Project Title:

Deep Bay Harbour Expansion

Project Organization:

Harbour Authority of Deep Bay

Project Investment:

  • Island Coastal Economic Trust: $88,918
  • Harbour Authority of Deep Bay: $208,199
  • BC Ministry of Social Development - Community Fisheries Development: $130,312
  • DFO - Small Craft Harbours: $20,000
  • Total Budget: $447,429

Project Highlight:

The anticipated job creation from increased shellfish product is 25 new full-time jobs in a nearby processing facility and 15 new full-time jobs on Baynes Sound shellfish farms.

The BC Shellfish Growers Association estimates that 60% of the BC shellfish harvest comes from the waters of Baynes Sound and demand for product from the area continues to rise. In addition, marine tourism is experiencing high regional growth, and the need for moorage exceeds the available number of transient moorage spots. As a result, the Deep Bay Marina was overcrowded with aquaculture boats, commercial fishing vessels and seasonal recreational boaters competing for harbour access and dock space. This made it difficult to expand shellfish aquaculture activity — an important industry for the local economy providing jobs previously filled by salmon fishing and forestry in the area.

Local shellfish aquaculturists use the harbour for loading and unloading their product, and need easy access to both the water and docks. To improve access to the marina, the Deep Bay Harbour Upgrade and Expansion Project added approximately 500 linear feet of additional dock. To accommodate a redesign of the harbour facility, one dock was disconnected and turned, while three others were extended to make four very long fingers. This new layout added room for approximately 60 new boats.

Completed May 2013, the updated and expanded Deep Bay Marina public harbour facility supports the success of current aquaculture operations and provides room to grow as demand for locally-grown shellfish continues to increase. In addition, the expansion adds capacity to accommodate transient recreational boaters during the busy summer season.

Island Coastal Economic Trust funded this project on 2013 through the Capital and Innovation program.