BC partnership creates local jobs.

Residents of Burns Lake and Fort St. James will soon benefit from federal and provincial infrastructure funding to upgrade two local forestry service roads.

The two projects include the Ridler Forest Service Road construction in Burns Lake and Fort St. James’ Driftwood Forest Service relocation and realignment. 

Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad said, “We are continuing to target infrastructure funds at improving the transportation networks for northern communities,”

“Jobs will be created in the construction of these roads that will aid in our economic development long into the future,” Rustad added.

The Ridler Forest Service Road project consists of the upgrade of 1.7 kilometres in order to access a new park south of Burns Lake. 

The road will facilitate the construction of new recreational sites within the park. 

The plans have been in the concept stage for over 10 years and the federal and provincial Governments will each invest up to $150,000 in the project.

According to Vivian Thomas communications manager from the Ministry of Forests and Range and the minister responsible for the Integrated Land Management Bureau,  the Ridler Forest Service Road is a new road that is being built five kilometres south of the Burns Lake, off of Highway 35, and will provide future access to the Burns Lake Provincial Park.

"Preliminary clearing has already been completed and a bridge has been installed," said Thomas.

Road construction will continue this summer and the project is expected to be completed in the fall.  When completed the road will be 1.5 km long.

According to Thomas the provincial Government established Burns Lake Provincial Park as a Class A park by order of council under the authority of the Park Act on January 25, 2001. The park is now designated under schedule C of the Protected Areas of British Columbia Act.

Burns Lake Provincial Park covers 65 hectares on the south shore of Burns Lake. The park lies within the asserted traditional territories of the Burns Lake Band, the Wet’suwet’en and the Carrier-Sekani Tribal Council.

"Amenities have yet to be developed at the park," said Thomas.

The completion of the access road provides the potential for outdoor recreation opportunities including camping, picnicking and nature study.

The Driftwood Forest Service Road project in the Fort St. James area will upgrade and realign over 14 kilometres of road to address long-term safety for recreational and community traffic along this industrial use road. 

Work will include widening the road to full relocation/realignment where possible.

The federal government will contribute $237,500 and the provincial Government will invest up to $284,000 in the project.

These projects are among 15, announced on March 1, 2010, across the province that will break ground thanks to close to $35.4 million in joint federal and provincial funding. The federal and provincial Governments have taken steps to get shovels in the ground and to flow money faster for targeted infrastructure projects starting in the 2010 construction season.