Federal government designates Roberts Bank Terminal 2 as a Project of National Interest
The federal government gave Roberts Bank Terminal 2 in Delta a new designation on Friday that clears the remaining permits for the $5.9 billion port expansion to proceed.
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The federal government named Roberts Bank Terminal 2 at Deltaport in Delta a Project of National Interest on October 30, 2026, clearing the remaining permits for the $5.9 billion container port expansion to move forward.
Federal Minister of Transport Steven MacKinnon made the announcement at the Deltaport facility alongside Delta MP Jill McKnight and BC Premier-Designate Lorne Doerkson. Mayor-Elect Melissa Granum was among those who attended the event, the Delta Optimist reported.
What the designation does
Under the Building Canada Act, the Project of National Interest status gives the expansion a clearer permit timeline, removing the uncertainty that had held back a final start date. MacKinnon called the October 30 decision a major day for Canada and said it provides certainty around the project's timeline "while maintaining rigorous environmental safeguards and consultation with Indigenous communities."
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority says the terminal will add 2.4 million TEUs of annual container capacity, a 50 percent increase over the current Deltaport facility. Without it, MacKinnon said, port congestion could cost Canadian businesses and consumers more than $800 million a year by 2035. These are the port authority's own figures.
Tsawwassen First Nation's position
Tsawwassen First Nation Chief Laura Cassidy spoke at the event of her nation's consent but not unconditional support. She said years of consultation have resulted in a deeper understanding of the project's impacts and how they can be addressed, but she made clear the TFN wants to protect its treaty rights and remains concerned about environmental effects. The Building Canada Act process, she said, should not cut corners on those concerns.
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority says it has 27 Mutual Benefit Agreements with First Nations connected to the project.
Economic claims
Port authority officials say the construction phase will create more than 18,000 jobs and the completed terminal will support more than 17,300 ongoing jobs, generate an estimated $3 billion in GDP each year, and produce $631 million in tax revenue. These are the port authority's own projections.
The project has already cleared a federal environmental review, which began in 2015 and resulted in approval in 2023. A provincial go-ahead followed the same year. Construction would happen in the 2030s.
What Granum promised
During the campaign, Melissa Granum pledged to ask Ottawa and the RCMP for written assurances that Delta taxpayers will not pay for policing a national port. She also promised to work with senior governments to secure local benefits from port projects and to create an Economic Development Advisory Committee that would include an assessment of Roberts Bank Terminal 2. Those commitments are tracked on her candidate page.
The new Delta City Council holds its inaugural meeting on November 2, 2026. Residents who want to follow the council's decisions on the port expansion can watch for agendas at pub-delta.escribemeetings.com.
Questions this story answers
What is Roberts Bank Terminal 2?
Roberts Bank Terminal 2 is a proposed new container terminal to be built on a man-made island next to the existing Deltaport container facility in Delta, BC. The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority says it will add 2.4 million TEUs of annual container capacity, a 50 percent increase over the current facility. The project is estimated to cost $5.9 billion and would be built in the 2030s.
What does the Project of National Interest designation mean?
Under the Building Canada Act, a Project of National Interest designation gives a project a clearer timeline and streamlines remaining permit decisions. Federal Minister of Transport Steven MacKinnon said at the October 30 announcement that the designation provides certainty around the project's timeline while maintaining environmental safeguards and consultation with Indigenous communities.
Who was at the announcement on October 30?
Federal Minister of Transport Steven MacKinnon, Delta MP Jill McKnight and BC Premier-Designate Lorne Doerkson attended the announcement at the Deltaport facility, along with Tsawwassen First Nation Chief Laura Cassidy, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority President and CEO Peter Xotta, Delta Mayor-Elect Melissa Granum and Delta South MLA Ian Paton, according to the Delta Optimist.
What is Tsawwassen First Nation's position on the project?
TFN Chief Laura Cassidy spoke at the October 30 event of her nation's consent but not unconditional support, according to the Delta Optimist. She said years of consultation have resulted in a deeper understanding of the project's potential impacts and how they can be addressed, and that the TFN conveyed how it wants to protect its treaty rights and concerns about the environment.
What did Mayor-Elect Melissa Granum promise about port expansion during the campaign?
During the campaign, Melissa Granum pledged to ask Ottawa and the RCMP for assurances that Delta taxpayers will not pay for policing a national port. She also promised to secure local benefits from port projects and to create an Economic Development Advisory Committee that would assess Roberts Bank Terminal 2 and its effects on Delta. Those commitments are tracked at her page on this site.
What economic benefits does the port authority say the expansion will bring?
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority says the expansion will create more than 18,000 jobs during construction and more than 17,300 ongoing jobs, generate an estimated $3 billion in GDP annually once built, and produce $631 million in tax revenue. The authority also says that without added capacity, port congestion could cost Canadian businesses and consumers more than $800 million a year by 2035. These are the port authority's own figures.
When did the project receive environmental approval?
The federal government gave the project environmental approval in 2023 after a review process that started in 2015. A provincial go-ahead followed later in 2023. The October 30, 2026 designation under the Building Canada Act is a separate step that covers the remaining permits needed before construction can begin.
Where can Delta residents follow the new council's decisions about the port?
Mayor-Elect Melissa Granum's campaign promises about the port, including her pledge to seek local benefits and RCMP assurances, are tracked at her candidate page at /bc/delta-2026/candidates/melissa-granum. The new Delta City Council holds its inaugural meeting on November 2, 2026.
Sources
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