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RIPPLE EFFECTS: The Need to Assess the Impacts of Cruise Ships in Victoria B.C. By Karen Gorecki and Bruce Wallace 2003 Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group PO Box 3035 Stn CSC, Victoria, BC V8W 3P3 Physical address: Student Union Bldg, SUB B120-122, UVIC Phone: 250-472-4386 fax: 250-721-7285 [email protected] www.vipirg.ca Acknowledgements This project was made possible through the support from the Youth Action Effecting Change and the Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group (VIPIRG). Endless thanks to Ross Klein, Howard Breen and Amy Crook for their continuous and selfless support in strategizing, providing insights, and editing. It is inspiring to see such dedicated individuals committed to protecting our environment and communities. Many thanks also go to Andrea Mears, Tuval Dinner, Ena Wallace, Stacy Chappel, Tim Richards and 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 Victoria dedicated to research, advocacy and action on social and environmental issues. Just as this report was being completed, the media was reporting that the Norwegian Sun had dumped raw sewage into Juan de Fuca Strait. En route to Victoria’s Ogden Point, the Norwegian Sun dumped 62,000 litres of raw sewage into waters just southeast of Victoria, near Por t Townsend. The ship had inte nded to discharge all of its “grey water” into the Strait but instead accidentally flushe d untreated human wastes for a half hour. Norwegian Cruise Line says the dumping, although accidental, is still totally legal. There have been no reports from local or Canadian officials expressing concern or planned action regarding the ship that spent that day at Ogden Point and is scheduled to continue to travel to Victoria every week this season. Ripple Effects: The Need to Assess the Impacts of Cruise Ships in Victoria B.C. Executive Summary Seattle and Alaska cruise season, ships are Over the last three years there has been an producing over 158 million litres of incredible 300 percent increase in cruise wastewater, and 158 tons of garbage and ship traffic in Victoria. The cumulative solid waste. impact of this year’s 320,000 passengers and crew members from 122 visits has not been The city of Victoria is welcoming ships that studied or planned for in Victoria despite the have records of environmental violations fact that the cruise port resides in a and some that have even been banned from residential neighbourhood, with massive other cities. For example, the Crystal ships less than 300 metres away from the Harmony has been banned by the City of front-steps of people’s homes. The city’s Monterey for having dumped thousands of policy appears to be – The More The Better gallons of waste water into the bay. This – the only impacts examined are positive same ship was charged in Alaska for air economic growth with little integration violations in 2000 and 2001. This ship is not within existing plans, or limits on growth. one isolated case. Cruise ships have accrued over 60 million dollars in environmental This report, Ripple Effects: The Need to fines over the last five years in the United Assess the Impacts of Cruise Ships in States. In Canada, because of inadequate Victoria B.C, raises questions that need to monitoring, there have been no fines despite be addressed, such as: the fact that these same ships visit our o “How many cruise ships and waters. passengers can Victoria accommodate?” These are simply a few examples of why o “What is our threshold?” Victoria needs to assess the impact of cruise o “What are the full impacts of cruise ships before further promoting them. tourism on Victoria, not just Victoria needs to: economic but also environmental and 1) Monitor what is being dumped into community impacts?” our waters. These questions are put in context by 2) Monitor what is being emitted into providing a glimpse of the history of cruise our air. ship environmental fines, the levels of 3) Assess the impact on James Bay, the pollution produced by these ships, and the neighbourhood where thousands of federal regulatory environment. cruise passengers and crew travel through in hundreds of taxis and tour Pollution levels from cruise ships should be buses. a red flag to Victoria, indicating that there is 4) Assess how cruise tourism impacts need for concern. Cruise ships burn bunker Victoria’s overall plans for fuel that has a 90% higher sulphur content environmental sustainability, than that used by cars. Each day during the neighbourhood plans and how it Ripple Effects 1 Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group impacts other forms of tourism, such tourism in Victoria, no one has taken on the as the 150,000 cold water SCUBA role of planning for its growth. Continuing dives that also take place at Ogden to promote growth without assessing Point each year. impacts and enforcing local standards is 5) Determine if the economic impacts irresponsible. While the City may argue they are inflated and if cruise ships and cannot regulate the industry, they can take a passengers are paying their fair leadership role in protecting the city’s share, or whether resident tax-payers residents, neighbourhoods, environment and are subsidizing a highly profitable economy. industry. Recommendations: The city of Victoria has no assessment of 1) A moratorium on cruise ship growth impacts, local standards or taxation on in Victoria. cruise ships. However, many other cities 2) The City of Victoria immediately such as Juneau, Alaska and Key West, initiate a process to assess the full Florida have a $5 and $8 passenger tax. impacts of cruise ships in Victoria. Juneau has also imposed a 4% sales tax on 3) The implementation of a municipal shore excursions and on-shore purchases. cruise passenger tax. The Port of Seattle requires cruise ships to 4) The development and enforcement of burn low sulphur diesel while at port, while local environmental and social Tenakee Springs has rejected cruise ships standards on cruise tourism. and Sitka, Alaska has put a cap on 5) Ensure that federal regulation is infrastructure. followed through monitoring and is strengthened beyond voluntary While the industry and every level of standards. government are eager to promote cruise 2 Ripple Effects Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group Contents Why are cruise ships an issue?................................................... 4 The Booming Industry……………………………….………………….… 6 The Environmental Violations…………………………….………….….. 7 What are the impacts?................................................................ 10 Air Quality……………………………………………………….….……….. 10 Polluting our Oceans……………………………………..……………….. 12 Community Impacts……………………………………………….………. 14 Economic Impacts………………………………………………….………. 17 What can be done?..................................................................... 21 Thinking Federally……………………………………..………………….. 21 Acting Locally…………………………………………………………..…… 23 Why we need to act………………………………………………………….…. 25 Recommendation 1 ……………………………………………………….. 28 Recommendation 2 ……………………………………………………..… 28 Recommendation 3 ……………………………………………………….. 29 Recommendation 4……………………………………………………….. 30 Recommendation 5 ……………………………………………………….. 31 Appendices………………………………………………………………………… 33 References…………………………………………………………………………. 39 Ripple Effects 3 Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group Why Are Cruise Ships An Issue? THE VANCOUVER ISLAND PUBLIC stringent than federal standards to reduce the INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP impacts of these “floating cities”. (VIPIRG) is calling on the City of Victoria Unfortunately, Victoria B.C., despite their to begin to assess cruise ship impacts on the huge increase in visits, has taken little local environment, and our community. initiative in the monitoring, regulating, and With the recent divestment of Victoria’s local taxation of the industry that has been harbour to the Greater Victoria Harbour seen elsewhere. Authority, this is an opportune time to examine the full impacts of cruise ships. Due to changes in the industry, and recent Based on the information gathered, they international events, the City of Victoria has should, in partnership with all stakeholders become an attractive port to the cruise ship in the community, enact a plan that will industry. The number of visits has been avert and mitigate negative impacts on growing at an uncontrolled rate without Victoria and British Columbia. This adequate impact assessment, planning, document is meant to be the initial catalyst monitoring or legislation. Victoria has to a systematic questioning and analysis of welcomed and encouraged increased the impacts that these ships have on British numbers of visits, limiting impact Columbia’s environment and communities. assessment to passenger expenditure based It provides a global context for Victoria’s on unempirical figures. i The main concern decision-making by discussing international of Tourism Victoria has been how to attract problems created as a result of the cruise and host more ships. ship industry and the implications for Victoria and the rest of the West Coast. In The City of Victoria has repeatedly declared addition it provides an overview of potential its support for the cruise industry but has not solutions and recommendations on actions shown evidence of planning to mitigate the for the City of Victoria. environmental, health, and community impacts these ships are having. The City Cruise ship impacts on the environment and seems

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