Public notice 

Barge loading facility – Public comments invited 

November 5, 2020 – The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, as part of its Project and Environmental Review process, and Transport Canada must determine whether the proposed Barge Loading Facility, located at 2320 Rogers Avenue, Coquitlam, British Columbia is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.  

To help inform this determination, and to assist the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority in making a decision on whether or not to approve the proposed project, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and Transport Canada are inviting comments from the public. All comments received will be considered public and may be posted online. For more information, individuals should consult the Privacy Notice on the Registry website. 

Written comments must be submitted by December 4, 2020 via the online commenting tool or to: 

Vancouver Fraser Port Authority 
Project and Environmental Review 
100 The Pointe, 999 Canada Place 
Vancouver, B.C. Canada  V6C 3T4  
per@portvancouver.com 

Impact Assessment Pacific Region 
Transport Canada 
Suite 820 – 800 Burrard St.  
Vancouver, B.C., V6Z 2J8 
TCPACEA-EEPACTC@tc.gc.ca 

The proposed project 

In September 2019, the proponent, BD Hall Constructors Corp., submitted a project permit application to construct a shore-access barge loading facility on the north shore of the Fraser River at 2320 Rogers Avenue in Coquitlam, British Columbia. The public was initially invited to submit written comments between October 7 and November 7, 2019. The proponent has since redesigned the project based on feedback from regulators, Indigenous communities, and marine users. As a result, the project summary has been updated and the public is once again invited to submit written comments.  

The purpose of the barge loading facility is to load barges with non-contaminated soil for disposal at sea with appropriate permits from Environment and Climate Change Canada. Barges would be up to 18 metres (58 feet) by 73 metres (240 feet) in size. The facility would also be used to import clean gravel. The source and destination sites of the soil and gravel would be various construction properties throughout Metro Vancouver.  

The construction works occurring within federal lands include installation of a pile supported barge ramp at the south end of the facility. Land and marine equipment would be used to access and construct at the site. Twenty-two steel piles would be installed with a vibratory hammer on a scow. Eight piles would be used to support barge mooring, four piles to support the head frame, eight piles to support the barge deck and ramp, and two piles within the foreshore to support the barge deck abutment. A prefabricated ramp headframe, prefabricated barge deck, and a prefabricated barge ramp would be installed to piles. The barge ramp and headframe would be equipped with lights and mooring bollards. The proponent will also install habitat improvements along 25 metres of the beach west of the barge ramp to improve riparian and aquatic habitat. These habitat improvements include regrading, strategic placement of rocks, and vegetation planting. 

Once constructed, site operations would include upland material storage, trucking of material to and from barges, barge moorage, and barge transportation. It is estimated that one to two barges would be loaded per week for disposal at sea. Vehicle parking, truck staging would not be within federal lands. The barge ramp facility would operate Monday to Saturday between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Approximately 500 trucks per week or 83 trucks per working day, on average, would arrive at the Site during operations. 

To help inform a determination on whether the proposed project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects, and to assist the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority in making a decision on whether or not to approve the proposed project, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and Transport Canada are inviting comments from the public.  

Document Reference Number: 2

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