Updated May 6:
Eager to cash in on a wealthy vacationers’ dream playground, developers are descending on the small town of Port Renfrew with big plans to turn it into a tourist mecca, much like Tofino.
But Pacheedaht First Nation and Port Renfrew residents have grown tired of being spectators in their own town, and they’re calling on developers and government agencies to hear their concerns.
Pacheedaht people are worried about negative impacts a planned marina would have on their salmon-bearing San Juan River and on the nearby ancient burial caves.
Some residents are feeling overrun by developers with deep pockets, who already have their foot in the door with expensive vacation properties lining the waterfront and now are faced with the proposed massive marina expansion.
In a March 2015 radio interview, Mike Hicks, the Capital Regional District director, sounded excited about the growth that is happening in Port Renfrew. He noted the Wild Coast Cottage development, with its 80 completed world-class units, with more to come. He noted developer Andrew Purdy, who is poised to triple the size of the existing 50-slip sport fishing Pacific Gateway Marina. Hicks said if the marina expansion happens, it would be the biggest marina on the west coast of the island. Hicks did acknowledge some opposition to the expansion plans.
Hicks, a resident of Sooke, owns a fish charter business in Port Renfrew. He, and the other 22 fishing charter operators in Port Renfrew, would benefit from a larger marina. His daughter owned a restaurant in Port Renfrew that operated during the tourist season and employed 17 people. That restaurant, along with the Port Renfrew Hotel and its waterfront cabins, Lighthouse Pub, and a motel were recently purchased by Three Point Properties Ltd., owned by Jack Julseth.
Pacheedaht Chief Arliss Daniels said the decision-making authority Hicks has on the CRD, and the fact that he owns a fishing charter business, puts the director in a conflict of interest on the development plans. At a May 1st meeting of about 80 Pacheedaht and Port Renfrew residents, Daniels said Hicks was the culprit who created the problem. “My hunch is this development has gotten this far because he’s in conflict of interest,” she said to a chorus of “Hear, Hear” from those in agreement.
In a phone interview with Ha-Shilth-Sa, Hicks said he is 110 per cent not in conflict of interest and has been duly elected to make unbiased decisions on behalf of Port Renfrew. He said, at age 64, he very near retirement and will close his fishing charter business down.
He argued that he would probably be better off financially if the marina expansion didn’t happen. That way, potential buyers for his business would have less competition.
Pacific Gateway Marina is on the south side of San Juan Bay between Beach Camp (the Port Renfrew residential area) and the Port Renfrew Hotel. The three areas are separated by less than two km.
The expanded marina would grow toward Beach camp and outward toward the mouth of the salmon-bearing San Juan River. It would have more ‘robust’ breakwaters to provide year-round protection for marine vessels. The expanded marina would be large enough to accommodate cruiser yachts up to 70 feet in length. Its two rock breakwaters would require fill that would extend more than 280 meters from shore and would be much taller than the existing breakwater.
Pacific Gateway Marina expects the new fill area to be 12,154 square meters, which would include filling in some shoreline for road and buildings along with the two breakwaters.
Besides the additional 100 slips and break waters, the PGM development plan includes a lodge, a fish processing plant, a helipad, a fishing platform off the end of the breakwater, expanded trailer parking and even more upland development plans to be announced at a later date.
PGM has been in the application process since 2012 and claims to have carried out the necessary archeological, environmental, and sedimentation studies with reports available for governments and interested parties.
The final hurdle for PGM is the acquisition of the water lot lease from the Ministry of Forest Lands and Natural Resource Operations.
Locals don’t think the site for the marina is a good one. Pacheedaht argues that the returning salmon hold at the very site of the proposed marina. This is the place where salmon gather for a period of time to adjust to the change of salinity in the water before heading up river, said Kristine Pearson, Pacheedaht cultural heritage worker.
They are also concerned about the increased pressure on, and competition for, the still recovering salmon stocks.
They worry about sedimentation and water currents in heavy rainfall and storms.
They say the sandbars at the mouth of the river grow bigger each year. Even small boats can’t enter the river at low tide.
“The channel gets so narrow at zero tides you might be tempted to walk across,” said Pearson.
According to Chief Daniels, the foreshore development is already taking place very near the mouth the San Juan River in prime Pacheedaht fishing grounds. Some trees have been felled, rock blasting in the vicinity of Pacheedaht burial caves has taken place and new roads are being built.
Both the communities (Pacheedaht and Port Renfrew) are concerned about the destruction of marine habitat and the impact on the community that comes with the influx of thousands of tourists.
In a letter to several government agencies, the Pacheedaht pointed out that the current 50-slip Pacific Gateway Marina was built not only without consultation with Pacheedaht, but also lacked the proper legal authority to build.
“In our view, the starting point for this discussion is to determine whether the existing marina should be permitted to continue to exist; not considering a proposed expansion,” reads the letter from Pacheedaht to government agencies.
The Pacheedaht are in the midst of treaty negotiations with the federal and provincial governments. They are fighting to protect their interests as developers buy up the last few properties along the southwest shore of San Juan Bay.
The remainder of the shoreline in San Juan Bay is protected park land, Indian Reserve or residential property.
The Pacheedaht are also concerned about their ancient burial caves located near the proposed development.
In December 2014, Pacheedaht applied for and received protection for the burial cave through the B.C. Archaeological Branch under the Heritage Conservation Act. But there is currently development being undertaken around the caves, so the community still considers them under threat.
On May 1, about half the population of Port Renfrew’s permanent residents responded to the chief’s invitation to Pacheedaht to share concerns about the PGM expansion. Chief Daniels thanked her guests for coming together to discuss a very pressing issue for the entire community. “We live side by side and we all want good consultation for what’s happening here,” she said.
Chief Daniels told her neighbors that she and her staff invited representatives from several levels of government to Port Renfrew on April 23 for a tour of the site and to hear Pacheedaht concerns.
Among her guests were representatives from the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources Operations Archaeology Branch, MoFLNRO West Coast Region, Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Transport Canada, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada and the Capital Regional District – Juan de Fuca Electoral Area Planning.
“We wrote dozens of letters (to government) and we painted a clear picture of the development that’s going on here and how it could affect us,” Daniels said. “These rivers are our arteries; they feed us,” she continued.
But letters went unanswered or replies came several months later while development continued.
Pacheedaht followed up the tour with a letter to various representatives of federal, provincial and municipal governments imploring them to take Pacheedaht’s concerns and interests to heart when considering development applications in their territory.
Kristin Pearson delivered a presentation that briefly explained Pacheedaht’s treaty process and how recent development applications are infringing on their inherent rights and title. Pearson said Pacheedaht is being left out of the referral process, which examines all aspects of land and resource use.
The location of the marina is traditional fishing area used by the Pacheedaht for centuries. Chief Daniels questioned the need for such a massive marina in a small town that already has five marinas. “We live in a beautiful territory and I want to keep it that way – small and unpolluted,” said the chief.
Life-long resident Wayne Smith said he lives at Beach Camp and uses the beach daily. He loves his unobstructed view of Owen Point. “If this goes in I’m only going to be able to see a ginourmous pile of rocks and it’s not going to look pretty,” said Smith.
A young man in the audience said he and his friends were worried that the development would affect their surfing.
“Pardon my French, but where will the water come from and where will the poop go?” asked resident Dave Anderson.
One man said he arrived in Port Renfrew in 1972 as a logger. “People here feel like they’re losing control in the community; it’s the people who leave the lights on in the winter who are getting tired of it,” he said.
Pacheedaht Councillor Tracy Charlie said they want to be heard and they want their sites protected.
“There’s a hole in our system and I think it’s the CRD,” said another resident.
Long-time fishing guide and resort owner, Peter Hovey, said there is a need for more boat moorage and asked Daniels if it’s just a location issue.
Kristine Pearson answered by saying it is a lack of due process issue.
Pacheedaht Chief Treaty Negotiator and elder Marvin McClurg said he’s been in negotiations with the governments for 18 years. “It seems like it’s rammed down our throats – no consultation!” he said. “That location hits on everything of value to us,” he continued. Besides the importance of the burial caves and the fishing grounds, he pointed out that a vital source of revenue for Pacheedaht is their campground. “Who will want to use our beach if they had to look at that?” he asked.
“I’d support it if it were somewhere else, but where it is, it kills everything,” said McClurg.
In Ha-Shilth-Sa’s interview with Hicks, he explained that the existing 50-slip marina is legal; that it was once a company-owned log sort. “They (PGM) bought the foreshore lease and had a right to build a small marina,” said Hicks.
Hicks said the CRD issued PGM a three-year temporary permit to operate the marina. The permit expires this year, but there’s an option to extend it another three years.
According to Hicks, the real decision-making comes from the provincial government and once they’re satisfied that all the studies have been done and factors considered, they will decide whether or not to issue the foreshore lease. If the foreshore lease is granted, then it’s up to the CRD to consider PGM’s application for rezoning.
When asked what efforts he’s made to inform the residents of Port Renfrew about new development, Hicks answered, ‘none’.
“It’s not in our hands to do that; it’s in the hands of the provincial government,” said Hicks.
He went on to say that he respects Pacheedaht and gives them full marks for drawing people in to share information.
“All we want is to be treated with respect and we want to keep this a place to call home,” said Daniels.
Andrew Purdy, lead developer of PGM, thanked Chief Daniels for the opportunity to hear the concerns and allow him to address them. He said it was a good start.
Purdy said they have been in the process of applying for approvals and permits since 2012. “We’ve done exhaustive reports – some two or three times,” he said.
On the issue of the burial cave, he told Pacheedaht that he was willing to work with them to come up with a solution that works for them.
He said he welcomes questions and engagement. “We’d like to open the books and say how do we make a better economy?”
Purdy went on to say that they want harmony, good communication and they don’t want to create a war.
He said the necessary studies are completed and are favorable for the development of the project and are available online at http://www.pacificgatewaymarina.ca/.
Pacheedaht Fisheries Manager Helen Dunn-Jones could not attend the meeting, but contacted Ha-Shilth-Sa after this article was first published on the website, and she said “Pacheedaht has a multitude of under addressed questions and concerns about the potential adverse impacts of the proposed breakwater development.”
Everyone agreed that it would be good to have another meeting in a larger venue at a future date.
Many people in the room thanked Daniels for calling the meeting, which helped clear the air of rumors that are circulating.
Pacheedaht First Nation has about 268 registered members with just over 120 living on reserve. They have few resources when it comes to dealing with large and complex development plans that threaten their aboriginal rights, title and identity.
“We are a fishing nation; we rely on the salmon returning to the San Jaun River for our sustenance and it’s up to us to protect it for our children and for seven generations to come,” said Daniels.
