No plans to further deepen the Fraser River to accommodate larger vessels

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A senior executive with the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is rejecting suggestions the 36-kilometre channel in the Fraser River’s south arm needs to be expanded.

Opponents of the George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project have claimed the port wants a bridge to replace the tunnel so the river can be dredged at a deeper depth to accommodate larger commercial ships.

But the Authority’s Peter Xotta says growing trade can be handled without disrupting the existing infrastructure.

“The road and rail improvements that have been happening throughout the region for the last number of years are those that we think are good investments, but on the question of river depth, there are a number of constraints that would make a significant program to deepen the river very costly and potentially not commercially viable.”

He adds that would also require extensive environmental study.

“There is a substantial role that the river plays in the region in terms of goods movement. We have industrial properties that participate today in international trade.”

Xotta says the port authority will continue dredging the river to maintain current depth levels, but current limits restrict the ability to accommodate large commercial ships.

“The current design of the channel and river depth is something that we anticipate continuing to support, once again, for the existing users of the river.”