Better Deltaport

Global Container Terminals' alternative proposal (Deltaport Berth 4) to the Vancouver Port Authority’s Roberts Bank Terminal 2 expansion plan is moving to the next step #buildbackbetter #betterdeltaport via Delta Optimist

"Canada’s international ports are highly regulated spaces and, in this country, they are only partially accountable monopolies. The Port of Vancouver is one example. Better board representation must be put in place to better serve the interests of Western Canada and its major industries, including agriculture." via The Western Producer

"David Emerson [former Member of Parliament] who conducted the Canada Transportation Act review several years ago, said "I think there is inadequate governance in relation to deployment of capital, there’s inadequate governance when it comes to make sure that there is a recourse to a regulator where there is abuse of monopoly power frankly I wouldn’t give them any more access to money until you clean that up." via The Western Producer

Government of Saskatchewan is joining a growing list of provinces and industry groups calling for reform of representation on the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA). via The Carlyle Observer

"The Prairie provinces are the main source of Canada’s natural resources and global exports... representation on the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA) Board of Directors fails to represent this regional diversity." "This newly structured board would better reflect the needs of exporters, help grow our economy, and create jobs across Canada at a time when it’s needed most." ~ Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry

Dear Business in Vancouver and A. Paul Gill, CEO, Lomiko Metals Inc.: I recently read the article that a a key Metro Vancouver mining firm has officially thrown its support behind the controversial Roberts Bank Terminal 2 container facility expansion project, only to uncover after several Google searches that the mining firm in question is not yet operating any mines, nor is it a likely customer of Robert’s Bank. Strange. This junior mining exploration company does have a potential project, but it is located about 100 km north of Montreal, Quebec. If I may offer its CEO (and Surrey Board of Trade member), Mr. Gill, some free supply chain advice:

Join BirdNote on a trip to the Fraser River Estuary, where fresh water meets the salty Pacific Ocean in British Columbia, Canada. Scientists are confirming what... locals and birders have long known: these mudflats are an important stopover point for Western Sandpipers during their epic migratory journey. https://www.birdnote.org/li/podcasts/threatened/sandpipers

Urgent petition. Please sign and if you have already, thank you!

Proud of our GCT Vanterm neighbour West Coast Reduction Ltd.. They have been doing recycling before it became cool. Every British Columbian has a cleaner environment and more affordable local food supply because of WCR's sustainable solutions. via BCBusiness

"The Port of Vancouver's decision to prioritize cargo container expansion over British Columbia’s agricultural industry puts the viability of the region’s food sector at risk. [Their] refusal to grant West Coast Reduction Ltd. a modest extension to its lease, simply to hold the land as a possible future terminal for overseas cargo containers, is creating needless risk for agricultural producers, and threatening the long-term viability of the domestic food system." - Sustainable Food Alliance of BC ANOTHER reason why GCT Global Container Terminals Inc's Deltaport Berth 4 expansion is a better and less risky plan!

Today at 5 PM PST is the last virtual information session (link for info) to learn first-hand about the Deltaport Expansion Berth 4 Project by GCT Global Container Terminals Inc. Deltaport 4 is the better alternative container terminal expansion plan compared to the Port of Vancouver's Roberts Bank Terminal 2.

The public comment period for GCT Global Container Terminals Inc Deltaport Berth 4 Expansion Project in Delta, BC is open until Nov 27, including virtual information sessions on Nov 5 & Nov 10 from 5 to 7 PM PST. Deltaport 4 is a more enviro-conscious and less risky container terminal expansion plan compared to the Port of Vancouver's Roberts Bank Terminal 2 plan. Info

The Port of Vancouver is planning on building Terminal 2 at the mouth of the Fraser River estuary in the ecologically-sensitive Salish Sea, on top of important waters and lands that are essential to the marine population and Indigenous communities. Fortunately, GCT Global Container Terminals has a better solution to add container capacity at Roberts Bank. The Deltaport Berth 4 plan backed by GCT presents a better terminal expansion option at Roberts Bank to reduce the enviro...nmental and economic risks that the Port of Vancouver’s Terminal 2 island would wage. Via Vancouver Is Awesome See more

The public comment period for GCT Global Container Terminals' Deltaport Berth 4 Expansion Project is open until November 27. Have your say Deltaport 4 is a better responsible plan for container expansion in #DeltaBC compared to the Port of Vancouver's Roberts Bank Terminal 2 plan.

Members of the Western Grain Elevators Association (WGEA), which collectively handle in excess of 90% of western Canada's bulk grain exports, are asking the federal government to intervene with the Port of Vancouver due to the substantial increase of rent this year on the federal property at the port. The port needs to generate revenue to pay its share and that can come only through rent from existing users, but WGEA members believe their rent increases are paying for contai...ner-related projects which don't benefit the grain terminals at all. Also, grain companies have to pay for their own projects to deal with congestion, such as a new rail car unloading facility. There is an inherent conflict of interest because the port is both a regulator and a developer, and the grain companies are captive. Via The Western Producer

GREAT NEWS The Initial Project Description for the Deltaport Berth 4 Expansion project was approved by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and the BC Environmental Assessment Office. Deltaport Berth 4 is the better alternative expansion plan compared to Roberts Bank Terminal 2. Continue reading for what this means and what happens next.

We are facing one of the most significant shocks to global trade and the economy in recent memory, and the full impacts are still unclear. Given this current environment of uncertainty, future port expansion projects should be incremental so that capacity can adapt to market conditions. The Port of Vancouver's government-funded Roberts Bank Terminal 2 plan is unnecessary risk for businesses and taxpayers, when a smart, phased, enviro-conscious privately-funded plan is available by GCT Global Container Terminals. The time for irresponsible government spending is not now. Overbuilding is dangerous for the economy, the environment and the region’s competitiveness.

The Port of Vancouver's Roberts Bank Terminal 2 plan in Delta, BC is not the best solution for the environment, the workforce, and taxpayers. Sign our petition to ensure a fair competitive process and the best outcome for Delta, British Columbia, and Canada: https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Sign/e-2800

To sustain marine trade, Canada will need to develop increased container port capacity at Roberts Bank in Delta, BC. GCT Global Container Terminals has a better plan than Port of Vancouver and is fighting for fair consideration. A better way for taxpayers, the local and national economy, and the environment via Vancouver Is Awesome

The Business in Vancouver series on the future of transportation continues with the CEO of GCT Global Container Terminals Inc, Doron Grosman, on the impact of the pandemic on shipping and ports and the outlook on how the industry will adapt. He is in conversation with BIV publisher and editor-in-chief Kirk LaPointe.

"The Port of Vancouver is a federal Crown corporation, an entity in which we all own a share. As such it has the responsibility to set standards for private corporations to follow. Sadly, with the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project, the Port of Vancouver itself is a disappointment." ~ Peter van der Velden via the Delta Optimist

Port of Vancouver's Op Ed in The Hill Times contains several inaccurate comments. Here's a fact check for full disclosure. : [Roberts Bank Terminal 2] would inject more than $2 billion in private capital into the economy, creating more than 12,000 construction jobs and more than 12,000 operating jobs. The project is driven by trade and market economics that will unleash private investment to fund the project through an operator’s long-term lease payments and ...port authority revenuesnot taxpayer dollars. : How can it be funded through an operator's lease when there is currently NO operator And, if Port of Vancouver (PoV) argues their project will be financed by private sector money, why do they keep asking to increase their borrowing limit In the last budget cycle, they asked to increase their borrowing limit to $2.7 billion. As we speak, the projected cost is actually estimated at $3.5 billion government-funded (aka taxpayer dollars). Who is holding the PoV accountable Also, GCT Global Container Terminals (a current tenant of the PoV) is ready, right now, to privately-fund (no risk to taxpayers) an expansion that supports economic development, but the PoV is obstructing GCT’s proposal for unsubstantiated reasons. : In March, a federal independent review panel also studied potential environmental effects of the project and made recommendations for how they could be mitigatedproviding a road map for how we can further mitigate project-related effects. We are committed to working with Indigenous groups, government and other stakeholders to develop and implement measures that effectively address these concerns. : In fact, the City of Delta recently rejected the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project as it does NOT address Environment and Climate Change Canada's concerns that some adverse effects will be "immediate, continuous, and cannot be mitigated" and that impacts on biofilm could have species-wide impacts on migratory birds. (Reference: https://betterdeltaport.ca/Article) As for "working with stakeholders," here's what many of them are saying: https://betterdeltaport.ca/Article https://betterdeltaport.ca/Article https://betterdeltaport.ca/Article

Why does the Port of Vancouver keep getting its Terminal 2 expansion business case fundamentals like demand and costs so wrong? Who is holding the Port of Vancouver accountable for its costly mistakes? When will the Government of Canada decide that it’s time for an impartial third party to take a closer look at the business case?

"Species integral to the Salish Sea are headed for extinction. Meanwhile the federal government is considering the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project, proposed by the Port of Vancouver, which will put more stress on at-risk species at a time when rapid ecosystem repair is what’s needed. The federal government’s approval of Terminal 2 will give evidence it doesn’t care about saving species, it just cares about the optics of saving them. Terminal 2 must be stopped and instead we must begin to repair the life-giving ecosystem that is the Salish Sea." ~ Charlotte Dawe, Conservation & Policy Manager, Wilderness Committee via The Georgia Straight

The City of Delta - Local Government is taking a stand against the Port of Vancouver's Roberts Bank Terminal 2 expansion in Delta, B.C.

The Government of Canada should think twice about how to respond to the Port of Vancouver's campaign to secure federal economic stimulus monies for its [container terminal] expansion project at Roberts Bank in B.C. Risking taxpayer dollars right now on a massive project, with its inflating costs and unrealistic projections, is not wise. And why even consider spending public resources when the private sector is standing by and ready to invest? Massive, inflexible megaprojects based on dated and inaccurate projections are not good economic stimulus propositions. Never mind shovel ready, they are simply not shovel worthy. ~ Roger Emsley - The Hill Times

The Port of Vancouver's recently announced decision to build its proposed Terminal 2 container project prior to selecting a terminal operator makes no sense. Having built the island - the size of 150 football fields - what if no terminal operator is prepared to make a viable bid to operate it? Will the federal government be expected to bail out the Port of Vancouver, as it did the TMX pipeline? ~ Roger Emsley, Delta Optimist

Canadian taxpayer dollars are ballooning with the Port of Vancouver's megaproject