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The Port of Vancouver plays a vital economic role in Canada by connecting consumers and businesses with the global marketplace. As we manage the extraordinary circumstances of COVID-19, the safety and health of our employees and stakeholders is our top priority. We are also continuing our work to deliver essential trade-enabling projects.
Between 2020 and 2025, the port authority is taking a lead role in delivering several infrastructure projects throughout the Lower Mainland in collaboration with industry and other local, provincial, and federal agencies. These projects have a cumulative value of nearly $1 billion. The projects are a subset of the Gateway Transportation Collaboration Forum’s Greater Vancouver Gateway 2030 strategy.
The port authority is also leading the delivery of the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project and the Centerm Expansion Project. Learn more about the procurement approach for the delivery of the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project here.
The projects range in value from approximately $10 to $150 million and generally involve improvements or construction of roadway overpasses or underpasses of active rail lines and complementary improvements to the adjacent rail infrastructure (led by the relevant railway).
As we prepare to deliver these projects, we will engage contractors and consultants through questionnaires, conversations, and events. It is important to us that the opportunities are provided in a way that is fair, open, transparent, and accessible to qualified vendors. We procure all goods and services in accordance with our procurement policy, which is approved by our board of directors.
The information provided on this webpage and other linked documents is intended to provide background on current and future bidding opportunities.
Funding for projects
Funding for road and rail infrastructure projects that are moving forward has been secured from the port authority, railways, and the Government of Canada through the National Trade Corridors Fund.
Delivery model and bidding procedure
We will select the delivery model for each of our projects based on their unique characteristics. However, we anticipate that larger, more complex infrastructure projects will follow design-build or progressive design build delivery models, and smaller scale projects will follow more traditional procurement methods (such as design-bid-build).
Environmental, community, and industry standards
Following our green infrastructure guidelines for all projects, we deliver high quality projects with the environment and community in mind, in alignment with our vision for the Port of Vancouver to be the world’s most sustainable port. As an example, our North Vancouver Low Level Road project, completed in 2015, received the first Envision Platinum Award for transportation infrastructure.
We are also committed to ensuring safe and equitable working conditions for employees and contractors on our construction project worksites. As part of this commitment, the port authority is a proud signatory to the Builders Code Pledge, which sets a standard of excellence in the construction industry. Signing the Builders Code Pledge is one way we deliver high-quality projects with industry best practices in mind, and we are encouraging our partners to also sign the pledge.
Indigenous participation in construction
Meaningful inclusion of Indigenous groups is of paramount importance for us and we work closely with them in the planning of projects. This can take various forms, including partnerships, contracting, training, employment, and provision of equipment and materials.
Criteria for evaluating contractor proposals
In reviewing proposals for infrastructure contractors, we consider a number of factors that may include:
- Approach, demonstrated experience and past project performance in
- Safety management
- Traffic management
- Quality management
- Environmental management
- Sustainable infrastructure delivery
- The selected procurement delivery model
- Approach to participation by Indigenous groups
- Experience working with the relevant municipality and railways
- Experience working next to active rail and road corridors
- Experience working in soft soils with high ground water tables
Full criteria for each individual procurement will be outlined in each project’s procurement documents, e.g. request for qualifications (RFQ), request for proposals (RFP), and invitation to tender (ITT).
Overview of projects
In procurement planning / procurement phase
| Project | Anticipated | Target dates | Last updated | ||||
| Estimated cost | Delivery model | RFQ issuance | RFP/ITT issuance | Construction commencement | Construction completion | ||
| Annacis Auto Terminal Optimization Project – Vehicle Processing Centre Construction | $16.5M | Design-Bid-Build | Q3 2022 |
Phase 1: Closed Phase 2: Q2 2023 (RFT to RFQ shortlist only) |
Phase 1: Q1 2023 Phase 2: Q3 2023 |
Q3 2024 | June 8, 2023 |
| Fraser Surrey Port Lands Transportation Improvements Project (Surrey/Delta) |
$20M | Design-Bid-Build | NA | Closed | Q3 2023 | Q3 2024 | June 8, 2023 |
| Harris Road grade separation (Pitt Meadows) |
$60–80M | Progressive Design-Build | Closed | Q1 2022 (RFP to RFQ shortlist only) |
Q4 2023 | 2026/2027 | Nov 29, 2022 |
| Holdom overpass (Burnaby) | $130–160M | Design-Build | Closed | Q2 2022 | Q2 2023 | Q3 2025 | Aug 10, 2022 |
| Kennedy overpass (Pitt Meadows) |
$40–50M | Design-Build | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | Aug 10, 2022 |
In execution phase
| Project | Target dates | Last updated | |
| Procurement | Construction | ||
| South Shore Access Project (Vancouver) | Complete |
2019–2023 (on track to complete construction in Q1 2023) |
January 12, 2022 |
Gateway project procurement documents
In mid-2020, the port authority invited contractors to participate in two rounds of engagement to help the port authority plan the Gateway Program. Using questionnaires, our engagement focused on procurement and delivery model selections, procurement processes, commercial, technical and property risks, and COVID-19 strategies.
In response to the feedback received during the first two rounds of engagement, contractors and consultants were invited to share insights on our proposed procurement and commercial approaches in a third round of engagement.
Your insight will help us improve and finalize procurement packages, which will ultimately assist the port authority in effective delivery of the projects. We will review submitted feedback and incorporate input, where applicable, as we refine our approaches, procurement processes, and associated documentation related to the Gateway Program projects.
In 2020, we completed an engagement process for contractors interested in working with the port authority to deliver a series of road and rail improvements across the Gateway. If you would like a copy of the engagement summary report, please reach out to [email protected].
Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates on procurement related to our infrastructure projects.
March 9, 2021 – Newsletter – Gateway Program Portside Blundell and Harris Road updates
January 28, 2021 – Newsletter – Gateway program Pitt Meadows Road and Rail delivery model update, Builder’s Code Pledge and RFQ updates for Portside/Blundell
October 23, 2020 – Newsletter – Gateway Program contractor engagement round three and Portside/Blundell RFQ
October 16, 2020 – Newsletter – Gateway Program procurement update Commissioner Street RFP shortlist
Although our market research documents are prepared in good faith, they are not intended to be exhaustive and have not been independently verified. Neither the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority nor any of our advisors bear any responsibility for the accuracy or detail of the information provided, nor do we make any express or implied representation or guarantee, with respect to the information contained therein. The information contained therein should be considered preliminary.
Nothing contained in the market research document can be construed as a promise or statement by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority that the projects will be implemented in any form whatsoever. Neither any information provided by participants in the market research nor the participation in any market research activities will, in any way, be used for evaluation purposes in subsequent procurement processes for the projects. Therefore, participation in the market research is not an undertaking of any kind to grant the participant qualification to participate in any request for qualifications or request for proposals in relation to the projects.