The Port of Vancouver’s new container inspection facility at the Tsawwassen First Nation will open early this year.
A spokesperson for the port notes it is “substantially complete” so once the operator completes outfitting the facility, it will become operational.
Containers selected for inspection currently have to be trucked to Burnaby, so the Tsawwassen facility, which will focus on high-tech scans and less on manual inspections, will reduce truck traffic while enabling border services to conduct more inspections.
Located on a 4.5-hectare (11.4-acre) site adjacent to the 41B Street overpass, it’s a short distance from the Deltaport container terminal. It will have 15 shipping container examination bays.
It will be a dual purpose complex, used by the Canada Border Services Agency for the inspection of shipping containers imported through Deltaport, and as a general purpose warehouse.
The project’s budget is approximately $33 million. Transport Canada contributed $3.3 million.
