RIPPLE EFFECTS:
The Need to Assess theImpacts of Cruise Ships in Victoria B.C.By Karen Gorecki and Bruce Wallace
Vancouver Island Public Interest Research GroupPO Box 3035 Stn CSC, Victoria, BC V8W 3P3Physical address: Student Union Bldg, SUB B120-122, UVICPhone: 250-472-4386 fax: 250-721-7285research@vipirg.cawww.vipirg.ca
2003
Acknowledgements
This project was made possible through the support from the Youth Action Effecting Change andthe Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group (VIPIRG).Endless thanks to Ross Klein, Howard Breen and Amy Crook for their continuous and selflesssupport in strategizing, providing insights, and editing. It is inspiring to see such dedicatedindividuals committed to protecting our environment and communities.Many thanks also go to Andrea Mears, Tuval Dinner, Ena Wallace, Stacy Chappel, Tim Richardsand Nicole Lindsay for additional research and assistance.
The Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group is a student-based, non-profit organization at the University of Victoriadedicated to research, advocacy and action on social and environmental issues.
Just as this report was being completed, the media was reportingthat the Norwegian Sun had dumped raw sewage into Juan de FucaStrait. En route to Victoria’s Ogden Point, the Norwegian Sundumped 62,000 litres of raw sewage into waters just southeast of Victoria, near Port Townsend. The ship had intended to dischargeall of its “grey water” into the Strait but instead accidentallyflushed untreated human wastes for a half hour. Norwegian CruiseLine says the dumping, although accidental, is still totally legal.There have been no reports from local or Canadian officialsexpressing concern or planned action regarding the ship that spentthat day at Ogden Point and is scheduled to continue to travel toVictoria every week this season.
Ripple Effects
Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group
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Ripple Effects:The Need to Assess the Impacts of Cruise Ships in VictoriaB.C.
Executive Summary
Over the last three years there has been anincredible 300 percent increase in cruiseship traffic in Victoria. The cumulativeimpact of this year’s 320,000 passengers andcrew members from 122 visits has not beenstudied or planned for in Victoria despite thefact that the cruise port resides in aresidential neighbourhood, with massiveships less than 300 metres away from thefront-steps of people’s homes. The city’spolicy appears to be – The More The Better – the only impacts examined are positiveeconomic growth with little integrationwithin existing plans, or limits on growth.This report,
Ripple Effects: The Need toAssess the Impacts of Cruise Ships inVictoria B.C,
raises questions that need tobe addressed, such as:
o
“How many cruise ships andpassengers can Victoriaaccommodate?”
o
“What is our threshold?”
o
“What are the full impacts of cruisetourism on Victoria, not justeconomic but also environmental andcommunity impacts?”These questions are put in context byproviding a glimpse of the history of cruiseship environmental fines, the levels of pollution produced by these ships, and thefederal regulatory environment.Pollution levels from cruise ships should bea red flag to Victoria, indicating that there isneed for concern. Cruise ships burn bunkerfuel that has a 90% higher sulphur contentthan that used by cars. Each day during theSeattle and Alaska cruise season, ships areproducing over 158 million litres of wastewater, and 158 tons of garbage andsolid waste.The city of Victoria is welcoming ships thathave records of environmental violationsand some that have even been banned fromother cities. For example, the CrystalHarmony has been banned by the City of Monterey for having dumped thousands of gallons of waste water into the bay. Thissame ship was charged in Alaska for airviolations in 2000 and 2001. This ship is notone isolated case. Cruise ships have accruedover 60 million dollars in environmentalfines over the last five years in the UnitedStates. In Canada, because of inadequatemonitoring, there have been no fines despitethe fact that these same ships visit ourwaters.These are simply a few examples of whyVictoria needs to assess the impact of cruiseships before further promoting them.Victoria needs to:1)
Monitor what is being dumped intoour waters.2)
Monitor what is being emitted intoour air.3)
Assess the impact on James Bay, theneighbourhood where thousands of cruise passengers and crew travelthrough in hundreds of taxis and tourbuses.4)
Assess how cruise tourism impactsVictoria’s overall plans forenvironmental sustainability,neighbourhood plans and how it
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