Mayor's Report - August 2006

For more than 10 years Belcarra Council has wanted to see regulations restricting the discharge of raw sewage into the waters of Bedwell Bay and Indian Arm.

In August 1998 — yes, that’s 1998 — I reported that the Regional District Board endorsed my recommendation that the GVRD ask the BC Ministry of Environment, Lands & Parks (MELP) to request the Federal Government to have Indian Arm designated under the Pleasure Craft Sewage Prevention Regulations as a “No Flush Zone” by the BC Ministry of Environment and Canadian Coast Guard. In July 1999 I also reported that the region’s Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP) would be enhanced to include policies for the protection of our region’s waterways, including Indian Arm.

Since then, there have been several follow-up letters to the Federal Government regarding the request for designation of Indian Arm, but change was not forth-coming. During the past three years I have had discussions with our MP James Moore on this issue, and I am pleased to report that James “went to bat” for Belcarra and pursued this file on our behalf.

On Monday, July 24^th, James Moore, as Parliamentary Secretary for the Pacific Gateway, announced new regulations by the Federal Government that will protect Canada’s coastal waters from sewage, garbage, oil and other pollutants. Among the regulations is a complete ban on the dumping of untreated sewage from all boats and ships along Canada’s coastal waters.

Notice of the new regulations was published in the Canada Gazette on June 17^th, and the closing date for comment on the proposed regulations is September 17^th. The regulations cover a wide variety of issues intended to reduce or eliminate pollution by oil, chemicals, sewage, garbage, anti-fouling paints, and air emissions from ships. Some of the main provisions are:

• An absolute ban on the dumping of untreated sewage within 3 nautical miles of Canada’s coasts for pleasure craft and small ships (less than 400 tons);
• An absolute ban on the dumping of untreated sewage within 12 nautical miles of Canada’s coasts for large ships (larger than 400 tons);
• A requirement for new oil tankers to be double-hulled and existing oil tankers to be phased-out;
• A requirement for ships to fit oily water filtering equipment to prevent harmful discharges of oily bilge water;
• A requirement for record-keeping for operations involving oil, chemicals, sewage or garbage; and
• A requirement for ships to be surveyed and certified that they meet construction and equipment requirements relating to oil, chemicals, sewage, air emissions and anti-fouling paints.

For many years Belcarra residents have wanted to see regulations implemented to protect the unique deep-water fjord of Indian Arm, and Council is very pleased that the Federal Government is finally pursuing these progressive measures to protect the marine environment.

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