The Ladysmith Maritime Society is looking for a new home after their supreme court injunction was denied last week.
LMS was hoping to challenge a water lot lease transfer that would see them evicted from the site on December 31st, 2023. The transfer is part of an agreement between Stz’uminus First Nation and the province to lease the water lot to their development company.
Stz’uminus First Nation’s Chief, John Elliot said during his deposition that any delay in the transfer would be “an enormous setback to reconciliation efforts” and that their members have been waiting decades for the return of the lands in Oyster Bay.
Throughout last year LMS protested the lease transfer and in a statement LMS president Marnie Craig says that the society remains optimistic considering this setback.
Stz’uminus First Nation will continue to operate the Marina after the transition and according to the court documents public access is not at stake. The judge did note that there has been some suggestion that moorage rates will increase under the new regime.
Meantime the society is relocating its collection of artifacts and seeking new moorage for its floating assets.
