BC

Photo: Contributed

Help save Kits Coast Guard Station - rally this coming Saturday - 11 A.M. at 1300 Discovery St, Vancouver.

B.C. Premier Christy Clark has slammed Ottawa for its decision to close the Kitsilano Coast Guard station, saying the decision was disappointing and could put the lives of British Columbians at risk.

Clark posted a comment on YouTube saying the new inshore rescue boat in Stanley Park still leaves Vancouver with a dangerous drop in service.

The federal government announced last summer it would close the station as part of its cost-cutting plans, but despite heated opposition, the government maintains safety will not be compromised.

Earlier this month, Randy Kamp, the parliamentary secretary for Fisheries and Oceans, announced a three-person inshore rescue team will set up in Stanley Park to offer around-the-clock service during the peak boating season.

But Clark says in the video she has asked Ottawa to reconsider the closure of the base, which is in her riding.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson is also fighting to keep the base open.