The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority held a public consultation recently regarding the proposed Maplewood Marine Restoration Project.
According to their announcement, the scheme is currently in the design development and permitting and approvals phases.
The port authority is proposing to use a portion of the project as a fisheries habitat offsetting site for the proposed Centerm Expansion Project.
“ The Centerm Expansion Project includes mitigation measures to reduce or avoid environmental effects of construction of the terminal expansion. However, where effects to fish and fish habitat cannot be avoided, the proposed Maplewood Marine Restoration Project is anticipated to provide the offset by creating high-value habitat at Maplewood, upon approval from Fisheries and Oceans Canada ,” said the authority.
The habitat area will include intertidal habitat, subtidal eelgrass habitat, and a rock reef habitat.
Dredging of the Southwest Channel and creating new rock reef habitat is proposed to improve tidal flushing in the basin and enhanced water quality, nutrient transportation and reduce siltation of marine vegetation.
Completion of all regulatory reviews for the Maplewood Marine Restoration Project is anticipated by mid-2019.
Following completion of these regulatory reviews, the earliest that construction on the Maplewood Marine Restoration Project could start is expected to be late summer 2019, for a period of approximately eight months.