Neighbours of a shipbreaking facility in Union Bay are worried the company is planning to bring another barge. The province cancelled the company’s former foreshore lease in 2025, and neighbours want to make sure they follow the rules.
People living near the Deep Water Recovery (DWR) site were glad to see a RCMP boat Thursday.
There were at least two pieces of equipment running at the facility and neighbours said the company appears to be preparing to pull the barge onshore.
“Probably over a week that they’ve been inching it up and now they have it on some rollers but it’s trespassing as far as the Ministry of Environment says so we’re wondering why we’re not seeing any action around here,” said Kathy Calder, a concerned neighbour.
Calder says she’s among the neighbours who have reported what’s been happening to the federal and provincial governments, as it falls under the jurisdiction of both.
DWR has wanted to operate a ship recycling facility at the site for years but it’s never had the community, regional district or first nations approval.
A neighbour often documents what’s happening at the site with a drone.
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B.C.’s Ministry of Environment still can’t say much while the provincial government transitions, but notes that in July 2025, the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship cancelled DWR’s former foreshore lease after they failed to provide additional financial security and due to repeated non-compliances identified by the ministry.
The Natural Resource Officer Service (NROS) has issued a Land Act trespass notice to address the unauthorized use of Crown land.
The government says it’s continuing to investigate.
“If the lease is pulled there should be no movement down there and this is about the fifth time we’ve seen trespassing go on,” said Calder.
Neighbours did notice something unusual Thursday, something Calder says is a first. The RCMP’s MV Inkster pulled up near shore.
“For 15 minutes they actually looked like they were quite close to shore, maybe taking pictures or talking to the owner or CAO down there on the shore,” said Calder.
Neighbours hope it’s a sign of government investigation.
In a statement, Josie Osborne, the MLA-elect for the region thanks the neighbours for their ongoing vigilance and for reporting activities to her office, to provincial officials, and to the RAPP line.
She says “for the past six years, she’s been actively pushing for stronger oversight and enforcement of Deep Water Recovery’s operations.”
“I personally feel ripped off because this is costing an awful lot of money,” said Calder.
CHEK News reached out to both the RCMP the Deep Water Recovery but did not receive a response by deadline.
