June 4, 2026 – Fisheries and Oceans Canada Regional Office of Environmental Coordination must decide whether the proposed remediation of sediment from the southern tidal grid and removal of the tidal boat grid and sediment from the northern tidal grid at False Creek Small Craft Harbour will have a significant impact and are likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

To help inform this decision Fisheries and Oceans Canada is inviting comments from the public on the project and its potential effects on the environment. 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.

Written comments must be submitted by July 5, 2026 to:

Paddy McManus, Paddy.McManus@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

200-401 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 3S4

Project Summary

The Project is located in False Creek Inlet in Vancouver, British Columbia. Work to decommission the southern active boat grid and remediate the sediment in the northern grid of the False Creek Small Craft Harbour falls within the mandate of the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan to reduce environmental and human health risks from known federal contaminated sites.

Tidal grids were typically used for vessel maintenance during low tide periods and these maintenance activities have the potential to introduce contamination into the surrounding sediments. Previous Environmental Site Assessments found Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Tributyltin, and metals exceedances of applicable environmental criteria within the area of the boat grid.

The boat grids are occasionally used by harbour users. The southern grid will continue to be available for use after the sediment surrounding the grid is removed and disposed of in a provincially licensed receiving facility. The northern grid will be decommissioned and the surrounding sediment will also be disposed of in a provincially licensed receiving facility. Work will be completed using a long-reach excavator from shore.

Remediation will address contamination in the sediments within the area of the existing boat grid.  The excavation footprint is anticipated to be 15-30 cubic meters per grid. Work will be completed following Fisheries and Oceans Canada's best standards of practise to minimize adverse effects to fish and fish habitat.

Work is expected to start in mid July to align with day time seasonal low-tide windows and take 1 week.

Project Locations

False Creek Harbour, Vancouver, 1505 W 1st Avenue, Vancouver V6J 1E8

49.27, -123.14