Mosquito Creek Marina to allow residents to stay after mass eviction notice

After more than 400 boat owners at a North Vancouver marina were informed they had to leave by May 31 next year, the owner of Mosquito Creek Marina now says its current full-time residents will be able to stay.

In an eviction notice sent to Mosquito Creek Marina members on Tuesday, the owner of the marina — Nch’ḵay̓ Development Corporation — claimed it’s permanently closing a number of docks due to safety issues.

“The state of these docks has deteriorated such that critical repairs, which will begin immediately, are needed to stabilize them for the winter,” the notice to the marina’s tenants said.

“We regret to inform you that while we will implement actions to mitigate any imminent safety hazards, we will also need to permanently close the Marina docks (as described above) in the future and to develop extensive rehabilitation or redevelopment plans for our Marina,” it continued.

However, late Thursday night, Nch’ḵay̓ released a statement back-peddling on the mass eviction, sharing that in response to “new information” about people residing on their boats or in boat sheds on a full-time basis, “we can assure these residents that they will not find themselves without a place to live come May 31st, 2024. That is our commitment to all full-time residents of Mosquito Creek Marina.”

The marina’s owner says it had initially decided to close the docks after the “findings and recommendations” of an independent condition assessment.

“We understand that this news is having a significant impact on the community at Mosquito Creek Marina. We now have a more fulsome understanding of the reliance many community members have on the docks for their primary housing, and the full impact of this notice on those residing on boats and in boat sheds at Mosquito Creek,” Nch’ḵay̓ said Thursday

Nch’ḵay̓ says that while it’s “unsure” of the options available to its full-time residents, it will be working with them directly to explore “viable options for their homes.”

Speaking to CityNews Wednesday, a co-owner of a boat moored at the marina shared how “distressing” it was for tenants to receive the notice.

“It’s distressing for myself, because we have this expensive boat that we have put so much of our financial capacity into. But it’s only a fraction of the distress that a lot of people who are actually living at the marina will be feeling at the moment,” Charlie Bell said at the time.

Bell said he was particularly upset for people who live on their boats full-time due to the Lower Mainland’s lack of affordable housing.