A contractor yard for TC Energy’s pipeline project is set to be located at a gravel pit near the intersection of Hwy. 3 and Morrissey Road.
Teresa Sydenham of TC Energy presented to the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) planning committee on May 12 giving an overview of the project and the proposed yard, seeking a temporary use permit (TUP) for the site.
The Foothills Zone 8 West Path Delivery 2023 Project is made up of two sections, one of which, called the Elko Section, will consist of about 32 km of 48-inch diameter pipeline, located about 18 km east of Fernie.
Preliminary construction is expected to begin this spring, with mainline construction planned to begin in summer 2023. It is expected to be in service in fall 2023.
The majority of the workforce will be coming to the area this summer and next, with a peak of around 630 workers expected for about a two week period in 2023. They will be staying in local accommodations for the duration of the work.
The TUP for the contractor yard was granted by the RDEK board of directors subject to three permit conditions: that a parking solution is funded at the Morrissey boat launch for commercial and non-commercial river users; that traffic control is undertaken at peak traffic times at the Morrissey-Hwy. 3 intersection; that mandatory solid and liquid waste be disposed at RDEK facilities.
The only director opposed to the TUP was Dean McKerracher, mayor of Elkford.
According to Sydenham’s presentation, the contractor yard is ‘ideally located’ close to the project’s main access road.
The 16.78 hectare site will include 15 mobile-style offices, two portable washroom trailers, a temporary parts warehouse made up of 53-foot semi trailers and/or freight containers, a temporary shop space, parking, double-walled bulk fuel tanks, and temporary storage and maintenance of equipment such as excavators, bulldozers, pipe layers, graders, fuel trucks, and mechanic trucks.
Sydenham spoke to why the Morrissey-Hwy. 3 site was picked, and included reasons like highway safety, managing worker fatigue by reducing travel time and removing most large equipment from tunnels, among other reasons.
TC Energy is seeking TUPs for four more sites, labelled: Parking/Laydown, Pipe Stockpile Site, Magazine Site 1, and Magazine Site 2.
READ MORE: Pipeline work to bring hundreds of workers to Fernie
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