Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
Duncan Wilson, Vice President, Environment, Community and
Government Affairs
May 14, 2020
Roberts Bank Terminal 2
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
• Project overview
• Environmental assessment process
• Federal Review Panel Report
• Consultation with Indigenous groups
• Economic benefits of the project
• Next steps
Presentation overview
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Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
Container capacity on Canada’s West Coast
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Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project
4
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
• Proposed three-berth
container terminal at
Roberts Bank
• Proposed location is the
most environmentally
sound option
• 5.5 km away from
shoreline, north of
existing terminals
• Adjacent to
communities of Delta
and Tsawwassen First
Nation
Environmental assessment update
5
Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
Environmental assessment process
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Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
Environmental assessment process
7Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
• Report submitted by the independent
review panel to the federal minister of
environment and climate change
• Conditions will be drafted by the Impact
Assessment Agency of Canada and will
be made available for public comment
and will be consulted on with Indigenous
groups
• Due to circumstances arising from
COVID-19, the minister has extended the
time limit for a decision by 90 days
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
• Concluded “construction and operation of the proposed Project do not pose major
technical challenges”
• Various topic specific findings of significant
adverse effects complemented by 71
detailed recommendations.
• We are committed to mitigating these
effects in cooperation with government,
Indigenous groups and other stakeholders
Overview of the Federal Review Panel Report
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Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
• The project’s overall objective is to meet long-term capacity growth
• We considered various alternatives
including increasing capacity at existing
terminals, converting terminals, using
other west coast terminals. Decision was
made to build a new terminal.
• After considering all perspectives “[t]he
Panel concludes that the Proponent’s assessment of alternative means of
carrying out the Project was
appropriate.” (pg. 71)
Panel concluded the port authority’s alternatives assessment was appropriate
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Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
• Discussions with key communities
Indigenous groups and key
agencies are ongoing
• To date nine Mutual Benefits
Agreements with Indigenous
groups
• Discussions are progressing with
many other groups on Mutual
Benefits Agreements
Consultation with Indigenous groups
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Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
Providing economic benefits into the future
11Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
“The City of Delta, Metro Vancouver, British Columbia
and Canada would benefit
from the employment,
business opportunities and
economic development
resulting from the project.
Indigenous groups…would also stand to benefit from
training, employment, and
contracting opportunities”
– Federal Review Panel
Report page 1
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
Next steps
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• Progressing planning related to offsetting,
environmental management, project
permitting and procurement
• Continue engagement with local communities,
Indigenous groups, and regulators
• Our goal, through building the project, is to
ensure that Canada is able to meet trade
plans and objectives through to the mid- to
late-2030s
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
Thank you
www.portvancouver.com
#myportcity
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Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
Support slide – location and orientation of
terminal (W1 and W2)
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Vancouver Fraser Port Authority | 15
Locating the terminal to protect the environment
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
Support slides – review panel findings
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Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
Review panel report: assessment of alternatives
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• The project’s overall objective is to meet long-term capacity growth
• We considered various alternatives including increasing capacity at
existing terminals, converting terminals, using other west coast
terminals. Decision was made to build a new terminal.
• We assessed environmental considerations and selected the
proposed location and terminal orientation because it has lowest
impact on the environment
• Review panel concluded our assessment of alternative means was
appropriate
• Recognized that expanding east of the existing causeway was not
permittable by DFO
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
• Port authority commitments:
• Creation of biofilm manual
• Follow-up program to verify effects predictions on biofilm abundance and
density
• Review panel’s findings and recommendations:• Agreed that the project would not result in an adverse effect on biofilm
productivity or composition
• Port authority to collaborate with DFO and ECCC to include identification of
sources and dynamics of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the salinity
and biofilm monitoring follow-up program
• Partner with ECCC to develop a plan that addresses potential adverse
effects on PUFAs
Review panel report: biofilm
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Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
Review panel report: offsetting and wetlands
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• Port authority commitments:
• Develop enhanced Offsetting Plan in collaboration with Indigenous groups and
regulators
• Focus on key species such as Chinook and chum salmon, and high productivity
habitats such as marshes and eelgrass beds
• Review panel’s findings and recommendations:• Port authority is highly experienced in developing offsets in the Fraser River estuary
• Collaborate with DFO, ECCC, Tsawwassen First Nation and Musqueam to
develop an offsetting strategy that includes onsite and offsite offsets in adjacent
areas of the Fraser River estuary
• Monitor the offset habitats until such a time that it can be demonstrated that they
are functioning as intended
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
Review panel report: southern resident killer whales
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• Port authority commitments:
• Continue to support regional initiatives and programs to reduce the effect of marine shipping
activities on marine mammals
• Implementation of mitigation and offsetting measures to support Chinook salmon
• Implementation of marine mammal observers and underwater hydrophones to reduce exposure
of marine mammals to underwater noise from construction activities
• Working with Indigenous groups and regulators on fund to support Chinook recovery
• Review panel’s recommendations:• Collaborate with DFO and the Indigenous Advisory Committee to develop and implement a Marine
Mammal Management Plan and follow-up program during construction
• Continue initiatives carried out as part of the ECHO program
• Take action to achieve a net overall decrease in underwater noise by commercial vessel traffic
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
Review panel report: human health
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• Port authority commitments:
• Develop Air Emission Management Plans for construction and operations
• Monitoring and adaptive measures through the Human Health Air Quality Effects
Follow-up Program element
• Develop Noise and Vibration Management Plan prior to start of construction
and operations to mitigate potential effects
• Light Management Plan and Follow-up Program element to mitigate light
related effects
• Review panel’s recommendations:• Port authority to conduct emissions inventories during the construction phase
of the project
• Develop a comprehensive air quality monitoring and management strategy
• Implement the Light Management Plan and Follow-up Program
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
Review panel report: salmon
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• Port authority commitments:
• Develop Offsetting Plan which will focus on priority habitats (intertidal marsh and
eelgrass)
• Develop Marine Species Management Plan
• Working with Indigenous groups and regulators on fund to support Chinook
recovery
• Review panel’s findings and recommendations:• The Panel agrees that onsite offsetting, including a native eelgrass transplant and
reconstruction of intertidal marsh habitat north of the widened causeway, could
potentially mitigate juvenile salmon productivity losses
• Collaborate with DFO, TFN, Musqueam on a number of initiatives to protect pacific
salmon
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
Review panel report: crab
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• Port authority commitments:
• Removal of Intermediate Transfer Pit
• Support FSC crab harvesting by Indigenous groups in navigational closure area
• Follow-up Program to confirm continued persistence and use of juvenile
nursery habitat
• Enhance offsetting - focus on priority species identified by Indigenous groups
and regulators
• Review panel’s findings and recommendations:• Collaborate with DFO, TFN and Musqueam to refine offsetting locations and
develop a Follow-up Program for Dungeness crab
• Collaborate with Area I Crab Fisherman, Indigenous commercial crab fishers,
and DFO
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
Review panel report: noise and vibration
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• Port authority commitments:
• Develop Noise and Vibration Management Plan prior to start of construction and
operations to mitigate potential effects
• Review panel’s findings and recommendations:• Mitigation proposed by the port authority are standard and appropriate
• Port authority be required to design and implement a follow-up program to achieve
a variety of outcomes
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
Review panel report: services, infrastructure, revenues
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• Port authority commitments:
• Revenue to local governments throughout construction and operations
• Proposed mitigation to reduce local government expenditure required to finance
services use and demand
• Review panel’s findings and recommendations:• Project will have a positive economic benefit
• Consult with the Delta Police Department, RCMP, and Canada Border Services
Agency on recommendations relating to port security and policing
• Develop monitoring plan to evaluate incremental increase in spending for services
and infrastructure
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority | 26
Review panel report: accidents and spills
• Port authority commitments:
• Develop environmental management plans to mitigate potential effects from land
and marine-based accidents and malfunctions
• Review panel’s findings and recommendations:• Include in our Environmental Management Plans measures related to accidents,
malfunctions, and spills
• Develop an integrated response plan to ensure effective and coordinated response
to marine shipping accidents
• Publicly report our participation and contribution to the Oceans Protection Plan
Working Group and other federal initiatives
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority | 27
Review panel report: marine shipping
• Port authority assessment:
• Original prediction of 260 additional container ships transiting in the marine shipping
area on an annual basis
• Updated predictions based on Mercator’s report projected no increase in ships due to the transition to larger ship size
• Review panel’s findings and recommendations:• Used forecast from the Environmental Impact Statement and Marine Shipping
Addendum as opposed to updated predictions for vessel transit based on
Mercator’s 2018 study
• Use of original projections had implications across various environmental topics
assessed
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority |
Review panel report: ALR
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• Review panel’s recommendations:• Port authority to maintain as agricultural land the portion of land
acquired from BCRC and not required by the project
• Implement an agricultural management plan to prevent, monitor,
and compensate for the loss of farmland and employment, and
potential effects on ALR properties adjacent to project lands