Derelict Viki Lyne II removed from Ladysmith harbour

A derelict boat that was threatening the harbour in Ladysmith, B.C. has finally been removed.

Residents of the Vancouver Island communityhave longdemandedthefederal governmentdeal with theViki LyneII.

The 33-meter vessel was abandoned near Dunsmuir Islands, about a two minute boat ride from Ladysmith, sometime before 2012.Transport Canada eventually towed the decaying boatinto Ladysmith's harbour where it remained.

"Obviously, derelict boats and abandoned vessels have been a challenge for coastal communities for quite some time," said Ladysmith Mayor Aaron Stone.

"The VikiLyne II was sort of the mostegregious example of how it can become a real challenge for smaller communities, especially along the coast, to deal with."

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Over the years, the Canadian Coast Guard pumped tens of thousands of litres of contaminantsout of the ship, but residents worried the vessel would still foul the harbour if it sank.

In July, Fisheries and Oceans Canada tendered a contract to remove and scrap the vessel. It was towed from Ladysmith on Thursday and will be dismantled in nearbyNanaimo.

"The previous federal government just had absolutely no response to our pleas for help and action," Stone said.

"To have that removed today shows, to give credit where credit is due, definitely a new level of collaboration and response from the federal government."

While the removal of the Viki Lynn II comes as a relief for Ladysmith, the length of time it took to deal with the situation shows the need for stronger legislation, saidSheila Malcolmson, the New Democrat MP for Nanaimo-Ladysmith.

Malcolmsonhas proposed a billthat would give the Coast Guard more authority to deal with abandoned vessels.

"This was a great win for the community, but there's so much more to do on abandoned vessels,"Malcolmson said. "Winning on this one doesn't mean that we don't have hundreds and hundreds of other vessels waiting."

The private-members billwill be debated in Parliament next year.

With files from Ash Kelly