Public notice

Wood chip plant remediation - 8501 Ontario Street – Public comments invited

June 20, 2026 As part of its Project and Environmental Review process, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority must determine whether the Wood chip plant remediation - 8501 Ontario Street are likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

To help inform this determination and a decision on whether or not to approve the proposed project, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is inviting comments from the public respecting that determination. 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 August 19, 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

Howe Sound Pulp & Paper Corporation (HSPPC) is proposing targeted environmental remediation activities at the former West Coast Chip Plant site located at 8501/8502 Ontario Street, Vancouver. The remediation follows completion of a Detailed Site Investigation (DSI), Detailed Quantitative Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment (DQHHERA), and Remedial Action Plan (RAP), which identified localized soil and groundwater contamination associated with historical industrial operations. The project is intended to address petroleum hydrocarbons (LEPH/HEPH), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), tetraethyl lead (TEL), localized light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL), and other contaminants through targeted excavation and associated groundwater management.

The proposed works include excavation and off-site disposal of contaminated soils, localized LNAPL recovery, temporary dewatering (if required), confirmatory soil and groundwater sampling, installation of post-remediation monitoring wells, and restoration of excavated areas with clean imported fill. The project also includes decommissioning and removal of the existing stormwater treatment aeration lagoon and associated infrastructure, as well as removal of an associated electrical transformer. Environmental protection measures, including erosion and sediment control, stormwater management, and construction environmental monitoring, will be implemented throughout the remediation program in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.