Ausenco provided the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority with the technical and regulatory resources needed to obtain project approval from the Government of Canada.
Overview
The Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project involves the construction of a new three-berth container terminal at Roberts Bank in Delta, BC. The project would provide 2.4 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of container capacity which is needed to meet forecasted demand. The project involves an expansion of the existing causeway, construction of three additional ship berths and container handling facilities, and improvements to rail infrastructure along the causeway. To obtain regulatory approval, the project must also provide suitable habitat to offset development in the intertidal and sub-tidal areas around the existing port infrastructure at Roberts Bank. A federal environmental assessment has been completed by an independent panel review under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA), 2012 and the project was provided formal approval to move forward in April 2023. The project is also undergoing an assessment under the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Act and requires other permits and authorizations before it can proceed.
Approach
Ausenco has supported project planning since 2002 when the project was initially conceived. Since 2010, we have played a leadership role, including having a core team working onsite at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority offices leading the Environmental Assessment (EA) process for the project. Our role in leading the EA has included:
- Development of a regulatory strategy to address regulatory risks including potential effects to internationally recognized foreshore habitat, habitat offsetting requirements, and effects to Indigenous interests
- Development and management of a multi-disciplinary team, including sub-consultants, to lead effects assessments for the values considered in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
- Establishing a process to strategically engage regulators and other stakeholders in developing baseline studies and methodologies for conducting the EA
- Planning and execution of baseline studies supporting the development of the EIS
- Providing support to regulatory, stakeholder, and Indigenous consultation
- Providing strategic regulatory support to confirm the regulatory path through federal and provincial EA processes
- Leading the development of the EIS submitted to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
- Supporting the planning and execution of habitat offsetting programs to address offsetting requirements
- Providing technical and coordination support to respond to information requests (IRs) during both the completeness review and panel review phases
- Providing staff to act as expert witnesses during the panel review process
- Supporting the development of follow-up programs and environmental management plans for post-approval
Results
We provided the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority with the depth and breadth of expert technical and regulatory resources critical to addressing the project-specific regulatory challenges associated with the project to complete a panel review under CEAA 2012. A key to success included working in concert with client staff in the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority offices. This helped to develop cohesive working relationships between the consultant and client functional teams, including their engineering, communications, legal, and environment teams.
Over the next few years, our team will continue to support the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority with securing additional needed permits and to meet the binding conditions that form part of the project’s approval, including specific measures to protect wildlife and habitat in the area.