Category Archive

GAFA members met recently for the first time after Chris Straw’s sudden death. The Zoom meeting began with quiet greetings, all of us knowing how deeply the tragedy of Chris’ passing has impacted everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. At first, no one knew quite how to talk about Chris and the deep loss we felt. Then one … Read More

The conversation around freighter anchorages in the Southern Gulf Islands is getting more attention. Recent coverage from CBC and attention from local politicians and celebrities has led to a rise in interest and letters submitted but we need your voice. The No Freighter Anchorages website features an easy way to tell the federal ministers who are responsible to put the … Read More

The voices of community groups alarmed with the onslaught of bulk cargo ships anchoring throughout the Southern Gulf Islands just got louder. The South Coast Ship Watch Alliance includes Gabriolans Against Freighter Anchorages society (GAFA) and other groups from Cowichan Bay, Ladysmith, Thetis Island and Plumper Sound, which lies between Mayne, Saturna and Pender Islands. They plan to use a … Read More

It’s hard to believe but it was exactly 4 years ago this week that Gabriolans learned, through the Sounder, about the plan for five freighter anchorages along the NE shores of Gabriola. The joint industry and government proposal was to allow bulk cargo freighters up to 300 metres long to anchor in the lee of the Island while waiting to load coal or grain in the Port of Vancouver. Thanks in large part to push back from Gabriola residents those anchorages have not yet been established.  Unfortunately, … Read More

Join GAFA on Saturday March 23rd from 2-4pm at the Community Hall for an update.

Cancellation of a proposed $15 million coal transfer facility in the mouth of the Fraser River was met with cautious optimism by Gabriola residents. But the shutdown doesn’t remove the threat of 5 proposed freighter anchorages off Gabriola’s NE coast. On January 30th, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority withdrew a permit for Fraser Surrey Docks to expandVancouver’s capacity to load U.S. thermal coal onto freighters bound for Asian markets. The project was cancelled after Fraser Surrey Docks failed to show substantial progress on a number of … Read More