The proposed Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project
The Canadian Government has moved Port Metro Vancouver’s application to construct Terminal 2 at Roberts Bank, B.C., adjacent to Deltaport, from the “completeness review” to review by an environmental panel.
The terminal, which could surpass Deltaport as the largest in Canada, is a key component of Vancouver’s plans to expand container handling capacity.
In a letter to the port the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency has concluded its: “completeness review of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s Environmental Impact Statement, Marine Shipping Addendum and responses to the Agency’s additional information requirements for the proposed Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project and has determined that the environmental assessment may now proceed to the Review Panel process phase.”
In a statement the port has said that subject to regulatory approvals, market conditions and a final investment decision, construction of the new terminal will begin in 2018 and will take approximately five-and-a-half years to complete. This would allow the project to be operational by the mid-2020s, when its capacity will be required.
The project will be funded by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (Port Metro Vancouver) and private funding. Tax dollars will not be required for the project.
When completed, the terminal could easily be the largest-capacity terminal in Canada and, according to employees at Deltaport, could include considerable automation in its design.
