VPA container expansion project gets government’s thumbs up

VANCOUVER — B.C.’s provincial Ministry of Environment has approved the development of the VPA’s Deltaport Third Berth Project — an initiative to expand container handling facilities at Roberts Bank in Delta, B.C.

The Project has received a provincial environmental assessment certificate following a harmonized review, which was conducted with the federal review agencies, although it still requires formal federal approvals to proceed.

The harmonized review included extensive consultation with the public, the relevant agencies and First Nations, and concluded that the project adequately addresses potential impacts with the implementation of a number of key environmental commitments on the part of the VPA.

The project is part of a broader VPA’s initiative to expand container terminal capacity at the port and capture the significant increases in container volumes predicted over the next 20 years. The growth of container traffic on the west coast of North America is due to the rapid expansion of overseas trade with Pacific Rim nations, as well as the growth in containerization of a larger range of products, VPA says.