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Port Edward Harbour Authority turns down floating lodge accommodation proposal

While the Port Edward Harbour Authority is not willing to let people stay in docked lodges as a possible housing solution.
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Lodges docked in Port Edward during the off-season will not be permitted to house workers or other tenants.

While the Port Edward Harbour Authority is all in favour of large fishing and work lodges docking on the North Coast during the fall and winter, it is not willing to let people stay in them as a possible housing solution.

The harbour authority was asked by council to weigh in on a request from Clayton Vanier, one of the owners of the Haa-Nee-Naa Lodge, to offer offseason accommodation during the fall and winter months. After looking at what allowing people to live in the docked lodges would entail, the authority decided it simply wasn't a goodidea.

"At this time the board of directors decided that the liability for the Harbour Authority and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Small Craft Harbour, was greater than the potential benefits. Therefore, it is prohibited to allow the use of harbour authority property by owners who offseason moor lodge vessels in the harbour lot to provide accommodation or lodging to guests on those vessels in the harbour authority water lot," wrote Port Edward Harbour Authority general manager Keri Wieck in a letter to council.

"I can confirm that the issue has been addressed in finality by the board of directors."

Although spurring some discussion in chambers, with Coun. Dan Franzen and Christine MacKenzie vocally supportive of the harbour authority's stance, council took no further action on the matter.

"I don't want to see our harbour be stuffed up with garbage where anything with a bedroom can be considered lodging ... you will open a can of worms if this is allowed and it will be horrible, I can tell you that," said Franzen.

"If you let this person set up lodging, what is to stop someone from pulling up a houseboat and renting rooms? What is to stop everyone from doing it? Nothing," addedMacKenzie.