A man described as a squatter by the Tofino Harbour Authority says he has paid monthly rental invoices to keep his float home at a dock known as the Crab Dock from 2012 until this fall.
Marcel Theriault’s power was cut off a week ago and a $500 non-compliance fine was imposed by the authority for remaining at the dock.
The authority and Theriault, who did not want to disclose what he’s been paying in rent, are in a dispute over his presence at the Crab Dock, one of the facilities managed by the harbour authority.
“I don’t know why they’re doing any of this,” said Theriault. He said he received a trespass notice in July and was ordered to leave immediately, but has not left. He said he intends to pay the fine.
He had previously been under a year-to-year sub-lease with the harbour authority on the final 16 feet of the dock, and had submitted an application to run a marine services business, he said.
During the pandemic, however, the dock lease was not renewed, although Theriault said he continued to pay monthly invoices. “I was always happy to pay for what I was receiving.”
Harbour authority officials are difficult to communicate with but have made it clear they do not want to renew the sub-lease, he said.
The Tofino Harbour Authority office has been closed for about a month as it upgrades security at its facilities, including installing gates that are locked at night.
Theriault said he hasn’t been given time to relocate, noting any move requires a spot where he can anchor his float home.
He also has other vessels attached in a linear path to the float home and has a barge moored at another location, not connected with the harbour authority.
The tenancy issue was first raised a couple of years ago, he said.
Theriault said he and wife Joanna Streetly have largely raised their daughter in the float home, which is fitted with a heat pump that was installed several years ago for $7,000.
The upgrade in power needed to operate the pump happened legally under previous authority management, he said.
Now that their power has been cut off, the family has been running a generator for four hours a night, Theriault said.
Tim Stevenson, who has a freight and crane company in Tofino, said he has known Theriault for many years. He said Theriault is someone mariners call on when they need assistance.
Theriault is “super-talented” and resourceful, and has been involved in vessel-inspection work, dock installations, refloating vessels and helping to contain pollution, Stevenson said.
The crab dock “has kind of been a long-term moorage spot for a number of years,” said Stevenson, who disagrees with the harbour authority’s take on Theriault’s situation.
“He’s always been paying his bills to the harbour [authority] as both a commercial entity and as an individual.”
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