Winds of James Bay

James Bay Neighbourhood Association

An on-going Beacon feature on land use & planning - to alert, inform, and prompt community action - and to celebrate success!

The focus of the February 2012 James Bay Neighbourhood Association (JBNA) meeting was cruise-ship emissions, attempts to measure sulphur dioxide (SO2) in emissions during 2011, and activity forecasts for the 2012 cruise-ship season ahead.

GVHA 2012 - MORE CRUISE-SHIPS

Increased cruise-ship activity at Ogden Point in 2012 is projected: 229 ship calls, an increase of 9% over 2011. The number of passengers is projected to increase by 14%. Transportation problems this summer promise to be as acute as ever. 

Fridays and Sundays will have the largest increases in cruise ship calls, mostly by the Disney Wonder on Sunday evenings throughout the main summer season, but also by the Norwegian Jewel on Fridays. 

Ships will be in port five of seven evenings during the summer of 2012. Total number of hours with cruise-ships in port will increase by only 0.7%, while the distribution of these hours will shift further towards the evening and away from the daytime.

Thursday, May 31^st will see a new record for Victoria: 5 cruise-ships in port over the course of one day. Two-thirds of cruise-ship calls occur during the evening. The schedule has become dominated by short evening calls that facilitate next day turn-around in Seattle, a schedule that serves Seattle's needs, but definitely does not serve Victoria's. 

WINDS OF 2011 & CRUISE-SHIP EMISSIONS

As background, JBNA involvement from 2006 through 2009 with the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) sponsored air quality study and Ministry of the Environment Mobile Air Monitoring Laboratory (MAML) study was reviewed at the February meeting.  Cruise-ship related information from the 2008 and 2009 Capital Regional District (CRD) reports on air quality were discussed. 

JBNA analysis, carried out on preliminary 2011 data of sulphur dioxide (SO2) levels and wind strength and direction, supports the JBNA position that one monitoring site does not provide adequate real-time readings to inform residents of local SO2 levels unless the monitoring site happens to be in line with the plume. 

Analysis suggested that:

~ wind direction sent the plume over/near the single SO2 monitoring site 19% of the time when ships were in port;

~ wind strength of over 15 knots and wind direction were optimal to measure the plume at the single site only about 3% of the time when the ships were in port;

~ when the wind direction was from the Southwest and the windspeed over 15 knots, SO2 levels of over 35ppb were recorded 22% of the time ships were in port.  (35ppb is the level at which asthmatics and others who may be sensitive to SO2 may feel adverse effects.)

EMISSIONS CONTROL AREA (ECA) - OR NOT?

For the past 3 years, residents have been told that the Emissions Control Area (ECA), coming into effect August 1, 2012, would solve airshed pollution problems created by ocean-going vessels.  

The ECA is a 200 nautical mile area from shoreline, within which ships will be required to use lower sulphur fuels (or equivalencies to achieve lower sulphur emissions).  1% sulphur fuel is to be used from August this year and 0.1% sulphur fuel by 2015.  (Fuel levels used to date have ranged from 1.5% to about 3.5%, with the average being 2.7%.  At one point in 2010, cruise ship lobbyists stated that the average fuel used is 1.6%.)

At a marine industry seminar in Vancouver on February 7^th, both the anticipated environmental benefits of the program and the industry 'outs' were discussed.  Transport Canada officials described the program, which was focused on the St Lawrence Seaway and the enforcement program already in place. 

The Senior Marine Inspector (Transport Canada Pacific Region Compliance) described the current monitoring program and stated that there was no longer any black smoke. When queried, the official was not able to state whether there had been any enforcement activity/monitoring near Victoria or in the Strait of Juan de Fuca although he did state the Transport Canada has officials posted at the Port of Victoria. The National Aerial Surveillance Program (NASP) is directed more to effluents than emissions. Transport Canada officials in Ottawa have informed the JBNA that only rarely has NASP been used for air monitoring purposes on the BC Coast.

With the ECA, there will be an enhanced ship boarding 'paper' inspection program. Certifications and the paper trail of fuel loading and records of when fuel switchovers occurred will be examined.

The officials also clarified the industry 'outs', namely fuel availability and the use of comparable alternate methods (technology to achieve the same desired outcome). 

In situations where low sulphur fuel is not available, alternate methods are to be determined by the ship's home or registration country - the flag under which it travels (e.g. Bahamas, Bermuda, etc.).  An alternate approach being mentioned by the industry is fleet averaging, which would permit higher sulphur fuel being used in one area of the world while cleaner fuel is used elsewhere, as long as the year average for the fleet meets the 1% target. This is similar to the rationale used in the past years by industry lobbyists to explain why SO2 levels are higher in Victoria than elsewhere. JBNA is seeking further clarification from Transport Canada officials in Ottawa.

JBNA involvement at the seminar has provided some hope that the Transport Canada Manager of Environmental Protection (a main presenter at the seminar) will ensure that the enforcement program is altered to provide active enforcement in Victoria in the months ahead.

GVHA CRUISE-SHIP TOURIST WALKING MAP

GVHA's 2012 Walking Map was reviewed.  This was the first time JBNA membership was given the opportunity to comment on the map prior to printing for the year.

Suggestions include:  identifying the James Bay Saturday Community Market at Menzies and Superior, and including symbols to identify locations of restaurants, coffee shops, book store, drugstore and other retail stores in James Bay.

DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS

There was a discussion on the rezoning proposal to develop the property on the southeast corner of Oswego and Simcoe - 151 Oswego.  The proposal involves the division of a lot into 2 small lots, the restoration of the heritage house on the corner, and the building of a second house south of the heritage house.

Resident comments were mixed, with nearby neighbours commenting on lost greenspace and the deterioration of the property over the past few years.  Other residents welcomed the proposal, citing the need to restore the heritage house, and to enhance the streetscape with a second house that would complement the existing heritage structure.

MARCH GENERAL MEETING (tentative Schedule)

All residents of James Bay are welcome to attend the March meeting, Wednesday, March 14, 7-9 pm, at New Horizons on Menzies.

- Representatives of the Hallmark Society will have a display showcasing historical elements of James Bay, and will be available to answer questions.

- A development proposal for 21 & 25 Ontario Street will be presented.

- In preparation for the April, AGM, JBNA Board members will discuss Board duties and responsibilities with residents who may be interested in standing for election to the Board.

APRIL AGM

The JBNA Annual General Meeting will be held on April 11, at 6:30 p.m.  The AGM will be followed by a regular meeting at 7 p.m.