Ktunaxa Site Visit, Nov. 2021

Kicking Horse Canyon Phase 4 Highway Twinning project:

The Kicking Horse Canyon is located just east of Golden, BC on the Trans-Canada Highway.

This stretch of the highway will be turned from two to four lanes.

Construction of the fourth and final phase to complete the 4.8 kilometres of remaining highway twinning is expected to be substantially complete by winter, 2023-24.

On November 2, 2021, approximately 15 Ktunaxa community members and lands and resources staff participated in a tour of the Kicking Horse Canyon highway construction site.

The group met with the management of Kicking Horse Canyon Constructors (KHCC) in the morning of the visit to discuss procurement opportunities and to answer questions about the overall project.

After lunch, the group was escorted by bus (ʔakisq̓nuk Big Chief Bussing Inc.) with Brian Armstrong at the wheel through the construction site.

The group witnessed the incredible engineering involved with extending that narrow highway into four lanes.

Many cranes, and structures are being created to accommodate the upgrades.

Cisco Luke-Jimmy also provided an overview of the project’s Archaeological program that both her and John Nicholas have been involved in.

The tour was not to be complete without a visit with the resident Big Horn Sheep herd at the end of the day!