This article and image were originally posted by CHEK News on 5 July 2025. The author is Dean Stoltz who lives in the Comox Valley and covers stories from Duncan to Tofino to Port Hardy.
Residents living along the shores of Baynes Sound have been concerned and lobbying for action regarding the ship breaking business between Royston and Union Bay. After six years of lobbying, advocates can now celebrate the cancellation of the crown lease by the Ministry of Water, Lands and Resource Stewardship. The Ministry stated that “Deep Water Recovery (DWR) has not demonstrated the level of regulatory compliance, operational responsibility, or environmental stewardship required to justify entrusting them with the use of Crown land to enable management and dismantling of end-of-life vessels.”
Future steps to deal with the vessels already on this site, and the ongoing need for environmentally responsible ship breaking are yet to be determined.
To access the CHEK News story and video, click HERE.