Money has been announced to upgrade major highway connections throughout northwestern B.C.
Using the head office of Hy-Tech Drilling in Smithers, Stikine NDP MLA Nathan Cullen touted $195 million to be spent by the province and Energy and Natural Resources Canada within Tahltan traditional territory. The goal is safer and more reliable roads for First Nations, local communities and critical minerals development.
The work will involve widening the shoulders and creating pullouts along Highway 37, as well as increasing Wi-Fi access along 800 kilometres of the route.
There will also be improvements for Highway 37A, which provides access to Canada's northernmost ice-free port in Stewart, B.C., as well as Highway 51, which connects Telegraph Creek to Dease Lake and Highway 37.
"These are the highways that connect our region here in the Bulkley Valley all the way through to the border of the Yukon, through Tahltan, and Gitxsan and Niska territories. This connects us to Stewart, Dease Lake, Telegraph Creek, Meziadin, and Iskut," he said. "Beyond the reason this infrastructure money is so important is not just its size, nearly $200 million dollars to improve the highway, to see places where people can pass for the first time ever, chain up, also improving communication and safety through improved Wi Fi and internet connectivity."
Chief Carmen McPhee with the Tahltan Band Council welcomed the announcement, saying residents of the nation's main three communities have struggled for generations with safe passage to southern communities in order to access health care, groceries and other everyday necessities.
Chief Marie Quock with the Iskut Band says Tahltan leaders have long advocated for highway improvements, as people have been left with "no choice but to travel on treacherous roads with zero cell service for hours to access essential services."
Cullen added this money, which is coming from a federal and provincial program to boost critical minerals mining, is also a huge investment in the economy.
"We are contributing together as two orders of government because we realize the Northwest is the key to critical minerals not just for British Columbia. But in fact for Canada," he said.
Skeena Bulkley Valley NDP MP Taylor Bachrach was also on hand.
"We all know the value of the minerals industry to our region," he said. "I've heard very clearly that the state of Highway 37 for many years hasn't been up to snuff, it hasn't been safe enough for the companies that move their crews up and down the highway. And it hasn't been safe enough for the Tahltan communities."
While improving cell coverage isn't part of this money, Cullen said adding internet in pull outs will come.
"Part of this development is improving Wi Fi and the potential of having stops along the way in which one would achieve cell phone coverage. The highway is so long all the way to the Yukon border, full cell coverage would be difficult and not on the horizon. But key stops, safety stops, places where people can check in and call for assistance if need be as part of the plans of this investment."
The projects will go out to tender soon but construction isn't likely to start until next summer.
—with files from Canadian Press
