Location: British Columbia
Issue: An upcoming federal environmental assessment decision
Date: April 16, 2023
Suggested Responses
- The environmental assessment process for the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project is ongoing.
- The Government understands that in supporting the growth of Canada’s economy, through marine shipping activity on the West Coast, it must also consider all possible measures to mitigate negative impacts on the local environment.
- The Government of Canada is taking concrete steps to protect the marine environment while supporting economic growth.
- Through the Oceans Protection Plan, the Government of Canada has committed $3.5 Billion, the largest investment ever, to keep our coasts and waterways safe and clean for future generations, and to preserve and restore marine ecosystems vulnerable to increased marine shipping and development.
- Renewal of Canada’s Whales Initiative reaffirms the Government’s commitment to the protection and recovery of the endangered Southern Resident killer whales. Together with partners, Transport Canada has introduced measures to reduce the threat of underwater noise from large commercial, smaller recreational, and whale watching vessels.
- In Budget 2023, the Government of Canada committed $152 Million for the renewal of the Whales Initiative. This investment reaffirms the Government’s commitment to the protection and recovery of the endangered Southern Resident killer whales. Together with partners, Transport Canada has introduced measures to reduce the threat of underwater noise from large commercial, smaller recreational, and whale watching vessels.
If Pressed
- Canada’s Pacific Gateway, which consists of the Ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert, is critical to our country’s economic health. More than two thirds (2/3) of essential goods shipped by Canada in containers flow through the West Coast.
- The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that Canada has sufficient container capacity to mitigate supply disruptions and effectively transport products critical to Canada’s economy.
- Marine shipping has never been safer in Canada. Canada’s strong marine safety regime has improved significantly over the last 25 years. It is built on more than 100 regulations, 30 acts, and international agreements and commitments which are primarily focused on preventing accidents from happening.
Background Information
- The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA) has proposed the construction and operation of a new three-berth marine container terminal located at Roberts Bank in Delta, approximately 35 km south of Vancouver, B.C.
- The proposed project, to be built next to the existing Deltaport and Westshore Terminals, would provide an additional 2.4 million twenty-foot equivalent units of container capacity per year at Roberts Bank once it is fully operational in the mid-2030s.
- An environmental assessment for the project was completed by an independent Review Panel in 2020, following which the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) requested more information from the proponent to further mitigate the environmental impacts.
- Under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act 2012, if the Minister of ECCC decides the project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects, Cabinet would be required to determine if the likely significant environmental effects are justified in the circumstances.
- An environmental assessment decision is anticipated prior to April 23, 2023, as required under the legislated timelines for this process.
- Canada’s Oceans Protection Plan was directly designed to respond to regional concerns, including cumulative effects, raised through a wide range of forums, including project reviews such as RBT2. Work through the Oceans Protection Plan will continue to address remaining gaps in marine safety, marine incident prevention, emergency preparedness and recovery, and ecosystem protection, both from an operational and environmental standpoint.
- The Southern Resident Killer Whale is a vital component of the local marine ecosystem and has cultural significance for Indigenous Peoples and coastal communities in British Columbia. This population of whale was recently determined to be facing an imminent threat to both survival and recovery under the Species at Risk Act. This determination was made after an assessment that considered the biological condition of the Southern Resident Killer Whale population, ongoing threats, and mitigation measures.
- Through the Whales Initiative, the Government of Canada is addressing the main threats to the Southern Resident Killer Whales including by reducing disturbances from underwater vessel noise.
- Marine transportation is among the safest, low-emission, and most cost-effective ways to move goods. Nonetheless, the Government of Canada is advancing a suite of measures to support the decarbonization of the marine sector, including the adoption of lower-carbon fuel. Under Canada’s Emissions Reduction Plan, the Government of Canada committed to developing a national action plan to enable the marine sector to reduce its emissions. Transport Canada is leading this work, which involves exploring decarbonization pathways for the sector, and identifying concrete short-term actions to pursue cleaner fuel alternatives and electrification.