Located on the north shore of Burrard Inlet, the Seaspan Vancouver Shipyards (VSY) Outfitting Pier is a major piece of marine infrastructure delivered within one of British Columbia’s most active and constrained industrial waterfronts. The project supports Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy by enabling efficient outfitting and commissioning of Canadian Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy vessels in North Vancouver, strengthening domestic shipbuilding capacity and long-term fleet renewal.

The new outfitting pier replaces an aging timber structure with a steel-and-concrete facility designed to meet today’s operational, environmental, and seismic demands. By bringing heavy outfitting activities on site – rather than towing vessels to other facilities – the project improves safety, productivity, and delivery certainty while sustaining skilled jobs and technical expertise in British Columbia’s shipbuilding sector.

Seaspan Vancouver Shipyards partnered with Stantec to deliver a facility that addressed four key priorities: improving operational efficiency for large-vessel outfitting, meeting stringent environmental and regulatory requirements, providing long-term resilience to seismic and marine exposure, and maintaining shipyard operations during construction.

As Principal Consultant, Stantec led planning, design, and construction support through close collaboration with Seaspan Vancouver Shipyards, regulators, and construction partners. Sustainability was embedded throughout the project, including full capture and onshore treatment of deck stormwater, removal of creosote-treated materials, and careful management of dredged sediments to protect Burrard Inlet.

Completed in June 2025 within an active shipyard environment, the new 270-metre outfitting pier enhances operational capacity, protects the marine environment, and supports high-skilled local employment – delivering lasting benefits for British Columbia’s maritime economy and Canada’s shipbuilding future.

The project’s approach was developed through early and continuous collaboration with VSY, regulators, and construction partners, to align technical decisions with operational, environmental, and schedule constraints. Stantec led the full lifecycle – from feasibility and permitting to multidisciplinary design and construction support – with a focus on innovation, resilience, and collaborative delivery.

Innovation guided the pier’s layout and servicing strategy. Advanced geotechnical and soil–structure interaction analyses were used to develop a foundation system capable of accommodating seismic loading, liquefiable soils, and lateral spreading without expanding the pier footprint. The pier layout emphasized adaptability and operational efficiency to support evolving outfitting requirements.

Environmental protection was embedded throughout the design and construction approach. All deck stormwater is captured and conveyed onshore for treatment, eliminating discharge to the harbour. Demolition and dredging methodologies were developed to safely manage creosote-treated materials and contaminated sediments, protecting Burrard Inlet and meeting regulatory requirements.

Constructability was central to delivery within a constrained, active basin. The team optimized dredge pockets supported planning of marine operations, and integrated vessel mooring requirements to maintain shipyard operations.

Completed in June 2025, the outfitting pier is fully operational and supporting outfitting activities for the Royal Canadian Navy’s largest vessel, HMCS Protecteur. The project increases VSY’s capacity to deliver complex vessels, strengthens Canada’s overall shipbuilding capability, improves environmental protection through modern stormwater and sediment systems, and provides resilient, future ready infrastructure aligned with national priorities.