Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Richmond for his constructive interest in this matter.
The government is committed to maintaining search and rescue coverage in the Vancouver area using a combination of commercial vessels and hovercraft.
I am pleased to report to the House that the Coast Guard has initiated the procurement of a used hovercraft in the interim to replace the existing back-up vessel. We are also initiating a project to procure a new hovercraft through the department's capital planning process.
The government takes maritime safety very seriously. We remain committed to providing world class service to the people of British Columbia and the rest of Canada.