The island

Denman group backs provincial action on Union Bay shipbreaking lease

Concerned Citizens of Baynes Sound welcomed the Province’s cancellation of a Crown water lease used for vessel storage and transport.

The Denman Firestarter · reporting 2025-07-10 · compiled 2026-10-01

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Concerned Citizens of Baynes Sound said it supported the Province’s termination of Crown water lease V930973, which the group said had enabled vessel storage and transport for shipbreaking at Union Bay. ^[1]

The newsletter’s report says the lease was cancelled after a Pollution Abatement Order and repeated compliance issues, and quotes the Province saying Deep Water Recovery had not demonstrated the regulatory compliance and environmental stewardship required to use Crown land. ^[1]

The report says the company continued to operate on adjacent private upland property. It also quotes the Comox Valley Regional District’s Area A director, Daniel Arbour, saying the regional district would continue litigation over what it considered violations of local government bylaws. ^[1]

The report acknowledges support from the Association of Denman Island Marine Stewards and says the group invited readers to join its efforts. ^[1]

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