Shelburne asking for return of customs office
Lack of full-time border services has ‘diminished Shelburne’s appeal’ for recreational marine traffic
The Town of Shelburne is asking Canada Border Services Agency to re-evaluate the possibility of a customs office being permanently located in the town, as there was in the past.
Council passed a motion at its March 16 meeting to write Canada Border Services Agency and request a permanent location for an office or, at the very least, a temporary site during the summer season.
The council for the Municipality of Shelburne is being requested to pass a similar motion when their meetings reconvene following the COVID-19 shutdown.
“It’s certainly a service we never should have lost because of the use of that harbour,” said Shelburne Mayor Karen Mattatall. “It makes sense we have the service here. We always had it.”
Mattatall said there is still a large amount of international marine traffic, particularly in the summer with visiting yachts.
“We feel that it was not a good decision when it was removed,” she said.
The Shelburne customs office was closed and moved to Yarmouth about 12 years ago, recalled Bradd Wilson, rear commodore for the Shelburne Harbour Yacht Club (SHYC) Marina and Sailing Academy.
“Over many years, Shelburne has earned a reputation as the cruising sailors’ Gateway to Nova Scotia. After a long 30- to 45-hour offshore passage from the U.S.A., Shelburne offered Canada customs clearance, fuel, secure dockage or moorings, full provisioning and mechanical services," said Wilson. "But moreover, the Yacht Club provided a friendly welcoming group of experienced sailors with local knowledge and information critical to safely navigating our rugged, rocky shores.
“Collectively, each of these components made Shelburne a home-away-from-home for hundreds of boats annually. Removing any single component has not destroyed the entire package but it does diminish Shelburne’s appeal,” said Wilson. “Even the current two- to four-hour delay waiting for customs officers arrival from Yarmouth is frustrating because all persons onboard are ‘quarantined’ until cleared and cannot even leave the vessel. Having a local Canada customs office would contribute to our appeal to this valuable segment of the provinces tourist market.”
Wilson said from a financial perspective, every boater spends approximately $150 a day when cruising, which represents over $450,000 each year. Spending includes dockage, fuel, shopping, repairs and dining in Shelburne’s excellent restaurants, which benefits the entire community.
“Collectively, each of these components made Shelburne a home-awayfrom-home for hundreds of boats annually. Removing any single component has not destroyed the entire package but it does diminish Shelburne’s appeal.”
Bradd Wilson
“This local spending can be multiplied as businesses and employees re-spend those dollars resulting in a total economic benefit of over
$1.5 million, which the town certainly needs,” he said.
Town CAO Darren Shupe said the return of border services to the town “would definitely support the efforts we are making at the port.”
Work is underway at the Shelburne Marine Terminal on a $899,000 improvement project to bring the primary infrastructure to a safe and fully usable standard.
“Work has been progressing steadily and will increase pace now that we are headed towards more favourable weather conditions," said Shupe. “We look to have substantial completion by the end of April and will make every effort to avoid interruptions to regular operations.”
The Municipality of Shelburne is a funding partner in the project, contributing $143,000. A total of $659,742 in funding for the infrastructure upgrades was also received from ACOA’s Innovative Communities Fund and Develop Nova Scotia. The Town of Shelburne is contributing $96,258 — which represents $56,000 cash and $40,258 inkind.
“We recognize the important role this facility plays locally in our economy,” said CAO Trudy Payne. “Having a border service office in Shelburne we believe would have many benefits as we have an active marine terminal with a number of businesses requiring the services of border service, including the cruise ships that visit our port.”
Shelburne has been identified by the Atlantic Canada Cruise Association, Tourism Nova Scotia and Develop Nova Scotia as one of eight strategic “niche” ports in the province that is suited to welcome smaller cruise ships with fewer passengers, as part of an Atlantic Canadian collaboration effort to attract more cruise visitors.
In the long term, the town wants to diversify the economy of the port by providing facilities that will work for cruise ships, mega events and tall ships.