Since men have taken to the sea there have been shipwrecks. As far as derelict boats in our harbours, there is, have always been, and will always be, a few sad events that happen, and end in these results.
All cities in Canada have maintenance budgets to take away old couches, garbage, etc. that have been dumped by the poor and at risk. They deal with the homeless at enormous expense to the taxpayer. This is what we do when we live in a modern society.
It is no different on the water. Yes, there are people who should not have boats. They should not be there. They do not have the skills or resources to deal with the harsh ocean environment. And they cannot afford to clean up their own disasters.
In our vibrant marine locale, we have billionaires, millionaires, and there are average people, and yes the very poor. There has always been, and will always be these destitute boaters. It is a sad truth of any ocean community. To have a system of fining these “homeless” is just as ridiculous as giving a homeless person a $15,000 fine for putting up a tent on Pandora Avenue in Victoria.
We know the federal government has plenty of money to do an annual cleanup that would remove all of these problematic boats. Just get it done!
If we can spend $850,000 in one day to kill a paltry 66 deer on Sidney Island, then pulling a couple of boats out of the water is a proverbial drop in the bucket!
Mark Templeman
Sidney