MP Dan Albas recently continued his push for improvements to be made to Forest Service Road 201 (FSR 201) by penning a letter to the provincial government and calling for a partnership to be formed with the federal government.
“Highway 97 is our lifeline, and when it closes, residents, businesses and first responders are left stranded,” said Albas.
“Upgrading FSR 201 to a safe, reliable standard is essential for public safety and regional resilience.”
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In his letter to BC Minister of Transportation Mike Farnworth, Albas urged the BC government to split the $23 million bill on stabilization work currently taking place on Hwy 97 with the federal government, allowing for the provincial government to reinvest the savings into upgrading the FSR 201, improving the alternate Hwy 97 route.
Albas added that the federal government recently stated it would be willing to work with provincial officials on the matter.
“This is not a partisan issue—it’s a matter of safety and common sense,” added Albas.
“The people of the Okanagan deserve dependable access and emergency routes that reflect the reality of our terrain and climate.”
Albas’ letter to Farnworth listed other local officials who have voiced their support for upgrading FSR 201, including MLAs Macklin McCall, Gavin Dew, and Amelia Boultbee. MP Helena Konanz and Mayors Julius Bloomfield (Penticton) and Doug Holmes (Summerland) have also shown support.
After Hwy 97 experienced a closure earlier this summer because of the Drought Hill wildfire, Mayor Julius Bloomfield and the BC Conservatives called for improvements to be made to FSR 201.
“The 201 can no longer be treated as a forgotten forest road. When a single incident can cut off access to critical services, jobs and emergency care, it’s clear our infrastructure is failing us,” said Bloomfield at the time.
“This is a matter of safety, economic resiliency and supply chain connectivity – and council will continue to press for action until change is delivered.”
Prior to the Drought Hill wildfire closure of Hwy 97, a closure of the highway in early January led to a number of vehicles attempting to take the forest service road as a detour, but instead ended up getting stuck.
