Shipbreaking plans for Prince Rupert Industrial Park revived for another year
A renewal towards the use of land in the Industrial Park for Shipbreaking work as considered on Monday night by Council
A proposal that led to some extensive discussion a year ago at Prince Rupert City Council was back for a renewal on Monday night, generating a fair bit less in the way of review and conversation for Council members.
Monday night saw Council make quick work of a recommendation to proceed to statutory notification towards a temporary use for a property on Metlakatla Road in the Industrial Park.
The proposal in effect is a renewal of the arrangement last year that allows for ship breaking to take place on the land in question.
The report for council compiled by the City's newest member of the planning staff Rudy Paras provided a short synopsis of the plans for the site in the Industrial Park, along with the provision of a 5,000 dollar cash bond towards the temporary use for the land.
click to enlarge
It was one year ago that Council first heard of plans for a temporary use permit request towards the use of the land for ship breaking, which made for some extensive commentary at the time.
That request was approved, but with Council seeking some guarantees at the time.
At the time, the push towards the use of the site for ship breaking seemed tied into plans for the abandoned vessel FV Fairwind which was at Port Edward Harbour awaiting its fate. In the end that vessel was instead taken to Campbell River for its final act.
At Monday's Council Session, Councillor Barry Cunningham noted of his concerns related to oversight of the materials that many be removed from any vessels that may be sent to the Industrial Park for demolition, a theme he first raised one year ago.
"Who is going to be monitoring the dispospable and hazardous waste before any ships are brought on shore, is it MOE, Environment Canada, Transport Canada cause I know it's not going to be the city.
So, this is something that is a concern with most shipbreaking operations, that there's a lot of pollution involved and things like that.
Breaking up a ship can be somewhat complex and that and I just wonder who is going to be monitoring that all the hazardous material such as asbestos and everything else are removed before they re brought onshore"
In reply, the Director of Planning, Myfannwy Pope provided council with some notes to the topic:
"I believe it may be a combined jurisdiction, I can return in the next meeting to confirm that. But given that it's close to a waterway it is likely DFO; as well as given the nature of the work, it's likely also the Ministry of Environment.
So I believe that it falls under both jurisidcition but I can confirm that. ... for next meeting.
Towards a follow up question from the Councillor related to required permits and the application for the Temporary Use Permit, Ms. Pope outlined:
That the permits were already in place for the initial application, but added that should the proponents move forward with any ship breaking those permits would have to be in place.
The process towards the request now moves to Public Notification to allow for comment from those that may be impacted.
The full discussion to the topic can be reviewed from the City's Video archive at the thirty minute mark.
No comments:
Post a Comment