May 17, 2023 – The Canadian Coast Guard, in consultation with Parks Canada, for areas within  Gulf Island National Park Reserve and with Indigenous Services Canada must decide whether the proposed rebuild of seven Navigational Aids will have a significant impact and are likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

 

To help inform this decision Canadian Coast Guard, Parks Canada and Indigenous Services Canada are inviting comments from the public on the project and its potential effects on the environment. All comments received will be considered public [and may be posted online]. For more information, individuals should consult the Privacy Notice on the Registry website.

Written comments must be submitted by June 15, 2023 to:

Steven Cole
Vitoria Coast Guard Base 25 Huron St, Victoria, BC. V8V 4V9
steven.cole@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Robin Connelly                                                                                                                                                                         Institute of Ocean Sciences 2860 West Saanich Road, Sidney BC. V8L 4B2                                                                                                                                                   robin.connelly@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

 

A condition review of the navigational aids in the Southern Gulf Islands has found that many of the structures are in poor condition, non-compliant to Canadian Coast Guard directives for service, and/or non-compliant to current Canadian standards for safety to the workers who maintain them. The sites are all accessible by small vessel.

The Canadian Coast Guard proposes to refurbish twenty eight navigational aids in the Southern Gulf Islands. Of these twenty eight aids six are located in the Gulf Island National Park Reserve and one will be relocated on Mayne Island 6 Reserve Land. These seven sites are subject to review under the Federal Lands Provision of the Impact Assessment Act. The Project will begin in mid-July and finish by the end of August, with work at the sites within the Gulf Island National Park Reserve starting mid-end of August and work potentially beginning in July at Helen Point.

The following table indicates what proposed work is planned at each site:

 

 

List of Lights Number	Navigational Aid Name	Work Type
230.3	Sidney Spit	Install aluminum ledger on existing base, Tower swap. Future relocation and type of aid structure in development to address rapid erosion.
241	Kanaka Bluff	Install aluminum ledger on existing base, tower swap (remove wood timber from base and fill with grout or cap)
268	Peile Point	Tower swap (remove wood timber from base and fill with grout or cap)
2150	Skull Islet Daybeacon	Tower swap, secure new ladder to base, Parks Canada sign to alternate face of base
225	Tom Point Sector	Tower swap
266.5	Port Washington	Tower swap (remove wood timber from base and fill with grout or cap)
272	Helen Point	Demolish existing concrete base, relocate new structure to above the high water line, build new concrete base and install new tower

 

The Project is located within the Southern Gulf Island area in the Strait of Georgia.

List of Lights Number	Navigational Aid Name	Latitude	Longitude	Location
230.3	Sidney Spit	48° 39' 13.453"	123° 20' 45.779"	Gulf Island National Park Reserve
241	Kanaka Bluff	48° 43' 33.559"	123° 23' 12.952"	Gulf Island National Park Reserve
268	Peile Point	48° 50' 59.712"	123° 24' 18.800"	Gulf Island National Park Reserve
2150	Skull Islet Daybeacon	48° 45' 08.12"	123° 14' 13.56"	Gulf Island National Park Reserve
225	Tom Point Sector	48° 39' 44.44"	123° 16' 25.62"	Gulf Island National Park Reserve
266.5	Port Washington	48° 48' 41.375"	123° 19' 24.700"	Gulf Island National Park Reserve
272	Helen Point	48° 51' 27.62"	123° 20' 42.16"	Mayne Island 6