Notice of determination

Queensgate Maintenance Dredging

September 9, 2020 – The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority has determined that the proposed Queensgate Maintenance Dredging, located at 700-800 South Dyke road, New Westminster, B.C. is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

This determination was based on a consideration of the following factors:

• Impacts on rights of Indigenous peoples
• Indigenous knowledge
• Community knowledge
• Comments received from the public
• Technically and economically feasible mitigation measures

Mitigation measures taken into account for this determination are:

• The works will not deposit a deleterious substance in water inhabited by fish, or affect fish or fish habitat in a manner contrary to the Fisheries Act
• There will be no in-water works during the fisheries sensitive period from March 1 to June 15, inclusive
• The physical activities will be conducted to avoid increasing sedimentation of foreshore and nearshore areas and induced turbidity of local waters
• A spill prevention, containment and clean-up plan will be developed for the project, be available in the immediate working area, and project personnel will be trained on spill prevention, containment, and clean-up
• Piles will installed using vibratory or drop hammer. Other pile installation methods are not allowed without approval from the port authority.
• All piles will be removed completely by extracting the entire length of the pile from the riverbed. If the condition of the pile prevents the complete removal, the pile will be removed to the extent possible to avoid leaving a pile stump which may pose a hazard to navigation
• The barge and other support vessels will be prevented from grounding on the foreshore, seabed or otherwise disturb the foreshore or seabed
• All construction debris and waste materials will be collected in the immediate working area and disposed of at an appropriately licensed facility

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is satisfied that the carrying out of the project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

Therefore, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority may carry out the project, exercise any power, perform any duty or function, or provide financial assistance to enable the project to be carried out in whole or in part.