Roberts Bank Terminal 2 expansion designated a project of national interest

DELTA · The federal government has designated the planned expansion of the Port of Vancouver's Roberts Bank Terminal 2 as a project of national interest. Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon announced the designation on Friday, saying it provides immediate regulatory certainty for the project. The listing accelerates the timeline for the terminal's commercial operations by up to four years, moving the target to 2035. A final investment decision is expected by the middle of next year.

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is the proponent for the proposed three-berth container terminal in Delta, B.C. The government said the project will add 2.4 million containers of annual capacity, increasing the port's container capacity by about 50 per cent. It is expected to support about 17,000 jobs across Canada's supply chains and contribute roughly $3 billion annually to the national GDP. "This moves the dial for our country, and it will support approximately 17,000 jobs across the supply chain," MacKinnon told reporters in Vancouver, touting the proposal as a "megaproject." The government said environmental safeguards will be maintained and Indigenous communities consulted throughout the process. A government source said the project has already received its environmental impact assessment and held consultations with over two dozen Indigenous communities.

The national interest designation, made through an order-in-council approved by cabinet, refers the project to the new Major Projects Office for a streamlined approval process. The office must develop a binding conditions document, though the project is considered provisionally approved. A source said there is a sense that the office should be able to put together the conditions document relatively quickly. The project has drawn criticism from environmental groups concerned that plans to construct artificial islands in the Salish Sea will harm wildlife, including whales that inhabit the region. MacKinnon countered that the government is strengthening measures to protect marine life, citing a $260 million announcement last month to develop new measures to protect whales from vessel traffic. He also mentioned a quiet vessel technology fund and a new conservation agreement with BC Ferries aiming to reduce underwater radiated noise in southern resident killer whale habitat by 50 per cent by 2036.

The Conservative transport critic, Dan Albas, said his party supports the project but the government needs to show more than just a designation. "If the government is moving forward with [the designation] today, the Official Opposition will note that we support getting things done faster, but the government has to show more than just simply a designation, it needs to show a plan for acceleration," he said, adding the project has been in the permitting process for a decade. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce welcomed the designation as a step toward building needed trade capacity. "At a time when our nation is working to strengthen productivity, attract investment, and diversify its trade relationships, projects like RBT2 represent a direct investment in our economic resilience," said Pascal Chan, vice president of strategic policy and supply chains with the chamber. The port authority has selected TerraMarine as its preferred construction partner after a competitive procurement process. This is the second major infrastructure project to receive the national interest designation under the Building Canada Act. Nosy Mag reported in October that the Pacific Link pipeline was the first to receive the designation last month.

With files from The Canadian Press, CityNews and CBC News