A rejected application to Parks Canada, to designate Steveston’s waterfront as a candidate UNESCO World Heritage Site, should remain dead in the water, according to the village’s harbour authority.
In December, Parks Canada announced it rejected the application by the Steveston Historical Society, which received opposition from Steveston’s biggest landowner — the Steveston Harbour Authority.
“Our board unanimously resolved to oppose any harbour authority properties being included in the application,” said chair Robert Kiesman.
“It makes absolutely no sense for an industrial, working harbour to be included in a heritage application,” he explained.
Kiesman said heritage designation would bring with it restrictions on harbour development.
Presently, the harbour is investing in a multi-million dollar ice plant for fishers, the likes of which could be rejected if harbour property is included in a UNESCO site.
“We don’t need another layer of regulation,” he said.
Kiesman said the Steveston Historical Society failed to adequately consult with the harbour and there are differences of opinion.
“We have a mandate to operate a fishing harbour for the federal government.
“We think that’s what the community wants. Just by the harbour operating as it does provides the best heritage you can ask for. When you have a fisherman standing by his net, that’s heritage right there,” said Kiesman.
The suggested UNESCO site would have included the entire waterfront, including harbour property along Steveston Channel. Kiesman said he doesn’t oppose designations for existing heritage properties.
Meanwhile, the City of Richmond has spent upwards of $20,000 with a council-led application for National Historic Site designation for Steveston, which was to be a precursor for a city-led UNESCO application, prior to the society going ahead with its own application.
Kiesman said the harbour opposes national designation as well.
City spokesperson Ted Townsend said the NHS application, including a report on public consultation, will be reviewed this month by city council.
Fishing is central to Steveston’s heritage, as a little more than a century ago it was considered the “salmon capital of the world.”
While the salmon fishing industry has declined, Kiesman noted Steveston is still “by far” Canada’s largest, small-craft fishing harbour based on number of licensed boats and seafood unloaded. He maintains the fishing industry is on the cusp of a big uptick, citing the record 2016 chum run.
“The fishing industry is showing signs of rebounding,” he said.
Society president Linda Barnes was unavailable for comment.
The eight places added in December 2017 to Canada’s Tentative List for World Heritage Sites are:
· Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound Glass Sponge Reefs (British Columbia)
· Stein Valley (British Columbia)
· Wanuskewin Heritage Park (Saskatchewan)
· Anticosti Island (Québec)
· Heart’s Content Cable Station Provincial Historic Site (Newfoundland and Labrador)
· Qajartalik (Nunavut)
· Sirmilik National Park and the proposed Tallurutiup Imanga/Lancaster Sound National Marine Conservation Area (Nunavut)
· Yukon Ice Patches (Yukon)
