VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Vancouver city council is drafting a letter that will be sent to the Prime Minister’s office, demanding the federal government reverse its decision to close the Coast Guard base in Kitsilano.

The letter will also be sent to local MPs, municipalities, and organizations concerned about safety on the water.

A report by city staff says safety will be put at risk if the base closes because there are ‘gaps’ in the federal government’s plans to keep local waters safe.

The base at Sea Island in Richmond will be responsible for handling all marine calls when the Kits base closes. The report says that will nearly double the call volume at the surviving base, and staff there will be covering a very large region.

“I think this speaks to a huge concern that we have,” says Mayor Gregor Robertson. “If there is a gap here, as some reports we’ve seen in recent weeks state, there will be lives lost.”

“There’s a high risk of loss of life,” he adds.

He’s concerned not just for the loss of the base, but for the loss of resources and manpower.

“And when you outline these numbers — 25 per cent drop in staffing, a 33 per cent drop in the number of boats, an increase of 120 per cent or so for the Sea Island Coast Guard base with the calls they have to respond to — it doesn’t add up,” says Robertson.

“This looks like a potential disaster in our waters here off Vancouver.”

Several other council members also said it’s ‘a matter of time’ before someone dies, if the Kits base closes.

No date has been given for the closure, though the city’s Deputy Manager believes it will happen in the spring next year.