Another in a series of Building Canada announcements today: the governments of Canada and British Columbia will jointly fund up to $231 million worth of National Highway System improvements in the province.
The first project to receive funding involves constructing a 9-kilometre four lane highway west of the existing 2-lane section of Highway 97 between Winfield and Oyama, British Columbia. The federal government will provide up to $33.6 million through the Building Canada Fund, and the Province will contribute $44.3 million toward the total $77.9 million cost. Work is scheduled to be completed by 2012.
Gordon Campbell, premier of British Columbia, along with Stockwell Day, minister of Public Safety, on behalf of Lawrence Cannon, minister of transport, infrastructure and communities, with Kevin Falcon, minister of transportation and infrastructure of British Columbia, Ron Cannan, MP for Kelowna-Lake Country, and Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Al Horning, made the announcement today.
“Four-laning this stretch of highway will greatly improve safety and the flow of traffic along this important corridor,” said MLA Horning. “As well as improving the flow of commercial traffic, this upgrade will benefit tourism, and spur new economic activity for our region.”
