(Photo © Cheryl Onciul-Georgia Strait Alliance)
The Victoria International Marina in Victoria, British Columbia, recently received the top rating from Georgia Strait Alliance’s Clean Marine BC program. The Clean Marine BC program was designed by the Georgia Strait Alliance as a program for marinas, shipyards, yacht clubs, and harbor authorities to voluntarily join and receive recognition for their environmental efforts. The Alliance works to improve environmental best practices and reduce the impact of recreational boating on the Strait of Georgia.
Craig Norris, CEO of the Victoria International Marina, says; “Having Environmental Science as my degree and life’s work, I am privileged to represent an ownership group that allowed our team to do the right thing from the beginning. Recognition by Clean Marine BC is an honour, a milestone, and a feather that will be proudly displayed in our caps.” The marina earned its five-anchor rating through their excellence in environmental practices. These practices include everything from installing LED dock lighting with photocells to sponsoring reef balls, transplanting eelgrass, and supporting local ecotourism.
“We know that how we run our operations can minimize the impact that our facility has on the environment and on the water around us. This is important to us and it’s important to our clients. From the ground up, and from the docks and beyond, we weave an environmental perspective into all aspects of our business operations,” said Steve Sinclair, director of operations at the marina.
Other onsite features that led to the perfect rating include docks constructed from steel pilings and not creosote-soaked logs, a pump-out facility with access from all dock areas, docks made from encapsulated concrete, and a clubhouse fireplace fueled with bioethanol. “It’s wonderful to see that Victoria International Marina made minimal disturbance to the environment a priority from the onset,” said Christianne Wilhelmson, executive director of Georgia Strait Alliance. “The facility’s commitment is evident by its remarkable achievement of receiving the top-anchor rating in Clean Marine BC.”
