Deltaport Threatens Fraser Estuary

Phase one of port expansion is underway at Deltaport, on Roberts Bank at the mouth of the Fraser River, the greatest salmon river in the world. Roberts Bank, a large expanse of intertidal eelgrass beds, marshes and nutrient-rich mudflats, is a vital link in a chain of globally significant habitats for salmon, migrating birds and orcas. Migrating salmon on their way to the ocean stay in the estuary to feed and adapt to salt water.

Roberts Bank is a feeding area for three pods of endangered and declining populations of resident orcas. Their survival is threatened by toxic pollution, loss of food sources (primarily coho salmon), marine noise and collisions.

The Fraser delta is Canada’s major stopover on the Pacific Flyway for up to five million migratory birds from at least 20 countries. Roberts Bank, Boundary Bay and Sturgeon Bank have international recognition as Canada’s Most Important Bird Areas with the highest numbers of wintering waterfowl, shorebirds and birds of prey. This area is crucial to the survival of the world’s population of 3.6 million western sandpipers. In the words of Dr. Mary Taitt, “Any further development on Roberts Bank will exacerbate past cumulative effects and may even precipitate collapse of this globally significant system.”

Deltaport expansion projects not needed

Roger Emsley, a member of APE (Against Port Expansion in Delta), states that using the Vancouver Port Authority’s own container traffic forecasts, future needs can be met without building the extra capacity at Deltaport. Productivity of B.C. ports, much lower than those in Europe and Asia, can be improved. Also the new container port in Prince Rupert is only being used to a small percentage of its capacity.

Deltaport – Coal out, containers in. The yellow on the aerial photo of Deltaport is the 55-acre Third Berth, which is under construction. The red area is where the 200-acre Terminal Two is proposed to be built. The black area is where coal is stored before being loaded onto ships for export.

Are we being fleeced? Recently, container volumes have plummeted with the global economic crisis. And with the end of cheap oil, container volumes might never recover. Competing projects will likely create a massive surplus of container shipping capacity; California has announced a $20-billion proposal to expand its port capacity and the Panama Canal is being widened. The only guarantees we have are increased debt, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.