Americas News
Canada Approves Major Expansion of its Largest Port
The Government of Canada Thursday gave the go-ahead for a major expansion of the West Coast port of Vancouver.
It is estimated that The Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project (RBT2) will cost around CAD$2 billion (USD $1.47) and once completed will increase the port’s capacity by 50%.
The Port currently handles around 3.7 million TEU per year.
"In the coming years, the Government believes Canada’s major west coast ports will reach maximum capacity, meaning congestion will become a chronic issue," a Government statement noted.
"Without this port expansion, $3 billion in added GDP would be jeopardized by capacity shortages."
The project was heavily opposed by numerous environmental groups who say the expansion will, among other impacts, cause harm to marine habitat and impact at-risk species including killer whales and chinook salmon.
For its part, the Government has made RBT2 subject to 370 legally binding conditions aimed at protecting the environment, local wildlife, and land-use activities of Indigenous Peoples.
“The approval of this project was not taken lightly,” federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said in a statement.
“With strong measures, we will protect our ecosystem, while increasing Canada’s supply chain capacity to ensure Canadians receive affordable goods on time while growing our economy and creating well-paying, middle-class jobs.”
