Notice of Determination

January 8, 2026 – The Vancouver Airport Authority, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Transport Canada, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and Fisheries and Oceans Canada have determined that the proposed Sea Island Conservation Area East Dike Upgrade Project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

This determination was based on a consideration of the following factors:

• impacts on rights of Indigenous peoples;
• Indigenous knowledge;
• community knowledge;
• technically and economically feasible mitigation measures.

 

Mitigation measures taken into account for this determination are:

General Project Mitigations Measures

• Comply with YVR Environmental Construction Standards.
• Construction Environmental Management Plan - The project shall prepare a construction environmental management plan (CEMP) to summarize the project-specific environmental mitigation that the construction contractor will employ during the project.
• Environmental Monitoring - An Environmental Monitor who is a Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP) should be on site for project start-up and for critical works below the high-water mark.  The Environmental Monitor will inspect all mitigation measures to ensure they are sufficient and working properly.  The Environmental Monitor will be given written authority to halt any construction activity if it is deemed necessary to protect fish and wildlife populations or their habitats.

 

Air Quality

• Develop a dust management plan within the project Construction Environmental Management Plan. Control dust using water to wet soils and haul roads if needed.
• All non-road diesel equipment, with greater than 25 hp, used during construction, shall be rated Tier II or higher.
• Contractors will be directed to minimize machinery and construction vehicles idling.
• Selection of dike fill material sources shall consider transportation methods and potential greenhouse gas implications. Where possible, preference will be given to sources with low transportation impacts such as from local sources or delivery by barge as opposed to trucking over long distances.

 

Water Quality

• Develop an Erosion and Sediment Control Plan to minimize erosion and potential introduction of suspended solids into water bodies. 
• Develop a Spill Prevention and Response Plan to minimize the risk and effects of potential spills and contaminants. 
• Any spill of a toxic or deleterious substance will be immediately reported to the Provincial Emergency Program and to ECCC-National Environmental Emergencies Centre and to YVR Airport Operations.
• Refueling of construction equipment shall be limited to top of dike. No cleaning or refueling of equipment shall take place in natural areas of SICA.

 

Soil Quality

• Soil relocation will be minimized as much as practical. All soil will be retained within SICA due to presence of invasive European fire ants in the project area.
• Maintain records of soil relocation volumes, characteristics, and deposition locations.

 

Aquatic Habitat and Fish

• Setback Dike Design - The dike design is offset from the existing dike crest slightly south, or inland away from river, so that the upgrade does not encroach on the intertidal areas of the Fraser River and avoids disturbance to aquatic habitat along the shoreline.  The setback design also retains riparian vegetation adjacent to the Fraser River.
• Timing Window for Instream Works – Works in and about the Sea Island ditch system should be limited to the period of least risk to aquatic life (July 16 to March 1).
• Obtain a Fisheries Act Authorization for ditch relocation and riparian vegetation removals. Implement all conditions of the Fisheries Act Authorization.
• A Qualified Environmental Professional will complete a fish and amphibian salvage within the ditches prior to any works below the high water mark.
• All dewatering pumps will have screens on their intakes with maximum mesh size 2.54 mm to prevent entrainment and impingement of fishes.
• A site restoration and management plan shall be developed to guide the long-term management of vegetation along the dike corridor.
• A restoration/replanting plan will be developed to re-establish riparian vegetation along the newly relocated ditch.

 

Terrestrial Habitat

• Project Timing - Vegetation clearing should be conducted between September 30 to March 1 to avoid damaging bird nests or eggs.
• Tree Protection - A Qualified Environmental Professional should conduct a pre-clearing tree survey to flag any trees near the perimeter of work extent that require protection.  If required, tree protection fencing should be installed around the root zones of large trees to minimize soil compaction and damage to tree roots.
• Vegetation Clearing - To minimize the potential of nesting within the site between clearing and grubbing, vegetation will be close cropped to within 5 cm of the ground surface. Furthermore, all cleared vegetation material will be mulched, spread over the site, and left within place to suppress vegetation regrowth and reduce attractiveness to ground nesting birds.  VAA will retain a Qualified Environmental Professional to liaise with CWS, advise on appropriate mitigation and survey methods, and carry out any required surveys to ensure ECCC's Avoidance Guidelines are appropriately implemented based on the available bird habitats, bird species likely to be present, and the time period of the activities with potential to impact birds.
• Site Restoration and Replanting Plan - To mitigate impacts from the conversion of habitat classes on-site, VAA will undertake tree and shrub plantings in SICA.  VAA will work with CWS to determine the appropriate area and configuration. Potential planting areas are shown on Figure 3-5. Replanting shall include:
  • Planting new patches of woodland and shrub hedgerow south of the dike and new ditch alignments in current old field habitat;
  • Hydroseeding an approximate 10 m wide strip (from the edge of the dike crest to the top of the toe drain) along the landside slope of the upgraded dike with grass mix;
  • Planting a mix of native mowable shrubs (salmonberry, thimbleberry, baldhip rose, and common snowberry) and grasses that do not pose consequential risks to dike integrity or maintenance between the vegetation buffer and the relocated ditch;
  • Planting a mix of native mowable shrubs (salmonberry, thimbleberry, baldhip rose, and common snowberry) between the new and old dike alignments (northeast of the new dike alignment); and
  • The existing dike crest material will be roughened and loosened prior to the application of topsoil and planting.
• Monitor the effectiveness and survival of planted vegetation for a 5-year post-construction period. 
• Develop an Invasive Species Management Plan to address management of knotweed, European fire ants and other invasive species present in SICA. ECCC shall be consulted during development of the IPMP to ensure the plan is coordinated with ECCC's invasive plant management program for SICA.
• Equipment and materials should be cleaned of any seeds or tissue of invasive plants (especially Japanese knotweed) before arriving on site.
• To prevent the further spread of European fire ants, the following mitigation measures will be applied:
  • If fire ant activity or nests are identified during work, the QEP must be contacted, and the infestation documented.  Fire ant-infested soils will be managed by:
    • Where possible, soils with fire ant infestations should be avoided by restricting travel and construction equipment in through these areas;
    • Where ground-disturbing work must occur in fire ant-infested soil, store and reuse all excavated soil and grubbing waste at the excavation site (do not truck material to central stockpile location); and
    • If fire ant-infested soil stockpiles become unmanageable, the QEP must be contacted to develop a fire ant soil treatment and disposal plan
• Artificial Wildlife Snags - Artificial wildlife snags will be installed in the woodland and shrub hedgerow replanting areas and along the south side of the new ditch. 

 

Wildlife

• Any trees with federally or provincially protected nests or cavities will not be destroyed or removed.
• Measures to avoid and/or reduce effects on small mammals will include:
  • Vegetation clearing will occur in late winter when young are unlikely to be present in burrows or nests.
  • Visual Encounter Surveys will be conducted by an Environmental Monitor prior to entering a new work area.
  • Machinery will start work slowly in a new area to allow small mammals an opportunity to vacate the work area.

 

Archaeology

• An Archaeological Impact Assessment (AIA) will be conducted prior to any ground-disturbing activities. Finding and recommendations in the AIA will be implemented.
• A Chance Find Management Plan will be developed and implemented for construction.

 

Community Resources

• A Traffic Management Plan should be developed prior to any high-volume construction traffic activities. The plan should include measures to block public access to the dike crest trail at the west end at McDonald Beach Park, the east end at Grauer Road, at the various access points from adjoining trails near and within McDonald Beach Park.
• Traffic management measures should ensure safety of road users present on Sea Island including cars, cyclists, and pedestrians.
• Construction activities should occur only during daytime hours to prevent nighttime noise disturbance.
• Access for the caretaker's vehicle should be maintained at all times.
• Works within McDonald Road Park parking lot should be completed as quickly as feasible and should be completed in the winter when park use is low.

 

The Vancouver Airport Authority, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Transport Canada, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and Fisheries and Oceans Canada are satisfied that the carrying out of the project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

Therefore, the Vancouver Airport Authority, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Transport Canada, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and Fisheries and Oceans Canada may carry out the project, exercise any power, perform any duty or function, or provide financial assistance to enable the project to be carried out in whole or in part.