Metro Vancouver | Conveyance for North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant Project

August 18, 2017

Project status
Permit amendment issued

In December 2021, amendment PER No. 17-090-04 was issued to Metro Vancouver. The amendment approved to extend the permit expiry date to December 31, 2022. The project is located at the Lions Gate Wastewater Treatment Plant, situated just to the west of the Lions Gate Bridge, in North Vancouver, British Columbia on federal lands and waters managed by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.

About the amendment:
The amendment involves extending Permit 17-090, which currently expires on December 31, 2021 to December 31, 2022 to secure and retain the use of the dewatering pond (Parcel E) that is dependent upon the completion of the upland works within the District of West Vancouver. The pond will remain active until March 2022 and become dormant, secured and temporarily restored until the upland works recommence in the next two years. The extension to the permit duration does not change the footprint or scope of the project, or any other conditions in Permit 17-090.

Previous amendments issued

On October 20, 2021, an approval was granted to the applicant to undertake construction outside regular work hours (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) for a period of six months beginning on November 3, 2021 to May 3, 2022. A notice will be delivered to the community.

On April 26, 2021, an approval was granted to the applicant to undertake construction outside regular work hours (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) for a period of six months beginning April 29, 2021. A notice will be delivered to the community.

On October 13, 2020, an approval was granted to the applicant to undertake construction outside regular work hours (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) for a period of six months beginning October 29, 2020. A notice will be delivered to the community prior to work beginning.

On August 13, 2020, an amendment, PER No. 17-090-03, was approved by Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. The amendment approved an extension to the permit expiry date from December 30, 2020 to December 31, 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions and subsequent delays to the projects.

On April 8, 2020, an amendment, PER No. 17-090-01, was approved by Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. The amendment approved work outside of standard construction hours (as set out in Permit condition No. 51). Metro Vancouver will carry out physical works associated with the approved Conveyance for North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant Project between 6:00 a.m. and 12:00 a.m. from the date of the permit amendment (April 8, 2020) to August 31, 2020, excluding Sundays and statutory holidays.

On March 29, 2019, an amendment, PER No. 17-090-02, was approved by Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. The amendment approved the permit holder to expand the construction area into “Parcel E” to the north west of the existing construction area.

Permit issued

On April 20, 2018, a project permit was issued to Metro Vancouver for the Conveyance for North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant in North Vancouver, British Columbia on federal lands and waters managed by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.

The project was approved subject to 59 permit conditions which Metro Vancouver must meet to ensure the project does not result in significant adverse environmental effects.

Construction begin in fall 2018. For more information about the project and construction activities, please go to Metro Vancouver’s website.

About the project

The existing Lions Gate Wastewater Treatment Plant, situated just to the west of the Lions Gate Bridge, opened in 1961 and serves the North Shore municipalities of West Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver, and the District of North Vancouver. The plant is one of two remaining primary treatment plants in the region. New federal regulations require all primary treatment plants be upgraded to secondary treatment.

The new North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant will be built on a new Metro Vancouver-owned site in the District of North Vancouver, approximately 2 km east of the existing treatment plant. The existing plant will be decommissioned and the lands returned to Squamish Nation in accordance with a Provincial/Federal cut-off lands agreement.

Metro Vancouver proposes to construct a pump station and sections of both gravity main and force main conveyance pipe within the port authority’s jurisdiction.

Project activities and components include:

Bridge Road Pump Station

Construction of an enclosed pump station in an architecturally designed building measuring approximately 13 m (42.7 ft.) high x 22.5 m (73.8 ft.) wide x 30 m (98.4 ft.) long, for a footprint of 675 m² (7,265 ft²);
Excavation (for the pump station) to an approximate depth of 11 m (36 ft.);
Installation of utility connections (electrical and potable water), and mechanical and electrical systems, including pumps, odour control unit, standby generator, and HVAC;
Construction of roadway to, and around, site for fire truck access and paved parking for operations and maintenance staff;
Installation of hardscaping, and low maintenance landscaping that incorporates plantings and grassed areas;
Installation of associated exterior and interior lighting systems; Exterior lighting comprised of wall mounted and stand-alone LED’s;
Installation of a chain-link/rigid wire security fence measuring approximately 2.4 m (7.8 ft.) high, with locked access gate;

Sewerage Conveyance Pipes

Construction of approximately 75 m (246 ft.) of 1200 mm diameter Hollyburn Interceptor extension pipe, from the port authority’s northern jurisdictional boundary southward to the new pump station. Interceptor extension pipe conveys sanitary wastewater from the District of West Vancouver;
Construction of approximately 30 m (98.4 ft.) of 900 mm diameter sanitary influent force main from the new pump station northward to the port authority jurisdictional boundary. Force main continues onward and connects with the new proposed North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant;
Construction of approximately 170 m (557.7 ft.) of 2100 mm diameter effluent line from the port authority’s northern jurisdictional boundary southward, and then westward, to a tie-in at the air chamber on the existing outfall. Effluent line originates at the new North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant. Total surface disturbance footprint for all three lines is approximately 2,950 m² (31,753 ft²);
Excavation (for the Interceptor, forcemain, and effluent line) to an approximate depth of 8 m (26.2 ft.); and,
For entire project, removal and importation of approximately 85,000 m³ (111,176 yd³) and 40,000 m³ (52,318 yd³) of soil, respectively. Engineered modification of soil to facilitate project excavations.

Construction vehicle volumes are anticipated to peak (20-30 trucks/day) approximately six months after construction start and last an additional six months. Construction vehicles associated with works within the port authority’s jurisdiction will travel westbound along a temporary easement situated to the immediate north of the rail tracks, and then southbound onto Bridge Road, to access the proposed Bridge Road Pump Station. Exiting vehicles will proceed north on Bridge Road and eastbound on the temporary easement, subject to attainment of applicable external permits.

Resources

August 2019 – Approval for Construction Outside of Regular Construction Hours: NSCP Design Build LP obo Metro Vancouver Conveyance NSWWTP [PDF]
April 2019 – Approval for Construction Outside of Regular Construction Hours: NSCP Design Build LP obo Metro Vancouver Conveyance NSWWTP [PDF]
March 2019 – Stop Work Order: Metro Vancouver Conveyance NSWWTP [PDF]
(Please note this Stop Work Order was issued on March 12, 2019 and lifted on March 19, 2019)
January 2019 – Approval for Construction Outside of Regular Construction Hours: NSCP Design Build LP obo Metro Vancouver Conveyance NSWWTP [PDF]

Contact information

For more information about Metro Vancouver’s project and construction activities, please go to their website or contact Paul Dufault by email or phone at 604.432.6407.

For questions regarding the Project and Environmental Review process, please contact us by email or phone at 604.665.9047.