Summary

• The Province is working closely with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen to explore repairs along a 67-kilometre section of the Kettle Valley Rail Trail
• Trail has been closed since 2021 due to extensive damage caused by heavy rain, flooding
• Repairs being considered in three segments, with final decisions dependent on federal funding eligibility and whether long-term maintenance costs can be covered by regional district
• Work to decommission bridges, other infrastructure in a severely damaged section of the trail is scheduled to begin in summer 2026

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The Province is working closely with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS), the town of Princeton and the Trans Canada Trail organization to explore targeted repairs along a damaged 67-kilometre section of the Kettle Valley Rail (KVR) Trail between Princeton and the Coquihalla Highway.

Decommissioning work will begin in summer 2026 in one of the most heavily damaged areas.

The regional district submitted a list to the Province requesting repairs to four high-priority segments of the damaged trail. After working with engineers to estimate costs and consider eligibility for federal funding, the Province has agreed to consider repairing three of the four segments requested: the bridge west of Princeton and access to both Parr Tunnel and Whitesands Beach.

However, the final decisions depend on approval of B.C.’s revised business case for federal funding, and confirmation that long-term maintenance costs will be covered by the RDOS. The RDOS is currently considering long-term maintenance plans and budgets for the three segments being considered for repair. A board decision is expected at the end of 2026.

Decommissioning heavily damaged section will begin in summer

In the meantime, work to decommission affected sections along a 17-km segment from the most western extent of the KVR Trail (near Coquihalla Lakes) to near Brookmere will begin in summer 2026 and is expected to take as long as a year to complete. The tender will be posted on BC Bid on Friday, June 19, 2026.

Damaged infrastructure, such as trestles, and unmitigated landslide areas pose a risk to public safety and fish-bearing streams due to potential sedimentation and unstable slopes.

The railbed will not be removed entirely, should local governments or stakeholders want to re-activate undamaged sections. The decommissioning work will focus on:

• removing engineered infrastructure and access points
• recontouring sections of the trail directly damaged by flooding
• recontouring sections with continued risk of landslide

The cost to repair the severely damaged section is an estimated $5.1 million and is not among the high-priority sections being considered for repairs.

Damage to entire section was extensive

In November 2021, heavy rain and flooding compromised numerous trestles, retaining walls and major culverts along the 67-km section of the recreational rail trail between Princeton and the Coquihalla Highway. Entire sections of the trail bed were washed away, and in some cases, the course of the river changed so it now flows where the trail once was.

Engineering assessments, which are publicly available online, found the entire section was severely compromised. Repairing and maintaining it would cost approximately $60 million, compared to about $20 million to safely decommission. Most of the decommissioning costs are covered by federal funding through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements program.

The entire section had relatively low use compared to other sections of rail trails in B.C., but it remains part of the Trans Canada Trail, which is the world’s longest multi-use trail system. An alternate route is available for people to bypass the damaged section and continue experiencing other segments of the rail trail.

The Province remains open to discussing reroute proposals brought forward by the Trans Canada Trail organization to ensure the trail’s continuity.