Unceded Algonquin Territory — Ottawa, ON — April 21, 2023 – Roberts Bank Terminal 2 (RBT2) will double the shipping capacity of the Port of Vancouver by creating an artificial island the size of 150 football fields in the heart of the Fraser River Delta. In doing so, the new megaport will cause significant and permanent harm to endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales, threatened Chinook Salmon and migratory birds such as Western Sandpipers.

The Fraser River Delta has some of the largest salmon runs in the world and provides habitat for threatened Fraser River Chinook Salmon. The estuary has already lost more than 70 percent of its floodplain habitat; RBT2 will result in even more habitat loss. In 2020, an independent review panel concluded that habitat loss and estuary changes from this new megaport will negatively impact Southern Resident Killer Whales through destruction of critical habitat, reduced salmon availability, and increased underwater noise. RBT2 will also adversely affect migratory bird populations by damaging production of biofilm, a key food for these birds.

Federal approval of RBT2 is at odds with Canada’s statements only a few short months ago at the UN Biodiversity Conference in Montreal (COP15), where Environment Minister Guilbeault said that “real transformative change, innovation and a proper accounting for the true value of nature in decision-making across all sectors is needed.” The true value of nature has truly been ignored in this project approval in favour of short-term expediency. Mitigation measures associated with the conditions of approval of the megaport are inadequate to protect the over 100 species at risk which will be affected. And in any event these measures will almost certainly be ignored once the megaport is constructed and in operation. Federal monitoring of industry compliance with environmental conditions of regulatory approvals historically has been dismal.

Nature Canada views the approval of Roberts Bank Terminal 2 as a major step backwards given the federal government’s pledge to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. Prime Minister Trudeau’s actions are not matching his promises.