BELLEVILLE TERMINAL PROJECT (2006)
The Belleville International Terminal site is owned by the Provincial Capital Commission (PCC) on behalf of the government of British Columbia. The six-acre site on along the south-side of Victoria’s Inner Harbour has been deemed a core PCC property. The site has figured prominently in Victoria's history and the development of southern Vancouver Island. Today, it serves as the terminus for international marine transportation carriers linking Washington State to the Province’s capital – an important international gateway to the Province servicing approximately one million passengers per year.
There have been a number of attempts to redevelop the site over the past several years. However, until recently, the key conditions for success and imperatives for change had not been present. A number of factors have now converged to both underline the need to redevelop the site and increase the prospects of success.
Currently operating as a marine transportation facility, the Belleville International Terminal is encumbered with serious operational and logistic deficiencies that make the status quo untenable. The key deficiencies pertain to customer service and border security.
Serving the Customer
As currently operating as a marine transportation facility, the Belleville site requires a serious upgrade. Outmoded and poorly designed facilities (Coho and Clipper terminals) fall far short of meeting the needs of the one million plus customers that travel through these facilities. These deficiencies include:
• Severe passenger service limitations – i.e. inadequate amenities for passengers, poor luggage processing and storage limitations, difficult vehicle ingress and egress and pedestrian drop-off areas – all of which contribute to overcrowding and passenger line-ups outside terminal buildings. One Belleville carrier (the Victoria Clipper) has cut back service to Victoria because of inadequate terminal facilities. For busy sailings in inclement weather, there is insufficient waiting room inside the current terminal to accommodate all passengers – necessitating some passengers to stand outside in the rain.
• Inadequate facilities and space for transportation and tourism companies;
• Generally poor integration of the site with Inner Harbour pedestrian access, viewing areas and overall vitality of this key location in the City of Victoria.
Border security
The current terminals on the site fall short of compliance with post 9-11 Customs, Immigration and Security requirements of both Canadian and US border agencies. Adequate clearance facilities for both Canada and US border agencies are a critical pre-condition to sustainable and increased tourism.
The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) has been created with a mandate and resources to advance the development of the Victoria harbour. The GVHA is formally partnering with the PCC in the project and are committed co-funders. A 2002 Memorandum of Understanding (which transferred the federal property sited above) commits the PCC to fully involve the GVHA in the planning, development and management of a new terminal facility and other related uses.
The primary focus of the redevelopment will be the creation of a new marine transportation terminal in the harbour with updated security and customs and immigration facilities. In addition, the redevelopment envisages other buildings and uses on the site that will complement both the marine terminal and the surrounding neighbourhood - providing vitality to the area and supporting a fiscally-responsible and financially feasible development of the site.
The redevelopment of the Belleville International Terminal advances several strategic objectives of the government of British Columbia, including:
• Improvements in transportation infrastructure: The Belleville International Terminal will provide an improved and important gateway to the Province for passengers arriving from coastal Washington.
• Expansion of the tourism sector: The proposed redevelopment will directly enhance the tourism potential for the region and the province.
• Maximization of opportunities created by hosting the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games: The Victoria harbour already welcomes over a million visitors a year to the Province. It is expected that the harbour will serve as an important tourist gateway for visitors attending the 2010 games. As such, the project could be a strong Olympics legacy project – a companion to other Olympic transportation infrastructure projects such as the Sea-to-Sky Highway upgrade and the Canada Line transit project.
• Encouraging federal government commitment to BC infrastructure projects: The project advances the strategic priorities outlined in the BC-Canada Western Economic Partnership Agreement - i.e. tourism development and associated infrastructure, design and engineering initiatives.
• Advancing BC’s border security and openness objectives through an improved marine terminal facility that is compliant with Canada and US requirements.
The recent contribution of $100,000 of project planning funding from the Ministry of Transportation underscores the importance of the project from a provincial perspective.
THE CHAMBER RECOMMENDS
That the Provincial Government demonstrates the leadership required to ensure that the Belleville Terminal redevelopment be completed before the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The Belleville International Terminal site is owned by the Provincial Capital Commission (PCC) on behalf of the government of British Columbia. The six-acre site on along the south-side of Victoria’s Inner Harbour has been deemed a core PCC property. The site has figured prominently in Victoria's history and the development of southern Vancouver Island. Today, it serves as the terminus for international marine transportation carriers linking Washington State to the Province’s capital – an important international gateway to the Province servicing approximately one million passengers per year.
There have been a number of attempts to redevelop the site over the past several years. However, until recently, the key conditions for success and imperatives for change had not been present. A number of factors have now converged to both underline the need to redevelop the site and increase the prospects of success.
Currently operating as a marine transportation facility, the Belleville International Terminal is encumbered with serious operational and logistic deficiencies that make the status quo untenable. The key deficiencies pertain to customer service and border security.
Serving the Customer
As currently operating as a marine transportation facility, the Belleville site requires a serious upgrade. Outmoded and poorly designed facilities (Coho and Clipper terminals) fall far short of meeting the needs of the one million plus customers that travel through these facilities. These deficiencies include:
• Severe passenger service limitations – i.e. inadequate amenities for passengers, poor luggage processing and storage limitations, difficult vehicle ingress and egress and pedestrian drop-off areas – all of which contribute to overcrowding and passenger line-ups outside terminal buildings. One Belleville carrier (the Victoria Clipper) has cut back service to Victoria because of inadequate terminal facilities. For busy sailings in inclement weather, there is insufficient waiting room inside the current terminal to accommodate all passengers – necessitating some passengers to stand outside in the rain.
• Inadequate facilities and space for transportation and tourism companies;
• Generally poor integration of the site with Inner Harbour pedestrian access, viewing areas and overall vitality of this key location in the City of Victoria.
Border security
The current terminals on the site fall short of compliance with post 9-11 Customs, Immigration and Security requirements of both Canadian and US border agencies. Adequate clearance facilities for both Canada and US border agencies are a critical pre-condition to sustainable and increased tourism.
The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) has been created with a mandate and resources to advance the development of the Victoria harbour. The GVHA is formally partnering with the PCC in the project and are committed co-funders. A 2002 Memorandum of Understanding (which transferred the federal property sited above) commits the PCC to fully involve the GVHA in the planning, development and management of a new terminal facility and other related uses.
The primary focus of the redevelopment will be the creation of a new marine transportation terminal in the harbour with updated security and customs and immigration facilities. In addition, the redevelopment envisages other buildings and uses on the site that will complement both the marine terminal and the surrounding neighbourhood - providing vitality to the area and supporting a fiscally-responsible and financially feasible development of the site.
The redevelopment of the Belleville International Terminal advances several strategic objectives of the government of British Columbia, including:
• Improvements in transportation infrastructure: The Belleville International Terminal will provide an improved and important gateway to the Province for passengers arriving from coastal Washington.
• Expansion of the tourism sector: The proposed redevelopment will directly enhance the tourism potential for the region and the province.
• Maximization of opportunities created by hosting the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games: The Victoria harbour already welcomes over a million visitors a year to the Province. It is expected that the harbour will serve as an important tourist gateway for visitors attending the 2010 games. As such, the project could be a strong Olympics legacy project – a companion to other Olympic transportation infrastructure projects such as the Sea-to-Sky Highway upgrade and the Canada Line transit project.
• Encouraging federal government commitment to BC infrastructure projects: The project advances the strategic priorities outlined in the BC-Canada Western Economic Partnership Agreement - i.e. tourism development and associated infrastructure, design and engineering initiatives.
• Advancing BC’s border security and openness objectives through an improved marine terminal facility that is compliant with Canada and US requirements.
The recent contribution of $100,000 of project planning funding from the Ministry of Transportation underscores the importance of the project from a provincial perspective.
THE CHAMBER RECOMMENDS
That the Provincial Government demonstrates the leadership required to ensure that the Belleville Terminal redevelopment be completed before the 2010 Winter Olympics.
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