The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is undertaking a roadwork project to widen and realign Commissioner Street to the north between Nanaimo Street and Slocan Street in order to make room for Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) to add additional rail tracks. This project is being done to help support the capacity needed on the south shore to move goods, and improve port operations. The project received funding in 2019 from the Government of Canada’s National Trade Corridors Fund.

The project includes:

• Removal of the old Columbia Containers grain elevator (completed in early 2020)
• Changes to Commissioner Street near Columbia Containers, includes shifting the road north, paving and adding a new lane
• Construction of a retaining wall
• Relocation of the impacted utilities including the Harbour East Interceptor
• Future installation of additional rail tracks next to current tracks, from four tracks to six tracks (led by CP)

These improvements will:

• Improve port truck movements and traffic flow
• Improve access to terminal facilities for commercial traffic
• Enable safe and efficient access to port lands for employees and service providers
• Provide land for rail track expansion, supporting trade growth and increased local and national jobs

Current activity

Road and rail work to realign Commissioner Street will begin in January 2021.

Timeline

The below shows the project’s anticipated timeline.

• January 2021 – January 2022 – Road realignment period
• January 2022 – Early 2024 – Rail improvement works

Timelines are subject to change.

Project update

A new request is under review to conduct some construction activities outside of regular work hours on the Commissioner Street Road and Rail Realignment Project. The request requires an amendment to the project’s construction permit and was submitted through the port authority’s Project and Environmental Review process at the end of November.

Road works construction for the Commissioner Street Road and Rail Realignment Project is expected to begin in late January 2021. We will put in place mitigation measures, including noise and light mitigation, to minimize impacts of construction on the community.

The public comment period for the permit amendment request is from December 14, 2020 to January 6, 2021. Feedback on the permit amendment request can be submitted directly to the port authority through our community feedback line ([email protected]) until January 6, 2021.

The public is also welcome to submit feedback through the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry website until December 26, 2020. Feedback gathered will inform our construction management plan.

If you have questions about the project or the amendment request, please contact [email protected].

Project documents

Funding partners

Funding for this project is provided by the Government of Canada’s through the National Trade Corridors Fund, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, and Canadian Pacific. Project value is $84 million.

Part of Greater Vancouver Gateway 2030.