Question Period Note: Roberts Bank Terminal 2, British Columbia

Roberts Bank Terminal 2, British Columbia

Protecting our aquatic ecosystems while considering economic interests of communities who rely on these industries for their livelihoods is a priority for our government.

My department will continue to participate meaningfully in consultation with Indigenous peoples and stakeholders, as well as continue our work to ensure that fish, marine mammals, and their habitats are protected.

My department has submitted its advice to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and is committed to continue working on the next steps for the environmental assessment of the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project.

Southern Resident Killer Whale
Our government is committed to the protection of Canada’s resident killer whales and to the recovery of these populations. Our Government has advanced initiatives to address the key threats to the Southern Resident Killer Whale through the Oceans Protection Plan, the Whales Initiative, and other measures specific to this population.

We will continue to work in partnership with Indigenous peoples, key stakeholders, international partners, and the Province of British Columbia on immediate actions to reduce the impact of marine shipping and assist in the recovery of the Southern Resident Killer Whale.

• On February 11, 2022, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) provided a written submission on the technical merit of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s (VFPA) new information on fish and fish habitat offsetting, including salmon, as well as on avoidance and mitigation measures for project construction, operation, and marine shipping related effects to Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW). This submission was provided to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada as part of their public comment period which closed on March 15, 2022.
• Overall, the VFPA’s responses related to DFO’s mandate generally satisfied the Minister’s request; however, uncertainties remain based on the information available at present, and it is recognized that additional, more detailed, project information would be required for any future DFO Fisheries Act authorization decision, should the project proceed.
• On September 24, 2021, the VFPA submitted its final response to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change’s information request.
• On August 25, 2020, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change requested that the VFPA provide additional information in order to inform his decisions under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012. The information request was posted on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry and has paused the federal timelines until the information provided by the proponent satisfies the information request.
• Some of the key issues related to the project fall within areas of DFO’s mandate, including impacts to SRKW and salmon, as well as Indigenous access to crab fishing within the navigational closure area.
• A Species at Risk Act (SARA) compliant Fisheries Act authorization would be required for construction of the terminal associated with the project in SRKW Critical Habitat, should the proponent receive a favourable environmental assessment decision under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act 2012.
• Prior to considering issuance of a SARA s. 73 permit, the Minister must be of the opinion that s. 73(3) pre-conditions are met, including that the activity will not jeopardize the survival or recovery of the SRKW. There is uncertainty over whether these pre-conditions can be met.
• As this is not the only project in the same area that would introduce new underwater acoustic and physical disturbances, consideration of cumulative effects will be important when decisions on this project are contemplated.
• On March 27, 2020, the Review Panel submitted its report on the project. It concluded that the project is likely to cause numerous significant adverse environmental effects taking into account the implementation of mitigation measures.
• VFPA proposes to construct and operate a new three-berth container terminal at Roberts Bank in the Fraser River Estuary in British Columbia. The project would be adjacent to the existing terminals. The proponent has stated that the new terminal would handle up to 260 container ships per year (520 ship movements) by 2030.

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