Souris Dredging and Ferry Terminal Modifications

The Souris Ferry Terminal, located in Souris, Prince Edward Island, provides year round ferry transportation for passenger vehicles, trucks, commercial and other highway vehicles, as well as bicycles and pedestrians, between Prince Edward Island and les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec.  This service is provided by the vessel, MV Madeleine, from April to December and the MV Vacancier, an ice class vessel, provides service during the winter months.

 

Recently the ship Captains have indicated that the vessels touch bottom when berthing during certain tidal ranges. A hydrographic survey of the area around the wharf of the terminal shows that sediment has been building up in the area to a level that is interfering with the operation of the vessel and to the extent that dredging will be necessary to enable ferry operations can continue safely during all tidal phases.

 

Transport Canada has not had the requirement to dredge at the berth since its construction approximately 20 years ago. The dredging under this project would be designed to go deeper than the original seabed levels at the time of construction to help ensure that there will be enough clearance for the current vessels to safely berth for an expected service life of another 20 years. It is not expected that a dredging plan would be required on a regular basis.

 

There are two areas that require dredging to accommodate the vessels. The first dredge area (Dredge Area No. 1) is located at the west end of the wharf in the area where the vessels turn to berth. It is estimated that 3,000 cubic metres of material will need to be removed. Dredge Area No. 2 is located slightly to the northwest of the end of the wharf and it is estimated that 9,000 cubic metres of material will need to be removed in this section. Blasting may also be required in a small portion at the northern section of Area No.2.  In total it is estimated that 12,000 cubic metres of material will be required to be removed in order to safely operate the vessels.

 

It is proposed to use the dredge material to construct an extension to the existing terminal marshalling yard. The area would measure approximately 100m x 50m (~5,000m2) and would serve as a parking lot and service area for the terminal. This service area would be located to the north of the existing marshalling yard, between an existing concrete wharf to the west and the terminal building to the east. Stone material will be used to construct a berm with 1:1.5 side slopes to contain the dredge material. Two layers of 200-400kg filter stone will then be placed on the outer sides of the berm to prevent erosion. Filter fabric and crushed stone will be placed on the top of the infill area to allow vehicles to access the area for parking. Asphalt pavement is not planned at this time.

A new vessel that will replace the current MV Madeleine is due to come online in the Spring 2021.  To accommodate this new, larger vessel will require modifications to the current ramp infrastructure and the extension of the existing wharf with two new, pile driven dolphins.

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Disclaimer

This map is for illustrative purposes. The markers represent the approximate locations based on available data. More than one marker may be identified for a given assessment.

 

Latest update

January 13, 2021 - The assessment decision statement has been issued to the proponent.

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Contacts

Transport Canada
Jason Flanagan, Regional Senior Environmental Supervisor
Email: jason.flanagan@tc.gc.ca


  • Location

    • Souris Ferry Terminal (Prince Edward Island)

  • Nature of Activity

    • Building and Property Development
    • Other, not otherwise specified

  • Assessment Status

    Completed

  • Start Date

    2020-06-16

  • Proponent

    Transport Canada

  • Authorities

    • Fisheries and Oceans Canada
    • Transport Canada

  • Assessment Type

    Project on federal lands

  • Reference Number

    80785

Nearby assessments

...within 200 kilometres
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