The union representing Coast Guard members says in the rush to close Kits base the feds seem to have overlooked an oil spill response boat.
Union of Canadian Transportation Employees Regional Vice President Dave Clark says there is a reason crews rushed to tear down the Kits base dock.
“They have figured out the dock that is at the Sea Island base does not actually fit the pollution boat that was also docked at Kits you saw the big wharf going out there and that is where they are going to go put it.”
Clark says the oversight also comes with a cost to taxpayers.
“We have the dock that is in Kits so we look at that with at least 20 pilings that have been put in there so if you add that up over in Sea Island it is least a $ 100,000 if not more. This is costing us money now. I don’t think they’ve actually calculated the idea that they had to have the pollution boat also over there.”
Clark adds the oil spill response ‘pollution’ boat is slower than the Coast Guard hovercraft putting it at least 45 minutes away from Vancouver harbour should there be an oil spill.
The costs of a new life boat station in Stanley Park will also bite into the roughly $ 700,000 a year in savings by closing Kits Coast Guard base.
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