permanently staffed Kitsilano Station, the most visible CCG presence on the water in Vancouver, perhaps the busiest boating area on the West Coast.
Although the federal government has tried to claim that “broad consultations” had occurred before the closure announcements, the heads of various levels of government and the local Coast Guard Auxiliary all stated the closing was news to them and no consultations had indeed occurred.
Despite assurances that marine safety can be handled by the hovercraft station at Sea Island, near Vancouver Airport, all local boating and marine organizations oppose the closure, arguing that increased response times from the more distant station will almost certainly result in fatalities on the water.
“With the amount of both commercial and pleasure craft traffic in these waters, it’s a complete mystery why Coast Guard could think that the False Creek station is surplus,” said Eardley Beaton, commander of the Vancouver Power Squadron. “This station is a must for boater safety”. The Canadian Coast Guard did admit that the station responded to more than 300 calls in the past year. The agency expects to save about $900,000 as a result of closing the station.
Most recently Christy Clark, Premier of BC has spoken publicly against these cuts and has written officially to Ottawa with the expression of opposition of her Government of British Columbia
