No. P3/05 
For release March 24, 2005

COAL HARBOUR PUBLIC PORT FACILITY 
OFFICIALLY TRANSFERRED TO LOCAL INTERESTS

COAL HARBOUR, B.C. — David L. Emerson, Minister of Industry and co-Senior Minister responsible for British Columbia, on behalf of Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre, today announced the official transfer of the Coal Harbour public port facility, on northern Vancouver Island, to the Quatsino Community Society, effective March 25, 2005. The society is a not-for-profit society operated by the Quatsino First Nation.

"The Quatsino Community Society is to be congratulated for joining the move towards a new era of port management," said Mr. Emerson. "Having this facility run by local people who best know its role in the community — and its potential for growth — will allow it to function in a more commercial and cost effective manner."

The Coal Harbour public port facility is located on Holberg Inlet on Vancouver Island and includes a wharf, an approach and two floats.

The transfer agreement includes a contribution of $1.2 million from Transport Canada’s Port Divestiture Fund to offset initial operating costs, such as repairs and ongoing maintenance, for the port facility. Since 1997, the federal government has transferred over 65 regional port facilities into local hands in British Columbia, under the National Marine Policy.

"The aim of the National Marine Policy is to provide Canadians with an efficient and cost-effective ports system," said Mr. Lapierre. "With today’s transfer, the Quatsino Community Society will be able to take greater advantage of these facilities, reduce costs, tailor levels of service to local demand, and have the flexibility to attract new and different types of businesses to Coal Harbour."

Transport Canada’s Port Divestiture Program was established in 1996, as part of the National Marine Policy, with the objective of transferring Regional/Local port sites to other interests. In some cases, ports are being transferred as operating ports; in other cases, Crown land and facilities are being transferred to interested parties for other uses. The Coal Harbour public port facility was one of Transport Canada’s Regional/Local ports, which range from large facilities that support significant local and regional commercial activity to very small facilities with little or no commercial traffic.

Funding for this initiative is built into the current fiscal framework.

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