Port authority approves Seaspan’s application to expand North Shore drydock

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority has approved a permit application from the Vancouver Drydock Company Ltd Partnership (Seaspan) to expand its drydock facilities in North Vancouver.

The project permit was issued following a thorough review of the application and is contingent to 61 conditions that Seaspan must meet to ensure the project’s environmental and community impacts are properly mitigated. This includes a number of specific mitigations to address community concerns raised around noise and lighting, such as reducing the height of light poles, installing light/noise shielding, and collaborating with community working groups to identify further possible measures.

Seaspan held multiple opportunities for community engagement during the permit review process, with public input used to develop meaningful mitigation measures to reduce potential noise and light impacts. The permit applicant has also agreed to retrofit its existing operations to meet the new higher standards set out in the project permit.

The proposed drydock expansion will take place at Seaspan’s existing facilities at 203 East Esplanade in North Vancouver, and involves increasing its water lot size, and installing a work pontoon and two additional drydocks. The expansion will be located on federal lands and waters managed by the port authority, to the west of Seapan’s existing drydock operations.

Copies of the permit and Project and Environmental Review report can be found on the port authority’s website.

The project permit application review required consultation with Indigenous groups and stakeholders, as well as engagement with the community. There were two periods of public engagement in 2021 and 2022, including gathering community input on proposed mitigation measures. Seaspan produced a Public Engagement Summary and Consideration Report for each public engagement period detailing the feedback received, and considerations of that feedback. Both reports are available on the port authority website.

For more information about the project and construction activities, please visit Seaspan’s website.