The BC Federation of Labour has an internal federal government memo that seems to suggest the Kits Coast Guard base property might be for sale.
Jim Sinclair says the memo suggests there is a major land deal in the works along the coast like from Jericho to Kits base but doesn’t mention the base by name.
“But they talk about DFO lands, very concerned that this includes the Coast Guard base and that it really does make it all make sense that they are closing the Coast Guard base and risking peoples lives because they want to do a land deal and we ae saying that they shouldn’t sell off any of that land particularily the Coast Guard base because the whole debate continues on whether it should be closed or not.”
Sinclair says the memo seems to indicate the real estate deal may explain the early closing of Kits base.
“They rushed it ahead by almost three months and they did it in a away that was really disrespectful but what this may indicate, when you read the memo, is they want to put the real estate deal to bed by May so it could be that it had to be closed now to move forward on the deal. We don’t know for sure because again all of this is secret and if this memo hadn’t come to light we wouldn’t have known any of this.”
He is uging the Federal government to put the brakes on the possible sale and is even asking Premier Christy Clark to take the matter up with Ottawa.
“Well there is no doubt that it makes it far more difficult to re-open the base when the perfect place for the base was where it was built 50-years ago. It is on the right spot, in the right location, and by the way waterfront property is pretty dear these days so there is no question the sale of this base would make it more difficult for us to return safety to the harbour.”
Kits base was scheduled to be closed in May but was shut down out of the blue earlier this week.
North Vancouver MP Andrew Saxton says he has no information to suggest any decision has been made on the fate of the Kits base property.
“I do not know what the future plans of that site I just want to add that the safety of boaters of mariners are the number one concern and we have assurances from the Coast Guard that the services in place are sufficient to maintain the level of safety thats required.”
Saxton did not offer up much else when he was pressed further on the issue.
“Many different options will be looked at with regards to the best use of that site and I have no information to suggest that any decision has been made as of this moment.”
In an email to CKNW the Department of Fisheries and Oceans says the Kits base property is owned by province and leased to the federal government.
The DFO claims the idea of Kits base being included in an land deal is “factually inaccurate”
But then they say the Canadian Coast Guard is working with ‘Real Property’ in Fisheries and Cceans Canada to try and figure out what to do with the building and property.
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