What’s Really Going On in Union Bay?
Concerned Citizens of Baynes Sound
We all live here, or near here, and we all care about this remarkable place we call Baynes Sound. It’s the sheltered waterway that supports half of British Columbia’s shellfish production, the largest herring run in the province, and an entire web of marine life that makes this coast what it is.
Recently, a company called Coastal Gateway Port Ltd., working with Union Bay Industries, announced plans for a massive “shipbuilding, repair, and recycling” project on the Union Bay waterfront. Their press release describes a development that would include ship repair, maintenance, dismantling, and even submarine construction for the U.S. government under the AUKUS defence partnership. The companies also mention plans for an additional 1,000 new homes to house workers and military service members.
However, the site being promoted no longer has legal marine access. The Province of British Columbia terminated the Crown water lease in July 2025 due to repeated non-compliance by Deep Water Recovery Ltd., a company affiliated with Union Bay Industries. Without that lease, no shipbuilding, repair, or marine work can legally take place there.
It’s also important to understand that Union Bay Industries and Union Bay Estates are separate companies. Union Bay Industries—led by Robert Bohn—is connected to the Coastal Gateway proposal. Union Bay Estates, on the other hand, is a large residential development formerly operated by Kensington Island Properties (KIP), which is now under court-ordered sale due to more than $100 million in debt. A receiver, MNP Ltd., was appointed in January 2025 to handle the sale, and the properties are currently listed on the market, with all development activity paused by the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) until further notice.
Meanwhile, CVRD Director Daniel Arbour told CHEK News that the regional district is not aware of any new initiative involving Coastal Gateway or Union Bay Industries. The K’ómoks and Tla’amin Nations have also confirmed that they have no knowledge of any project or partnership with these companies even though Coastal Gateway Port states they have local First Nations’ support.
CCOBS’s position is clear: industries such as shipbuilding, ship repair, and shipbreaking belong in deep-water, heavy industrial ports with proper regulatory oversight and environmental containment — not in Union Bay. The area being promoted is a shallow, sandy tidal beach that would require extensive dredging to support this type of industry — an action that would further harm sensitive marine habitats. Baynes Sound must be protected from heavy industrial development. It is the heart of the largest herring run in British Columbia and supports more than half of the province’s shellfish production.
Today, millions of dollars are being spent on the environmental reclamation of the area known as the “Coal Hills,” cleaning up the legacy of Union Bay’s early industrial past. Coastal Gateway Port often cites that same history of shipping and coal export in Union Bay as a reason to revive the shipping industry here — but that very history created one of the region’s worst environmental disasters. We need to learn from our past and ensure that Baynes Sound, this ecological treasure we all share, is protected for generations to come.
This is our Baynes Sound: beautiful, and worth protecting.
Very interesting and excellent article, thank you for posting this.