SIDNEY, BC, Aug. 12, 2019 /CNW/ - A healthy creek bed is essential for the well-being of fish as it is an important source of food. Fish health is threatened by the presence of high concentrations of metals that don't break down and remain in the environment, threatening the creek food web.
Today, the Government of Canada awarded a contract to restore the environmental health of Reay Creek's bed by removing elevated concentrations of metals in sediments found in Transport Canada-owned Victoria Airport lands.
The creek cleanup work will begin this month and is expected to be complete by October. This involves diverting the creek, excavating contaminated sediment, and transporting the sediment to an approved facility for treatment/disposal. The creek bed on airport lands will be backfilled with clean material.
The contract awarded to Tervita Corporation of over $504,000 will be closely monitored by Transport Canada to ensure the safety of workers and the community. Environmental monitoring will be conducted throughout the project to ensure that cleanup objectives are met and that the excavation activities do not have a negative impact on the surrounding environment.
Quote
"Undertaking the remediation of Reay Creek's floor bed demonstrates our government's ongoing commitment to cleaning up contaminated sites and protecting the environment.This work is important for the well-being of the fish that live and feed in Reay Creek."
The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport
"Protecting fish and fish habitat is a top priority for our government. This new project will remove approximately 900 tonnes of contaminated sediments from portions of Reay Creek located on airport lands. That's roughly equivalent to the weight of 550 cars. This will go a long way to restore the health of Reay Creek and protect trout and wild Pacific salmon that use this creek as a migration pathway."
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
Quick Facts
- The Reay Creek Remediation Project is funded through Canada's Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP). FCSAP provides funding to assess and remediate federal contaminated sites and is coordinated by Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.
- Reay Creek is home to cutthroat trout and salmon. Transport Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada are working to ensure remediation work happens as quickly, efficiently, and sustainably as is possible.
- The excavation work will remove approximately 500 cubic metres or 900 tonnes of contaminated sediment from portions of the creek bed located on airport lands.
Associated Links
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SOURCE Transport Canada
Delphine Denis, Media Relations Manager, Office of the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, Ottawa, 613-991-0700, [email protected]; Media Relations, Transport Canada, Ottawa, 613-993-0055, [email protected]; Media Inquiries
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