“We need to do something before someone gets hurt or there’s a natural disaster.”
Jaime Gusto was in no mood to play down the severity of a second vessel in two days getting stuck in the mud at low tide in the harbour she manages.
Gusto told the Richmond News on Wednesday afternoon that “time is of the essence here,” after being asked about the state of the dredging in Steveston Harbour.
She said that if the issue doesn’t get resolved soon, a boat’s hull could strike the seabed and rupture the fuel tank, bleeding fuel out into the water.
Only yesterday, the News reported how a fishing vessel, the Queen’s Reach, got stuck at low tide in the middle of the harbour, sparking Gusto to call upon the federal government to cough up its $2 million share for a dredging program.
But today, it happened yet again, this time it was a smaller sailboat getting stuck.
Richmond News reader Drew Rickard spotted the stranded boat at around 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, just one hour after low tide.
A photo of the vessel shows it was grounded not far from Fisherman’s Wharf at the harbour.
“This is exactly what I was warning people about,” said Gusto.
According to Gusto, the lack of funding for dredging has resulted in the channel being not deep enough for boats to pass through.
Although the provincial government, the City of Richmond and Steveston Harbour Authority have each contributed $2 million to support dredging in Steveston, the federal government has yet to contribute a single dime.
Gusto, who has been lobbying for federal funding for two years, told the News the situation is “so frustrating,” and described it as an economic, safety and environmental issue.
This is the first time two boats have gotten stuck in the channel within a day, Gusto confirmed, “because it’s as bad as it’s ever been.”
In terms of future “disasters,” the largest boat in Steveston Harbour, said Gusto, has 128,000 litres of fuel.
She added that if small boats, such as the sailboat, are already struggling to get into the harbour, the situation is even direr for larger boats.
Gusto recently met with representatives of the federal government, including Steveston-Richmond East MP Parm Bains, about the issue.
“I tell them every time we meet,” she said, adding that the representatives confirmed they were aware of it and were trying to find a solution.
Steveston-Richmond East MP Parm Bains told the News he has been advocating for federal dredging assistance since being elected.
"While I share the frustration that the federal government has yet to come forward with a commitment, I am optimistic that a suitable solution will be found. I continue to work closely with appropriate Ministries to find a solution for the immediate and long-term need that works for all stakeholders," he said.
