2014: Salish Sea Coal (Texada Island)

June 2014 Update:

An independent citizens group has formed to oppose the shipping of millions of tonnes of US Thermal Coal through our coastal waters via Port Metro Vancouver Fraser Surrey Docks and Texada LaFarge facilities to China.

Visit the Salish Sea Coal Committee's facebook page.

Coal to be Shipped from Texada

If current plans by Port Metro Vancouver are allowed to proceed, shipments of US thermal coal (burned to generate electricity) will soon be traversing our coastal waters to Texada Island for open air storage and transshipment via deep-sea freighters to Asia.

The SCCA has written the Provincial Ministry of Engery and Mines regarding this proposal by Lafarge Canada for for bulk coal handling on Texada Island. The lack of public input that has been required is unprecedented for an industrial development of this size. A million of tonnes of coal is proposed to be shipped and handled per year.

Despite widespread concerns over the health and environmental impacts of shipping coal in uncovered rail cars and barges, and notwithstanding the climate change implications of burning coal, this plan is scheduled to move forward without public information and consultation processes on the Sunshine Coast.

Opposition to increased coal shipments is growing across the Lower Mainland, including Metro Vancouver (formerly the GVRD) and affected U.S. states due to transportation and safety concerns, human health, environmental threats, economic & trade concerns, global climate change and ocean acidification.

The SCCA has joined together with the Alliance 4 Democracy and the Sunshine Coast Senior Citizens (COSCO-BC) to urge the Provincial Government to undertake a full environmental and health assessment of the proposed project prior to any potential approvals.

Further Information

Gateway to Submit Public Comments

Websites and Online Resources

Research

Aerial view of Texada Island. Photo by R. Gustafson.
Scroll to Top