It just might all be over.
The Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia (ARSBC) announced Thursday that the Federal Court upheld the disposal at sea permit and lifted the Court injunction that was previously put in place.
A Federal Court hearing was held on February 25 and 26, between Environment Canada and the Save Halkett Bay Marine Park Society.
The society argued Environment Canada should not have issued ARSBC a disposal at sea permit to sink the former warship back in October 2014, due to toxic paint it said still existed on the hull of the ship.
The permit authorizes the ARSBC to sink the Annapolis at Halkett Bay as was originally planned for Jan. 17.
“We are thrilled with the outcome, and we look forward to completing the project,” said Rick Wall, director of the artificial reef society.
No word on when the group plans to sink the ship, which is currently bobbing in Long Bay off Gambier Island.
The lawyer for the Save Halkett Bay Society said he doesn’t comment on judgments, but he said the process had been long and expensive for his clients.
Gary MacDonald, of the Save Halkett Bay Society said they are still worried about the paint on the ship, which he said their tests showed was toxic.
“We're puzzled about why the court wouldn't have ruled conservatively in favour of human and environmental health,” he said.
“In theory we could appeal. But we won't.”
There is still a pending appeal that relates to Wesley Roots of W.R. Marine Services, the company that supplied the ARSBC with the funding to pay for the Annapolis's moorage fees and many operational services. Roots says he is owed close to $100,000 and is appealing the lifting of an “arrest” (like a lien on a car) that was lifted in November.
