Evidence of meeting #119 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was vessels.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Thank you, Chair.
Obviously, my questions are for Mr. Roberts.
Mr. Roberts, could you explain clearly and paint a picture for committee members about the vessels that are in these marine centres? Are they floating or are they filled with water?
Manager, Terra Services Inc.
They're not in the water. They have been pulled out of the water, and they are located at each of these service centres in their lots.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
They have been pulled out of the water. Are they a marine hazard to any fish stocks?
Manager, Terra Services Inc.
No, they're not. They're not [Inaudible—Editor]
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
From your perspective, how did they arrive at the marine centres? How did they get there? I do not know the process.
Manager, Terra Services Inc.
They were pulled up there over the years as damaged vessels. They had fire damage or were leaking. They were pulled up, and they were in such a damaged state that they couldn't be used anymore, so they were left at the marine service centres.
Manager, Terra Services Inc.
No, they were taken up and they were stored over there.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Mr. Roberts, is there no hazard to marine shipping or to the fishery resource, the fish stocks in the area?
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
You expressed that you work on both coasts. Do you know of any vessels that are around the coast of maritime Canada, Newfoundland, where you're from, that are a danger to fishery resources?
Manager, Terra Services Inc.
In my area alone I can claim there are maybe 15. In Atlantic Canada, there are probably thousands, especially when you go up north in Labrador. They're in the Bay of Fundy and they're all up around Baffin Island and these kinds of places. There are boats in every second cove.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
What kinds of boats are these, Mr. Roberts? Are they abandoned fishing vessels or are they transport?
Manager, Terra Services Inc.
They're abandoned fishing vessels, yes, most of them.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
You referenced the restrictions that you face. Can you explain what you would do with these vessels if you were not restricted? What's your intention in dealing with these vessels?
Manager, Terra Services Inc.
The Transport Canada and fisheries and oceans acts provide a service whereby the recipients—which is what we want to be, to get rid of those boats—would take those boats to a waste disposal site and get a quote for removing those vessels. The Government of Canada would be responsible for 75% of the cost, and the recipient—like us, our company—would absorb the other 25%. That is the requirement of the Government of Canada right now.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Before that funding option was available, was there any funding option available?
Manager, Terra Services Inc.
Yes, the funding option has been available since the program's inception, I think six years.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Yes, but before that—I'm curious—were there any funding options available before this program?
Manager, Terra Services Inc.
Yes, there were. I'm not sure.... These past six years there was.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Have you been able to safely dispose of any derelict vessels over the past number of years?
Manager, Terra Services Inc.
It was only through our standing offer with the Government of Canada, which is different.
Liberal