The following is a report from the Port Community Liaison Committee, a multi-stakeholder body that includes representatives from the community, environment, agriculture, industry and local governments that addresses port-related issues in Delta.
It was another busy year for the Port Community Liaison Committee in 2018. With representatives from various sectors of the community – and operations spanning Roberts Bank to the Fraser River – the committee considers a wide range of port matters.
During the year, we heard updates, asked questions and shared concerns about many ongoing initiatives that affect port stakeholders. These include the noise monitoring stations around Roberts Bank, the Deltaport truck staging facility as well as multi-million dollar investments in rail and facility infrastructure. Many of these projects are responses to long-standing issues relating to port noise, traffic or efficiencies.
Expanding operations was also a theme in 2018. On the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 proposal, the committee heard that most of the information requests from the federal review panel have been addressed, and that public hearings are on the horizon. Likewise, a delegation from Fraser Surrey Docks informed us about the Fraser grain terminal project and the BHP potash proposal, as well as the priorities of the Fraser River Industrial Association.
As a group, the committee was also able to identify a list of key topics that members wished to learn more about.
Over the year, we heard from the Tsawwassen First Nation about its plans for the industrial lands next to Roberts Bank. We learned about biofilm, and ongoing studies to better understand its properties. A presentation from trucking and logistics specialists led to a discussion about the truck licensing system, terminal traffic levels and the use of GPS.
The year culminated with a fireside chat with harbour master Stephen Brown, who shared his insights about harbour protocols, anchorages and emergency response measures.
This year promises to be another meaningful one for the committee. It will also be a time of change for the committee itself, with the planned retirement of four long-standing community representatives.
As a result of these retirements, the committee will be looking for new community representatives – individuals who have an interest in port operations and are willing to contribute their time to attend meetings and communicate with the community about port activities and projects.
The committee looks forward to sharing our volunteer recruitment plans in the future. In the meantime, we are always looking to hear from interested or concerned community members about port activity. Please connect with us anytime at PCLC@portvancouver.com.
