Public notice

VanPile maintenance dredging – Public comments invited

March 11, 2024 – As part of its Project and Environmental Review process, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority must determine whether the proposed VanPile maintenance dredging, at the mouth of Lynn Creek in North Vancouver, BC is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. Written comments to be received by April 9, 2024.

To help inform this determination and a decision on whether or not to approve the proposed project, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is inviting comments from the public respecting that determination. All comments received will be considered public and may be posted online.  For more information, individuals should consult the Privacy Notice on the Registry website. In addition, your contact information may be shared with third parties, e.g., the tenant, other relevant agencies, to help respond to your questions and inform possible mitigations.

Written comments must be submitted by April 9, 2024 to:

Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
Project and Environmental Review
100 The Pointe, 999 Canada Place
Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6C 3T4
per@portvancouver.com

The proposed project

Vancouver Pile Driving Ltd. (Vanpile) proposes to conduct maintenance dredging of up to a maximum of 8,000 cubic metres per year adjacent to the mouth of Lynn Creek in North Vancouver, BC. Previous maintenance dredging at this location was most recently conducted in 2023 under PER Permit 17-400.

Recent maintenance dredging activities have been restricted to a maximum dredge volume of 4,000 cubic metres per year to align with Vanpile's annual multi-site Disposal at Sea (DAS) permit. Currently, the 4,000 cubic metres per year DAS volume cap restricts the Applicant from dredging areas in most critical need of dredging. Vanpile would like to pursue additional dredging, up to a maximum of 8,000 cubic metres per year, to capture all areas in need of dredging while extending the required interval of dredging (e.g., every two years rather than annually). Dredging events would be restricted to the same areas and depth as previously authorized dredging activities. Dredging activities would remain aligned with the Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) routine maintenance dredging code of practice.

The project consists of dredging the basin entrance that provides access to the marine yard. Sediment deposition from Lynn Creek has elevated the basin entrance. The target dredge grade would be -4.5 metres chart datum. The work would be completed with a crane and clamshell bucket. Dredge material would be disposed of at sea under a valid Disposal at Sea permit and upland (when dredging is expected to exceed 4,000 cubic metres per calendar year). Sediment quality testing was conducted from July to December 2023.