Transportation and Transit
People living in British Columbia’s Thompson Okanagan region are benefiting from more than $9 million in transportation investments made to support the region during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through StrongerBC: BC’s Economic Recovery Plan, nearly 30 projects ranging from active transportation improvements and transportation upgrades in rural and remote communities, to climate adaptation projects have been completed. Throughout the province, more than 180 projects received economic recovery funding.
“Investment in our transportation infrastructure has never been more important as we focus on recovery from the pandemic,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “These infrastructure recovery projects are important for communities as they improve access to crucial services and provide good jobs that lay the foundation for strong economic growth.”
Through StrongerBC, the Province has provided:
- more than $1 million for projects focused on active transportation safety and access improvements on provincial right of ways. Projects included multi-use pathways and rail trails, highway crossings, transit stop improvements, sidewalk installations, lighting enhancements and shoulder widening that make active modes of transportation safer and more accessible;
- nearly $4 million to support projects focused on climate adaptation to improve the resiliency of the region’s highway network and decrease the negative effects of climate events, including flooding, wildfires and erosion. Projects included riverbank erosion protection, creek channel training, culvert upsizing, flood protection works, slope erosion protection and avalanche system maintenance; and
- nearly $4 million to support projects focused on upgrading side and secondary roads in rural and remote communities. These projects were part of a $418-million investment to revitalize community infrastructure, enhance connections between communities and help get people back to work. Projects included paving, shoulder widening, lighting installation and crosswalk markings.
In Merritt, Stump Lake flooding protection improvements were completed along Highway 5A. Construction to raise the profile of the highway above future flood levels will ensure no further impacts to the highway, providing more reliability along a key route connecting the communities between Merritt and Kamloops.
“As we’ve seen across the province throughout the spring freshet, rural communities rely on road networks that are resilient to escalating climate events,” said Roly Russell, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen. “This work helps ensure that British Columbians have safe passage in and out of our communities and homes, and recognizes how important active transportation is for our rural communities as well as our metro centres.”
StrongerBC: BC’s Economic Recovery Plan is one of the ways government is working to support businesses impacted by the pandemic, while building toward a more innovative, sustainable and inclusive economic future.
Learn More:
Learn more about B.C.'s strategy for more active transportation: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/transportation-environment/active-transportation
Learn more about B.C.'s strategy for climate adaptation: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/climate-change/adaptation
Learn more about B.C.’s economic recovery plan, StrongerBC: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/
A backgrounder follows.
