More attention for Northwest Industrial projects

The Fairview Container project and the Galore Creek mining operation are two major industrial developments that are capturing the attention of the continent's commerce gurus.

The Journal of Commerce features both of the developments on their website with a background look at their development and the potential impact that they may have on the economy of the northwest.

July 30, 2007
Fairview Container Terminal and Galore Creek projects take shape in northern British Columbia
Journal of Commerce
Jim Stirling
correspondent

August is a much anticipated month in the continuing development of the Fairview Container Terminal in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. The port’s workhorses, the three container cranes each one 25 storeys high and 1,800 tonnes, are scheduled for off-loading in Prince Rupert.

The process is expected to take nine days. The cranes are being commissioned by ZPMC in Shanghai, China where they were built. Meanwhile, the $170 million first phase of the port remains on schedule and on budget for an October start-up, confirms Mike Graham, director of port development.

Much of the terminal infrastructure is in place, including wharf expansion. Fraser River Pile and Dredge completed the work to ensure a low tide depth of 16 metres to accommodate the largest container ships on the ocean. A new ground waste water management system has been installed and the Maher Terminals maintenance and administration building has been completed by Ledcor crews.

Maher is the port’s operator and is training crane operators at its base in New Jersey. Maher was recently acquired by RREEF Infrastructure, part of the investment management business of Deutsch Bank’s Asset Management Division.

The electrical system in place awaiting the arrival of the cranes. Babco Electric installed two transformers and JACO Powerlines strung the 63Kv transmission lines.

The Prince Rupert Port Authority reports an additional achievement, in recording about 800,000 serious accident-free manhours since the construction began in March, 2006. This despite several construction projects going on simultaneously on the tight 20 hectare worksite.
Another, even larger project in terms of investment dollars, is just beginning its construction process. NovaGold Resources Inc., in partnership with Teck Cominco is developing the $2 billion Galore Creek project.

The copper-gold-silver open pit mine will be built in remote, mountainous terrain about 200 kilometres southwest of Dease Lake in northwestern B.C. and about 70 kilometres west of the nearest road, Highway 37.

Keys to the project include creating infrastructure, which is anticipated to move ahead other promising mining properties in the region; continuing involvement with the leadership of the Tahltan First Nations and mitigating impact on the region’s extensive fish and wildlife populations.

On the infrastructure front, access now is restricted to helicopters. An access road including major bridges has to be constructed. Power for use at the mine will be generated by a run-of-the-river hydroelectric project on the Iskut River. It will require construction of a substation and transmission line. More demanding still, will be the boring of a four kilometre long tunnel under icefields to access the mine site.

NOVAGOLD RESOURCES INC.
Construction is well underway on the bridge over the Iskut River. This structure is the first permanent bridge to be built to provide access to the Galore Creek project site.

That, too has to be built from scratch, creating a fully serviced camp for about 500 full time employees. Two pipelines will be necessary contiguous to the access road. One will transport diesel fuel into the mine site. The other will move copper concentrate out to a Highway 37 filter plant. From there, it will be trucked to Stewart, Canada’s northernmost ice-free port.Stewart should experience significant economic stimulus as a result of the Galore Creek project.

Stimulus of a different kind should result from a health delivery project at Quesnel, in the north Cariboo region of the province. A $20 million renovation and expansion of the Dunrovin Park Lodge has begun.

Yellowridge Construction Ltd., of Port Moody is the project’s general contractor.

Site preparation is phase one to be followed by a north lodge expansion by 2008 and completion of a south wing. The overall project will provide new residential care beds (117), respite and palliative care spaces and new assisted living units. The provincial government is contributing $8 million to the project.

Another $8 million will come from the Cariboo-Chilcotin Regional Hospital District and the $4 million balance of the major funding will come from the Northern Health Authority.