Roberts Bank Terminal 2 named national-interest project
CBC Calgary · Oct 30, 2026 Federal government lists Roberts Bank Terminal 2 expansion in Delta, B.C., as 'project of national interest'
Ottawa named Roberts Bank Terminal 2 a project of national interest, pulling operations forward to 2035 from 2039.
What happened
On October 30, the federal government added Roberts Bank Terminal 2 (RBT2) to Schedule 1 of the Building Canada Act by order in council (P.C. 2026-1047). It is the second project listed in the national interest, after the Pacific Link oil pipeline on October 1. The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is the proponent, and TerraMarine is its preferred construction partner. Ottawa says the listing gives upfront certainty on the remaining federal authorizations and moves commercial operations up by as much as four years, from 2039 to 2035.
Why it matters
The Port of Vancouver is Canada's largest port. It handles about $1 billion in goods a day for 170 markets, and more than half of Canada's two-way overseas container trade. Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said that without more capacity, congestion could cost shippers more than $800 million a year by 2035. The order's explanatory note puts that cost at $800 million to $900 million a year. Ottawa ties the project to its goal of doubling exports to non-U.S. markets by 2035.
Who is affected
Shippers that move containers through Vancouver, including Prairie exporters and importers. Rail carriers and inland terminals that feed the port. The City of Delta and Tsawwassen First Nation. Marine construction and supply-chain firms. Vessel operators, through a new federal quiet vessel technology fund to protect southern resident killer whales.
Key numbers
- About $5.9 billion capital cost, excluding financing
- 2.4 million containers a year of added capacity, about 50% more at the Port of Vancouver
- Up to $100 billion a year in trade supported
- About $3 billion a year in GDP, about $631 million a year in tax revenue and about 17,000 supply-chain jobs, according to the federal government
- Consent from 27 First Nations, according to the port authority
Background
Ottawa approved RBT2 in April 2023 with conditions, after an independent review panel's environmental assessment. It was referred to the Major Projects Office on July 16, 2026, and notice of the planned listing appeared in the Canada Gazette on August 28. Tsawwassen First Nation Chief Laura Cassidy called the nation's position "consent but not unconditional support." She named a breach in the Roberts Bank causeway, to open habitat for young salmon, as a top priority. Conservative transport critic Dan Albas said the government needs a plan to speed up construction, not just a designation.
What to watch
- Project details posted to the Building Canada Act Project Registry, which Ottawa says happens within 30 days of listing
- The port authority's final investment decision, targeted for mid-2027
- Terms of the quiet vessel technology fund
- Commercial operations, now targeted for 2035
For Alberta and Western Canada operators
For Alberta and Saskatchewan firms that ship containers through Vancouver, the listing changes the long-term timeline but not near-term capacity. New berths are not expected before 2035, so current port and rail conditions apply until then. The work goes through the port authority and TerraMarine. The federal government also says it is working with B.C. on a future marine terminal to export crude from Pacific Link, which ties West Coast port capacity to Alberta's pipeline plans.
Sources
Watch next
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority's final investment decision on the $5.9-billion terminal, targeted for mid-2027.
Stage
This file is on the members’ Policy Tracker & Calendar, which records its current stage, the next formal step and the official source.