Evidence of meeting #60 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was rupert.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Robert Sopuck Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB
Are there any issues with acoustic pollution on salmon stocks?
President, Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia
I'm not a scientist by trade but I don't believe so.
Conservative
Robert Sopuck Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB
Okay. I think it's important we tease out what's “important” in the ecosystem and not be afraid to say these things happen, we can live with them. I go back to the point of the grave importance of your ports in the natural resources economy of our country. Keeping your facilities going in an efficient manner as far as I and this side of the table are concerned is extremely important.
Mr. Krusel, what activities do you undertake to conserve and protect environmental resources?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Prince Rupert Port Authority
Right now we do a lot of monitoring to measure any impacts we have. In the last five years we have spent millions of dollars putting up noise monitoring systems. We have regular water quality monitoring throughout the harbour. On top of that, just to ensure there is safety and security in the harbour, we have invested a lot into marine navigational aids in partnership with the Canadian Coast Guard. In partnership with the Canadian Coast Guard and the RCMP, we have also recently installed a ground radar system, which was lacking on the north coast of British Columbia. We have a network of monitoring and enhancement systems to ensure that vessel traffic moves in and out of Prince Rupert harbour and the Prince Rupert gateway in the safest and most efficient way. Because of the monitoring systems we're able to see any impacts before they create a negative impact on the environment. To date, we're quite happy with how things are going.
Conservative
Robert Sopuck Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB
If an MPA were created to protect the benthic environment—sponges, reefs, those kinds of things—assuming the water depth was sufficient, would ship travel over these marine protected areas have any effect on the benthic resources that are the object of the MPA?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Prince Rupert Port Authority
I can't answer. I'm not a scientist. It gets to your earlier point about how vast these resources are and whether or not the marine.... First off, one would have to measure whether or not commercial marine traffic does have a negative impact and whether it is actually reducing that particular ecologically or biologically special area.
I'm not a scientist, so I don't know and at this current time, there are no specific examples. At least in our trade laneway and marine corridor, there are no special ecological zones that we are aware of that need protecting, that would impact the vessel traffic in and out of Prince Rupert. I think it's just important that everybody do what's necessary to first, see if there are any special areas and second, ensure that both can continue existing and be protected.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
Thank you, Mr. Sopuck.
Before we go to Mr. Stetski, Mr. Sopuck, can I ask you to come up and assume the helm? Thank you very much.
Conservative
NDP
Wayne Stetski NDP Kootenay—Columbia, BC
Thank you for being here today.
Just so you know, my background is in ecology and I was the manager involving provincial parks on Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, including marine parks for British Columbia.
I'd like to start with Mr. Lewis-Manning. You said that you have a background in conservation, prior to getting involved in shipping?
President, Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia
No, not exactly, but I've been involved in conservation initiatives all around the country from a policy perspective.
NDP
Wayne Stetski NDP Kootenay—Columbia, BC
When you find a unique and rare marine environment, is it not easier to move the shipping than it is to move the marine environment?
President, Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia
It really depends. I think there are cases where the ecosystem is so sensitive that may be the case, but it really is on a case-by-case basis, so I think it would be speculative of me to say one way or the other. The reality is that, with the proper ecosystem-based approach, you can determine what the right mitigation measures could be. One of those might be moving the path that a ship follows, but you need a specific example, otherwise I'd be speculating.
NDP
Wayne Stetski NDP Kootenay—Columbia, BC
Are there any examples of where that has happened in the past?
President, Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia
Certainly, off the east coast of Canada, there have been changes of traffic patterns to address marine mammal challenges, so it can happen. That was a specific example where it made sense to do that and the industry collaborated to find a solution.
NDP
Wayne Stetski NDP Kootenay—Columbia, BC
You mentioned killer whales off the west coast and the 78 whales that are left. Has anything changed with shipping to try to create a better future for killer whales off the west coast currently?
President, Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia
This summer, starting in August, the industry will be conducting a trial to assess the impact of a speed reduction, specifically in Haro Strait, which is the most sensitive of the ecosystems for the southern resident killer whale. It searches for food and mates there. That trial will run for a two-month period and the objective of that trial is to measure the overall change in sound in that part of Haro Strait to see if a speed reduction alone can have a positive impact.
NDP
Wayne Stetski NDP Kootenay—Columbia, BC
I believe you said that shipping lanes are currently voluntary and that they aren't regulated. When you look ahead to the future, I'm just trying to picture a map of identified important marine conservation areas and ship traffic into Vancouver, for example. Do you think there is room for regulation in the future to try to set a very definite path in and out of ports along the west coast that ships have to follow?
President, Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia
It's not voluntary. There is a traffic management framework for vessels that enter into the Port of Vancouver from the sea. Vessels have to follow that routing system. How that routing system is managed in the future might need to be looked at. I think some of that research that I've described already will go a long way in helping to look at the options that might be smart in that situation for that specific challenge relating to marine mammals.
NDP
Wayne Stetski NDP Kootenay—Columbia, BC
When you say they have to follow a specific route, geographically, how far out from Vancouver does that route currently go?
President, Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia
It goes all the way to the sea, which is the western entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, off Vancouver Island.
NDP
Wayne Stetski NDP Kootenay—Columbia, BC
That's good to know.
Mr. Krusel, on Prince Rupert and Hecate Strait, again, looking ahead, I don't know whether it would ever come to this, but is there a value in considering what products should or shouldn't be shipped out of Prince Rupert? I'm thinking particularly of Hecate Strait and bunker C oil. Is there any current legislation about what can come out of a port or is it wide open?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Prince Rupert Port Authority
It's wide open, other than currently what's being considered, which is an oil tanker moratorium, just what you're referring to. That's been suggested, of course, and it's progressing currently. We're waiting for the potential legislation.
NDP
Wayne Stetski NDP Kootenay—Columbia, BC
I'm curious in terms of shipping in general in Prince Rupert, because you are surrounded by very rich first nations. Is there any consultation that goes on with first nations around shipping, other routes, or what goes in and out of Prince Rupert currently?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Prince Rupert Port Authority
Yes. The Port of Prince Rupert sits on the traditional territory of the Coast Tsimshian. With pretty well everything we do, it's extensive consultation. I would suggest that at this point in time it's becoming almost a level of partnership.
I can't say that there has been consultation on shipping routes. As has been mentioned, the traditional shipping routes have been designated for such a long period of time that I don't even know when they were originally established, other than they're the safest route for marine traffic.... I doubt if there was any consultation when they were originally established.
The local first nations sit on a marine operations committee that the port has established. They are regular participants in all of our environmental review committees that deal with new and existing commodity traffic. They're very well consulted.
NDP