Public notice

Fraser River Navigation Channel Maintenance Dredging – Public comments invited

February 26, 2026 – The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and Environment and Climate Change Canada must determine whether the proposed Fraser River Navigation Channel Maintenance Dredging, occurring in the the lower 36 km of the Fraser River, from Sand Heads to New Westminster (kilometre marker -1 to kilometre marker 35) is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. 

To help inform this determination, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and Environment and Climate Change Canada are inviting comments from the public respecting that determination. The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority will serve as the lead authority for this project review and will be the primary point of contact receiving comments, coordinating their distribution and ensuring input from the other federal authorities. All comments received will be considered public and may be posted online. For more information, individuals should consult the Privacy Notice on the Registry website. In addition, your contact information may be shared with third parties, e.g., the tenant, other relevant agencies, to help respond to your questions and inform possible mitigations.

Written comments must be submitted by March 25, 2026 to:

Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
Project and Environmental Review
100 The Pointe, 999 Canada Place
Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6C 3T4
per@portvancouver.com

The proposed project

The proposed project comprises annual maintenance dredging of the deep-sea shipping channel in the lower reaches of the Fraser River, from Sand Heads (kilometre marker ‑1.5) to Annieville Channel (kilometre marker 35). The dredging will also include access to deep-sea terminals in the Fraser River. An estimated volume of up to 4.8 million cubic meters will be removed annually over a five-year period.

Dredging will be conducted using a Trailer Suction Hopper Dredge, Cutter Suction Dredge, clamshell dredges, scows/barges and auxiliary and ancillary equipment. Dredged material will be pumped ashore to upland locations for reuse, disposed of at an approved disposal at sea site, or disposed of at existing in-river disposal sites. Dredging will be conducted 24 hours per day, 7 days per week during the dredge season, roughly mid to late June to the end of February, annually.