Richardson International is planning a second round of public meetings related to a $120 million terminal expansion project in North Vancouver.
Tracey Shelton, director of corporate communications with Richardson, said the company has identified steps that can be taken to mitigate noise and address other concerns that North Vancouver property owners raised during public consultations held last October.
However, the physical parameters of the proposed project have not changed.
The company is proposing an 80,000 tonne expansion of existing terminal storage capacity for grain and oilseeds. It would consist of 28 concrete grain silos, each about 50 metres high, overlooking the Burrard Inlet.
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Shelton said the project would increase total handling capacity at the terminal to more than five million tonnes a year from three million currently.
“We’ve been operating at maximum capacity at our terminal in Vancouver since about 2008 so we really do need the extra storage capacity,” Shelton said.
She said the company considered alternate locations for the silos after hearing property owners’ concerns in October but ultimately decided to stick with the original plans that were submitted to Vancouver port authorities last summer.
“What we’ve designed is the best possible design in terms of being able to get that 80,000 metric tonnes of storage space and … using available space,” she said.
Property owners close to the terminal have a different perspective.
They say the project will block waterfront views of existing homes and decrease residential property values by $20 million for 100 residents.
The project still requires the approval of Port Metro Vancouver.
