When complete in 2030, the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant (NSWWTP) will deliver tertiary filtration treatment to remove solids, microplastics, and contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) while incorporating advanced energy recovery and resource reuse (biogas, heat, biosolids).

Located in North Vancouver, British Columbia, on a 3.5-hectare parcel of land and processing an average dry weather flow of  102 million liters of wastewater per day, the NSWWTP is designed to protect sensitive marine habitats in Burrard Inlet and the Salish Sea, in a manner that meets and exceeds federal wastewater regulations and positions Metro Vancouver as a leader in environmental stewardship.

Built to LEED Gold and Envision Gold standards, the new plant will feature earthquake resilience and future sea-level rise adaptation; a stacked design that allows for efficient use of space on a smaller urban footprint; enclosed architecture with robust odour control; and a public plaza and educational spaces for community engagement.

Resource recovery and energy efficiency are also prioritized by implementing energy integration that can capture heat from treated effluent to supply hot water and space heating to nearby communities; and the production of Class A biosolids for agricultural or landscaping use.

PCL Construction was engaged by Metro Vancouver in 2022. PCL was brought in, initially, to assess the condition of previously constructed buildings and incomplete structures, develop a cost estimate and schedule for completion of the construction, and to perform limited early works construction and repairs. After a due diligence review alongside design engineer AECOM, it was determined that more than 1,500 concrete repairs were required.

In October 2024, PCL partnered with Metro Vancouver and, as construction manager and general contractor, assumed the contract to complete construction of the massive WWTP.  Due to the scale and complexity of the project, the team is drawing expertise from a broader PCL workforce that has delivered more than 470 water and wastewater projects across North America, including more than 100 water infrastructure projects of all scales in Canada.

Leveraging integrated operational excellence from across PCL’s Buildings, Civil and Industrial sectors, subject matter experts are bringing a broad range of project-specific expertise including design optimization; constructability and risk assessments; innovation and value engineering; sustainability and life cycle planning; complex plant startup strategies; and advanced technologies that enhance quality and collaboration, streamline the schedule and mitigate risks.

“Our project management expertise and estimating efficiencies have evolved over decades of lessons learned, delivering some of the most complex projects in the industry, says PCL’s NSWWTP Project Director, Marc Chiasson. “That expertise translates into more time for the level of collaboration and innovation required to produce high-value and high-quality built solutions.”

The new treatment plant will replace the aging Lions Gate WWTP, which is one of the last plants on the west coast of North America to provide only primary level (removal of solids) wastewater treatment. The existing WWTP is at the end of its service life and does not meet increased regulatory requirements.

The NSWWTP is designed to serve over 300,000 residents and businesses in the Districts of North and West Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver, and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation).

Aligned by a shared purpose of Building a Better Future, Together, PCL and its project partners are striving to deliver industry-leading attributes that will define NSWWTP as a world-class facility.  

Watch the video - Momentum Builds at North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant - YouTube