Public notice 

TCZ-1 current sensor and shed installation – Public comments invited 

November 17, 2021 – As part of its Project and Environmental Review process, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority must determine whether the proposed TCZ-1 current sensor and shed installation, which would be located at the south west corner of the Pembina Vancouver Wharves Terminal and 25 meters south west of Calamity Point within the Burrard Inlet are likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. Written comments to be received by December 16, 2021.

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 December 16, 2021 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 

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority's Marine Operations department is proposing to install a tidal current sensor system in Burrard Inlet, to enable the collection of real-time current data at First Narrows. The project consists of the installation of two, 15 metre long, 30 inch piles attached with 2 ADCP's (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler), approximately 25 metres south west of Calamity light. There will also be the installation of a prefabricated data collection and equipment shed at the south west corner of Pembina Vancouver Wharves Terminal. 

The project includes approximately 180 metres of cabling from the piles to the equipment shed. Approximately 85 metres of cabling will be located underwater and laid on the sea floor surface from the piles to Calamity Light, while the remaining 95 metres of cabling will be located above water, along the beach and dock and within the terminal lease boundary. Approximately 30 metres of excavation with a depth of 0.6 metres will be required to accommodate two trenches for the cabling within the lease boundary.  

The piles are proposed to be installed using a vibratory hammer from a marine derrick, which is not expected to exceed recommended noise level guidelines for marine mammals. A bubble curtain would be deployed to defuse shock waves. The shed (1.8 x 1.2 metres in size) would be lifted by crane truck from Squamish Nation Reserve 5, over the fence and on to the south west corner of the terminal.