SNC Lavalin on behalf of Vancouver Fraser Port Authority | Sterling Shipyard Remediation and Infill

September 21, 2021

Project status
Permit under review

In September 2021, SNC Lavalin (the Applicant), on behalf of the port authority (Development), submitted a project permit application to remediate and infill a former shipyard at 2089 to 2095 Commissioner Street, in Vancouver British Columbia, on federal lands and waters managed by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.

Port authority-led engagement and consultation

As part of the Project and Environmental Review for the proposed project under the Impact Assessment Act, the proposed project was posted on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry with an opportunity for public comment between October 25 and November 23, 2021.

The port authority will conduct formal consultation activities with stakeholders and Indigenous groups as part of the Project and Environmental Review process.

Applicant-led public engagement

The Applicant is required to solicit public feedback on the proposed project, results of technical studies and proposed mitigation measures.

The public engagement period for the proposed project has now closed. Between October 25 and November 29, 2021, the Applicant invited public comment on their proposed project.

The summary of the public engagement and consideration report of how feedback was considered is posted below and on the applicant’s website. The port authority will consider all feedback received from the public, stakeholders and Indigenous groups as part of the Project and Environmental Review of the proposed project.

About the project

The project includes remediation and redevelopment activities in subtidal, intertidal and upland areas of a former shipyard at 2089 to 2095 Commissioner Street in Vancouver. Contaminated sediment in the project area will be removed and replaced with clean fill. The remediated area will be infilled to raise the grade and reclaim 4,500 square meters of additional land for future industrial use.

The contamination from the former shipyard includes debris, wood waste, metals, hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These cover over 80 per cent of the intertidal area down to an approximate depth of 5 metres. The fill layer in this area ranges in depth from 4 metres to 8 metres.

Project components include remedial excavation and dredging of substrate, rock berm installation, backfilling and vibro compaction. Habitat offsetting is also proposed. See below for details.

Project activities and components include:

Site Preparation

Removal of trees and other vegetation on the southern portion of the site
Installation of erosion and sediment control measures
Installation of silt curtain around the in-water work area
Establishment of water quality monitoring sites upstream and downstream of the work area
Demolition of existing infrastructure

Sediment Remediation

Excavation and dredging of approximately 17,000 cubic metres of contaminated substrate from the intertidal and subtidal area of the site, to a maximum depth of 5 metres below Site grade

Rock Berm Installation

Installation of rock berm revetment approximately 100 metres in length with an elevation of approximately 8 metres

Backfilling and Grading

Placement of approximately 40,000 cubic metres of engineered fill in both the intertidal and upland area to elevate Site grade to approximately 6 metres elevation
Grading and compaction of the newly placed engineered fill

Habitat Offsetting

Creation of subtidal reefs and marine riparian planting

As some of the activities are dependent on tides, work may need to take place outside of standard hours (except for Sundays and statutory holidays). Should the proposed project be approved, construction is expected to take approximately 10 months to complete.

Resources

Contact information

The Applicant can be reached by email at [email protected]. Visit their project website here to learn more about the proposed project.

For questions regarding the Project and Environmental Review of the proposed project, or to get in touch with our team, please contact us by email ([email protected]) or phone at 604.665.9047.

Please note, when receiving public feedback as part of the PER process, the port authority may collect your personal information, i.e., your name, contact information and personal views and opinions, to inform the PER process for a proposed project. Your personal information may be disclosed to third parties, such as our tenants, in order for them to respond directly to you or help inform our response. You are entitled to submit a complaint to the Privacy Commissioner office here.