Community meetings for the Mackenzie Valley Highway wrapped up in Fort Simpson Wednesday, with one of the big questions being how an extension to Inuvik would factor into current plans.

The Mackenzie Valley Highway is a proposed 321-kilometre all-season gravel road that would replace the current winter road between Wrigley and Norman Wells. Presenters from the territorial government said an extension to Inuvik has become increasingly important to securing federal funding.

The project is currently under environmental assessment. The cost for the first phase to Norman Wells is estimated at $1.65 billion. An additional $2 billion could be needed to complete planning and construction to Inuvik.

Kelly Bourassa, senior environmental analyst with the N.W.T. government, said the GNWT is trying to line up funding through the Major Projects Office or the Department of National Defence.

Bourassa said that is will likely hinge on whether Ottawa sees a benefit to the broader Canadian economy.

“It’s become clear that funding for this project is likely to come through having that road connected and somehow related to essentially all of this infrastructure that is being designated for the North,” said Bourassa.

He said it’s unclear exactly how a second phase to Inuvik will be factored into the current environmental assessment. 

“We’re doing a lot of discussions and trying to figure out what’s the best path forward for this project to include that, as well as trying to minimize any delays on this first phase that we’ve already been working on for so many years,” said Bourassa.

All-season wording questioned

Fort Simpson, south of Wrigley, is connected to the rest of the territory by two ice roads in the winter and ferry crossings in the summer. The Liard and Mackenzie Rivers merge near Fort Simpson.

Some in the audience wondered how the all-season Mackenzie Valley Highway would be, in fact, all-season when there are periods when access in and out of Fort Simpson is limited.

Once the ferry closes for the season, which is usually in late October or early November, it takes several weeks for the ice crossing to be built so residents can leave by road. Low water levels have also contributed to uncertainty in recent years.

The Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation has called for construction of bridges over the Liard and Mackenzie rivers.

Wilbert Antoine, a Fort Simpson hunter and elder, had similar concerns over existing infrastructure.

“Fort Simpson… there’s the Liard River, there should be a bridge there so we’re not completely isolated for two six-week periods in the spring and in the fall,” said Antoine.

As it stands, the environmental assessment for the highway is currently in the analytical phase. The board will then summarize the public meetings.

Then the review board decides if it can move to the hearing phase. the estimate for that to happen is this fall. 

Bourassa said community meetings have revealed support for the project, but it’s also revealed concerns the road could be used to transport drugs.

He said a community readiness strategy will account for issues like that. That strategy will be led by a working group which will consist of representatives from co-management boards, Indigenous governments, and the territorial and federal governments.