Hastings-Sunrise sewer renewal and Green Rainwater Infrastructure project

The Hastings Sunrise Sewer Renewal and Green Rainwater Infrastructure project will help meet Vancouver’s regulatory requirement to eliminate combined sewer overflows by 2050. It will also help unlock development potential by adapting the neighbourhood sewer and drainage systems for pressures from growth and heavier rainfall expected with climate change.

This project is in partnership with the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia and has received grant funding through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.

Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) explained

Some parts of Vancouver use a combined pipe system that carries sewage and excess rainfall in the same pipe.

During heavy rains, these pipes can become overwhelmed resulting in combined volumes of rainwater and sewage spilling into receiving waters like Burrard Inlet. These overflows reduce water quality and contribute to swim advisories on beaches.

This project will help reduce contributions to overflows at the Cassiar outfall, Vancouver’s second-highest CSO location.

Project outcomes

• Renew 4.5 kilometers of combined sewers with separated sewers that increase the capacity for heavier rainfall and eliminate CSOs by conveying rainfall and sewage through separate pipes
• Install approximately 16 new green rainwater infrastructure features that use plants, trees, and soil to absorb and filter pollutants from rainwater, as well as approximately 28 drywells, all of which will assist with reducing the volume that enters our sewage pipes, and protecting water quality in nearby waterways.
• Reduce infrastructure management costs by using green rainwater infrastructure which is typically cheaper to implement and maintain than grey infrastructure like pipes
• Protect public and environmental health by reducing the contribution of CSOs to the Cassiar outfall, Vancouver's second-highest CSO location 
• Increase pedestrian safety with road improvements in areas adjacent to wək̓ʷan̓əs tə syaqʷəm Elementary School (previously Sir Matthew Begbie) in Phase 1, and adjacent to Sunrise Park in Phase 3 

Project features

• Sewer renewal to adapt the neighbourhood drainage system for growth needs and  heavier rainfall from climate change
• Green rainwater curb bulges that combine traffic calming measures and add green space
• Dry wells to collect and disperse unwanted water from rainstorms and runoff and allow it to slowly seep into the ground
• Curb bulges to narrow curbs at intersections encouraging vehicles to slow down and reducing crossing distance for pedestrians

Project location

This is a three-phased project that will span different neighbourhoods with different traffic impacts for each phase. Watch for local signage and notification letters to learn about how each phase may affect you.

• Phase 1 notification letter 1 PDF file (279 KB)
• Phase 1 notification letter 2 PDF file (626 KB)
• Phase 1 notification letter 3 PDF file (254 KB)
• Phase 2 notification letter 1 PDF file (283 KB)
• Phase 2 notification letter 2 PDF file (288 KB)