Degnen Bay Small Craft Harbour Remediation and Tidal Boat Grid Removal

May 2026, 2026 – Fisheries and Oceans Canada Regional Office of Environmental Coordination must decide whether the proposed removal of a tidal boat grid and sediment remediation at Degnen Bay Small Craft Harbour  will have a significant impact and are likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

To help inform this decision Fisheries and Oceans Canada is 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 12, 2026 to:

Robin Connelly, Robin.Connelly@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

2860 West Saanich Road, Sidney British Columbia, V8L 4B2

 

Project Summary

The Project is located in Degnen Bay on the southeastern side of Gabrioloa Island, British Columbia. Work to decommission the in active boat grid on the shoreside of the water lot and conduct partial remediation of the Degnen Bay Small Craft Harbour falls within the mandate of the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan to reduce environmental and human health risks from known federal contaminated sites.

Tidal grids were typically used for vessel maintenance during low tide periods and these maintenance activities had the potential to introduce contamination into the surrounding sediments. Previous Environmental Site Assessments found Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Tributyltin, Polychlorinated biphenyls and metals exceedances within the area of the boat grid.

The boat grid in no longer open to users and will be disassembled with handheld power tools and excavator.

Remediation will address contamination in the sediments within the area of the existing boat grid.  The excavation footprint is anticipated to be15 cubic meters. Sediment excavation will either be completed using a small excavator or handheld shovels and hydro vacuum trucks. The sediment will be disposed of at an offsite land based disposal facility qualified to accept contaminated media above industrial provincial guidelines.

 

Work is expected to start in late June or early July 2026 and take 1 week.

Project Locations

Degnen Bay Small Craft Harbour, Gabriola Island, 2860 Degnen Bay Road.

49.1368470000000030,  -123.7130279999999942