VICTORIA, BC, May 16, 2014 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada today awarded Quantum Murray LP with a multi-year contract for $33,482,763.70 (taxes included) to complete the final phase of the Rock Bay Remediation Project at the Transport Canada-owned site.
Site preparation is expected to begin in June 2014, following the submission of detailed plans required from the contractor, and remediation work should begin in July 2014. The contract requires Quantum Murray LP to complete all site work by November 15, 2015. Following remediation, the land will be divested to the Songhees Nation and the Esquimalt Nation from southern Vancouver Island.
The remediation project requires a temporary restraining enclosure (i.e., a cofferdam) to be built within the harbour to prevent water infiltration and to allow Quantum Murray LP to excavate under dry conditions. The dam will be removed once the project is completed. Contaminated soil and sediment will be sent for off-site treatment and disposed of at approved facilities.
The project will be closely monitored to ensure the safety of workers and the community, and will include a neighbourhood air quality management plan. Soil, sediment and water quality will also be monitored throughout the project to ensure that cleanup objectives are met and that remediation activities do not negatively impact the surrounding environment. Rock Bay's sediment and shoreline will be restored according to the Habitat Restoration Plan approved by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
The Rock Bay Remediation Project is funded through the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan, which is coordinated by Environment Canada and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and provides funding to assess and remediate federal contaminated sites.
Quick Facts
- Rock Bay is the site of a former coal gasification facility that operated from 1862 to 1952 on property previously owned by Victoria Gas and BC Electric, predecessor companies of BC Hydro. This facility and associated infilling resulted in the contamination of soil, groundwater and sediment with hydrocarbons, metals and other substances on Transport Canada and adjacent properties.
- Between 2004 and 2006, the majority of the Rock Bay area was jointly remediated by Transport Canada and BC Hydro (Stage 1 and 2). Over 200,000 tonnes of contaminated soil has been removed so far.
Quote
"Completing the final stage of the Rock Bay project demonstrates our government's ongoing commitment to remediating contaminated sites and protecting the environment."
The Honourable Lisa Raitt
Minister of Transport
SOURCE: Government of Canada
Ashley Kelahear
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Lisa Raitt
Minister of Transport, Ottawa
613-991-0700
Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to e-news or stay connected through RSS, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr to keep up to date on the latest from Transport Canada.
This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons living with visual disabilities.
Share this article