We’ve started work crossing Highway 1 between the Freeway Trail and Nursery Street-Lakefield Drive. We will be using a trenchless crossing to go underneath the highway, meaning traffic won’t be impacted by gas line construction. The two worksites required for trenchless construction are located on either side of Highway 1, at the Nursery Street cul-de-sac and on the Freeway Trail. Early works are now underway including installing casing – which can be noisy at times – and we are taking steps to mitigate any disruptions. Once the casing is installed our new gas line will be placed inside it. We expect our Highway 1 crossing to be completed by late July, and appreciate the community’s patience as crews work safely and as quickly as possible.

Fieldwork to support detailed project planning is underway in Squamish, including archeological and environmental surveys, and geotechnical investigations. We expect this work to continue throughout 2022, with construction expected to start next year. This includes geotechnical investigations in the summer near the intersection of Finch Drive and Loggers Lane. To complete these investigations safely and as quickly as possible, there will be single-lane alternating traffic in the area with traffic control personnel on site to help safely assist motorists.

We’re starting our third year of construction on the Inland Gas Upgrades (“IGU”) project. In 2022 we’re working in 12 communities across the province with site preparation work starting in late spring and summer and construction taking place throughout the summer and fall. In the Cariboo-Northern Interior we’re returning to work in Prince George and Mackenzie and starting upgrades to our gas line in Quesnel.  In the Kootenay region we’re returning to work in Cranbrook, Skookumchuck, Sparwood and Elkford.  We’re also upgrading our gas line in Kamloops and our line that extends from Salmon Arm through Enderby and Armstrong to the Township of Spallumcheen. FortisBC is committed to ensuring the IGU project provides social and economic benefits to B.C. communities. In 2021 $38.5 million of project expenditure went to 190 B.C.-based businesses and, of that, $14.2 million was local to the seven communities where construction occurred. Community investment also included support to local initiatives like a community bus in Mackenzie, an outdoor venue in Elkford and forest trail maintenance in Cranbrook, among others.  Through targeted procurement, training and employment efforts we’ve successfully increased the opportunities for local and Indigenous-owned businesses year-over-year. For example, in 2020 approximately $750,000 of IGU expenditures were to Indigenous vendors local to the three communities where we worked. In 2021, this increased to $9.3 million across seven communities. We look forward to building on this success by supporting new communities and opportunities as the project continues in the coming years.