MV Miner finally removed from Cape Breton's Scaterie Island
Transportation Minister Geoff MacLellan says final cost being tallied and federal government should help pay
The last piece of the ill-fated MV Miner has been removed from Cape Breton's Scaterie Island.
The bulk carrier ran aground on the shores of Scaterie Island off Cape Breton in September of 2011. The ship was being towed from Montreal to Turkey to be cut up for scrap when the tow line snapped.
Roughly 30 tonnes of asbestos was removed during the salvage. Transportation Minister Geoff MacLellan said in a news release the wreck would have damaged lucractive fishing grounds had it been left to erode.
Federal authorities originally estimated the ship was only carrying six tonnes of asbestos. Workers also discovered fuel on board and that also slowed operations and drove up costs.
MacLellan said in April he expected the costs of the cleanup to be at least $2 million higher than the $12 million budgeted for the work. On Monday he said the final cost is still being calculated and stressed the federal government should be helping with the additional costs.
Although the ship is gone, the project continues. The next step is to tear down the the temporary camp and jetty built for the project.
The province says the contractor will work around fishing season to get that done.