Canada: Victoria Marina Gets Green Light

WAM Development Group and its Community Marine Concepts Ltd. partnership have received approvals from Transport Canada and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans for the construction of the Victoria International Marina.

“The project has already received municipal and provincial approvals, and these federal approvals are significant milestones in the approval process,” said Larry Halgren, who recently joined the Victoria International Marina project team.

Under the Navigable Waters Act, the federal navigable waters permit process ensures harbour development does not interfere with maritime navigation and that appropriate navigation aids are used and maintained during and afterproject construction.

The habitat authorization approval process assesses the impact of development on marine habitat under theFisheries Act. Permit approval requires mitigation measures, monitoring effects and compensation plans are put in place to conserve fish habitat.

“It’s great to see receive the Habitat Authorization permit, as our biologists have been working with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to ensure marine life is protected and habitat is improved over the course of the development of the marina,” said Halgren.

“We’ll be removing 100-year-old wood waste from the seabed and planting three eelgrass beds along the north shore of the harbour, just west of the marina between Lime Bay and Colville Island.”

The site will be dredged and the marina floated in.

The marina project has been the subject of seven years of intense analysis and examination by leading environmental and navigation specialists from government and the private sector. In 2010, the original 52 slip design of the project received Transport Canada navigation and environmental approvals. However, in September 2011 when the City subsequently down-zoned the Crown waterlot where the marina docks are to be located, the developers reduced the size of the marina to 29 slips to conform with the new zoning. As a result, they were also required to re-submit the application for a new navigable waters permit.

“We now hope to submit a building permit application to the City of Victoria later this year,” said Halgren. “This project will contribute to a healthy working harbour and we’re excited to see it progressing.”

In September, Larry Halgren replaced Lachlan McLean of WAM Development as the Victoria International Marina’s Project Lead. Larry has more than 35 years experience in the marine industry and has operated his own international marina and waterfront consulting firm, Halgren and Associates LLC, for the last 10 years. He has extensive knowledge of marina and waterfront development, operations, infrastructures and marina components, and was worked with clients across the USA, China, Australia, Canada and Japan.

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Dredging Today Staff, October 15, 2012; Image: victoriainternationalmarina