3308 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

Seaspon got a shore power connection courtesy of the taxpayer up at its Swartz Bay facility:

 

"Seaspan Ferries Corporation will be installing shore power at the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal thanks to funding from the Government of Canada through the Shore Power Technology for Ports Program." https://www.seaspan....-ferry-terminal

 

The article goes on to say Seaspan will save $45,000 per year thanks to this taxpayer-funded initiative.

[aastra]

Need I again mention:

 

 

...a $10-million cooperative initiative among the Government of Canada, the Province of Nova Scotia and the Port of Halifax.

Transport Canada will contribute up to $5 million to the project. The Province of Nova Scotia and the Port of Halifax will each contribute an additional $2.5 million.

[Mike K.]

Apparently they feel that providing shore power is in their best interest, and the Harper government agreed.

[aastra]

 

Right or wrong makes no difference - its the way of the climate crises.  Full stop. 

 

For sure. Remind me, when does the program start re: increasing residential density downtown and in James Bay, etc.? You know, to address the climate crisis? That "full stop" thing, remember that?

 

For **** sake, in 2019 you can't even build on surface parking lots in James Bay, and yet Victorians have the audacity to claim they care one bit about the environment? It's all so incredibly political and false. The slime just drips off.

 

To say the response to the climate crisis and environmental issues generally has been inconsistent would be putting it so mildly you wouldn't even be able to taste it.

 

edit: "drips off", not "drops off"

Edited by aastra, 21 October 2019 - 08:56 AM.

[Greg]

I imagine it would be cheaper for the Cruise Lines to contribute to the cost of installing shore power than it would be to add the additional sailing time to Nanaimo and back. And it probably increases the amount of time they need a Canadian harbour pilot as well?

[Mike K.]

It’s actually a shorter sailing distance, is it not? Or maybe not, now that I look at the map.

[aastra]

I feel like Victorians are going to be playing these games forever. Commuter rail would be great, let's discuss it for a lifetime but never actually accomplish anything. Efficient land use would be great, let's discuss it for a lifetime but never actually accomplish anything.

 

The shore power issue seems to be going in the same direction. Drench it in politics and faux idealism and drag the process out for years or decades, rather than just coming up with a plan and proceeding as other ports have done.

[Mike K.]

Can’t do that. We can’t have the taxpayer subsidize an industry officialdom decided last weekend it needs to curtail.

[Mike K.]

The prior weekend we decided horse drawn carriages were also bad, remember?

[VIResident]

For sure. Remind me, when does the program start re: increasing residential density downtown and in James Bay, etc.? You know, to address the climate crisis? That "full stop" thing, remember that?

 

For **** sake, in 2019 you can't even build on surface parking lots in James Bay, and yet Victorians have the audacity to claim they care one bit about the environment? It's all so incredibly political and false. The slime just drips off.

 

To say the response to the climate crisis and environmental issues generally has been inconsistent would be putting it so mildly you wouldn't even be able to taste it.

 

edit: "drips off", not "drops off"

I agree 100%! This has zero to do with environ - zip, nadda, zilch.  Its all about PR, appearances and at some point proof. Knowing that (we are all smart, we all know that right?) . The well-paid GVHA board should have: 1.  Thanked City of Victoria for its comments and opportunity to present its current report etc. etc.  2.  Not hired the PR firm that is now shifting the target from GVHA to the City of Victoria, and trotting out small businesses as victims. 3.  GVHA should have put its arms around Chamber, James Bay, Business Assoc. Residents Assoc.  Cruise Ship industry etc. etc. and announced the 'plan'.  The plan could have been ISO environ measurement standards etc.  It makes no difference if this is a positive for environment, what matters is a positive for PR.  Full stop. 

[aastra]

I just get tired of the selectivity of the idealism. I'm reminded of all of that posturing re: driving downtown and supposed environmental concerns. The very same environmentalist who's super keen on restricting vehicle traffic downtown has no problem piling in the SUV and shopping at the malls. The malls are never even mentioned.

 

Anyway, I'll be optimistic and hope this noise is just officialdom's way of greasing the skids for a shore power plan.

[VIResident]

I just get tired of the selectivity of the idealism. I'm reminded of all of that posturing re: driving downtown and supposed environmental concerns. The very same environmentalist who's super keen on restricting vehicle traffic downtown has no problem piling in the SUV and shopping at the malls. The malls are never even mentioned.

 

Anyway, I'll be optimistic and hope this noise is just officialdom's way of greasing the skids for a shore power plan.

Buckle up Aastra the harbour, all the boats moored there, the visiting boats are next on the list. 

[Mike K.]

State pensions for everyone!

[Nparker]

...Drench it in politics and faux idealism and drag the process out for years or decades...

Ack!  You've discovered the CRD's modus operandi and stated it publicly. Be expecting a knock at your door any time now...

[Stephen James]

Apparently they feel that providing shore power is in their best interest, and the Harper government agreed.

didn't vote for him for this and many reasons.  conservatives are not conservative any more.  handouts to industry have destroyed their credibility, not to mention their overt willingness to "pay the piper".

[Stephen James]

didn't vote for him for this and many reasons.  conservatives are not conservative any more.  handouts to industry have destroyed their credibility, not to mention their overt willingness to "pay the piper".

 

I feel like Victorians are going to be playing these games forever. Commuter rail would be great, let's discuss it for a lifetime but never actually accomplish anything. Efficient land use would be great, let's discuss it for a lifetime but never actually accomplish anything.

 

The shore power issue seems to be going in the same direction. Drench it in politics and faux idealism and drag the process out for years or decades, rather than just coming up with a plan and proceeding as other ports have done.

Exactly.  This is no more complicated than the beer truck having to stop idling. The only difference is we're trying to get a huge, badly-behaving, very profitable industry to do the right thing.  It's embarrassing that we act like we're being held hostage and any government that caves is shameful.  The fact they hire PR firms is indication enough of their intention for goodness sake.   Helps has written a letter already indicating she does not support the use of taxpayer funds as a hand-out to the cruise industry.  She's right.

[Mike K.]

Did Norco and Giant pay for Victoria’s bike lanes?

If a community wants an industry, it needs to provide the infrastructure. If Victoria doesn’t want to pay for infrastructure, it won’t have an industry. State pensions for all!

[VIResident]

COV should simply put business owners, NGO's etc. on notice : if you are a business using animals, fossil fuels, plastics, landfill, and so on you'd best have a plan in place that demonstrates you are heading towards sustainability because we, the COV will be coming for that plan in the very near future.  Pretty simple folks.   

(Perhaps with the small business assistance re: setting up in Victoria etc., they, the City, could also provide businesses assistance in developing these sustainable plans). 

Edited by VIResident, 21 October 2019 - 12:59 PM.

[LJ]

Don't need shore power, first start with hydrogen generators for shore power, eventually power the whole voyage.

I have a friend who is an engineer in California working on hydrogen power for trucks, boats etc. It's very doable.

 

https://blog.ballard...-marine-vessels

[Stephen James]

I agree 100%! This has zero to do with environ - zip, nadda, zilch.  Its all about PR, appearances and at some point proof. Knowing that (we are all smart, we all know that right?) . The well-paid GVHA board should have: 1.  Thanked City of Victoria for its comments and opportunity to present its current report etc. etc.  2.  Not hired the PR firm that is now shifting the target from GVHA to the City of Victoria, and trotting out small businesses as victims. 3.  GVHA should have put its arms around Chamber, James Bay, Business Assoc. Residents Assoc.  Cruise Ship industry etc. etc. and announced the 'plan'.  The plan could have been ISO environ measurement standards etc.  It makes no difference if this is a positive for environment, what matters is a positive for PR.  Full stop. 

Its about common sense.  

Is a handout to one of the most profitable industries in the world common sense?  Exactly what kind of political thinking is this?  It's certainly not free-market, conservative capitalism.  Handouts like this are far more left leaning, if anything.

I'm seeing the same hypocrisy in this thread... if we claim a free-market is the more efficient, how do we explain being held hostage by this very profitable, environmental criminal of an industry?  

 

I'm a capitalist and this is not capitalism, it's cronyism and no way with my money.