Marine Water Quality Monitoring Contract – South Coast of British Columbia

Due to their filtering feeding mechanism, bivalve molluscan shellfish (clams, mussels, oysters, cockles, scallops, geoducks) are susceptible to concentrating deleterious water-borne substances in their meat. Bacteria and viruses are concentrated in high levels in shellfish where growing waters are polluted by sewage. Contaminated shellfish are a public health concern.

The Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program (CSSP) has the primary objective of protecting public health from the consumption of contaminated bivalve molluscan shellfish by controlling harvesting of shellfish in Canada. The CSSP is jointly administered by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Environment Canada (EC). EC’s role is to evaluate actual and potential sources of fecal contamination through shoreline sanitary surveys, as well as collect surface marine water samples for bacteriological analyses. Fecal coliform concentrations are measured and used as an indicator of sewage contamination. The data for each sample site is examined and compared to an international standard. Based on marine water quality results, coupled with shoreline sanitary information findings, recommendations are made to the Pacific Region Interdepartmental Shellfish Committee for appropriate classification for the purposes of harvesting shellfish.

In order to maintain appropriate classifications and according to known pollution risks - two, five or six marine water samples are collected from each sampling site each year. Samples are analyzed for fecal coliforms and salinity content.

The Marine Water Quality Monitoring unit requires the services of a Contractor with the expertise and resources to perform sampling activities in designated sampling sites in the southern coast of British Columbia.

Resulting Term of the Contract

The initial period of work covers fiscal year 2016/2017 (April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017).

Environment Canada may extend the contract (after modifications to the scope of areas, if so warranted) for an optional three additional fiscal year periods (April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018 and April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019 and April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020).