As the last pieces of the MV Miner shipwreck are removed from the shoreline of Cape Breton’s Scatarie Island, a community group and the Nova Scotia government are still hoping the federal government will help foot the bill.
The vessel ran aground in September 2011 after a tow line snapped in rough seas in transit to Turkey.
“I’ll be happy to see it gone, absolutely,” says fisherman Ian Forgeron. “As long as fishing along that area continues to be good and there’s no damage done to that fishing area, which many people fish in, then I’ll be happy. It’s a success in that way.”
Nova Scotia Transportation Minister Geoff MacLellan says the last piece of the ship should be removed from the island Friday.
“The final of the four engines will be removed by today and then divers will scan the debris field to see what’s under the water,” says MacLellan. “They didn’t anticipate a whole lot of debris from the wreck.”
The Community Development Association has been lobbying to have the shipwreck removed for over three years. As the final step nears completion, member Sean Howard says Ottawa should step up and chip in with the bill, which is expecting to top $12 million.
“We’re not jubilant because it’s a lot of money and it’s outrageous that it’s all falling on the shoulders of the Nova Scotia government when it was a federal problem,” says Howard. “And we remain dismayed at the dismal performance by the federal government from the beginning of this.”
Federal Transportation Minister Lisa Raitt has said her department will not help with the cleanup cost.
“There hasn’t been additional funds given to RJ MacIsaac,” says MacLellan. “They’re doing the final tally on what the additional costs are going to be because of the delay and extra equipment required to remove those contaminants so once they get that number it will be a direct transfer for us to the federal government to have those negotiations.”
No matter how the cost is covered, local lobster fisherman say removing the wreck from Scatarie Island is a good way to start the fishing season in eastern Cape Breton.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Kyle Moore
