Public notice

Geotechnical investigation – BC Hydro Second Narrows tower – Public comments invited

North Vancouver – May 4, 2026 - As part of its Project and Environmental Review process, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority must determine whether the proposed Geotechnical investigation – BC Hydro Second Narrows tower, located at tower 689 south of 1600 Railway Road, North Vancouver, are likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. 

To help inform this determination and a decision on whether or not to approve the proposed project, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is inviting comments from the public respecting that determination. All comments received will be considered public and may be posted online.  For more information, individuals should consult the Privacy Notice on the Registry website. In addition, your contact information may be shared with third parties, e.g., the tenant, other relevant agencies, to help respond to your questions and inform possible mitigations.

Written comments must be submitted by June 3, 2026:

Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
Project and Environmental Review
100 The Pointe, 999 Canada Place
Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6C 3T4
per@portvancouver.com

The proposed project

The British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (the Applicant), proposes to undertake geotechnical drilling around Tower 689 in the Burrard Inlet, east of the Iron Worker's Memorial Bridge. Up to six boreholes are proposed to be advanced in the intertidal zone and will be accessed through a combination of land-based and water-based methods. Land access will be provided from Railway Street, where drilling equipment will be mobilized from the upland area and tracked through the intertidal zone. Boreholes located further offshore within the intertidal and shallow subtidal areas will be accessed via water using a floating barge mobilized from the south with drilling equipment onboard.

A temporary granular infill ramp along the northern shoreline at the foot of Railway Street is proposed to access the intertidal zone. The ramp will be approximately 10-metres wide and 20-metres long and will consist of gravel and rock placed over a layer of filter fabric to protect underlying substrates. The ramp will be installed for up to 30-days from the start of construction to full removal. The ramp will be installed and removed at low-tide.

Minor vegetation removal is required for the ramp placement and will be revegetated post-project. Rig mats or equivalent support materials may be used on the upland portion of the access route to protect surface soils and provide stable working platforms during the drilling works.