Well, the Vancouver situation does need a bit more clairification, since this thread is being started in relation to a discussion the OP and I were having in a previous thread. I'm seeing a fair number of misconceptions about Vancouver liveaboard in this thread.
I would be happy to pay to live-aboard at a mooring, or even a reasonable amount at a slip, but the city currently does not allow this, except in a few grandfathered spots in a couple of marinas, where the marinas charge an extra premium, and then the city charges the equivalent to property taxes on top of that.
my Non-liveaboard slip fee for the year for my Alberg 30 is about 8000$ due every April first, and I have to lease a full year every year, so if I were cruising I'd still pay.
1. False creek, which is basically a wide inlet, not a river or creek allows you to anchor outside of the navigation channel for 14 out of 30 days in the summer, and 21 days every 40 in the winter.
There is no provision for moving, leaving briefly to ensure a boat is still under power etc.
The only other anchorage option near the city have a lee shore, and nasty winds.
Ironically, the city looks the other way on the 2-3 derelict and very unsafe boats that anchor in False Creek, but enforce the regulations very seriously against people who have mobile, and potentially safe boats, as they therefore should be able to afford the thousands of dollars to get a slip to store the boat, and pay rent on top.
2. We have NO MOORINGS in the area. None whatsoever, except for a couple private ones for wealthy people with large waterfront properties.
No mooring field, no paid moorings, can't put your own out and pay a fee etc which I would happily do.
3. Out of the marinas in Vancouver, only two still allow liveaboards, and they limit it almost entirely to people who already live there. The only one which is mostly liveaboard has a 25 YEAR waitlist, and a buy in of 55, 000$ plus 5$/ft per month.
You can liveaboard at some private slips as well, but they cost 200, 000$ to buy and up plus 12$/ft per month on top.
4. The marinas where one cannot liveaboard are still expensive, I pay 20$/ft per month plus taxes and security fees, works out to about 8000$ a year for my Alberg 30, and requires a one year lease, and payment up front April 1st(no credit cards allowed either). I couldn't have found a slip for any bigger boat, I got it because I have a narrow beam so I can just fit.
Most of these marinas have 2-3 year waitlists, do not allow liveaboard, and have rampant theft problems, I know of 2 thefts in the last couple months within the 4 boats on the end of the dock with me.
5. There are many pump out stations around, they already charge. We pay 5$ per press of the button(not a full suck out of the tank) takes 10$+tip to drain my holding tank. The marinas do not provide pump out facilities, so I have to leave my slip and motor over just as I would need to if I were anchored out.
6. It is already law to have a holding tank here, we've been very busy installing them for customers where I work.
EDIT:
I wonder if something like a local cruising permit would work? A permit for a set amount of time for a reasonable fee, covering a large coastal area. As a boater, I would have little issue with that. That might be something a harbormaster could keep track of pretty easily and would limit permanent derelicts. Once your time was up, you would have to move on, prove you were a legitimate transient visitor to renew, or the boat could be legally removed. It seems the problem with getting rid of derelicts is usually the legality, tracking down owners, etc. This is true for boatyard owners who get stuck with abandoned boats and have no way to either destroy them or sell them
Not really an issue here, for example the boatyard where I work which has the marina where my boat is currently tied up charges quite a lot. Just to store my mast alone on the hard would cost me 30$/day. There are no true derelict boats near the city that I've seen, unsafe and questionable ones cetainly. Also, with the winds here even occupied boats wash up ashore, then the city comes after 48 hrs to crush and remove the boat.
They are very good at getting rid of derelict boats, just not at providing any way for people who want to live aboard safetly and honestly.