Photo: CTV British Columbia
By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: Jan. 18, 2013
Steen Larsen is getting into troubled waters again.
Woodfibre owner, Western Forest Products (WFP), is suing Steen Larsen to remove a derelict vessel on the company’s water lot.
WFP is seeking $50,000 as damages. [manual_related_posts]
Larsen is part-owner of the Elf, a 120-year-old old tugboat that sank in Mamquam Blind Channel on Tuesday morning. The boat spilled 1500 liters of diesel and other pollutants into the water.
Western Forest Products is suing Larsen to remove SPUDNIK, a vessel they claim has been tied to a buoy on Woodfibre water lot since November.
Photo: Tim Cyr
Larsen didn’t aske permission to tie the boat to the buoy, WFP said in their claim to the court.
When asked to remove the vessel, Larsen promised to do so by December 9, but didn’t.
The vessel, registered in Seattle, has fuel on board and is dilapidated.
In their claim to the court, Western Forest Products said they fear the vessel will create a navigation and environmental hazard if it sinks.
WFP is also concerned they will have to pay for cleanup if the vessel sinks.
WFP is waiting to remediate the land to finalise a land sale deal with the new owners of LNG.
A part of this agreement with new owners is to ensure the water lot is vacant of vessels.
“It’s moored there without permission, and Mr. Larsen says he will move it, but hasn’t,” said John Bromley, a lawyer for WFP.
“It just shouldn’t be on Western property.”
Bromley said a dissent in court is due by Jan. 20.
It’s doubtful how fast Larsen will act on removing the Spudnik from the Woodfibre water lot.
On Jan. 16, Thursday, he looked on as the Canadian Coast Guard brought the boat out of the water.
“I can’t talk now…there is too much going on right now,” he said, when asked about Elf.
Speaking to CBC, he said the tug was likely sabotaged. He also claimed he spent $125,000 on the boat recently.
Larsen is gaining a reputation as a sinker of boats.
In May, another boat owned by the Steen Larsen sank in the channel, along with a truck parked on it.
The craft had been sitting in the blind channel for over five years, said Steen Larsen, the caretaker of the boat.
Larsen said it’s a mystery how the craft sank.
“We don’t know anything about how it sank, it’s a mystery to me,” he said.
Environmentalist John Buchannan said the latest spill couldn’t have come at a worse time.
“The diesel soaks into the shoreline and it’s a long term pollution effect on the marina,” he said.
He said the diesel will be poisonous for herring spawn.
“If they spawn anywhere near it, they will just die,” he said.
Coun. Ted Prior said the federal government needs to give more regulatory control to local governments.
Underlapping bureaucratic jurisdictions often lead to buck-passing by different government bodies on derelict ships.
Federal marine authorities can only take charge when there is a threat to navigation or the environment.
The province can take matters in their hands if the matter is restricted to Crown-owned, foreshore land.
Municipalities can petition the province and the feds, or they can be proactive and set up Harbour commissions to monitor boats.
There has been a talk of setting up a Squamish Harbour Commission, but it has been limited to just talk.
There is no inventory of derelict or abandoned boats in the province, although Transport Canada is said to be working on one.
The final report was expected last summer.
Some unofficial estimates, however, have put the number of derelict ships at 200.
heather gee says
In our experience Larsen has always managed to talk his way out of trouble. The municipality, by-law staff and police just listen to him and never take action. When our authorities refuse to do a proper job, many people take advantage of their attitude and it leads them to behave as if they are above the law.
Foote says
Municipal by-law staff have no jurisdiction on navigable waterways as of yet, so to say they never take action is an ignorant statement. What we do need is for local government to be given jurisdiction and a way to collect on fines, so the local tax payers are not on the hook for the cleanup of this mess. Without jurisdiction local authorities have no right to impose local By-laws on Federal land or waterways. There are solutions out there, but it would take all branches of Government to come to the table. It’s sad but only a major disaster will bring about change.
pierre says
Its a federal issue: whats Mr. Weston doing on our behalf; what is Mr Weston doing on the environment’s behalf?
channel watcher says
Mr Larsen has sunk another boat in the mamquam channel.
On saturday jan 18 he launched a small boat at the launch ramp,
but forgot to put the plug in the transom. By the time he got to the private property that he is trespassing on with all his junk ,the boat had filled with water and sunk. Good thing it was a borrowed boat with a brand new motor.
then he can say he is the co-owner.Claiming ownership but no responsibility when it sinks.I was wondering if he even has a pleasurecraft operators license.
If he does it should be taken away before he does anymore harm .
Santa says
One boat sinked is to much. Two boats sinked is unforgivable. Please remove is license and let’s ban him from Squamish. For the love of our Ocean.
Dave L says
Typical of BC and its myriad laws and by-laws. Public department and employees love to carry on about their layers of red tape and regulations but when a real situation needs to be dealt with, their true lack of backbone is plain to see.
NonL says
How does this guy get to carry on doing this ??! Smells like a classic case of weak willed Canadian passive-aggressive response.