Coast guard issues first-ever fine for abandoned vessel in Victoria
The Canadian Coast Guard has issued its first fine against the owner of a derelict and abandoned vessel under a federal law that took effect four years ago.
A statement from the coast guard says the agency levied a fine of $15,000 against the owner of a boat that was grounded and abandoned in Cadboro Bay, near Victoria.
The owner of the Akoo, an eight-metre cabin cruiser, was fined on June 27 and is required to either pay the fine or apply for a review hearing with the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada within 30 days.
The coast guard says the fine was issued after the vessel owner failed to comply with the agency's orders to remove the wrecked boat from the area.
The fine was the first time the coast guard exercised its authority to issue a monetary penalty under the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act, which became law in July 2019.
The coast guard says it responded to the Akoo several times in recent months, including when the vessel first drifted ashore.
The agency says the vessel discharged pollution into the water and began to deteriorate, posing a public safety hazard.
More than 2,000 wrecked or abandoned boats have been reported to the coast guard since it implemented a national inventory of problem vessels, with the majority of those vessels reported in British Columbia.
The agency says the federal government has funded nearly 500 projects to remove problem vessels from Canadian marine areas since 2016.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Hackers release corporate data stolen from London Drugs
Retailer London Drugs says cybercriminals who stole files from its corporate head office last month have released some of the data after it refused to pay a ransom.
Toronto man falls off his chair after seeing $70M Lotto Max win in his bank account
A Toronto man who won $70 million in a recent Lotto Max draw literally fell off his chair when he saw the funds in his bank account.
Montreal-area high school students protest 'sexist' dress code
Approximately 50 Montreal-area students — the vast majority of them female — were suspended Wednesday after their school deemed the shorts they were wearing were too short. On Thursday, several students staged a walk-out to protest what they believe is a "sexist" dress code that unfairly targets girls.
'Looking over our shoulders': A killing looms large in a little B.C. town
Something shifted in the pretty little village of Lumby, B.C., after Tatjana Stefanski vanished. It used to be the sort of place where parents let their kids roam free or play in the local creek, but everything has changed.
What is 'slapped cheek disease' and should parents be concerned?
Despite its rough name, experts say most cases of 'slapped cheek disease' are mild and not a cause for concern.
Unknown Newfoundland soldier from the First World War heads back home from France after 100 years
Canadian soldiers and government officials arrived in northeastern France this week for a historic mission: returning an unknown Newfoundland soldier back home.
American Airlines retreats after blaming a 9-year-old for not seeing a hidden camera in a lavatory
American Airlines has distanced itself from a court filing in which the carrier said a nine-year-old girl should have noticed there was a camera taped to the seat of an airplane lavatory.
Calgary Philharmonic takes action following investigation into 'deeply troubling' comments by 2 musicians
The Calgary Philharmonic has confirmed its taking action after controversial online comments made by two members of the orchestra.
'Somebody's got to pay' for air travel: WestJet makes pitch to Ottawa
WestJet is asking the federal government to put measures in place to lower ticket costs for travellers, but questions remain on who would foot the bill.