The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority welcomes the Government of Canada’s decision
to approve the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project, announced today following a rigorous environmental
assessment process that started in 2013.
The decision comes as Canada’s container trade remains on a long-term growth trajectory, with west
coast marine container terminals forecast to hit capacity by the mid to late 2020s.
“With this approval, we can advance one of Canada’s most important trade infrastructure projects to date,
bolster our national supply-chain resilience, and deliver generational economic benefits for Canadians
and Canadian businesses,” said Robin Silvester, president and CEO of the Vancouver Fraser Port
Authority, the federal agency mandated to enable Canada’s trade through the Port of Vancouver. “I’d like
to thank Indigenous and local communities, scientists, industry, chambers of commerce, and all tiers of
government, who have played such an important role in shaping the project to date.”
The Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project includes building new land and a new three-berth marine container
terminal near existing port terminals at Roberts Bank in Delta, B.C. The project will incrementally deliver
an additional 2.4 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of capacity, ultimately increasing Canada’s
west coast container capacity by approximately one third.
Besides enabling Canada’s growing trade, additional container terminal capacity at the Port of Vancouver
will strengthen national supply-chain resilience, by creating additional “buffer” to handle cargo surges,
such as those experienced through the pandemic, and support recovery from weather-related disruptions,
such as the severe flooding that B.C. experienced in late 2021 that contributed to port cargo backlogs
well into 2022.
The project will deliver substantial economic benefits, including more than 18,000 jobs during
construction; more than 17,300 ongoing jobs; an estimated $3 billion in GDP annually once built; and
$631 million in tax revenue to support services for Canadians.
The port authority is leading the project under its public-interest mandate as a federal agency, leveraging
its long history of building high-quality sustainable infrastructure across the Lower Mainland, including—
in partnership with container terminal operator DP World—the Centerm Expansion Project, which recently
won a platinum Envision Award from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure.
“Roberts Bank Terminal 2 has been designed in a way that ensures it aligns with our work toward our
vision to make the Port of Vancouver the world’s most sustainable port, including protecting and
enhancing the natural environment and reflecting Indigenous priorities,” said Judy Rogers, port authority
board chair. “The port authority has collaborated with Indigenous groups on the project for more than a
decade and now we look forward to working together to deliver economic, cultural and environmental
opportunities and initiatives.”
The port authority will continue to work closely with Indigenous groups on environmental mitigation and
training, employment, contracting opportunities, as well as providing benefits through the Indigenous
Legacy Benefit Fund and signed agreements with 26 Indigenous groups, as it continues its commitment
to respectful, long-term relationship building.
The new marine terminal will be located in subtidal waters to minimise environmental effects. It will be
funded by the port authority and private investment.
In line with the port authority’s commitment to support local communities, the Roberts Bank Terminal 2
community investment program will provide $6 million to Delta organisations and students as part of the
project.
The port authority will now continue to work toward obtaining other applicable approvals and permits to
advance the project.
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Editor, International Trade Magazine
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