Swartz Bay Terminal Projects

The beginning of January marked the successful completion of phase one of the Swartz Bay Berth 5 upgrades, with the required underwater blasting of the rock outcrop now complete.

As the teams move into phase 2 of the project, the work will be focused on three key areas:

• Removal of the underwater rock pile. Expected completion end of February 2025.
• Completing the installation of the new berthing structures (called dolphins). Expected completion mid-February 2025.
• The creation of a new habitat for marine life, with the construction of a rock reef near the Long Harbour Terminal using the rock removed from Swartz Bay. Expected timeframe of mid-January to early March 2025.

While this work is completed, Berths 4 and 5 will remain closed until mid-February, with Berths 1, 2 and 3 continuing to be used for the Southern Gulf Island Vessels.

Pictured above: Cross-sectional view of new rock reef

October has been another successful month of project work at Swartz Bay. Upgrades to Berth 5 are on schedule, with the successful installation of three new dolphin pilings, which are essential infrastructure that hold fender panels in place, and installation of the final piling.

As the project moves into its next phase, the removal of rock outcropping will resume with work expected to begin end of November. During this time Berth 4 will require to be closed and Berth 2 and 3 will be used for the Southern Gulf Island vessels. There are no anticipated impacts to scheduled sailings or operations while this work is undertaken, but those travelling are encouraged to check BC Ferries Current Conditions for the most up to date service information.

In addition to the berth work, the Lands End Terminal building is now also underway. You may have noticed the fencing in place around the building to help define the work area and keep our crews and customers safe. As noted in our last month’s update, this work is not expected to impact our customer services, with the Lands End Café remaining open throughout the upgrades.

We appreciate your patience and support as we complete this essential work, and we look forward to updating you again soon.

It has been a busy two months for both our project teams with lots of work underway at the terminal.

The rock removal is now over 60% completed, and with that work on hold until December 1, the berth 5 project team concentrated on the first of four pile installations. These piles are part of the berth structure used to hold fender panels in place, and throughout August and September the first was successfully completed, with the second anticipated to be finished by the end of September.

In addition to the marine infrastructure for berth 5, the Lands End Building is also set to begin in the coming weeks. This project, which is expected to take place October 2024 - April 2025, will include necessary upgrades to the terminal building. These upgrades will focus on improving energy efficiency and modernizing the building including to the roof and HVAC system, as well as refreshing the building's exterior. This work is not expected to impact operations at the terminal or to our schedules, with the Lands End Café remaining open throughout the work. While every effort will be made to reduce noise, some construction activities may increase normal sound levels around the terminal. We will continue to work with our contractors to help mitigate this whenever possible.

With work moving along on both these projects at Swartz Bay Terminal, we look forward to providing you another update later this fall.

As we move into August, we want to provide an update to let you know how the Berth 5 terminal project is progressing.

It has been a month of hard work from our contractors and project teams, only made easier by the understanding shown by our passengers and neighbours. Some noticeable wins include the successful removal of a section of rock outcropping in berth 5, and the first completed dredging of soft sediment. Our teams are now looking ahead to the next phase, which will include preparing the pile installations this August.

While we have been successful at completing much of the work within our expected time frame with minimal evening effort, the next phase will require some tasks to be completed overnight. This night work is planned to ensure we remain on time and reduce the overall impact and length of the project to our neighbours.

Night work is currently planned once a week, August 19 – October 31 from 11:00pm to 4:00 am and has been approved by the District of North Saanich with a bylaw exemption. It will involve a concrete pump truck operating within the terminal. Noise levels around the terminal may be higher than normal (similar to that of an engine running), and our teams will work to minimize impacts to our neighbours.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to complete to complete the project which will reduce berth congestion and improving service reliability for our passengers.

The Swartz Bay Berth 5 upgrade project is set to commence on July 2, 2024.

After several years of planning, our teams are now ready to begin work on the Swartz Bay Berth 5 upgrade project.

As we noted in our earlier introduction, this work will deepen the water depth in Berth 5 and include the installation of new structures, which will allow us to welcome larger vessels into this berth, which will help us to keep vessels moving efficiently in and out of Swartz Bay, and keep our sailings on time.

Work schedule details are as follows:

• Working happening Monday – Saturday: Most work will happen Monday to Saturday between 7:00 am - 7:00 pm. There may be the need for occasional work on Sundays.
• Underwater blasting once a week: Controlled blasts are scheduled throughout the project and are expected to occur once a week during daytime hours, beginning after 8:00 am. All environmental permits and precautions are in place to support the safe completion of this work. Notice will be given to those at the terminal before the blasts occur.
• Noise mitigation in place: Noise around the terminal is expected to be higher than normal, and we will make every effort to minimize its impact on customers and nearby neighbours. At this time, minimal night work with minimal anticipated noise is required for short periods of time in mid-July and mid-August. Nearby neighbours will be informed of the timing of this work beforehand.
• No anticipated impacts to sailings: During this work, there are no expected impacts to sailings or daily operations at the terminal

To receive future updates on the project, please sign-up by clicking on the “subscribe” button found on the right hand side of the page.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we complete this necessary work, and will do our best to mitigate the impacts to our neighbours.

Thank you to everyone who attended the online information session on November 7th and reached out with questions. During this session, we provided an overview of the project, scheduled to begin July 2024, and answered questions from those who joined online and those who submitted questions by email.

To view the presentation slides, visit the document library on the right hand side of the page, or click here: Swartz Bay Berth 5: Information Slides

Questions we received about the project were related to next steps, communication and environmental monitoring. The information shared on the these questions is summarized below.

Environmental monitoring

We are currently evaluating construction proposals submitted for the project work. The evaluation of these proposals emphasizes completion of the construction work efficiently and effectively, with minimal disturbance to BC Ferries operations and nearby neighbours, and to ensure the work is in compliance with all environmental mitigation measures. Both the contractor and BC Ferries will have environmental consultants and qualified on-site environmental personnel to ensure the construction work is completed successfully and as per approved permitting.

Next steps and communication

Permits required for the work have been provided, and our project team are now working on next steps. We will continue to provide updates as the project progresses and these updates will be available on here on the projects page.

To receive email updates on the project, you can sign up using the subscribe button on the right hand side of this page.

Thank you again for those that participated and we look forward to providing an update soon.

Online Information Session November 7, 2023

We are working to enhance our services at the Swartz Bay Terminal with upgrades to the marine infrastructure at Berth 5.

On November 7, 2023, we will be hosting an online Information Session to provide an overview of the project which is scheduled to begin July 2024. To attend the online event or if you have questions, please email engagement@bcferries.com.

• Date: November 7, 2023
• Time: 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
• Location: Virtual
• Registration: Please email engagement@bcferries.com to receive the link to the online session

You can read more about the project in updates below, and stay informed by subscribing to the project page on the right hand side.

Over the summer our project team has been working on next steps and approvals for the Berth 5 upgrades at Swartz Bay Terminal. This work included meetings with local residents and the municipalities, which are detailed below.

On July 6, 2023: BC Ferries project team, along with our Terminal Operations teams met with the Lands End Residents Association (LERA). This meeting was to refamiliarize LERA with the project, discuss next steps, and collaborate on mitigation plans to ensure minimal impact is felt by our direct neighbours. The feedback we heard through this meeting was used to inform the development of the Request for Proposal for companies to complete the work.

On August 14, 2023: Our project team presented at the District of North Saanich Regular Meeting of Council to provide information and background on the project and to request a noise bylaw exemption for the work to be completed. Council approved the exemption.

Next steps:

Our teams are now working through the next phase of the project. This will include:

• Information sessions with the broader community to provide background and details of the project - expected October 2023
• Request for Proposal was posted with a contract expected to be awarded in November 2023

To receive information on how to attend the information session, please email engagement@bcferries.com

Following these next steps, our teams will begin to work on schedules, mitigation and communication plans. To stay up to date on project updates check back to this page, or subscribe to receive updates using the 'Stay Informed' icon on the right hand side of the page.

BC Ferries is preparing to upgrade Berth 5 at the Swartz Bay Terminal. Our Salish Class ferries are now operating regularly on our Southern Gulf Island routes and are currently unable to use Berth 5 because a rock outcropping at its entrance prevents the Salish Class vessels, which sit deeper in the water than their predecessor the Mayne Queen, from passing through. The upgrade will remove this underwater obstruction from the entrance of the berth, making it safe for the Salish vessels to enter and exit. This has the benefit of reducing berth congestion for all our vessels in Swartz Bay, improving on-time performance and customer experience for everyone.

Work will be completed in two phases and will include blasting and dredging of a rock outcropping, the construction of new mooring structures (called dolphins), and new tie-up infrastructure to accommodate our smaller Island Class vessels when required. We do not expect any impact to sailing schedules and our project and operational teams will work hard to minimize any operational impacts that may occur.

• Phase one: July - November 2024
• Phase two: December 2024 - March 2025

To ensure the protection of marine life throughout the project, we have been working closely with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to evaluate the potential impact to the marine environment. In May 2023, after significant First Nations consultation, we received approval from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to proceed with the work. As part of this approval, environmental procedures and industry best practices will be utilized.

We are mindful the construction work may generate additional noise that may impact nearby residents, and will ensure that residents are kept updated and that they are advised in advance of the work being done.

As we progress we will be providing project updates on this page. To stay up to date, you can subscribe to receive proactive updates via email by clicking 'Follow Project' on the right hand side of this page.