Representatives from Stand.earth, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, BC Chapter (CPAWS-BC), and the Georgia Strait Alliance (GSA) were at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans offices in Vancouver today to call on Transport Minister, Anita Anand, to set a new course towards regulating the massive amounts of ocean pollutants the shipping industry releases into coastal waters.
The Open Letter, signed by First Nations representatives, The BC Shellfish Growers Association, and scientists, among many others, states that “marine vessel scrubbers contribute between 40-98% of the loading of priority contaminants within 300m of endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale critical habitat.”
Canada Shipping campaigner with Stand.earth, Anna Barford, said:
“Transport Canada has a new Captain, and with that, a new opportunity to chart a course which doesn’t harm precious marine life, including the last 72 Southern Resident Killer Whales, grievously impacted by cruise ships dumping toxic scrubber wastewater, untreated sewage, and greywater into their habitat. Many countries across the globe, and some U.S. states, have banned this industrial pollution which means the global shipping industry ends up flushing their toilets in Canadian waters. The loopholes in Transport Canada’s regulations which allow this need to be closed for the sake of marine life and coastal communities.”
The letter goes on to say, “Canada has a responsibility and moral obligation to prioritize protecting its coastal biodiversity, respect the rights of coastal First Nations, and to conserve the bounty and beauty of Canadian coasts for future generations.”
Georgia Strait Alliance’s executive director Beatrice Frank said:
“Cruise ships are floating cities that release a toxic mix of wastewater and sewage, noise pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions into the Salish Sea. Transport Canada must start to regulate the unnecessary dumping of toxic pollution from this industry if they want to safeguard these waters and the Salish Sea ecosystem, including the critically endangered 72 Southern Resident Killer Whales, as well as wildlife and coastal communities.”
Sarah McNeil, Acting Executive Director with CPAWS-BC said:
“British Columbians know the importance of a healthy ocean for marine life and communities. The ongoing dumping of industrial pollution across the coast of BC threatens the success and long-term benefits of other tools being used to help restore and maintain ocean health, like marine protected areas and BC’s Coastal Marine Strategy. Canada must take action on cruise ship dumping now; otherwise, our efforts for a thriving ocean will be thwarted by polluted marine waters.”
Read the open letter here.
More about the interim order loopholes here.
Unceded Coast Salish Territories (VANCOUVER, BC)
Image: Stand.earth