Correcting misinformation about opponents to estuary rezoning
Re: “Much misinformation going around about PIM”, (March 22, Citizen)
Jobs can be moved, but not an estuary!
Quotes from referenced article:
“PIM has an annual payroll of approximately $6 million…we (PIM workers) support many local subcontractors and business including electricians, plumbers, carpenters, mechanics, machinists the spin off jobs are estimated to be 2.5 to one”.
Facts: Employment figures range from four to eight in 2005 when PIM first moved onto the terminal to an alleged 60 to 80; number of fulltime jobs on the terminal unknown!
Results of a perception poll (UVic/CERCA) indicate that 89 per cent of 1,144 households covered in Cowichan Bay oppose industry in the estuary. With an average income of $80K a family their input into the economy is $81 million compared to PIM’s alleged $6 million. These 1,018 households also support trades, sub-contractors, mechanics, health and other services, restaurants, food industry etc. with at least the same spin off jobs, adding another $200 million to the local economy!
“…they (retirees) don’t seem to care about the working family men…and all of them moved there long after industry was established in the bay!”
Facts: Cowichan Bay attracts retirees and others buying homes, new vehicles and appliances with hard earned cash saved up during their working years. The majority of families in Cowichan Bay have lived here way before PIM started illegal metal manufacturing in 2005.
“…most of what we build here has to be transported by water as they are too large to be hauled by road”.
Fact: PIM’s local competitors Surespan and Heavy Metals build the same structures on land, assembled later for launching. Both pay property taxes to the CVRD like all Cow Bay residents on Khenipsen, Gore-Langton and Cowichan Bay Roads with a combined total of $225K — unlike PIM or Western Stevedoring paying zero dollars to the CVRD.
Allegedly Mr. Kennedy will purchase PIM operations — he can’t be in the poor house!
Dr. Goetz Schuerholz,
Cowichan Bay resident for 40 years
