Concerned Citizens of Union Bay (CCOBS) is hosting a town hall to raise awareness of the hazards of shipbreaking that is currently happening in Baynes Sound.
Location: Union Bay Community Hall - 5401 Island Highway South
Date: Sunday May 29, 2022
Time: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Union Bay Industries Ltd. (UBIL) at 5084 Island Highway South was a log sort for over 30 years. UBIL was sold to foreign owners in 2019. These new owners then started a pop-up shipbreaking operation with the arrival of multiple vessels.
The international community defines shipbreaking as hazardous waste. These are all known carcinogens. Our environment, the viability of our community, and public health and safety are all in jeopardy.
The CVRD has shown leadership to stop shipbreaking on the Lands in Baynes Sound by initiating legal action against Deep Water Recovery Ltd. and Union Bay Industries Ltd. on or about April 21, 2022.
The Province (Forests Lands and Natural Resources) to the contrary has remained silent on this issue. None of these vessels could be here without the Province consent. In fact, the original log sort lease only allowed logs to be in the foreshore. Despite community and First Nations objections and concerns, the Province unilaterally approved a major change of use (from logs to toxic vessels awaiting shipbreaking on the lands) on October 15, 2021. Numerous vessels were brought to this site long before this October 15, 2021 date. The Province failed to follow the procedures for approving a major change of use to the foreshore with zero public consultation, and ignored First Nations objections and concerns.
This meeting is to communicate the extreme hazards of shipbreaking and our next steps to permanently halt shipbreaking in Baynes Sound. Canada has a previous experiment with lightly regulated shipbreaking in Marystown, Newfoundland. Environmental toxins continue to cause premature deaths through cancers in the residents.
Hope to see you there!
Concerned Citizens of Baynes Sound
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