A section of Canal Road on South Pender Island damaged during the heavy rain and flooding in November 2021 will soon be repaired, improving safety and reliability for residents and visitors.

A tender for the repair project has been posted to BC Bid. Work is expected to begin in February 2024, including:

• clearing, rock blasting and offloading the existing slide and roadway;
• realigning the road onto solid bedrock;
• upsizing the existing culvert;
• installing a reinforced retaining wall; and
• building a temporary barge landing facility at Boundary Passage Drive to transport equipment and materials.

The damaged section of road is approximately 2.5 kilometres east of Pender Canal Bridge, the link between North Pender Island and South Pender Island. Permanent repairs will increase the road’s resilience in future extreme rain events, helping island residents safe and connected.

Safety measures were implemented following the flooding damage to the road, including single-lane-alternating traffic with timed signals at each end of the site, slope deformation monitors to track earth movement and load restrictions during and after significant rain events.

Crews will continue to monitor road deformation and perform necessary maintenance throughout the project.

Additional federal environmental permitting has been secured due to the project’s proximity to the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. Revegetation and mitigation measures will be in place following construction.

Single-lane-alternating traffic will remain in place for the duration of the work. Drivers should expect delays, including intermittent road closures for up to four hours. All efforts will be made to minimize traffic disruptions during peak travel times. Advance notice of traffic disruptions will be provided via DriveBC.

Drivers are reminded to drive for the conditions, observe construction-zone speed limits and follow the direction of traffic-control signs and personnel.

Updates will be available at @DriveBC on X (Twitter) and online: https://DriveBC.ca