The City of Richmond is urging provincial and federal politicians to prevent the closing of Kitsilano Coast Guard base.
Councillor Derek Dang says the city is concerned once Kits base closes the Sea Island Coast Guard facilty will soon become overtaxed.
“Truly takes away from what we have to offer for the boaters around here because now we will have to carry a wider range as far as service levels anyone who deals with safety knows that it is all about response times and our response times will become longer and lives could be lost.”
Dang says Richmond as an island city needs the full resources of its own Coast Guard base.
“We are not contracting as far as the number of people go and as far as the number of boats.”
Dang says council decided to fire off letters to the Prime Minister and Fisheries Minister over safety concerns.
“Trying to bring their attention to the fact that..you know relook at what they are doing because it is truly short sighted in thinking that you can take, literally, peoples lives in a decision like this.”
Dang says volunteers are great but marine search and rescue response and training needs to be top notch.
While the federal government insists safety will not be affected Dang says council simply doesn’t agree.
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