Rebuilding after the devastating fire that consumed the Mossom Creek Hatchery will be a monumental task.
But dealing with the permit process should be a lot simpler for the Burrard Inlet Marine Enhancement Society that operates the hatchery. Port Moody council agreed Tuesday night to waive the $14,095 in fees that would normally be required to allow for the reconstruction.
"If we can waive $14,000 in fees - which are not necessarily cost-based, you know it doesn't necessarily cost us $14,000 - and they're going to build a $200,000 hatchery and they're going to run programs and they're going to use volunteers, that's a great investment for the taxpayers of Port Moody," said Mayor Mike Clay.
The hatchery was completely wiped out by fire Dec. 11, 2013 and council has already committed $10,000 to assist in the reconstruction.
"If we didn't have a group out there running the hatchery, we'd probably be probably having to run a hatchery," said Clay. "We're a port city, we're on the water, we have these fish-bearing streams. Ecologically they're important, educationally they're important, they're important for us to stay attached to our roots and our heritage and the water."
