ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: June 30, 1998
Author/Local: E.V.(Ted) Price/7807
CC File No. 8109

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	Manager of Real Estate Services
SUBJECT:	Appointment of New Consultant for Soils Monitoring Contract of New Brighton/Port Connector site - 3000 Wall Street/Port/LaFarge

RECOMMENDATION

THAT Council authorize the appointment of Hemmera Resource Consultants Ltd., and other consultants as may be determined by the Vancouver Port Corporation, Lefarge Canada Inc. (326754 B.C. Ltd) and the Manager of Real Estate Services to carry out a soils monitoring and reporting program. The City’s estimated cost share is increased by $20,000 to a total of $120,000, to be funded by Streets Basic Capital Account Port Roadway - Unappropriated 12/01/1902/999. The balance of the project costs will be equally shared between the other two PROPERTY owners.

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Corporate Services RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing.

COUNCIL POLICY

Council must approve the appointment of a Consultant if the gross cost will exceed $30,000.

PURPOSE

This report requests Council’s approval to increase the budget for carrying out a four year monitoring and reporting program as required by the B.C. Ministry of the Environment for approval of a soils Risk Assessment and approvals necessary for the Port Roadway Connector Project, and to change the appointed consultant.

BACKGROUND

On October 28, 1996 Council approved the following:

(c) the City’s estimated cost share for the proposed four-year monitoring period is $100,000. E.V.S. Environmental Consultants has been selected by the three owners to carry out this work. This is to be funded by Streets Capital account Port Roadway - Unappropriated #12/01/1902/999;

(d) the City’s cost share to complete the work by the environmental consultant, Agra Earth and Environmental Ltd., is estimated to be $50,000.00 and is to be funded by Streets Basic Capital Account Port Roadway -- Unappropriated 12/01/1902/999;

(e) if the program results indicate that contamination of the lands which are the subject of the Exchange Agreement (the “Exchange Lands”) is having a chronic impact on the marine ecosystem in Burrard Inlet, the parties agree to address the chronic impact (noting that the cost-sharing formula applicable to the initial monitoring program shall not apply to any future remediation of the Exchange Lands and that should a remediation program to address the chronic impact be necessary there shall be a further report to Council).

DISCUSSION

Subsequent negotiations between the owners and B.C. Ministry of Environment (BCMOE) have necessitated an expanded monitoring program which will result in an increased cost of $60,000, the City’s share of the increased cost is $ 20,000. Total cost will now be $ 120,000.

Due to the highly technical and specialized nature of the work it was agreed that a new consultant be appointed to manage the work, Hemmera Resource Consultants Ltd. The Port/LaFarge have already selected this consultant and City staff are in agreement that the Consultant is the most suitable for this assignment and their costs are in line with industry standards.

The program will take place over four years and consist of taking samples of water from drilled wells, testing and reporting. If the results are favourable, the program will be curtailed or eliminated after four years.

The Port Roadway could not be constructed until this agreement was in place between the Province and the three land owners. The connector has been constructed and the New Brighton Park extension is currently under construction.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver