Pitt Meadows renews opposition to CPKC logistics park as public comment period opens
The City of Pitt Meadows is renewing its opposition to a proposed 100-acre Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) logistics park as the controversial project moves into the next stage of the federal approval process.
In a Nov. 5 announcement, the city encouraged residents to participate in a public consultation being conducted by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), which will ultimately decide whether the proposed facility can proceed.
The public comment period opened Nov. 9 and runs until Dec. 21.
Pitt Meadows city council has unanimously opposed the project since it was first announced in 2020, citing concerns about increased rail and truck traffic, air pollution, environmental damage, agricultural land and the proximity of industrial operations to residential neighbourhoods.
On Nov. 9, Mayor Nicole MacDonald spoke to CBC about the city’s concern, stressing frustration that because of federal jurisdiction, the project can bypass the provincial and municipal regulations and provisions.
“What we think has not been properly evaluated or taken into concern is the overall impacts to say infrastructure, for example, our highways, our roadways,” MacDonald said. “We’re really concerned about just the lifestyle impacts on people on a daily basis.”
The proposed facility would be constructed on CPKC-owned land east of Kennedy Road, immediately south of the railway company’s existing Vancouver Intermodal Facility.
The development would include three major components: an agricultural hub where Canadian farm products would be transferred from railcars into shipping containers for export, an automobile distribution facility designed to accommodate electric vehicles, and a liquids transloading facility for fuels and ethanol destined primarily for Metro Vancouver.
The city has warned that the development could significantly increase industrial activity in an area already affected by railway operations.
Among its concerns are additional truck traffic at the intersection of Lougheed Highway and Kennedy Road, increased train movements, diesel emissions, noise and potential impacts on surrounding residents.
The city has also raised concerns about the proposed development’s proximity to the Pitt River Greenway dike trail, a BMX track and nearby homes.
Environmental concerns have centred on the Katzie Slough, which runs through the proposed development site and connects to a major drainage pump station.
The city has warned that the construction of fuel storage tanks, grain silos and other industrial infrastructure could threaten aquatic habitats, wildlife and surrounding agricultural lands.
Pitt Meadows has maintained that the development poses significant health, safety and environmental risks that have not been adequately addressed by the railway company.
The city’s opposition has extended beyond public statements.
In March 2022, Pitt Meadows submitted a detailed assessment of CPKC’s environmental effects evaluation, arguing that the company’s analysis contained numerous errors and omissions and was insufficient to support an application for federal approval.
The city also commissioned an air quality and human health risk assessment examining existing railway emissions and projected pollution levels through 2030.
In 2021, Pitt Meadows supported a request by Katzie First Nation for the project to undergo a federal impact assessment. However, the federal environment minister determined that the development would not be subject to review under the Impact Assessment Act.
The city publicly disagreed with that decision and continued its campaign against the proposal.
The Agricultural Land Commission also expressed opposition to the project in March 2021, aligning with the city’s concerns about the potential loss of agricultural land and impacts on farming.
Despite years of opposition, CPKC has continued advancing the proposal.
According to the Canadian Transportation Agency, the proposed logistics park is intended to serve the railway company’s customers and accommodate growing demand for rail transportation through the Vancouver gateway.
The federal agency must consider both the operational requirements of the railway and the interests of affected communities when deciding whether to approve the proposed railway construction.
The current consultation asks participants to explain how the location or operation of the proposed railway lines could affect them, including any potential benefits or concerns, and what measures could address those concerns.
CPKC will have an opportunity to respond to public submissions before the agency completes its review.
The City of Pitt Meadows says it will examine the latest application and submit its own comments outlining outstanding concerns about the development.
The proposed logistics park is separate from the Pitt Meadows Road and Rail Improvements Project, which involves transportation infrastructure improvements in the community.
Residents can review the application and supporting documents through CPKC’s project website. Comments can be submitted through the Canadian Transportation Agency’s online consultation or emailed to secretariat@otc-cta.gc.ca, quoting file number CTA 20-10296.
The deadline is Dec. 21 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time. Submissions, including contributors’ names, will be made public on the agency’s website.
The CTA will issue its decision after reviewing the application and consultation submissions. No approval has yet been granted.
