Columbia Containers | Partial Bight Infill

October 24, 2017

Project status

Permit issued

On June 15, 2018, a project permit was issued to Columbia Containers Ltd. for the Partial Bight Infill project in Vancouver, British Columbia on federal lands and waters managed by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.

The project was approved subject to 60 permit conditions which Columbia Containers must meet to ensure the project does not result in significant adverse environmental effects.

About the project

Columbia Containers occupies two sites that are “pinched” by a marine bight that extends southward from Burrard Inlet. The transportation corridor south of the marine bight links the container storage area in the west with the rail-to-truck transloading area in the east. The corridor accommodates rail cars, container-laden semi-trucks and forklifts, and general access for workers and vehicles. Circulation is somewhat constrained in this area, resulting in Columbia Containers utilizing a portion of Commissioner Street to improve their internal circulation requirements.

Columbia Containers proposes to widen this internal corridor to facilitate more efficient internal circulation, to stop utilizing Commissioner Street for internal operations, and better service their new Transloading Facility and Silos project (PER Project Permit no. 13-123), all by infilling the foreshore northward by approximately 18 m. Columbia Containers does not propose to extend the retaining wall encroachment seaward of low water level (LWL).

The proposed fill will impact both marine riparian vegetation that was previously placed to mitigate the construction of the existing lock block retaining wall (and the fill behind it), as well as additional marine vegetation seaward of this mark, both intertidal and subtidal. Marine riparian vegetation constitutes fish habitat, and its loss will need to be offset with new marine riparian plantings and other mitigations nearby.

Proposed project activities and components include:

Retaining wall and Infill

Deconstruction of the existing foreshore rip rap;
Re-utilization of approximately 800 m³ (28,252 ft³) of foreshore rip rap and removal of approximately 500 m³ (17,657 ft³) of foreshore rip rap;
Preparation and construction of the lock block wall pad foundation;
Construction of a lock block wall, with geogrid support, to a design height of approximately 7 m (23 ft.) from seabed;
Placement of rip rap armour protection seaward of lock block wall base;
Placement of backfill in lifts to design height, utilizing approximately 2,500 m³ (88,287 ft³) clean structural fill and 1,200 m³ (42,378 ft³) clear crushed rock;
Grading and paving of approximately 1,600 m² (17,222 ft²) of reclaimed surface;
Extension of a Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District (GVSDD) combined sewer outfall by approximately 5 m (16.4 ft.);
Installation of approximately 3 x 100 mm (4 inch) conduits to accommodate a future installation of telecommunications services; and,
Construction of two storm water catch basins and associated 150 mm (6 in) diameter pipe, designed to convey water to an existing outfall (via a new oil and grit separator, which is included within the scope of works of the New Transloading Facility and Silos Project (PER no. 13-123)).

Habitat Offsetting

Construction of habitat offsetting work at a site located approximately 400 m (1,313 ft.) to the east of the proposed bight infill area;
Placement of approximately 3,500 m³ (123,601 ft³) of rip rap and 300 m³ (10,594 ft³) of sand; and,
Habitat offsetting work to include the creation of approximately 497 m² (5,350 ft²) of riparian fringe works, 480 m² (5,167 ft²) of intertidal rip rap slope works with woody debris, 953 m² (10,258 ft²) of intertidal beach works with boulders, and 670 m² (7,212 ft²) of subtidal rip rap works.

Please note that all dimensions and quantities are approximate.

The proposed works will be undertaken from both the land side and water side of the proposed retaining wall and habitat offsetting area, and will together utilize a marine derrick, ocean barge, dump trucks, and associated earth moving equipment. A total of approximately 50 truckloads of material will leave the sites and 400 truckloads of material will enter the sites, for an average of 10-20 truckloads per day during hauling periods.

Resources

October 2019 – Correction Order: Columbia Containers Partial Bight Infill [PDF]
(Please note this Correction Order was issued on October 3, 2019 and lifted on October 4, 2019)
January 2019 – Stop Work Order: Columbia Containers Partial Bight Infill [PDF]
(Please note this Stop Work Order was issued on January 18, 2019 and lifted on January 24, 2019)

Contact Information

For more information about Columbia Containers’ proposed project, please contact David Lord by email or phone at 604.649.5019.

For questions regarding the port authority’s Project and Environmental Review process, please contact us by email or phone at 604.665.9047