Dismantling: the saga of the “Kathryn Spirit” continues to Beauharnois

Photo archives Le Journal de Montréal, Ben Pelosse
In recent months, the vessel is increased from 11 to 18 degrees of tilt.

QMI agency

Thursday, 27 July 2017 20:12

UPDATE
Thursday, 27 July 2017 20:21

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BEAUHARNOIS | Failed to Beauharnois, in Montérégie, in the ship “Kathryn Spirit” continues to deteriorate, no one wants to deal with it. And its content has what scare many.

A document tells us more about the risks posed by the “Kathryn Spirit”, a ship that rust and tilts dangerously. In recent months, the vessel is increased from 11 to 18 degrees of tilt.

We knew that the “Kathryn Spirit” represented an environmental threat, but never to this point. The statement of work consulted by TVA News reveals the list of hazardous materials onboard: asbestos, PCBS, chemicals, cleaning agents, oils and fats.

But this is not all: the government also says that the ship contains potentially radioactive materials, lead, mercury, cadmium, or chromium.

What is shocking, however, still more the people of the region, it is to remember the words of Marc Garneau, the federal minister of Transport, who was present last fall at Beauharnois, and had said: “the dismantling of The ship will be completed in June 2017.

July is about to end and the ship is still there. In fact, the date of his removal has been pushed back to 2019. That would mean that the new Champlain bridge will be inaugurated even before the work of dismantling the “Kathryn Spirit” are completed.

“It drags on”

“It should be long gone. Yes, it drags on,” said Thursday a man on a tone resigned.

“The government sleeps”, has launched a woman, who deplores the lack of support by the authorities. It’s been too long that it drags.”

The people in the city are exasperated and local elected officials also.

“The more it goes, the more it deteriorates, and with that, there’s still sediment that flow out of the boat and it goes in the water. And this water, it is certain that she is now preserved, but that does not mean that there are no leaks that will do”, stressed the deputy mayor of Beauharnois, Gaétan Dagenais, who admits to being very disappointed with the response of the Trudeau government in this folder.

However, the cofferdam, which has cost $ 8 million to develop to surround the ship, is not even waterproof and it is important to know that the water intake of the city of Montreal is located 20 kilometers from the place where the vessel is failed.

Dismantling

What company will agree to dismantle this ship with all the risks involved in such an operation?

Following audits, VAT News has learned that during a site visit, a few days ago, 17 companies are presented in order to see what it was returning. And until now, no submissions were filed.

Not surprisingly, the government has pushed back the closing date of the tender.

– According to a report from Maxime Landry VAT New