Thursday, May 15, 2025
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority will issue a request for qualifications in July 2025 for a construction partner to deliver the landmass and wharf component of the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project—a significant step towards delivering the project.
The new marine container terminal at the Port of Vancouver is a transformational, nation building project that will support Canada’s economic security and trade resilience, enabling the trade of more than $100 billion in goods annually once fully operational.
“Roberts Bank Terminal 2 is a transformational, nation building project that will support Canada’s economic security and trade resilience, enabling the trade of more than $100 billion in goods annually once fully operational. We are pleased to announce that we’ll be launching procurement for the landmass and wharf component of the project in July 2025—a significant step towards delivering the project. The project will be delivered via a progressive design-build contracting model,” said Victor Pang, CFO, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.
“With consent from 27 Indigenous groups, key environmental approvals already in place, and permitting processes well underway, we’re looking forward to collaborating with the future construction partner to build this nationally significant project, for the benefit of all Canadians.”
More than 18,000 jobs will be created during construction, and once operational the new terminal is anticipated to generate more than 17,000 well-paying, long-term jobs and add more than $3 billion in GDP annually.
The Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project is No. 27 on ReNew Canada’s 2025 Top100 Projects report.
Based on ongoing discussions with industry, the port authority will pursue a progressive design-build procurement model. This approach will allow for greater flexibility in the design process, strengthen collaboration, and enhance cost and schedule certainty.
The contract will include the delivery of a marine terminal landmass; wharf structure and berth pocket; widened causeway; expanded tug basin; and environmental mitigation and offsetting projects. Procurement opportunities for other components of the project will be available in the coming years.
In 2023, the federal and provincial governments approved the project following a rigorous environmental assessment process. In 2024, the port authority submitted a Species at Risk Act-compliant Fisheries Act Authorization application to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, with a joint commitment with government and regulators for a decision no later than October 2026.
Construction mobilization and early works are expected to occur in 2027, with major land reclamation works expected to begin in 2028. Terminal operations are set to begin in the mid-2030s.
Procurement approach: progressive design-build with target price model
To select a construction partner, the procurement process will include:
- A request for qualifications for construction partners who have a strong record in the collaborative delivery of large-scale infrastructure projects in marine environments with similar technical, logistical, environmental, and regulatory requirements, and demonstrated experience developing and delivering on commitments to First Nations
- At the conclusion of the request for qualifications process, three qualified construction partners will be invited to participate in a request for proposals for a design and early works agreement (DEWA) that outlines the activities and requirements for the development phase to inform the final investment decision
The selected construction partner will collaborate with the port authority, First Nations, and regulators throughout the DEWA to develop the construction logistics, work planning, costs, schedule, and early works opportunities.
Once works under the DEWA have sufficiently advanced—and following a successful final investment decision by the port authority—a target price design-build agreement will be executed with the selected construction partner and the construction phase will begin.
Featured image: (Vancouver Fraser Port Authority)
