The McBarge, once an iconic attraction during Vancouver’s Expo ’86, is sinking into the Fraser River.
“THE MCBARGE HAS CAPSIZED. I REPEAT, THE MCBARGE HAS CAPSIZED,” read a tweet from Joey Pitt.
Pitt also shared a photo of the capsized McBarge:
BREAKING NEWS
THE MCBARGE HAS CAPSIZED. I REPEAT, THE MCBARGE HAS CAPSIZED
cc: @j_mcelroy pic.twitter.com/FEiglgDUJz
ā Joey Pitt ššØ (@_JoeyPitt) March 26, 2025
In response to the sinking of the barge, the B.C. Ministry of Environment told Daily Hive that the health of the environment is paramount.
“The ministry is aware of the vessel’s status. The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) previously referred the vessel to Transport Canada Navigation Protection Program for their assessment. TC has been updated on the new status of the Seaborne II,” it added.
Thankfully, according to a 2023 assessment, no pollutants are on board.
“Transport Canada is the lead regulator at this time, and we will continue to monitor the status,” the ministry said.
The 157-foot-long barge was once home to a McDonald’s, hence the nickname McBarge. While it lived in the Burrard Inlet for many years, it was eventually moved to Maple Ridge in 2015.
In 2020, it was poised to make a comeback as a seafood restaurant, but those plans did not come to fruition.
In 2021, Daily Hive Urbanized reported on a documentary that took viewers on a tour inside the vessel ahead of the planned comeback.
Daily Hive has contacted the Canadian Coast Guard for more information.