Vancouver Park Board to debate plebiscite on cetaceans at Vancouver Aquarium

The Vancouver Park Board will debate a proposal tonight to let the public have its say on keeping cetaceans in captivity at the Vancouver Aquarium.

The motion introduced by Commissioner Sarah Kirby-Yung requests that the City of Vancouver hold a plebiscite during the 2018 municipal election on keeping whales and other cetaceans at the aquarium.

The NPA commissioner first introduced her motion at a board meeting on Nov. 28, 2016, following the deaths of 30-year-old female beluga Aurora and her 21-year-old calf Qila. Necropsies have failed to reveal the cause of death for both whales.

Prompted by beluga deaths

"When you have a major event like this — the aquarium has sadly lost the last two belugas that they have — that's really time to take stock and think about what the aquarium of the future looks like," Kirby-Yung said. 

"As elected officials our job is to reflect the will of the people. This gives us an opportunity to find out how it is that people are feeling and then after the plebiscite then we would have to discuss strategies to move forward."

Kirby-Yung said park board commissioners have received many letters from the public over the past couple of days expressing "overwhelming support" for putting the question on the ballot.

The motion also calls for the board to request that the aquarium does not bring any more cetaceans into the facility until after the results of the plebiscite are received.

The park board leases land within Stanley Park to the Vancouver Aquarium.

Annelise Sorg, of the organization No Whales in Captivity, said she is "incredibly excited" that the park board will be discussing a possible plebiscite.  She said No Whales in Captivity has been urging the park board for over two decades to hold a referendum on cetaceans in captivity .

"It's time to stop the performances, it's time to stop the breeding," she said.

Debate frozen after last election​

The breeding of whales and dolphins at the aquarium was nearly banned by the park board in 2014 — but the aquarium filed a petition in B.C, Supreme Court challenging the decision, arguing it interfered with the day-to-day operation of its business.

However the ban never came into effect because the Vision Vancouver-controlled board never passed the bylaw. Then when the Non-Partisan Association took control of the park board after the November 2014 municipal election, it chose not to enact the proposed ban or reopen the discussion. 

In 2014 Vancouver City Councillor Adriane Carr introduced a motion for council to put a similar plebiscite question on the ballot for the municipal elections later that year. 

City council voted nine to one to defeat the motion, largely over concerns that the move would mean stepping on the jurisdiction of the park board. 

With files from Farrah Merali and Justin McElroy