No. P002/04 For release May 19, 2004 VICTORIA, B.C. ¿ David Anderson, Minister of Environment, on behalf of Tony Valeri, Minister of Transport, and BC Hydro Vice-President of Sustainability, Bruce Sampson, today announced the Government of Canada and the BC Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) are working together to clean up Victoria Harbour's Rock Bay, one of the most contaminated sites in BC. The Government of Canada will contribute $14.7 million and BC Hydro will contribute $17.4 million of the $32.1 million project cost to clean up the Rock Bay site. Rock Bay is the location of a former coal gasification plant that operated from the 1860s to the early 1950s. "Rock Bay is a significant part of Victoria's history and its future," said Mr. Anderson. "I am extremely pleased the Government of Canada, B.C. Hydro and the City of Victoria are all working together to clean up this important part of Victoria. Once the cleanup is complete this will provide a great opportunity to plan and redevelop this site." "This project is part of the Government of Canada's ongoing efforts to improve the environmental quality of Victoria Harbour," said Mr. Valeri. "This project wouldn't have been possible without our partner BC Hydro and the federal government's commitment to cleaning up contaminated sites. We are implementing one of the most comprehensive environmental programs of any harbour in Canada, right here in Victoria." "BC Hydro is committed to a path of sustainability whereby we balance our performance along environmental, social and economic bottom lines. This Triple Bottom Line approach was applied to Rock Bay," said Mr. Sampson. "BC Hydro inherited the Rock Bay site and after many years of complex environmental reviews and examination, we are proud to see the remediation project come to fruition." Coal tar, which is the main source of contamination at Rock Bay, was largely a waste by-product of the coal gasification process, which produced gas to power city lights and heat the community for over 90 years. In addition, there is also some metal and hydrocarbon contamination at the site. This residual contamination poses minimal health risks, but it does exceed the allowable levels, and limits most future activities at this site. Cleanup of the 6.8-acre site is scheduled to begin in June 2004 and be completed by December 2007. Over the next two, to two-and-a-half years, over 36,000 cubic metres, the equivalent of 4,000 dump trucks, of contaminated soil and sediment will be removed from the site and transported to approved off-site treatment or disposal facilities. Transport Canada and BC Hydro are working with the community to minimize any inconveniences that may occur as a result of this project. A series of information sessions will be held with the community as the project unfolds. The Rock Bay Remediation Project has been in the planning and development phase since the 1990s. Over the last seven years BC Hydro and Transport Canada have undertaken extensive environmental studies and testing to develop a comprehensive remedial plan. The Rock Bay remediation plan was developed with input from both federal and provincial environmental agencies, the City of Victoria, technical and academic experts and various community groups. The remediation approach also includes the implementation of a comprehensive stormwater management plan by the City of Victoria to address ongoing contamination from the two municipal outfalls that discharge into the Bay. The Rock Bay site was included in yesterday's announcement of Government of Canada funding of $175 million to help remediate fifty-seven (57) priority contaminated sites under the Federal Contaminated Sites Accelerated Action Plan. That announcement is a prelude to the larger commitment of more than $3.5 billion in long-term funding, announced in this year's federal budget, to remediate contaminated sites on federal lands. Transport Canada has spent over to $4 million over the last few years to clean up properties in Victoria Harbour and ensure they meet the appropriate environmental standards. Since 1997, over 100 environmental studies and projects totaling over $10 million have been completed in the harbour, or are currently underway. - 30 - Contacts: Rod Nelson Transport Canada (604) 666-1675 Stephen Watson BC Hydro (250) 755-4795 Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at apps.tc.gc.ca/listserv/ and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada. This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons with visual disabilities.
