WCMRC expands its response bases

21Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC) is planning to construct a new on-water spill response base in Nanaimo, British Columbia. The base is part of a larger expansion plan to meet enhanced response requirements associated with the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project. This larger expansion will double WCMRC’s capacity to respond to spills and cut mandated response times in half in B.C.’s South Coast waters.

As a part of the larger expansion, a number of new bases will be constructed. The majority will be located on Vancouver Island. The Nanaimo response base will serve as the hub for spill response operations for the island. It will provide initial rapid response for eastern Vancouver Island and will have the capacity to deliver equipment for a 20,000-tonne spill within 36 hours of activation.

The Nanaimo base will include a new building that will serve as an office/warehouse and new docks to moor 15 vessels. The base is expected to employ approximately 35 people.

WCMRC is also planning to construct new response bases in Port Alberni and Ucluelet in B.C. The Port Alberni base will work in tandem with the Ucluelet one, with Port Alberni being the main location. The Port Alberni base will be located near the port authority’s office and will include vessel moorage and a pre-engineered steel structure, including office and warehouse space as well as a new spill response vessel “pocket marina” located in the water adjacent to Water Street Wharf.