Bands see road upgrade as a positive but want to be part of plan
"Lets not call it the Sasquatch Highway," says Gerard Peters, chief treaty negotiator for the In-SHUCK-ch.
It’s a stretch for anyone to call it a highway right now, but the 180 km forest service road linking Harrison Mills, in the Fraser Valley, with Pemberton has been a hot topic lately.
A few weeks ago a delegation of about 40 people, including MP Chuck Strahl, MLAs and mayors toured the corridor. The sudden interest in the route may be traced to two things: the 2010 Olympics, and the attractiveness of an alternate route between the Lower Mainland and Whistler; and the redrawing of federal riding boundaries which will put Pemberton and the so-called Sasquatch Highway route in the Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon riding currently represented by Strahl.
The corridor tour, along the shores of Harrison Lake, the banks of the Lillooet River and the side of Lillooet Lake, has caught people’s imagination with its mixture of spectacular views and isolated communities. Road improvements could translate into economic opportunities for people at both ends of the corridor, and for the isolated communities of the Skatin, Samahquam and Douglas bands, united under the In-SHUCK-ch tribal council, that reside in the corridor.
While the provincial government has commissioned a study to examine those opportunities a new road might bring, the In-SHUCK-ch have some reservations.
"My concern is that road improvement will proceed without the input of my people," said Peters. "The road cannot happen absent to our title to the land. That needs to be settled as part of treaty negotiations."
The In-SHUCK-ch, who are keen to get on with treaty negotiations, have long maintained that a proper road through the corridor is crucial to their plans. It would lay the foundation for a regional economy, likely based on tourism. Currently the local economy is supported by tax dollars, which according to Peters perpetuates dependency.
"We want control of our resources, we don’t have agricultural land and forestry will not sustain an economy for my people," said Peters. "We must look at the opportunities the new road presents in the service industry and independent power projects."
"The proposed road would also have a significant social impact for my people," said Peters. "Opening up this new territory can only have a positive effect."
Currently, the Skatin, Douglas and Samahquam people live without resources that most British Columbians take for granted. The approximately 200 residents are forced to rely on satellite phones for communication and generators for electricity. With no connection to the B.C. Hydro grid or phone service, basic needs are lacking.
The bumpy forest service road also lacks year round maintenance due to weather conditions, making RCMP and ambulance service a challenge.
"Every day my wife drives my boy 45 minutes from Rogers Creek to school in Pemberton in all weather conditions," said Peters. "That’s just one family with a concern, now multiply that by the 200 Native residents in the valley."
A daily commute of a couple of hours to and from school in Pemberton and Mount Currie is is a reality that many In-SHUCK-ch children face until a new elementary school in Skatin is finished. A new road could cut the commute time by half.
Peters predicts that a new highway would change the economic climate and foster regional solidarity among the In-SHUCK-ch people.
"History shows that every time an area is opened up with either a railroad or highway that region prospers economically. Take the area surrounding the Sea to Sky highway for example," said Peters.
Peters adds that improvements to the forest service road could be done incrementally. A proper gravel road and some realignment would make a significant difference.
The road, which many have dubbed the Sasquatch Highway, has also grabbed the imagination of MP Strahl.
"The In-SHUCK-ch treaty and road development go hand in hand," said Strahl. "Part of the treaty demands better roads and services, which could involve the federal government and in turn help fund the project."
According to the latest estimates the road would cost $200 million to build. Barry Penner, MLA for the Kent constituency admits that the project would need the private sector on board if it were to move ahead.
"The Sasquatch Highway has huge potential as an alternate route to complement the Sea to Sky highway during the 2010 Olympics," said Penner. "The provincial government has indicated that tolls would be part of the equation and we are definitely looking to the private sector for funding ideas."
For local politicians like Pemberton Mayor Elinor Warner the road means increased access to the backcountry and new avenues for tourist adventures.
"For Pemberton, it opens up the Gold Rush Trail and gives the Lower Mainland more backcountry access, which benefits the tourist industry," said Warner. "What is good for one part of the province is generally good for the whole province."
With imaginations taking flight, the In-SHUCK-ch have sent the signal that they have vested interest in the road and are looking to the next step.
"The road has to have economic possibilities to generate interest from people like Barry Penner," explains Peters. "What we should call the highway is the next question."
