Canadian Pacific Kansas City | Commissioner Street Rail Expansion

Permit status

Complete

Overview

In April, 2024, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) submitted a request of amendment of project PER No. 21-042-02. The request is to extend the expiry date, for works located between Commissioner Street overpass (McGill Street) and Victoria Drive, Vancouver, British Columbia on federal lands managed by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. As part of the Project and Environmental Review for the proposed project under the Impact Assessment Act, the proposed project was posted on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry with an opportunity for public comment between April 29 and May 28, 2024.

About the proposed amendment:

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Ltd. is requesting a permit extension to the approved project permit PER 21-042, which has an expiry date of May 31, 2024. Additional time is being requested to allow for the installation of steel casing over the Nanaimo Street water main located under the CPKC rail tracks, located at or near 2319 Commissioner Street.

On May 13, 2022, a project permit was issued to Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC); formerly Canadian Pacific or CP (the Permit Holder) to expand their existing rail infrastructure within the Commissioner Street transportation corridor between the Commissioner Street overpass (McGill Street) and Victoria Drive, in Vancouver, B.C. A portion of the project is on federal lands managed by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. The project was approved subject to 40 permit conditions the Permit Holder must meet to ensure the project does not result in significant adverse environmental effects. Works commenced following the Commissioner Street road realignment project completion, and are currently scheduled to conclude in December, 2023. Works are to include grading, drainage, and structural work, plus track construction and rail crossing relocation, and paving. Works may be required to take place outside of regular construction hours, with the details of these works posted to the Applicant website. On February 10, 2023, amendment PER No. 21-042-01 was issued approving construction activities on Sunday, February 19 from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., outside of the standard work hours stated in Condition No. 26 of PER No. 21-042. See details of this request below:

The Permit Holder made the request to advance utility relocation works and complete the new fibre optic cable installation that had been delayed due to scheduling conflicts with other projects in the area. The works were within the railway's right-of-way to the railway-leased area located south of Commissioner Street, and involved the use of horizontal directional drilling. These works were not anticipated to generate significant noise or light effects to nearby residents.

Following this amendment, the port authority has issued various authorizations for construction outside standard hours to enable the timely completion of ongoing construction activities and limit the interruption of rail operations. Below is a record of these authorizations to-date (September 29, 2023).

Between October 1 and November 1, 2023 (see anticipated schedule, activities, and locations here).
Between September 9 and October 1, 2023 (see anticipated schedule, activities and locations here).
Between July 16 August 20, 2023 (see anticipated schedule, activities and locations here).
Between 8:00 p.m. on June 22, 2023 and 11:59 p.m. on June 24, 2023 (inclusive). The work included relocation of an underground waterline along Commissioner Street at the Columbia Containers track crossing during a 48-hour track blockage permitted by Columbia Containers Limited.
Between 8:00 p.m. on April 27, 2023 and 6:00 a.m. on April 28, 2023 (inclusive).
Between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Sundays and on statutory holidays, from March 5 to April 30, 2023 (inclusive).

About the project As part of the Burrard Inlet Road and Rail Improvement Program, CPKC proposed to expand their existing rail infrastructure within the Commissioner Street transportation corridor by adding an additional two tracks to the north of the existing rail yard between the Commissioner Street overpass (McGill Street) in the east and Victoria Drive in the west. Approximately 40 per cent of this project is within the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority jurisdiction, the balance of the work is understood to be within the CPKC Rail right of way and a small portion under the jurisdiction of the City of Vancouver. The additional tracks are intended to provide increased storage capacity and improve operations for existing Port of Vancouver rail customers on the south shore of Burrard Inlet. The installation of the tracks will require grading, excavation, removal of contaminated soils, and the placing of structural fill and standard track materials. Project works also include the adjustment of the existing rail spur that serves Columbia Containers and upgrades to the road level crossing and warning system, installation of a utility protection slab on Commissioner Street, realignment of tracks below the Commissioner Street overpass, paving, construction of a retaining wall at New Brighton Road, construction of associated track derails, turnouts and crossovers throughout the rail yard and works to signals, warning systems and utilities. This project received funding in 2019 from the Government of Canada’s National Trade Corridors Fund. Project activities and components include:

Excavation of approximately 5,110 metres cubed of soil, including approximately 2,920 metres cubed of contaminated soil; excavation depths required vary from depths of 0.4 metres to 1.2 metres;
Installation of two new yard tracks “L30” and “L31”, approximately 2,400 metres and 1,300 metres in length, respectively, including placement and grading of structural fill and standard track materials;
Adjustment of the existing Columbia Containers Limited (CCL) lead track to connect to the proposed L31 track, including upgrades to the level crossing at Commissioner Street;
Installation of a utility protection slab over the Metro Vancouver sewer on Commissioner Street, including installation of approximately 42 piles to a maximum depth of 6 metres below finished grade;
Paving and roadway reinstatement at Commissioner Street;
Construction of a retaining wall along New Brighton Road, including installation of approximately 42 piles to a maximum depth of 6 metres below finished grade to accommodate the realignment of tracks below the Commissioner Street overpass to maintain 5 tracks through the corridor;
Installation of turnouts and crossovers connecting the various yard tracks with the CPKC mainline and private customer trackage;
Installation of track derails, including sliding derails;
Installation of signals and warning system work; and,
Utility works, including protection, upgrading and relocation, as required, of existing buried utilities and infrastructure in conflict with the proposed new track alignment.

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