Somass Lands

PORT ALBERNI, BC, July 21, 2026 – The City of Port Alberni has issued a Request for Proposals to retain a qualified planning and engagement consultant to design and deliver a community consultation program for the Somass Lands project.

This engagement will gather input from the community to identify a shared vision for the Somass Lands, with the public engagement taking place in late Fall, 2026.

This RFP follows the considerable body of work currently underway with Matthews West Development, the City of Port Alberni’s selected partner for the transformation of the 43-acre waterfront property known as the Somass Lands.

Three specialist and technical studies have been conducted in parallel: Coastal flood risk, environmental site conditions, and geotechnical soil conditions. Together, these studies establish a base understanding of the site's opportunities and constraints, and provide the information needed to support future planning and design decisions through a public engagement process.

These studies, undertaken by Matthews West, are nearing completion now and give shape to the possibilities and options for development planning and public consultation.

Coastal Flood Risk

Given the site's location at the mouth of the Alberni Inlet and the presence of Owatchet (Dry Creek), understanding flood exposure has been a key priority. Early findings have identified opportunities to balance shoreline design approaches (e.g., natural beach vs. armoured slope) against overall development objectives, while meeting flood safety requirements. A tsunami hazard assessment will be completed next to inform building design considerations and emergency preparedness planning.

Environmental Site Conditions

Given the site's long industrial history, environmental investigation and remediation have been essential to understanding and addressing site contamination. Targeted on-site excavation and remediation have already been carried out to remove the highest-risk conditions.

The site will be reviewed through a formal environmental risk assessment. This process will help confirm what is needed to safely redevelop the site and obtain regulatory approval from the Province.

Geotechnical Soil Conditions

A geotechnical site investigation was undertaken to provide prudent background information for site planning. The Somass Lands have been categorized into zones based on soil quality, ranging from favourable ground conditions (central and eastern portions) to softer, more sensitive soils (northern and western portions).

More sensitive soils will require ground-improvement techniques such as soil preloading or pile foundations to meet provincial earthquake standards. These methods are widely used for waterfront development.

Site planning will be informed by soil conditions to ensure building types are selected based on soil performance.

Building Investigations and Demolition

Development of the Somass Lands has taken a comprehensive approach, involving the careful stripping, repurposing, selling, and salvaging of materials from the land. The demolition of Building 12 is now substantially complete, with final removal of remaining materials and site clean-up underway.

Environmental assessments and structural investigations of the former wood chip silos found that adapting the silos for future reuse was impractical, and demolition is scheduled for a future phase of site preparation

These early findings from the specialist studies provide a solid foundation for future planning. They help define the engineering approaches, environmental management strategies, and design considerations needed to support a safe, resilient, and sustainable waterfront community.

Next Steps

• Community engagement to gather public input as planning progresses (starting Q4 2026).
• Preparation of a master plan integrating community engagement findings and technical site studies.
• Infrastructure and servicing studies to support future development scenarios.
• Phase 2 coastal flood modelling based on future shoreline designs.
• Continued environmental site investigation and risk assessment, working toward an Approval in Principle with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
• Detailed geotechnical design to support building and infrastructure planning.
• Detailed market studies identifying absorption potential by use type (residential, commercial, light industrial, and apartment).

PORT ALBERNI, BC, April 8, 2025 – Port Alberni is set to reclaim its waterfront with the signing of the Somass Lands master development agreement between the City of Port Alberni and Matthews West Developments Ltd. (Matthews West), a private Canadian development company based in Squamish, BC.

In 2023 the City of Port Alberni selected Matthews West as the development partner for the transformation of the 43-acre waterfront property and adjacent parking lot (the Lands), previously known as the Somass Division sawmill.

“This is a transformational step for the City of Port Alberni. We purchased the land in 2021 and have been working toward this day ever since,” said Sharie Minions, mayor of Port Alberni. “Matthews West’s reputation in delivering large-scale, community-focused developments makes them the perfect partners to execute and deliver this ambitious project,” concluded the mayor.

With a signed agreement in hand, the City will begin sharing investigative studies from remediation and site preparation work completed to date. This will establish the foundation for securing all necessary provincial and federal permits, enabling both parties to collaboratively establish a development concept aligned with the intended land use.

The vision, originally put forward by City Council, is that of a strategically designed mixed-use development that includes park space, retail, office spaces and housing, while also supporting light industrial uses and creating public access to Port Alberni’s waterfront. This vision will be further bolstered by a master planning process led by Matthews West in consultation with the community.

“We look forward to the upcoming work on the site, engaging with the community, and working hand-in-hand with the City, Tseshaht [c̓išaaʔatḥ] and Hupačasath First Nations on this exceptional development opportunity,” said John Matthews, president of Matthews West.

The City established a flexible partnership with Matthews West, enabling close collaboration throughout the master planning process while providing Matthews West with the option to purchase the Lands. Building on the success of Oceanfront Squamish (oceanfrontsquamish.com), Matthews West intends to acquire the Lands to lead the development, bringing its specialized knowledge and experience, access to funding, and strategic partnerships to the project.

As of December 31, 2024, the City has invested $5.6 million in the Lands purchase and $3.1 million in demolition and remediation efforts, while recovering $2.4 million through grants and the sale of salvaged equipment and materials. This has resulted in a total net investment of $6.3 million.

Should Matthews West proceed with the land purchase, the sale price will be determined by multiple factors, including reimbursement to the City for all costs incurred on the Lands up to the closing date, ensuring that the City is fully repaid for its investment. This will also include compensation for lost tax revenues during municipal ownership, and coverage of all remediation and pre-development expenses associated with the master planning process. In return, the City gains access to Matthews West's development expertise, which will be instrumental in enhancing the site’s potential.

The City of Port Alberni and Matthews West recognize the importance of enhancing the natural environment through the master planning process and are committed to incorporating greenspace and public spaces along the waterfront for the benefit of the community. A minimum of 20 percent of the Lands will be dedicated as public space and retained under the City’s jurisdiction.

"It is still early in the process, but we are very excited about the future of the Somass Lands," said mayor Minions. "We are confident that Matthews West will deliver a vibrant development that aligns with the priorities of the City, community, and First Nations—fostering economic growth, enhancing public waterfront access and engagement, and attracting young families and investment to Port Alberni."

ABOUT MATTHEWS WEST

Matthews West is a development company located in Squamish, BC that strives to enhance the environmental, social, and economic prosperity of the communities in which it operates. Since 2013, Matthews West has been partnered with the Squamish First Nation on two master planned communities located within the Sea to Sky Corridor: Oceanfront Squamish and the Cheekeye.

The City of Port Alberni is thrilled to announce that Matthews West Developments Ltd. has been selected as the development partner for the redevelopment of the Somass Lands. This significant milestone marks the next step in the transformation of the 43-acre waterfront property, formerly the site of the Somass Division sawmill.

“We are excited to announce Matthews West as our development partner for the Somass Lands Redevelopment,” said Mayor, Sharie Minions. “Their proven track record and commitment to community input align perfectly with Council’s vision for this waterfront property. Together, we will create a mixed-use site that provides public access to the waterfront, generating a vibrant waterfront community for residents and visitors to enjoy.”

For more information, click here

As the process of transformation continues, you’ll see the landscape starting to change at Somass Lands. Our endeavours have encompassed a comprehensive approach, involving the careful stripping, repurposing, selling, and salvaging of materials from the land. This concerted approach has led to the successful complete deconstruction of six buildings, marking significant progress in the project.

Noteworthy among this progress is the success derived from the salvage of valuable materials. Taking a methodical approach to deconstruction has proved favourable, allowing funds raised through the sale of salvaged materials to be directed toward future remediation efforts.

Education and partnership have played pivotal roles in the journey. Collaborations with North Island College have empowered students to gain hands-on experience in the field of deconstruction, fostering their growth and understanding of sustainable practices. This partnership not only benefits the students but also contributes to the broader goal of advancing responsible construction and development practices.

A significant milestone has been achieved with the commencement of remediation on a portion of the land, funded in part by a $1 million dollar grant awarded by the Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP). This critical step paves the way for the forthcoming phase of development.

Amidst this momentum, we are pleased to share that discussions with a preferred development partner have begun, signifying promising prospects for the future. As these discussions unfold, there is a sense of anticipation and enthusiasm about the potential collaborations that will contribute to the realization of the vision for the future of the Somass Lands.
To stay informed about the latest developments, we invite you to visit our dedicated website at www.letsconnectpa.ca/somass-lands.

The City of Port Alberni opened a new waterfront space for the people of Port Alberni just in time for Canada Day. Beginning July 1st, daytime access will be enabled to a section of land bordering a portion of the former Somass Sawmill site.

News release can be found here

The City has successfully completed a Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) process launched in early September 2022. A total of 16 responses were received, indicating a significant and diverse interest from organizations desiring to occupy a portion of the redeveloped Somass Lands and from developers interested in leading the redevelopment in partnership with the City.

A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process will be launched in March 2023. Participation in the RFQ will be by invitation extended to developers that have demonstrated experience and capability. The qualified list of developers will be invited to engage with the City through a structured and detailed RFQ process. The RFQ may be followed by a Request for Proposals (RFP).

News release can be found here.

The City has issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to enter into a contract with Franklin Forest Products Ltd., to identify and remove an itemized listing of sawmill assets for salvage and beneficial use at another sawmill in the Alberni Valley. To find out more details, review the full NOI here.

On October 27, the City issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to contract Bowerman Construction to provide project management services to secure and salvage assets within the Somass Lands.

As Project Manager, Bowerman Construction Ltd. will identify opportunities to remove outbuildings, components and equipment that could be salvaged and/or sold. The term of this contract is from November 7 to December 31, 2022. Read the Notice of Intent to Direct Award to learn more.

The submission period for the Somass Lands EOI closed on October 21, 2022. The City saw a large amount of interest and is now reviewing submissions, with a goal of issuing request for qualifications by end of 2022.