(Photo courtesy of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority)
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority has announced its plan to issue a request for qualifications this July for a construction partner to deliver the landmass and wharf component of the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project, marking a significant step towards delivering the project.
The port authority says the new marine container terminal at the Port of Vancouver will be a transformational, nation building project that will support Canada’s economic security and trade resilience, enabling the trade of more than $100 billion in goods annually once fully operational.
More than 18,000 jobs will be created during construction and, once operational, the facility is expected to generate more than 17,000 long-term jobs, adding more than $3 billion in GDP annually.
Based on ongoing discussions with industry, the port authority will pursue a progressive design-build procurement model, which it says will allow for greater flexibility in the design process, strengthen collaboration, and enhance cost and schedule certainty.
The contract will include the delivery of a marine terminal landmass, wharf structure and berth pocket, widened causeway, expanded tug basin, and environmental mitigation and offsetting projects. Procurement opportunities for other components of the project will be available in the coming years.
In 2023, the federal and provincial governments approved the project following a rigorous environmental assessment process. In 2024, the port authority submitted a Species at Risk Act-compliant Fisheries Act Authorization application to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, with a joint commitment with government and regulators for a decision no later than October 2026. And 27 Indigenous groups have provided consent for the project to proceed.
Construction mobilization and early works are expected to occur in 2027, with major land reclamation works expected to begin in 2028. Terminal operations are set to begin in the mid-2030s.
At the conclusion of the request for qualifications process, three qualified construction partners will be invited to participate in a request for proposals for a design and early works agreement (DEWA) that outlines the activities and requirements for the development phase to inform the final investment decision
The selected construction partner will collaborate with the port authority, First Nations, and regulators throughout the DEWA to develop the construction logistics, work planning, costs, schedule and early works opportunities.