RBT2 is not a sensible project from an environmental, social, or legal standpoint

Reference Number
3541
Text

This project is problematic from an environmental, social, and regulatory perspective.

Environmentally, the offsetting plan that VFPO have in place is woefully inadequate relative to the amount of development that RBT2 would entail.

Socially, no local stakeholders support RBT2, including the City of Delta, the Tsawwassen First Nation, and the union representing dock workers. Any claims that this project has local support lack credibility, based on the published statements by the vast majority of local stakeholders.

Legally, this project could be challenged on several grounds. It is set to be constructed on federal territory that overlaps with the critical habitats of multiple endangered species; therefore, it would violate the Species at Risk Act. The fact that it falls within the traditional unceded territory of the Tsawwassen First Nation also creates potential legal hazards. The Tsawwassen First Nation signed a treaty with BC in 2009. If the cumulative negative impacts that RBT2 is predicted to have on Tsawwassen cultural practices occur, then the Nation may have grounds to take legal action based on the recent precedent set by the Blueberry River First Nation.

This project should be dead in the water, especially since the Port of Prince Rupert has development plans that could also meet Canada's needs to expand shipping capacity without destroying irreplacable biofilm habitat or threatening the place that has the highest diversity of birds in Canada. At the very least, approval of this project should be postponed until the impact assessment for the Deltaport Berth 4 project has been completed. That project is predicted to have less than half the footprint of RBT2 while providing more than 80% of the increased container capacity; surely that would be a much better deal for everyone than RBT2.

Submitted by
Spencer S
Phase
N/A
Public Notice
N/A
Attachment(s)
N/A
Date Submitted
2022-04-12 - 6:31 AM
Date modified: