ESQUIMALT HARBOUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES - 8 JUNE 2017

October 17, 2017Pages 52–564 sections

Minutes from the regional committee meeting regarding harbour operations, remediation projects, and infrastructure updates.

June 8, 2017Esquimalt Harbour Remediation Project updateA and B Jetties Project update

Port Operations and Emergency Services Branch Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt PO Box 17000 Stn Forces Victoria BC V9A 7N2

0103F-1150-1 (POESB/RDIMS 673704)

07 September 2017

Distribution List

Page 52–56

ESQUIMALT HARBOUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING

HELD AT 1330 HOURS ON THURSDAY, 8 JUNE 2017 AT THE ESQUIMALT GRAVING DOCK FACILITY, 825 ADMIRALS ROAD

Chairperson: Mr. Doug Kimmett, DND, Deputy Queen’s Harbour Master (QHM)

Members Present:

Mr. Stafford Bingham, Director, Esquimalt Graving Dock/Infrastructure Assets Management
Mr. Mike Bodman, DND, Formation Environment, Environment Officer
Mr. Bill Brown, Director of Development Services, Township of Esquimalt
Mr. Lyle Fairley, DND, Marine Environmental Emergency Response Officer
Ms. Michelle Holmes, National Historic Site, Fort Rodd Hill, Parks Canada
Lieutenant-Commander Chris Maier, Commodore, Canadian Forces Sailing Association (CFSA)
Mr. Ron Mattson, Councillor, Town of View Royal
Captain Duncan McCallum, Operations Centre, Canadian Coast Guard
Captain Martin Poirier, Military Police Unit, Esquimalt
Lieutenant-Commander Greg Walker, DND, Queen’s Harbour Master

Recorder: Ms. Mary Hamilton-Millward, DND, HQ, Administrative Assistant Reviewed by: Ms. Sheila Dooley, DND, Esquimalt Harbour Official

Page 52–56

DISCUSSION	ACTION BY
INTRODUCTION
1. Call to Order. Mr. Kimmett called the meeting to order at 1330 hours.
2. Opening Remarks. Mr. Kimmett welcomed everyone to the meeting, and thanked Mr. Bingham for the change in venue. Mr. Kimmett stated that it was a requirement under Transport Canada that DND, as the harbour authority, include stakeholder engagement in the form of this meeting. The meetings used to be held quarterly, they have now been changed to twice a year, but they could be revised to once a year depending on current issues. A round table of introductions took place.
ADOPTION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES
3. No omissions from the previous minutes noted.
STANDING REPORT
4. Environment Sub-Committee Report. Mr. Fairley stated that there was no report, as there had been no meeting since the last EHAC meeting. He had an update on Spill Response in the harbour and the approaches. They have been working with Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC) on a series of geographic response strategies in View Royal. DND has worked with WCMRC on various exercises around some of the deemed high risk/sensitive harbour shorelines to ensure DND follows the same strategies for spills. Mr. Fairley said they would be inviting WCMRC to give a presentation at their next Environmental Sub-Committee meeting to share WCMRC’s 10-year plan. Mr. Bodman mentioned the spill clean-up in Plumper Bay last year was in post-spill monitoring under the natural recovery plan. There is still a fishery closure for the area. Health Canada and First Nations Health Authority are still assessing data before the closure is lifted due to slow information coming from the polluter. Mr. Bingham asked Mr. Fairley if DND would be interested in participating in a future combined spill exercise with staff from Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC).
OLD BUSINESS
5. There was no Old Business referred to at this meeting.
NEW BUSINESS
6. Small Boat Floats Project. Mr. Kimmett stated that this project currently has partial funding, and will be a phased project. They are hoping to see two floats in place, possibly serviceable in the next few years. There is a strong likelihood of contamination in the remediation area. There will be traffic from barges, delivery of floats, driving of piles, and dredging activities. There is an awarded contract for construction for the floats.
7. A and B Jetties Project Update. Mr. Bodman said that B Jetty was going to be demolished, work is currently underway. Dredging around B Jetty will commence in August. Once B Jetty is in operation, A Jetty will be demolished and replaced with a new structure. Mr. Kimmett stated that A Jetty will protrude further than the original jetty, and closer to the transit lane to the graving dock. Construction is anticipated to continue for the next ten to fifteen years, sequencing and communication will be conveyed to the municipalities.
8. Esquimalt Harbour Remediation Project. Mr. Bodman stated that most of the contaminated material was around the existing old infrastructure. PSPC has already been conducting their own remediation around the Esquimalt Graving Dock over the past four years. DND has started their remediation project in front of A Jetty. Work has just been completed next to D, F and G Jetties. Work targeted for the two areas in Plumper Bay, and around Y Jetty and the ML Floats, is expected to be completed by 31 March 2018. Work will begin in the Plumper Bay area in January. The contract for the work between Y Jetty and the ML Floats is out to tender, the contractor is expected to execute that part of the plan in 3 weeks. Work around Y Jetty and Lang Cove expected to be finished by March 2020. Mr. Kimmett stated that A Jetty work will start as soon as B Jetty is completed due to the space restriction for the ships, and that construction is expected to go beyond 2021. Work around C Jetty will begin next year. Demolition of the existing B Jetty is expected to be completed by July, and then a dredging program will begin. Dredging material will be removed by barge; no trucking traffic through Esquimalt is anticipated. Mr. Bingham added that the sub-jetty reconstruction contract is expected to start in September and anticipated completion would be in the second quarter of 2020.
9. Fort Rodd Hill Dock Repairs. Ms. Holmes stated they are conducting extensive restoration work on the fort, and they require visuals of the area, so they will be flying a drone around their site 19-23 June. They have all the required permits and have informed the appropriate authorities. The drone will fly around the lighthouse and the coastline.
BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR
10. Lieutenant-Commander Maier stated that CFSA is planning to replace some piles in the beginning of July so they will have another Salish Sea barge coming in to repair approximately fifteen piles.
11. Mr. Bingham stated that the Transfer Agreement ended 1 April, and PSPC now owns all of the Esquimalt Graving dock property. They will be obtaining an Order In Council to raise title on the parking lot that still belongs to CFSA. They are looking forward to the reconstruction of the South Jetty, which is estimated from eighteen months to two years to completion. Most of the big electrical projects are finished now, but work continues on two new substations on the land side of the dock. Mr. Bingham said the new construction of precast concrete will have no load restrictions on that side of the jetty enabling them to operate larger mobile cranes to do ship repairs instead of just for smaller vessels. He reported that Victoria Shipyard has a new project; the first LNG conversion of a major vessel to be done on the West coast. Victoria Shipyard will be bringing in five TOTE ships over the next five years. The North Star will be the first one. Mr. Bingham confirmed the contractor will have the same work area on the jetty as the deconstructor had, and everything will be brought in by barge. Mr. Bingham confirmed there will be interaction with the Seamanship division floats. Mr. Kimmett added that there would be a communications group with the A and B Jetties project. They would have a plan for all the activities, and all the other smaller projects should have a reporting relationship. Mr. Bingham stated the start date for the main transmission line project is yet to be determined. It is the replacement of their feed from the Esquimalt substation to the Graving Dock main gate. It will go down the trail or Colville Road. Excavation will be required and may affect traffic.
12. Mr. Brown stated that the building permit for the sewage plant will be issued soon; there will be increased traffic in Esquimalt from the Victoria side; Esquimalt Road and Head Street. They have removed all the contaminated soil off the site. Mr. Brown will inform DND of any significant road traffic so that the information can be relayed onto the DND splash screen/signage. The Base contact is Mr. James Vassallo.
13. Mr. Bodman added that they did a public information session for View Royal and Esquimalt residents on all of the projects. They can provide the same to the municipal councils if needed.
14. Mr. Kimmett stated they had received a few calls from residents in Esquimalt, Metchosin and Victoria regarding the amount of vessels that anchor off of Esquimalt. The anchorages are rented out to commercial vessels primarily for commercial purposes. DND owns and manages the anchorages. Nothing has changed in the management of the anchorages, as dictated by Transport Canada. There have been concerns with potential pollution with the increased number of ships. The ships do not run their propulsion systems while anchored. Their exhaust systems are heavily monitored and regulated. With the increase in ship traffic, all the designated anchorage areas are traditionally full, and the Pacific Pilotage Authority is looking for more anchorage areas in the Gulf Islands and Nanaimo area. DND can provide more information on the ships and why they are there. Mr. Fairley added that they do harbour rounds twice a week to monitor any pollution. They also have good communication with Harbour Air who is quick to report any pollution to them.
NEXT MEETING
15. The next meeting will be held in November. Mr. Bingham offered the Esquimalt Graving Dock again as a venue for the next meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
16. The meeting was adjourned at 1431 hours.