History:
1913
The Vancouver Harbour Commissioners Act, S.C. 1913, c. 54, establishes the Vancouver Harbour Commission.
1936
The National Harbours Board Act, S.C. 1936, c. 42, gives the Board jurisdiction over the Port of Vancouver, as well as six other principal deep sea harbours in Canada (Halifax, Saint John, Chicoutimi, Quebec, Three Rivers, and Montreal).
1983
The Canada Ports Corporation Act, S.C. 1980-81-82-83, c. 121, amends the National Harbours Board Act, the Government Harbours and Piers Act, the Harbours Commissioners Act, the Canada Shipping Act and the Fishing and Recreational Harbours Act.
Pursuant to provisions of the Canada Ports Corporation Act, letters patent for the Vancouver Port Corporation are issued in May, to have effect July 1, 1983. The notice of letters patent is published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, Vol.117, No.40, p.8739. A copy of the notice and letters patent are available at the Vancouver Courthouse Library.
1998
The Canada Marine Act, S.C. 1998, c. 10, s. 197, repeals the Canada Ports Corporation Act .
Under section 12 of the Canada Marine Act, the Vancouver Port Corporation is continued as the Vancouver Port Authority.
1999
Letters patent to the Vancouver Port Authority are published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, Supplement - Department of Transport, Vol.133, No.9, p.3, to take effect on March 1, 1999. (copy also available at the Vancouver Courthouse Library)
2007
Transport Canada publishes a Certificate of Intent to Amalgamate Port Authorities (P.C. 2007-944), in the Canada Gazette, Part I, Vol. 141, No. 24. The intent is to combine the Fraser River Port Authority, the North Fraser Port Authority, and the Vancouver Port Authority into the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA).
The amalgamation of the three Canada Port Authorities was considered a key policy measure under the Government of Canada's Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative, pursuant to the Canada Marine Act, and accountable to the federal Minister of Transport.
On December 22, the federal government published the Certificate of Amalgamation (P.C. 2007-1885) in the Canada Gazette, Part I, Supplement - Department of Transport, Vol. 141, No. 51, p. 3. The effective date of amalgamation was January 1, 2008.
VFPA is now operating as the Port of Vancouver. This new name has been adopted for marketing purposes. Its legal name remains Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.