Cowichan Bay is and always has been a working harbour
Response to “A local fairy tale, not for the Cowichan Estuary”, (Citizen, Sept. 14)
Mr. Schuerholz made a number of comments about the Cowichan Bay terminal in his recent letter to the Cowichan Citizen, which overlook a number of historic factors.
Cowichan Bay is a working harbour. It has been that way long before residential development took place above the bay. The Cowichan terminal is currently home to more than 70 well-paying jobs from one company alone, and indirectly supports over 300 related jobs. Local businesses such as Falt Towing, Pacific Industrial & Marine, Western Canada Marine Response and Western Stevedoring use the terminal.
When the 50-year Crown lease was granted to Tidal Harmony Holdings Ltd., no one else wanted the lease because of the potential liability. Anyone was welcome to apply.
The road and paving to the terminal was not paid for by government, but by private industry such as MacMillan Bloedel. CN Rail constructed the right of way almost 100 years ago so this existing infrastructure was in place when Tidal Harmony became the leaseholder.
The terminal itself was not always an island. It only became an island after Tidal Harmony Holdings joined with other local stakeholders in breaching the causeway to improve fish habitat within the estuary. A bridge was built across the breach, which was not paid for entirely by government, but also by local stakeholders such as Western Stevedoring and Pacific Industrial and Marine. In addition, Western Stevedoring agreed to take on the maintenance and upkeep of the bridge going forward.
Mr. Schuerholz mentioned that there are restrictions on the general public accessing the working terminal. This is done for safety reasons and safety is something we take very seriously. However, with adequate notice we have welcomed people to the terminal and have given tours of the working activity on the property.
The businesses operating on the terminal and our employees have frequently collected debris from boats and various items that have floated down the rivers into the bay. We recently worked with Western Forest Products and Pacific Industrial and Marine in removing six abandoned derelict vessels from the estuary that had been sunk and posed a possible environmental hazard. This cost tens of thousands of dollars which was not paid for by government — it was paid for by the businesses on the Cowichan terminal.
We have proactively been mapping the sensitive eelgrass beds and have worked with environmental groups and Cowichan Tribes to enhance and rehabilitate the area. We have created nesting areas for endangered birds such as the purple martin and seasonal residents such as osprey. Additionally, we are currently working with stakeholders, including Cowichan Tribes, on a second breach of the causeway to further enhance water circulation in the estuary. The objective is to improve fish habitat and hopefully increase the number of Chinook salmon.
Mr. Schuerholz’s letter mentions the re-zoning application which was submitted more than two years ago to the Cowichan Valley Regional District. Our activities are consistent with the CVRD’s Official Community Plan for the area.
The re-zoning application was reviewed earlier this year by the Cowichan Estuary Environmental Management Committee (CEEMC). As a result, the chair of CEEMC concluded the proposed rezoning would “have no significant detrimental environmental impacts upon that area and the rezoning would be in conformity with the Plan (Cowichan Estuary Environmental Management Plan).”
The ‘doom and gloom’ constantly being preached is troubling and misguided. All of us working at the Cowichan Bay terminal pay taxes and work hard at protecting the environment, while supporting our families who call this area home.
Alan Moore, operations manager
Western Stevedoring, Cowichan Bay
