N.W.T. one step closer to Mackenzie Valley Highway as Canyon Creek road opens

A new all-season road in the N.W.T.'s Sahtu region seen as a benchmark in the eventual development of a Mackenzie Valley Highway is officially open, as federal and territorial officials cut the ribbon on a 14.5 km road from Norman Wells to Canyon Creek.

Northwest Territories MP Michael McLeod, N.W.T. Infrastructure Minister Wally Schumann and federal Infrastructure Minister François-Philippe Champagne were on hand for the opening Thursday. 

"I think we see it as the beginning of the finalizing between Norman Wells and Wrigley," said Sherry Hodgson, vice chair of Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated. "It gives us hope. It gives us a strong belief that it is going to be done."

Hodgson is related to Cece Hodgson-McAuley, an outspoken advocate for the Mackenzie Valley highway extension. Cece died ealier this year at 95 years old.

"The hope is that for next the next generations... we actually see this before we are no longer here to ride it," said Sherry Hodgson.

• Mackenzie Valley Highway project to get $102M boost from federal gov't
• New all-season road planned from Norman Wells to Canyon Creek

Sherry said that once the highway is completed, it may lower the cost of living because there will be easier access to the South. It will also impact education, because some families will take their kids out of school to go down south while the winter road is open, she said, forcing them to miss classes.

"They're taking advantage of a road that's there and only there for a short period of time."

In the 2016 project description, the road to Canyon Creek was described as a route "to proposed camping and recreational areas."

Sherry said many people travelled the road this summer and camped at Canyon Creek.

She said the road created many jobs for community members over the last two years. The project also allowed many locals to build useful skills, which they have since used to get work elsewhere.

David Hodgson, one of the owners of Hodgson's Contracting Inc. in Norman Wells, said they put in the proposal to build the road to kick start the Mackenzie Valley Highway. "It turned into what I believe to be the start of the Mackenzie Valley Highway," said David. 

He said the company trained between 12 and 16 people to work on the road.

"We utilized as many people in this area as we could to do the work."

He said some of the people have now moved on to jobs in the mining industry. 

The project was funded jointly by the federal and territorial governments. According to the release, the Government of Canada will contribute up to $15 million to the project, while the N.W.T. government will invest $5 million.

Previously, a winter ice road had been constructed annually between Norman Wells and Canyon Creek.

With files from Alex Brockman and Mario De Ciccio