The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is leading 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 to add additional rail tracks. We are leading this project to help support the capacity needed on the south shore to move goods, and improve the road and port operations.

This project received a permit from Project and Environmental Review (PER) in 2012. Construction on the roadwork project began in March 2021, and was scheduled to be completed in February 2022. As inclement weather affected the construction schedule, the Metro Vancouver sanitary sewer tie-in activity will begin in the summer, and we expect that this work will be complete in August 2022.

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 (completed in November 2021)
• Construction of a retaining wall (completed in July 2021)
• 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

CP is leading the Commissioner Street Rail Expansion Project , which proposes to expand their existing rail infrastructure along this corridor. This project received a PER permit from the port authority in May 2022. For any questions or concerns about the project or rail operations, please visit the CP website.

Timeline

The below shows the project’s anticipated timeline.

• June 2022 – August 2022 – Metro Vancouver sanitary sewer tie-in and completion works
• Mid 2022 – Early 2024 – Rail expansion works

Timelines are subject to change.

Project update

In May 2022, the project team received approval to conduct certain construction activities outside of regular working hours, between June 29 and July 31, 2022. The remaining project activities include bypass pumping for the new Metro Vancouver sewer, lane painting and relocating fibre optic system along the rail corridor.  The original project permit and subsequent permit amendments can be found here.

Construction activities between June 29 and July 31, 2022  will continue during port authority standard work hours (Monday to Saturday, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.), and some works will take place outside of port authority standard work hours, as shown in the summer construction schedule.

Bypass pumping has to run continuously during this period of time because the sewer flow from the old sanitary pipe has to be diverted to avoid spillage while we switch to the new Metro Vancouver sanitary sewer pipe. Shrouded pumps will be installed to mitigate noise near the two work sites at Victoria Drive and New Brighton Road.

Roadwork to realign Commissioner Street began in March 2021. The majority of the utility relocation and roadwork was completed in March 2022. Some road works including pavement patching and lane painting will be completed in the coming weeks, and construction for the Metro Vancouver sanitary sewer tie-in is anticipated to be completed by the end of the summer 2022.

Project documents Noise inquiries and complaints process

Supporting the community

The project set up a community amenity to thank the community for your patience during construction. With input from the East Vancouver Port Lands (EVPL) committee, we have identified community organizations in East Vancouver that would benefit from funding. More details to be released shortly.

Funding partners

This project is funded by the Government of Canada through the National Trade Corridors Fund, the port authority, and CP.

Part of Greater Vancouver Gateway 2030.