Long Pond Proposed Development

Ocean Choice is in the regulatory stages of a proposed development in Long Pond that could see the development of new land, an approximate 90-metre wharf, as well as the construction of a new cold storage facility. The business plan for the project is still being finalized and a decision to proceed with the development has not yet been made. This is a significant investment – upwards of $15 million – for the company; and with the added uncertainly caused by the ongoing pandemic we are taking our time to make the final decision.

The development is in the commercial area off Terminal Road in Conception Bay South.

The Company’s proposed development will see approximately 17,000 m² (1.7 hectares) of new land developed that will house:

• Approximate, 90-metre long marginal wharf;
• Laydown and parking area;
• Cold storage building infrastructure (approximately 36,000 ft²)
  • 43 foot-high building

After acquiring the waterlot in 2018, Ocean Choice submitted a proposal for approximately 2.5 hectares to the federal and provincial regulatory departments. Since this time, Ocean Choice has adjusted our development plan to reduce the footprint to 1.7 hectares of new land. There is an opportunity to develop the additional 0.8 hectares on the wharf side of the development that could see an extension to the wharf – this is the 2.5 hectares that was included in the proposed development plan. There has been no decision made on this as the existing 1.7 hectares meets our existing cold storage and offloading needs.

The Town of CBS can expect to see 30 to 40 new jobs created, millions of dollars in spin-off business opportunities for supply services in the area, economic benefit to other local businesses in the area and the potential relocation of people to the community.

Cold storage operations are very different than operating a fish plant. Many seafood cold storage facilities in Newfoundland and Labrador are located within the heart of the community with minimal disruption to community life and are similar to the operation of other food cold storage facilities. At the proposed cold storage facility in Long Pond, frozen-at-sea product is offloaded from offshore fishing vessels and stored at the cold storage facility in its frozen state until the product is shipped to global markets. No processing takes place at the cold storage facility, resulting in no odor.

Long Pond Harbour is the ideal location, as it is centralized with convenient access to shipping routes, fishing grounds and local businesses that provide support services to the offshore fishing sector. It is also close to the Ocean Choice’s corporate office in Paradise.

We are finalizing the business plan for this project. We are currently at the permitting stage therefore at this time we do not have a construction schedule finalized. Once we have a schedule in place we will share this with the Town of CBS and its residents.

There will be minimal noise associated with the docking, offloading and loading of offshore fishing vessels at the site. At most, there will be the noise from forklift operations and trucks for shipping, which are already commonly used by other businesses in the area.

Trucks will be required to visit the site daily for loading and the shipment of product from the cold storage facility that are destined for global markets.  Given the site is adjacent to the highway; we are not anticipating any additional tractor trailer traffic to flow through the town or any residential areas other than Terminal Road and Kitty Aids Turn. The town might experience additional motor vehicles within the community, as crew members will be travelling to and from the site for work.

The proposed development in Long Pond will see the offloading and storing of product from five of our offshore fishing vessels (one of our vessels is based in Nova Scotia) – estimated to be 60 landings per year or five landings a month (on average). We will work with the harbour authority and we will abide by all safety protocols to ensure vessel landings at the site are organized to ensure the safety of all users of the port.

It typically takes two to three days to offload a vessel, change the crew over and load the vessels with supplies (fuel, food, etc.). At most there will be two vessels docked at one time.

With respect to the number of trucks that will be required for the operation, approximately four trucks per day will be required to ship the frozen-at-sea product to markets around the world; and an additional four to five delivery trucks per vessel, per turn around will be needed for fueling, food and other supplies.

Absolutely – we understand the importance of maintaining safe access to the channel for those who currently use the area for recreation and/or business purposes. For this reason, as part of the proposed development, Ocean Choice plans to create a new, more direct, marked channel along the edge of the property. The new channel will be developed with the safety of users in mind and will be as deep as the current channel used by boaters. As part of the federal approval process for the development, Ocean Choice was required to submit an application to Navigable Waters (Transport Canada). We are awaiting the conclusion of this process. We will rely on the expertise of this regulatory authority to provide advice on navigation for the area; and we will adhere to any safety and other mitigation measures recommended by the expert authority.

A cold storage facility generates new opportunities for local businesses within the community to provide support services for the facility, the vessels landing at the site as well as to the crew members who will be travelling back and forth to the community. For example, Ocean Choice’s newest offshore fishing vessel – the MV Calvert – is expected to generate over $13 million in economic spin-off. This includes fuel, groceries and other supplies for the vessel as well as vessel maintenance and other services required. The operation will also see 30 to 40 new, full-time positions as well as several hundred crew members travelling to the area. These individuals will spend money within the Town of Conception Bay South (i.e., visiting restaurants, gas stations, etc.). In addition, Ocean Choice as part of our commitment to the communities in which we operate will contribute to local community groups and not-for-profits within the Town.

We have estimated that 30-40 new, full-time positions are required to support the cold storage facility, the loading and offloading of five of Ocean Choice’s offshore fishing vessels and crew changeovers. These positions range from management, supervisors, maintenance, forklift operators, inventory control and sorting of product as it is offloaded, stored and shipped – just to name a few. The 30-40 positions required is based on the following:

• number of vessels that will be landing at the site (5);
• number of landings per year (60);
• amount of frozen-at-sea product that will be offloaded and stored at the facility (approximately 60 million pounds annually);
• number of shipments of product that will be sent to global markets on a daily basis (on average approximately 4 shipments);
• number of delivery trucks required, per turn vessel turn around for fueling, food and the delivery of other supplies (average of 4 per vessel); and
• the changeover of crew members.

The proposed development will see 1.7 hectares of the waterlot infilled to create new land for the cold storage facility, laydown and parking as well as an approximate 90 metre wharf. After acquiring the waterlot in 2018, Ocean Choice submitted a proposal for approximately 2.5 hectares to the federal and provincial regulatory departments. Since this time, Ocean Choice has adjusted its development plan to reduce the footprint to 1.7 hectares of new land – this is what was submitted to the Town of Conception Bay South. There is an opportunity to develop the additional 0.8 hectares on the wharf side of the development for an extension to the wharf – this is the 2.5 hectares that was included in the proposed development plan to the federal and provincial regulatory authorities. There has been no decision made on this, as the existing 1.7 hectares meets the company’s existing cold storage and offloading needs.

Ocean Choice is committed to following and adhering to the regulatory processes that are deemed necessary by the appropriate authorities. This includes all three levels of government. We will also abide by any mitigation and other measures that are deemed necessary by the appropriate regulatory bodies before proceeding with the development. We would like to clarify that we submitted a proposal to the Environmental Assessment (EA) Division of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in August 2018. In September 2018, Ocean Choice received notification from the Environmental Assessment Division releasing the development from EA due to: (1) the size of the development (under five hectares) and (2) the development is not located within an estuary. In addition to submitting a proposal to EA Division of the Provincial Government, Ocean Choice submitted a proposal for a marine fish habitat compensation plan to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans under the Fisheries Act, which has been approved.

We understand the concerns expressed by property owners and residents in close proximity to proposed development. Cold storage operations are very different than operating a fish plant. Many seafood cold storage facilities in Newfoundland and Labrador are located within the heart of the community with minimal disruption to community life and are similar to the operation of other food cold storage facilities.

• Odour: Frozen-at-sea product is offloaded from offshore fishing vessels and stored at the cold storage facility in its frozen state until the product is shipped to global markets. No processing takes place at the cold storage facility, resulting in no odour.
• Noise: There is very little noise associated with a cold storage facility due to the nature of the work at these sites (i.e., a forklift is used for loading and offloading vessels and for loading product on trucks for shipment to markets worldwide). At Ocean choice’s proposed development the offloading/loading of vessels will take place on the wharf side of the development, which is on the commercial side of the harbour facing the Long Pond Gut. In addition, the cold storage building itself will act as a noise barrier between the vessels and the residential side of the harbour. We are also estimating that on average four trucks per day will be required to ship products to market. These trucks will enter the site on the Terminal Road side of the development and will also load the product (using a forklift) on the Terminal Road side. We have engaged an Industrial Hygienist to complete a noise assessment of cold storage operations. Once this report is available we are happy to share it with area residents.
• Structure Height: The design of the building is not completed, in fact we just engaged a local architect on Monday, September 21, 2020 to provide us with possible designs. With this being said, the height of the building that we are currently working with is 43 feet. We are designing the building to complement the existing commercial operations on the Terminal Road side of the Harbour. Once we have the designs completed, we are happy to share these with area residents.
• Overnight Operation: The shipment of frozen-at-sea products to markets will take place during normal business hours (we are anticipating on average four shipments per day). With respect to vessel traffic, we will be landing five of our offshore vessels at the site with an estimated 60 landings annually (an average of five landings per month). Some of these landings will occur outside of regular business hours; however there is not a lot of noise associated with this process.
• Lights: Most of the activity at the site will take place on the Terminal Road side of the harbour, which is already a commercial area. The site will not generate any more light than is already common for this area of the harbour.
• Offal/Waste: the Cold Storage facility will not generate offal, as we will not processing any product at the facility. We will be offloading frozen-at-sea product that will be stored and shipped to markets in its frozen form. Ocean Choice will also follow all the provincial and municipal by-laws with respect to the proper disposal of waste.

We are committed to being a good neighbor for the existing businesses, residents and others who currently utilize the Long Pond Harbour for either pleasure or businesses purposes. We want to work with the area to invest in a development that will complement the existing commercial activity while balancing the recreational use of the harbor – we know this is important and is how the harbour has always operated.

With respect to some of the concerns that have been raised about possible flooding, we have hired a third party engineering firm that specializes in hydrology. This firm is currently looking at the tidal conditions, currents, waves, ice flow, etc. Once this study is completed, we are happy to provide this to those that are interested. It will also be submitted as part of the Town of Conception Bay South’s Land Use Impact Assessment.

Ocean Choice has been actively engaged in rigorous federal, provincial and municipal regulatory approvals for this development. We are committed to following and adhering to the regulatory process that is deemed necessary by the appropriate authorities. This includes all three levels of government.

Ocean Choice submitted a proposal to the Environmental Assessment (EA) Division of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in August 2018. Ocean Choice received notification from the Environmental Assessment Division releasing the development from EA due to: (1) the size of the development (under five hectares) and (2) the development is not located within an estuary. Although the proposed development has been released from a formal provincial EA, several other regulatory requirements are required for the development, including Fisheries Act Authorization based on an extensive Marine Fish Habitat Compensation Plan that deals specifically with fish and fish habitat in the area of the proposed development. Other regulatory requirements are as follows:

• Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Environment Permit to Alter a Body of Water.
• Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Environment and Climate Change Canada Assessment: Letter from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Environmental Protection Operations Directorate providing guidance to support the environmental management process of the proposed development.
• Government of Canada, Transport Canada – Navigable Waters Protection: In August, 2020, Ocean Choice gave public notice that an application was made to the Minister of Transport, pursuant to the Canadian Navigable Waters Act to construct the facility.  The public consultation process closed on September 20, 2020. Ocean Choice is awaiting direction from this federal regulatory process.
• Municipal, Town of Conception Bay South: Discussions have been on-going with the Town of CBS and an approval letter has been provided subject to a number of conditions being met including a Land Use Impact Assessment Report.

Ocean Choice has considered other possible locations, including South Dildo, for its proposed cold storage and wharf development which were deemed not suitable. With respect to South Dildo, a couple of weeks ago Ocean Choice attempted to land one of its offshore vessels at the wharf in Dildo and due to another vessel being docked, Ocean Choice was not able to land its vessel. Also, the cold storage facility in South Dildo is currently full.

Ocean Choice has not gone out with an RFP for any of the work for the proposed development in Long Pond. We have had discussions with some possible contractors but the Company has not made a final decision on the development, therefore no contracts have been awarded. We have not provided contractors with maps of the development that show more phases, as there are no additional phases for the development. The current plan, and what has been sent to the Town of Conception Bay South, is to develop 1.7 hectares of new land that will see a 36,000 square foot cold storage facility, lay down and parking area as well as an approximate 90-metre wharf. While the Company has approval from the federal and provincial governments to develop 2.5 hectares (an additional 0.8 metres to the 1.7 for an extension to the wharf), the company plans to develop 1.7 hectares. This could be adjusted to the 2.5 hectares.

Ocean Choice does not plan to, and in fact cannot develop 5 or more hectares of the 5.1 hectare water lot. Firstly, the wharf requires a buffer zone to moor vessels which would prohibit the infill of 5 hectares of the 5.1 hectare water lot. Secondly, Ocean Choice has received federal and provincial approvals to develop only 2.5 hectares of the water lot. At present, the Company is still working through the regulatory approval process to develop 1.7 hectares (or up to 2.5 hectares).

Ocean Choice has been actively engaged in rigorous federal, provincial and municipal regulatory approvals for this development. We are committed to following and adhering to the regulatory process that is deemed necessary by the appropriate authorities. This includes all three levels of government. We would like to clarify that we submitted a proposal to the Environmental Assessment (EA) Division of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in August 2018. In September 2018, Ocean Choice received notification from the Environmental Assessment Division releasing the development from EA due to: (1) the size of the development (under five hectares) and (2) the development is not located within an estuary. Although the proposed development has been released from a formal provincial EA, several other regulatory requirements are required for the development, including Fisheries Act Authorization based on an extensive Marine Fish Habitat Compensation Plan that deals specifically with fish and fish habitat in the area of the proposed development. Other regulatory requirements are as follows:

• Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Environment Permit to Alter a Body of Water.
• Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Environment and Climate Change Canada Assessment: Letter from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Environmental Protection Operations Directorate providing guidance to support the environmental management process of the proposed development.
• Government of Canada, Transport Canada – Navigable Waters Protection: In August, 2020, Ocean Choice gave public notice that an application was made to the Minister of Transport, pursuant to the Canadian Navigable Waters Act to construct the facility.  The public consultation process closed on September 20, 2020. Ocean Choice is awaiting direction from this federal regulatory process.
• Municipal, Town of Conception Bay South: Discussions have been on-going with the Town of CBS and an approval letter has been provided subject to a number of conditions being met including a Land Use Impact Assessment Report.

Ocean Choice has considered other possible locations for its proposed cold storage and wharf development, which were deemed not suitable. The Company has determined that Long Pond Harbour is the ideal location for the following reasons:

• It is centralized with convenient access to shipping routes, fishing grounds and local businesses that provide support services to the offshore fishing sector.
• It is also already a commercial harbour with exports including pyrophylite and transshipment of oil as well as imports including grain feed products and cement. The harbour also serves as a port of call for offshore oil and gas supply vessels.
• Ocean Choice is looking to invest in Long Pond to fulfill our own cold storage requirements not to compete with existing cold storage facilities. For example, the Calvert (our new vessel) is expected to fill up to 30% of the annual capacity of the proposed Long Pond cold storage facility.

While the harbour is used to support commercial activity, we want to work with the area to invest in a development that will complement the existing commercial activity while balancing the recreational use of the harbor – we know this is important and is how the harbour has always operated.

Ocean choice has estimated that 30 to 40 new positions are required to support the cold storage facility, the loading and offloading of five of Ocean Choice’s offshore fishing vessels and crew changeovers. These positions range from management, supervisors, maintenance, forklift operators, inventory control to support the offloading, sorting, storing and shipping products – just to name a few. These will likely be a mix of full-time and part-time positions.

While Ocean Choice has yet to make a final decision to move forward with the development and the Company is still going through the regulatory approval process for the development, we have met with several interested parties in the area and we plan to continue to meet with those interested as we move through the regulatory approval and decision-making process.

We have also mailed a Long Pond Information Sheet to approximately 280 property owners in the area of the development including properties on: Atkins Road, Bairds Lane, Greenslades Place, Bishops Road, Church Road, Terminal Road, Conway’s Brook Road, Perrins Road, Minerals Road, Greenslades Road and Patty’s arm Road, to name a few.

As we continue to move through the regulatory process we will continue to meet with interested parties. If you or anyone else would like to set up a meeting, please email longponddevelopment@oceanchoice.com.

As part of the proposed development, Ocean Choice plans to create a new, more direct, marked channel along the edge of the property. The new channel will be developed with the safety of users in mind and will be as deep as the current channel used by boaters.

Ocean Choice has considered other possible locations, including South Dildo, for its proposed cold storage and wharf development which were deemed not suitable. With respect to South Dildo, a couple of weeks ago Ocean Choice attempted to land one of its offshore vessels at the wharf in Dildo and due to another vessel being docked, Ocean Choice was not able to land its vessel. Also, the cold storage facility in South Dildo is currently full. The Company has determined that Long Pond Harbour is the ideal location for the following reasons:

• It is centralized with convenient access to shipping routes, fishing grounds and local businesses that provide support services to the offshore fishing sector.
• It is also already a commercial harbour with exports including pyrophylite and transshipment of oil as well as imports including grain feed products and cement. The harbour also serves as a port of call for offshore oil and gas supply vessels.
• Ocean Choice is looking to invest in Long Pond to fulfill our own cold storage requirements not to compete with existing cold storage facilities. For example, the Calvert (our new vessel) is expected to fill up to 30% of the annual capacity of the proposed Long Pond cold storage facility.

While the harbour is used to support commercial activity, we want to work with the area to invest in a development that will complement the existing commercial activity while balancing the recreational use of the harbor – we know this is important and is how the harbour has always operated.

We suggest that you reach out to the Long Pond Harbour Authority for the answer to this question.

Ocean Choice understands that area residents and boaters have some questions relating to tides, currents, etc. For this reason, Ocean Choice has engaged an independent engineering firm to carry out a hydrological assessment for the area to assess the impact that the proposed development could have on tides, currents, waves, sedimentation, etc. Once this report is completed, Ocean Choice will share the findings with the public.

The existing entry point that is currently used by vessels to enter the harbour (Long Pond Gut) will not be modified in any way as part of the proposed development and the footprint of the proposed development is outside of the turnaround area currently used by the commercial vessels using the area. Ocean Choice will share the harbour with the existing vessels using the area.

The Board of the Long Pond Harbour Authority is listed on the Long Pond Harbour Authority website: http://portoflongpond.ca/about/. With respect to Ocean Choice’s proposed Long Pond development, the Company dealt with the management of the Long Pond Harbour Authority; and to our knowledge the individuals that we dealt with do not have vested interest in the development. It is our understanding that the Board at the time made a unanimous decision in favor of the development.

We believe you are referring to the following slide in the presentation that is posted to the Town of Conception Bay South’s website when you say “we say only two species of fish or shellfish were seen during our dives.” We actually indicate that the two most predominant species identified during the dive survey were Jonah crab and cunners. We realize that there are other species in the area, such as sculpins, flatfish, scallops, etc., which were also identified during the dive survey,  in much smaller quantities.

Ocean Choice understands that area residents and boaters have some questions relating to tides, currents, etc. For this reason, Ocean Choice has engaged an independent engineering firm to carry out a hydrological assessment for the area to assess the impact that the proposed development could have on tides, currents, waves, sedimentation, etc. Once this report is completed, Ocean Choice will share the findings with the public.

If Ocean Choice decides to proceed with the development in Long Pond, the Company plans to remain in the area well into the future. The building and wharf will be new and will be constructed to last upwards of 50 plus years. In addition, the proposed development is to serve Ocean Choice’s cold storage and offloading needs for its fleet of offshore fishing vessels versus relying on product from other companies. Ocean Choice’s cold storage needs have grown by 30% this past year with the addition of the Calvert (Ocean Choice’s newest offshore fishing vessel) and the Company is in need of additional cold storage space to meet its growing needs.

Ocean Choice would be expected to be treated in the same manner as any other business operating within the Town of Conception Bay South. If Ocean Choice decides to proceed with the development in Long Pond, the Company plans to remain in the area well into the future. The building and wharf will be new and will be constructed to last upwards of 50 plus years. In addition, the proposed development is to serve Ocean Choice’s cold storage and offloading needs for its fleet of offshore fishing vessels versus relying on product from other companies. Ocean Choice’s cold storage needs have grown by 30% this past year with the addition of the Calvert (Ocean Choice’s newest offshore fishing vessel) and the Company is in need of additional cold storage space to meet its growing needs.

Ocean Choice’s vessels are smaller than the several of the commercial vessels currently accessing the commercial side of the harbour. The sizes of vessels that Ocean Choice will be landing at the wharf range from 49.5m to 82.2m. Below you will find the sizes for each of our vessels:

• Aqviq: 49.5m
• Ocean Breaker: 56m
• Katsheshuk II: 59.75m
• Newfoundland Lynx: 67.7m
• Calvert: 74m (the Calvert will only enter and exit the harbour at medium and high tide)

While Ocean Choice plans to develop no more than 2.5 hectares of the waterlot – this is what the Company has federal and provincial regulatory approval for – at this time the Company does not have any plans to return a portion of the waterlot back to the Long Pond Harbour Authority.

Ocean Choice recognizes the need for responsible development that considers the potential impacts to the environment and we are committed to putting in place mitigation plans that are deemed appropriate by the proper regulatory bodies. Below you will find additional details as it relates to the federal process that relates to habitats and species:

• It is important to note that any plan to alter fish habitat in Canada requires Fisheries Act Authorization through the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).
• Ocean Choice has been actively engaged with this federal regulator for the past couple of years to design an offsetting plan that meets the stringent requirements outlined in the Fisheries Act.
• As a result of this federal process, Ocean Choice has completed a Marine Fish Habitat Compensation Plan that has been authorized by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans as an offsetting measure for the proposed development in Long Pond.
• The primary offset measure in the plan is to create new habitat in Conception Bay through the creation of artificial reefs that will see the creation of double the habitat displaced from the proposed development.
• The plan also includes a DFO mandated five year monitoring program designed to ensure that the offsetting measures are functioning as designed and expected.
• It is also important to note that Ocean Choice plans to partner with Memorial University researchers to create an outreach program for real time observation of the reef ball site to be used both for youth student engagement as well as further academic research – in local K to 12 schools as well as post-secondary institutions.

In terms of the species noted in your question, Ocean Choice had an independent study conducted in the summer of 2018 to survey the extent of marine life and seafloor conditions in the proposed area of the development. A Memorial University researcher subsequently conducted a species identification of the survey area and noted a primary abundance of Cunners and Jonah crab. None of the species that you identified in your email were identified as part of this particular survey.

Ocean Choice recognizes the need for responsible development that considers the potential impacts to the environment and we are committed to putting in place mitigation plans that are deemed appropriate by the proper regulatory bodies. Below you will find additional details as it relates to the federal process that relates to habitats and species:

• It is important to note that any plan to alter fish habitat in Canada requires Fisheries Act Authorization through the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).
• Ocean Choice has been actively engaged with this federal regulator for the past couple of years to design an offsetting plan that meets the stringent requirements outlined in the Fisheries Act.
• As a result of this federal process, Ocean Choice has completed a Marine Fish Habitat Compensation Plan that has been authorized by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans as an offsetting measure for the proposed development in Long Pond.
• The primary offset measure in the plan is to create new habitat in Conception Bay through the creation of artificial reefs that will see the creation of double the habitat displaced from the proposed development.
• The plan also includes a DFO mandated five year monitoring program designed to ensure that the offsetting measures are functioning as designed and expected.
• It is also important to note that Ocean Choice plans to partner with Memorial University researchers to create an outreach program for real time observation of the reef ball site to be used both for youth student engagement as well as further academic research – in local K to 12 schools as well as post-secondary institutions.

In terms of the species noted in your question, Ocean Choice had an independent study conducted in the summer of 2018 to survey the extent of marine life and seafloor conditions in the proposed area of the development. A Memorial University researcher subsequently conducted a species identification of the survey area and noted a primary abundance of Cunners and Jonah crab. None of the species that you identified in your email were identified as part of this particular survey.

Both the Canadian Wildlife Service and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) have reviewed the proposed Long Pond harbour development. Based on this review ECCC provided an official letter in 2019 providing guidance to Ocean Choice to support the environmental management process for the proposed development. This regulatory process included advice and direction with respect to migratory and other birds. Ocean Choice understands its obligation to ensure that its activities are managed in compliance with the Migratory Bird Convention Act and associated regulations. Furthermore, Ocean Choice will follow the ECCC-CWS recommended beneficial management practices for working on and around shorelines.

Ocean Choice has been considering making an investment in a cold storage facility and wharf to meet the company’s needs for its offshore fishing vessels for several years. Over the last number of years, the Company has considered numerous locations for the development, including existing land in the Long Pond Harbour area. With this being said, the Company is in need of at least 4 acres of land; and there is simply no existing land of this size in the Long Pond Harbour.

With respect to the number of trucks that will be required for the operation, approximately four trucks per day (on average) will be required to ship the frozen-at-sea product to markets around the world; and an additional four to five (on average) delivery trucks per vessel, per turn around will be needed for fueling, food and other supplies for each of our fishing vessels.

Ocean Choice recognizes the need for responsible development that considers the potential impacts to the environment and we are committed to putting in place mitigation plans that are deemed appropriate by the proper regulatory bodies. Below you will find additional details as it relates to the federal process that relates to habitats and species:

• It is important to note that any plan to alter fish habitat in Canada requires Fisheries Act Authorization through the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).
• Ocean Choice has been actively engaged with this federal regulator for the past couple of years to design an offsetting plan that meets the stringent requirements outlined in the Fisheries Act.
• As a result of this federal process, Ocean Choice has completed a Marine Fish Habitat Compensation Plan that has been authorized by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans as an offsetting measure for the proposed development in Long Pond.
• The primary offset measure in the plan is to create new habitat in Conception Bay through the creation of artificial reefs that will see the creation of double the habitat displaced from the proposed development.
• The plan also includes a DFO mandated five year monitoring program designed to ensure that the offsetting measures are functioning as designed and expected.
• It is also important to note that Ocean Choice plans to partner with Memorial University researchers to create an outreach program for real time observation of the reef ball site to be used both for youth student engagement as well as further academic research – in local K to 12 schools as well as post-secondary institutions.

Both the Canadian Wildlife Service and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) have reviewed the proposed Long Pond harbour development. Based on this review ECCC provided an official letter in 2019 providing guidance to Ocean Choice to support the environmental management process for the proposed development. This regulatory process included advice and direction with respect to migratory and other birds. Ocean Choice understands its obligation to ensure that its activities are managed in compliance with the Migratory Bird Convention Act and associated regulations. Furthermore, Ocean Choice will follow the ECCC-CWS recommended beneficial management practices for working on and around shorelines.

Ocean Choice would be expected to be treated in the same manner as any other business operating within the Town of Conception Bay South.

The 100 million pounds that is stated on Ocean Choice’s website is raw material and the 70 million is finished product. As the Company has stated we are planning to store approximately 60 million pounds of frozen-at-sea product from our offshore fishing vessels at the proposed Cold Storage facility in Long Pond. This June, Ocean Choice’s new offshore vessel – the MV Calvert – joined our fleet of offshore fishing vessels. Additional cold storage is needed to meet our increased capacity.

Like any other business, Ocean Choice’s proposed development in Long Pond will contribute to the tax base in Conception Bay South. The development is still going through the regulatory process and has yet to be approved therefore decisions relating to tax benefits to the Town have yet to be finalized.

We understand that property owners in the area have some questions relating to noise. As part of the regulatory approval process for the development, Ocean Choice is required to complete a Land Use Impact Assessment for the Town of Conception Bay South. Through this municipal regulatory process, Ocean Choice is required to address any noise issues. For this reason, Ocean Choice has engaged a third party Industrial Hygienists through a local firm to complete a noise assessment of the proposed operation. This report will be part of Ocean Choice’s submission to the Town and it will be made public. In the meantime, a key finding of the report is that Ocean Choice does not need to take any action to mitigate noise levels, as all measurements were below the guidelines.

Below you will find additional information relating to noise associated with a cold storage operation:

• There is very little noise associated with a cold storage facility due to the nature of the work at these sites (i.e., a forklift is used for loading and offloading vessels and for loading product on trucks for shipment to markets worldwide).
• At Ocean choice’s proposed development the offloading/loading of vessels will take place on the wharf side of the development, which is on the commercial side of the harbour facing the Long Pond Gut.
• The refrigeration unit for the Cold Storage will be located on the Terminal Road side of the development and it will be enclosed in a shelter, which will act as a noise barrier.
• In addition, the cold storage building itself will act as a noise barrier between the vessels and the refrigeration unit and the residential side of the harbour.
• We are also estimating that on average four trucks per day will be required to ship products to market. These trucks will enter the site on the Terminal Road side of the development and will also load the product (using a forklift) on the Terminal Road side.

More information relating to the biological study of Long Pond Harbour will be included in Ocean Choice’s Land Use Impact Assessment Report (LUIAR) in response to the Town of Conception Bay South’s Terms of Reference. The LUIAR will be posted to Ocean Choice’s website and it is also our understanding that the Town of Conception Bay South will also be making this document public.

Thank you for taking the time to let us know that you are supportive of Ocean Choice’s proposed development in Long Pond Harbour. We look forward to being part of the community and to investing in the area for many years to come.

Ocean Choice will not require a land lot for the project, as the Company is developing new land that is sufficient for the Company’s cold storage and vessel offloading needs.

Like any other business, Ocean Choice’s proposed development in Long Pond will contribute to the tax base in Conception Bay South. The development is still going through the regulatory process and has yet to be approved therefore decisions relating to tax benefits to the Town have yet to be finalized.

We understand that property owners in the area have some questions relating to noise. As part of the regulatory approval process for the development, Ocean Choice is required to complete a Land Use Impact Assessment for the Town of Conception Bay South. Through this municipal regulatory process, Ocean Choice is required to address any noise issues. For this reason, Ocean Choice has engaged a third party Industrial Hygienists through a local firm to complete a noise assessment of the proposed operation. This report will be part of Ocean Choice’s submission to the Town and it will be made public. In the meantime, a key finding of the report is that Ocean Choice does not need to take any action to mitigate noise levels, as all measurements were below the guidelines.

Below you will find additional information relating to noise associated with a cold storage operation:

• There is very little noise associated with a cold storage facility due to the nature of the work at these sites (i.e., a forklift is used for loading and offloading vessels and for loading product on trucks for shipment to markets worldwide).
• At Ocean choice’s proposed development the offloading/loading of vessels will take place on the wharf side of the development, which is on the commercial side of the harbour facing the Long Pond Gut.
• The refrigeration unit for the Cold Storage will be located on the Terminal Road side of the development and it will be enclosed in a shelter, which will act as a noise barrier.
• In addition, the cold storage building itself will act as a noise barrier between the vessels and the refrigeration unit and the residential side of the harbour.
• We are also estimating that on average four trucks per day will be required to ship products to market. These trucks will enter the site on the Terminal Road side of the development and will also load the product (using a forklift) on the Terminal Road side.

Ocean Choice understands that the new channel is a change for boaters currently using the area. We are committed to ensuring the proposed channel on the east side of the development provides a clearly marked passage for safe navigation. As a result of feedback received from boaters in the area as well as from Navigable Waters, who also received comments from the public with respect to Ocean Choice’s proposed Long Pond Harbour Development, Ocean Choice submitted a new application to Transport Canada’s Navigable Waters Division on October 23. Ocean Choice’s application is currently undergoing a public review as part of this federal regulatory process.  The plan that was submitted to Transport Canada is for a 100ft wide channel that will be as deep as the existing passage used by boaters in the area. Ocean Choice will rely on the expertise of the Transport Canada when it comes to the navigation.

The proposed navigation channel will be located on the east side of Ocean Choice’s development. Working with Transport Canada’s, Navigable Waters Division, Ocean Choice will ensure that the new marked channel is designed with the safety of boaters in mind. The proposed channel will be 100 feet wide and will be as deep as the existing navigation passage used by boaters. Based on feedback the Company received from boaters in the area as well as guidance from Transport Canada, Ocean Choice re-submitted its proposed plan for the channel to Transport Canada. This plan is currently undergoing public review as part of this regulatory process. Ocean Choice understands that the new channel will be a change for boaters, but we will ensure that the channel is clearly marked as per the guidance from the regulator.

Thank you for your interest in employment opportunities at Ocean Choice’s proposed Long Pond Development.  The development is still going through the regulatory approval process and has yet to be approved. Once approved, the construction phase of the project will hopefully get underway in late fall. There will be employment associated with this phase; however these will be positions with third party contractors/construction companies. Employment opportunities for the cold storage will come a little later once the facility is operational, likely late 2021/early 2022.

Thank you for taking the time to let us know that you are supportive of Ocean Choice’s proposed development in Long Pond Harbour. We look forward to being part of the community and to investing in the area for many years to come.

The Cold Storage facility will not generate seafood effluent and waste, as Ocean Choice will not be processing any product at the facility. Frozen-at-sea product from five of Ocean Choice’s offshore fishing vessels will be stored at the facility and shipped to markets in its frozen form. Ocean Choice will also follow all the provincial and municipal by-laws with respect to the proper disposal of waste.

The wharf height will be 2.85 meters above LNT.

Most of the activity at the site will take place on the Terminal Road side of the development and the wharf side of the development that is facing north into the harbour, both of which are already commercial areas. The site will not generate any more light than is already common for this area of the harbour. The development will be safety lit.

In response to feedback received from interested parties as well as from the Navigable Waters Division of Transport Canada, Ocean Choice has adjusted its development plan to move the site to the southwest portion of the Harbour. This includes moving the access road to the site to the south, which moves the road outside of Ocean Choice’s existing waterlot. The Company has submitted a request to the Board of the Long Pond Harbour Authority to alter the waterlot to accommodate the new proposed access road. If the Long Pond Harbour Authority does not approve the change to the waterlot, Ocean Choice has no issue moving the access road back inside the existing waterlot.

The overall size of Ocean Choice’s updated development plan is about the same as the previous plan released earlier this fall. In the new plan, the development has southwest in the harbour to provide additional navigation space to the east and north of the development. The length of the wharf shown on the map released by Ocean Choice is correct. The proposed wharf is 90-metres in length. As you will see on the map, the wharf wraps slightly around the west side of the development.

Your reference to my comments in a meeting are not correct, in the meeting I was asked about why Ocean Choice required the full size of the waterlot. At which time, my response was that we may develop a second 90M wharf in future and although we have no foreseeable plans we may need some of this area in future.  I also mentioned that we need to look forward for possible expansion if our business continues to grow.

Your suggestion that Ocean Choice is ‘project splitting the application to downplay the scope of the development and subsequently avoid more stringent and rigorous oversight and environmental assessments’ could not be further from the truth and is not a fair conclusion. Ocean Choice has always worked with and cooperated with the various levels of Government and to suggest that we would “spilt the project” to avoid or get past the required oversight and environmental assessment that these experts bring to the table is simply not the case.

Ocean Choice does not plan to, and in fact cannot develop 5 or more hectares of the 5.1 hectare water lot. The wharf requires a buffer zone to dock vessels which would prohibit the infill of 5 hectares of the water lot. In addition, Ocean Choice has received federal and provincial approvals to develop only 2.5 hectares of the water lot. At present, the Company is still working through the regulatory approval process to develop approximately 1.7 hectares/ 17,228 m².

The proposed development will see approximately 1.7 hectares of the waterlot infilled to create new land for the cold storage facility, laydown and parking as well as an approximate 90 metre wharf. After acquiring the waterlot in 2018, Ocean Choice submitted a proposal for approximately 2.5 hectares to the federal and provincial regulatory departments. Since that time, Ocean Choice has adjusted its development plan to reduce the footprint to approximately 1.7 hectares of new land. There is an opportunity to develop the additional 0.8 hectares on the wharf side of the development for an extension to the wharf – this is the 2.5 hectares that was included in the proposed development plan to the federal and provincial regulatory authorities. There has been no decision made on this, as the existing 1.7 hectares meets the company’s existing cold storage and offloading needs.