Cowichan Bay Terminal

In 2003, we purchased Westcan Terminals and took over ownership of Tidal Harmony Holdings. Tidal Harmony holdings has tenant agreements for Pacific Industrial Marine and Falt Towing, both of whom operate on our terminal site in Cowichan Bay. More recently, they have been joined by Western Canada Marine Response Corporation, increasing spill response capability in this region. 

Western Stevedoring has applied for an amendment to CVRD bylaw 1015 to clarify that its tenant, Pacific Industrial Marine’s marine and transportation-related assembly and manufacturing is a permitted use at Cowichan Bay Terminal. The rezoning amendment is not seeking an expansion or new uses at the Cowichan Bay Terminal, but rather reflects what has been occurring for decades. ‎For example, Pacific Industrial Marine (and predecessor Surespan) have been operating in an environmentally responsible manner at the Cowichan Bay Terminal since 1990.

The proposed amendment to the bylaw would also eliminate petroleum shipment and storage as a permitted use at the Cowichan Bay Terminal and rezone the south side of the terminal from water-based log storage to water conservancy.

We are looking forward to the CVRD bylaw amendment process which will give the community an opportunity to better understand who we are, what we do and our plans for our operations and tenants. Anyone who wants to get to know us is welcome to come down and tour the Cowichan Bay Terminal site – just contact us in advance at info@westeve.com. We look forward to seeing you and continuing to be open and transparent throughout the rezoning review process.

The Rezoning Amendment Application was submitted to the Cowichan Valley Regional District on March 27, 2017.  This is part of a multiple step process that allows for input from all stakeholders at various stages in the process.

The April 26, 2017 Staff Report which was distributed to the Advisory Planning Committee, the Chair of the CEEMC and various government agencies, is part of the rezoning process and includes the staff report, site photos and excerpts from the official community plan.

Western Stevedoring is applying to amend the zoning of the area it leases from the Crown. We were notified in 2016 by the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) that some of the current uses on the Cowichan Bay Terminal site were not consistent with the CVRD’s Zoning Bylaw 1015, which was adopted in 1986.

The Cowichan Estuary Environmental Management Plan (CEEMP) established by the BC Government in 1986 designates the site for industrial and commercial activity.  Also, the CVRD'S 2013 Official Community Plan for the area has designated the Cowichan Bay Terminal for marine industrial use.

Western Stevedoring has applied to amend the CVRD zoning to align with the current uses on site which are consistent with the CEEMP and 2013 OCP. The zoning amendment process provides a number of opportunities for public engagement.

The Terminal serves as the headquarters of Western Stevedoring’s Vancouver Island operations, with an office and gear locker for use by vessels at all points along Vancouver Island. More than 250 Vancouver Island residents gain direct employment from the activity base at Cowichan Bay, which serves as a dispatch centre. The site is also still used for the storage of lumber, which departs the Cowichan Bay Terminal on ocean-going barges to the mainland for trans-load into shipping containers for ocean transport.

Falt Towing

The Falt Towing operation has been located at the Cowichan Bay Terminal for 47 years and has a small footprint on the northeast corner of the main terminal.  There are approximately 7 employees at Falt Towing.

Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC)

WCMRC has recently begun using the site and now stores various marine safety and spill recovery equipment at the Cowichan Bay Terminal. WCMRC is Transport Canada certified Response Organization with a mandate to ensure there is a state of preparedness in place to mitigate impacts if an oil spill occurs. This includes the protection of wildlife, economic and environmental sensitivities, as well as the safety of both the responders and the public. With the potential increase in activity within the regional marine basin, the Cowichan Bay Terminal provides an effective location for a timely response in support of safety and environmental protection in the Strait of Georgia, Salish Sea and the Haro Strait.

Pacific Industrial Marine (PIM)

The Cowichan Bay Terminal has provided Pacific Industrial Marine (PIM) and a similar business before it with good accessibility to a deep sea port since 1990. PIM specializes in all aspects of marine and bridge construction and serves Vancouver Island and the west coast of British Columbia with expert quality manufacturing and service. The bridges and docks are often too large to be transported by road, making it essential for PIM to be located in Cowichan Bay’s deep sea port, which allows structures to be safely barged to their final destination. The manufacturing facilities onsite include a steel fabrication shop and a pre-cast yard located at the south part of the Cowichan Bay Terminal. Painting and sandblasting are conducted in an enclosed area at the northern part of the yard. The Cowichan Bay Terminal provides all lease holders with good accessibility to port facilities for moving finished goods to market. Various materials such as steel strapping, steel rods and timbers used in fabrication processes are stored on site. There is a metal shop at the southeast corner of the Terminal constructed on the footprint of a building that existed in the same location for similar purposes for many decades.

The tent structure in the northwest corner replaced an old shed, to allow safe and environmentally-responsible working conditions for staff.  Within these structures, concrete floats and bridge components are fabricated for communities across Vancouver Island. The current structures can be compared to the 1989 lease document which shows the building footprints in the same location.

Western Stevedoring, Falt Towing, Western Canada Response and Pacific Industrial Marine are marine dependent industries as considered under the Marine Industrial (MI) designation.  This designation balances the needs of a healthy economy and a healthy environment and includes zones to accommodate such industry and activities that are consistent with the CEEMP.  Furthermore, the CVRD recognizes that boundaries of Crown tenures within the MI designation and corresponding zones may be adjusted if determined to be consistent with the CEEMP.

The 2013 Official Community Plan (OCP) provided a Marine Industrial (MI) designation intended to accommodate marine industrial uses with the Plan Area.  Marine industrial uses contribute to health of the local economy and provide living wage job opportunities to area residents. See the steps of the Rezoning Application Process here. 

The Cowichan Estuary Environmental Management Plan 1986 (CEEMP) worked to balance the needs of all the stakeholders in the Cowichan estuary.  It involved broad consultation and created area designations for the types of activities that would be acceptable under the plan for various parts of the estuary.

The CEEMP designates different parts of the Cowichan estuary for different uses. The Terminal area is designated for Industrial/Commercial uses by the CEEMP, which states that "areas designated Industrial/Commercial should be recognized as being dedicated primarily for such use." Businesses operating in this area currently are Western Stevedoring, Pacific Industrial Marine, Falt Towing and more recently Western Canada Marine Response Corporation, all of whom operate in accordance with the area designation in the CEEMP. While the CEEMP contemplates that the Terminal could be expanded to support increased port activities, Western Stevedoring has no plans for doing so.

Western Stevedoring is committed to protecting the environment in which we operate, through pollution prevention, protection of biodiversity and ecosystems, waste reduction, and minimization of our consumption of resources, all while providing our customers with the highest level of service in line with their Health, Safety, Quality and Environment (HSQE) requirements.

Western Stevedoring and its tenants, specifically PIM, consider themselves to be stewards of Cowichan Bay. We are aware of sensitivities of the ecosystem and have operated responsibly on this site for more than 30 years.  At the same time, we have worked with numerous groups to assist with environmental issues, including the Department of Fisheries & Oceans (DFO), Cowichan First Nations, Bird Watchers, Naturalist groups and other community groups.  We believe our collective efforts have produced a net environmental gain to the estuary. 

PIM has been involved in rescuing or removing a number of boats (approx. 20) over the years, preventing possible fuel spills in Cowichan Bay and protecting fish and wildlife in the Cowichan Bay estuary.

Western Stevedoring assisted Cowichan Tribes with the necropsy of a deceased whale, and has helped care for Chinook fry. We have also supported the work of Cowichan Valley Naturalists, the Cowichan Estuary Restoration and Conservation Association and other groups including breaching the causeway to support salmon migration and creating and maintaining nature trails. We are proud of this work and these relationships.

 

 

 

 

 

In addition, our tenant, Pacific Industrial Marine builds floating docks and bridges that allow light into the water in a way that allows eelgrass and marine life to flourish, have built a kayak ramp and dock, as well as hired a biologist to map eelgrass to ensure transporting bridges and docks by water doesn’t disturb ecologically sensitive areas.

The Cowichan Bay Terminal serves as the headquarters of Western Stevedoring’s Vancouver Island operations, with about 12 employees on the site and a further 200 employees who are members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) supported through jobs across Vancouver Island.

Highlights of the value added to the local community:

• Over 200 Vancouver Island residents are directly employed by activities at Cowichan Bay Terminal, plus another 60 jobs with tenants at the Terminal.
• Property taxes of more than $50,000 annually are collected by the Province of BC (through the Surveyor of Taxes for Rural Areas) on behalf of the CVRD.
• Deepwater port access is the backbone of efficient shipping access in the region.
• Pacific Industrial Marine has approximately 50 employees working out of Cowichan Bay involved in their assembly and fabrication work.

Western Stevedoring contributes to the local community through a variety of initiatives that support the quality of life in Cowichan Bay.   For example, Western Stevedoring and PIM workers provided construction services to restore the walking bridge at Cowichan Bay Terminal:

 

In partnership with CERCA, Western Stevedoring, Cowichan Bay Tribes, Department of Fisheries & Oceans, Pacific Industrial Marine and various other stakeholders created a causeway breach between the Kokisilah and Cowichan Rivers to enable salmon smolts access to eelgrass on their journey to sea.

2017- Western Stevedoring has applied for an amendment to CVRD bylaw 1015 to clarify that its tenant, Pacific Industrial Marine’s (PIM) marine and transportation-related assembly and manufacturing should be a permitted use at Cowichan Bay Terminal.

2013- Official Community Plan for Area D designates the Cowichan Bay Terminal for marine industrial uses confirming the Transportation Industrial designation from the 1985 Official Settlement Plan

2003- Western Stevedoring acquired Westcan and became the owner of Tidal Harmony Holdings Ltd.

1990- Westcan tenant, Pacific Industrial Marine (PIM), commences low impact assembly/manufacturing at the site

1989- Property leased to Tidal Harmony Holdings Ltd. for a period of 50 years

1986- Cowichan Estuary Environmental Management Plan designates the terminal for industrial and commercial use (OIC 1652, September 1986)

1984- Province of BC acquired CNR right of way at Cowichan Bay

1925- The Tidewater Subdivision was built by the Canadian National Railway to shorten the distance from Lake Cowichan sawmills to the tidewater shipping port at Cowichan Bay to facilitate their lumber exports.  This seven kilometer extension travelled from the mainline at Deerholm east to the Cowichan Bay which provided deep water access.

 

Cowichan Bay, 1946

 

 

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