The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) has completed an assessment of the Point Rousse Port Expansion Project located in Newfoundland and Labrador and determined that its potential adverse effects within federal jurisdiction would be limited or addressed through other means.
Located on the Baie Verte Peninsula, the Point Rousse Port Expansion Project would involve extending and upgrading the terminal facilities by adding a second berth facility, constructing an access road, upgrading quayside infrastructure, adding laydown and staging areas, and shoreline infilling. The new berth would be capable of supporting vessels up to 80,000 deadweight tonnage. The project would support an increase in aggregate exports and future multi-user capacity, including bulk mineral shipments.
To arrive at its section 16 decision under the Impact Assessment Act (IAA), IAAC engaged other jurisdictions, federal experts, stakeholders, the public, and Indigenous Peoples to review the project description and identify potential impacts within federal jurisdiction and frameworks to address these potential impacts.
IAAC is of the view that the potential adverse effects within federal jurisdiction would be limited or addressed through existing federal and provincial laws and regulations. These include but are not limited to the Fisheries Act, the Species at Risk Act, the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, the Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022, the Canadian Navigable Waters Act, as well as the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Protection Act, the Newfoundland and Labrador Water Resources Act, the Newfoundland and Labrador Environment Control Water Sewage Regulations, 2003, the Newfoundland and Labrador Wild Life Act and Wild Life Regulations, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Endangered Species Act.
As a result, no further assessment under the IAA is required and the federal impact assessment process is now complete. Point Rousse Marine Terminal Ltd. (the proponent) will be required to seek any necessary federal and provincial authorizations and permits for the project.
The documents and list of factors considered can be found in IAAC’s Notice of Early Decision with Reasons.
(photo of Point Rousse terminal)