WHEREAS all communities represented by the North Central Municipal Association are reliant upon or affected by transportation provided by the northern ferry service and this service has been severely impacted by the sinking of the Queen of the North; AND WHEREAS northern tourism, economic development, the environment and many isolated communities have been devastated by this tragedy: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM lobby the Province of British Columbia to address the environmental impacts caused by the sinking of the Queen of the North in order to minimize the effects on the marine environment.
Ministry of Environment At this time, the Ministry of Environments Ministry Skeena regional office is actively involved in the ongoing monitoring of the situation, overseeing the BC Ferries environmental impact assessment work, and advising on any future remediation activities that may be required. BC Ferries is currently working on a plan to safely address the issue of diesel fuel and oil believed to be still onboard the sunken ferry. The Ministry, along with other federal agencies and stakeholders, will be involved in assessing BC Ferries future plans for the sunken vessel and ensuring the environment is adequately protected.