Construction completed for Maplewood Marine Restoration Project

Construction of the Maplewood Marine Restoration Project is now complete, after nine months of on-site activities. Additional work to be completed includes transplanting native eelgrass to the Maplewood basin.

The project is part of the port authority’s Habitat Enhancement Program, which is focused on creating, restoring and enhancing fish and wildlife habitat. The program is a proactive measure intended to provide a balance between a healthy environment and future development projects that may be required for port operations.

The Maplewood Marine Restoration Project is expected to enhance approximately five hectares of marine habitat for fish, birds and other wildlife. During construction, approximately 230,000 cubic metres of sand was placed in the area to raise the Maplewood basin floor, which will now support a variety of shellfish and crab and allow plants like eelgrass to grow on this elevated ocean floor. Eelgrass provides important refuge and nursery habitat for juvenile fish.

This enhanced marine habitat is anticipated to provide long-term benefits for fish and invertebrates that depend on marine vegetation for rearing habitat, along with other fish and wildlife species such as waterfowl and wading birds.

The project is located on the north shore of Burrard Inlet, approximately two kilometres east of the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge, in a marine site that was identified as a restoration priority by Tsleil-Waututh Nation.

A portion of the marine habitat created at the project site will be used to fulfil the fisheries habitat offsetting requirements for the Centerm Expansion Project.

For more information, please visit: Maplewood Marine Restoration Project