North Coast MLA Gary Coons is puzzled by the continuing push to force a highway through Burns Bog in order to facilitate the expansion of Deltaport when Fairview Terminals, in Prince Rupert, is not operating at full capacity.
“This flies in the face of common sense,” said Coons. “Fairview Terminals has excess capacity and the potential to expand. Scientists are saying no to the South Fraser Perimeter Road, Delta residents are saying no to the road, Environment Canada is saying no to the road; it is time for the Campbell government to expand their narrow focus and look to Prince Rupert to solve our province’s transportation problems.”
Fairview Terminals has the potential to move half a million TEUs (Twenty Foot Equivalent Units) per year, in this, phase one, of its construction. The terminal has been designed to expand to a capacity of 2 million TEUs by 2010.
“Why pave over an ecologically sensitive reserve, and jam more traffic into an already congested area? said Coons. “The lower mainland is in the throes of a labour shortage, and the North Coast, with the highest unemployment in the province, could use the economic stimulus that a port, operating at full capacity, would bring. Everybody wins if the province pays attention to Prince Rupert.”
Coons also cast a critical eye at the Transportation Plan unveiled by the Premier last week, because it does very little to help communities outside of the lower mainland and capital regions.
“If the Campbell government was truly interested in reducing our carbon footprint their transportation plan wouldn’t have ignored most of the province,” Coons noted. “If the northern corridor, including Fairview Terminals, was fully utilized it would reduce emissions substantially.”
Emissions from ocean-going vessels are problematic because it is difficult to regulate them on a provincial or national basis. That is why using Fairview Terminals is an attractive environmental option, because reduced sailing times to the port translate into reduced emissions. The terminal’s on-dock rail operations provide another environmental advantage by reducing emissions from truck transport, which is less efficient than rail.
“We’re more than a day’s sailing time closer to Asia than the next nearest terminal, and we are directly linked to the largest rail network in North America” said Coons. “Rerouting ships from congested ports in the lower mainland to Prince Rupert makes sense socially, economically and environmentally. Why add thousands more polluting container truck traffic to the equation from Delta when the logical solution is Prince Rupert?”
Below is the story as it appeared in the Prince Rupert Daily News
Rupert the logical solution: Coons
By LEANNE RITCHIE
The Daily News
Monday, January 28, 2008
Page one
There’s no reason for the province to consider building a highway through Delta’s Burns Bog when the Port of Prince Rupert is still not operating at full capacity, says North Coast MLA Gary Coons.
The government of British Columbia has already received strong opposition in response to the proposed construction of the South Fraser Perimeter Highway, a $1-billion provincial highway that would run through a rare environmental area known as Crescent Slough. The highway would be a four-lane, 40-kilometre stretch connecting Highway 1 in Surrey to Roberts Bank in Delta, something Environment Canada says would severely damage or destroy the ecologically crucial bog.
“This flies in the face of common sense,” said Coons.
“Fairview Terminals has excess capacity and the potential to expand. Scientists are saying ‘no’ to the South Fraser Perimeter road, Delta residents are saying ‘no’ to the road. Environment Canada is saying ‘no’ to the road. It’s time for the Campbell government to expand their narrow focus and look to Prince Rupert to solve our province’s transportation problems.”
Coons echoed some of the sentiments already put forth by his southern NDP colleagues, who harshly criticized the Liberal government last week for pushing the project forward without waiting for scientists to respond. The primary purpose of the proposed highway will be to handle the increased container-truck traffic from the expansion of Deltaport’s Third Berth Project, predicted to reach 2,400 trucks traveling to and from the port by the time Deltaport’s Third Berth Project is complete in 2011.
“Why pave over an ecologically sensitive reserve and jam more traffic onto an already congested area?” asked Coons. “The Lower Mainland is in the throes of a labour shortage, and the North Coast with the highest unemployment in the province, could use the economic stimulus that a port operating a full capacity would bring. Everybody wins if the province pays attention to Prince Rupert.”
He also cast a critical eye at the recently unveiled Transportation Plan unveiled by the premier, saying it does little to help communities outside of the Lower Mainland and capital regions. Coons believes if the Fairview Terminals and the northern corridor were fully utilized, provincial emissions would be reduced substantially, something he says highlights the government’s feigned interest in reducing B. C.’s carbon footprint. He points to reduced sailing times from Asia and Fairview Terminal’s on-doc rail operations as contributing to lower emissions because less fuel is needed by ocean-going vessels and the need for trucks is virtually eliminated by the efficient rail system.
“We’re more than a day’s sailing time closer to Asia than the next nearest terminal, and we are directly linked to the largest rail network in North America,” said Coons. “Rerouting ships from congested ports in the Lower Mainland to Prince Rupert makes sense socially, economically and environmentally. Why add thousands more polluting container trucks to the equation from Delta when the logical solution is Prince Rupert?