Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority will issue a request for qualifications (RFQ) in July 2025 to select a construction partner for the landmass and wharf component of the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project, marking a significant milestone for one of Canadaโs largest infrastructure undertakings.
The new marine container terminal, to be located at the Port of Vancouver, is expected to be a transformative project for the country, supporting trade worth more than $100 billion annually once operational. The port authority says it will pursue a progressive design-build procurement model, allowing for greater design flexibility and improved collaboration while ensuring cost and schedule certainty.
The project is anticipated to create more than 18,000 jobs during construction, and over 17,000 permanent positions once complete. It is also expected to contribute more than $3 billion to Canadaโs GDP each year.
โThis is a nation-building project that will enhance Canadaโs trade capacity, economic security and supply chain reliability,โ the port authority said in a statement Thursday.
The upcoming RFQ will seek construction firms with proven experience delivering large-scale infrastructure in complex marine environments, particularly those with a demonstrated commitment to working with First Nations. At the conclusion of the RFQ process, three shortlisted proponents will be invited to submit proposals under a design and early works agreement (DEWA).
The DEWA phase will involve collaboration with First Nations and regulators to refine logistics, construction planning, costs, and scheduling, ahead of a final investment decision. Upon approval, a target price design-build agreement will be executed to begin construction.
The contract scope will include building the terminal landmass, wharf structure, berth pocket, causeway widening, expanded tug basin, and environmental mitigation and offsetting work. Other project components will be procured in later phases.
The Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project received federal and provincial approval in 2023 following a rigorous environmental review. In 2024, the port authority submitted an application under the Fisheries Act in compliance with the Species at Risk Act, with a joint commitment for a regulatory decision by October 2026.
Initial site mobilization and early works are scheduled for 2027, with major land reclamation to begin in 2028. Terminal operations are expected to commence in the mid-2030s.
The port authority says 27 Indigenous groups have consented to the project, which is also expected to deliver lasting benefits for local communities and support affordability for Canadians.