Whereas several communities across the province have single or limited accessegress routes leaving them vulnerable during extreme events such as wildfire, rock slides or flooding; And whereas some communities are required to use resource roads on an ongoing basis to remain connected; And whereas resource roads are built for industrial purposes or access to natural resources in remote areas and the Province, or its contractors, do not maintain these to the same standards as paved public roadways: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province to define standards of maintenance and construction that supports the economic continuity and connectedness of residents across the province where these resource roads are being used as alternate commuter routes or would be used in the event of an emergency.
Ministry of Transportation and Transit Resource roads fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Forests, and they are maintained according to standards designed for industrial road use rather than public highways. These roads serve a critical function for forestry, mining, and other resource-based industries, but they are not built to the same specifications as highways meant for regular commuter traffic. Converting resource roads into publicly maintained highways would come at a significant cost to both the Ministry of Transportation and Transit MOTT and industry. Given the extensive work required to upgrade these roads to meet highway standards, the Provinces current focus remains on investing in the reliability and resiliency of existing transportation routes. In cases where long-duration highway closures occur, MOTT collaborates with the Ministry of Forests to provide temporary maintenance for resource roads when they are needed as alternate commuter routes or emergency access points. This ensures communities continue to have viable travel options during disruptions. Safety is the ministrys top priority and public safety concerns are always at the forefront when responding to unplanned closures. All efforts are made to restore reliable transportation routes as quickly and effectively as possible.