Canadian container port expansion gets approval from British Columbia, with conditions

Canadian container port expansion gets approval from British Columbia, with conditions

By Trains Staff | October 2, 2023

| Last updated on February 2, 2024


Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project faces challenge from environmental groups, but province says it cannot stop project

Illustration of proposed intermodal terminal on artificial island
The Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project has received clearance from the British Columbia government. Port Metro Vancouver

DELTA, British Columbia — The British Columbia government has provided environmental clearance for expansion of the container port at Roberts Bank, B.C., the Canadian Press reports, saying it could not prohibit the project from going forward in light of earlier federal approval.

The C$3.5 billion Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project was approved by the Canadian government in April, subject to some 370 conditions [see “Canadian government approves major West Coast container terminal,” Trains News Wire, April 21, 2023]. It will add some 2.4 million 20-foot container equivalents, or TEUs, of capacity to the existing facility, served by Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, and BNSF Railway.

Five environmental groups have launched a legal challenge to the expansion, but the provincial government said it could not prevent the project, which is almost entirely on federal land. It decided to issue an environmental assessment certificate with 16 conditions to offset adverse affects of the projects to protect provincial interests.

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