Ottawa, ON – Today, Dane Lloyd, Conservative Shadow Minister for Emergency Preparedness and Community Resilience and Mel Arnold, Associate Shadow Minister for Fisheries, released the following statement calling on the Liberal government to ensure the continued safety of Rogers Pass in British Columbia, a critical economic corridor and stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway:
“For 65 years, soldiers of the Royal Canadian Artillery have supported avalanche control operations in the area, helping keep this vital economic corridor open year-round. But now, the Department of National Defence announced that the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) will not be renewing its agreement with Parks Canada to support avalanche control operations beyond 2027.
“The economic importance of this corridor cannot be understated: over 4,000 vehicles and 40 trains pass through Rogers Pass every day, and every hour it’s closed would cost the Canadian economy an estimated $3 million. The annual deployment of the CAF under OP PALACI to Rogers Pass provides protection to a critical transportation gateway at a low cost to taxpayers.
“Unfortunately, the Liberal government has not outlined any strategy for how avalanche control and public safety at Rogers Pass will be maintained once the CAF’s involvement ends. This significant Liberal Government cut puts safety and a key economic corridor at risk.
“That’s why Conservatives are calling on the Liberals to ensure the continued operation of avalanche control in the Rogers Pass and other critical economic corridors. Canada’s economy and the transportation infrastructure it relies on cannot afford to wait.”