GET ON BOARD WITH THE ABANDONED BOATS PROGRAM
Some of the most recent news concerning the national Abandoned Boats Program (ABP) is the funding of approximately $1.7 million from Transport Canada for the assessment and removal of additional derelict boats across Canada, including the removal of 37 in British Columbia and the assessment of 43 more. Other provinces the funding has been allocated for include Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador.
Launched in 2017, the ABP was introduced to remove and dispose of abandoned boats across Canada, establish research on fibreglass recycling, and update boat licensing and registration systems to institute preventative measures. The program also introduced Bill C-64, making it illegal to abandon a boat in all provinces and territories. Since its inception, 99 boats have been removed from BC waters between 2018 and 2020.
To ensure continued success, Transport Canada is now funding 100 percent of the boat removal and assessment costs, compared to 75 percent of the expense, which had been covered under the program until this year.
“The Government of Canada is committed to safeguarding our oceans and waterways. The federal funding, through the Abandoned Boats Program, offers communities support in addressing the problem of abandoned boats and the associated risks to Canadian waters,” said The Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport. “Thanks to the progress made through the Oceans Protection Plan, our marine environment is safer and more protected than it has ever been.”
To date, BC Boating Association’s Abandoned Boats Program awareness and outreach campaign has reached 16 million people with approximately 27,000 visits to its online boat disposal information page. Although the association’s public awareness campaign (that’s funded by the Abandoned Boats Program) ends in fall 2021, inquiries on how and where to dispose of a boat responsibly and a listing of designated boat disposal services in BC will continue to be online at www.boatingbc.com.