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FOR RELEASE     #05-254
October 5, 2005

National Highway System Incorporates Two Northern Highways

WHITEHORSE - The Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety have agreed to expand the National Highway System, during a recent meeting in Calgary, based on recommendations from the Highway System Review Task Force.

Approximately 5,900 km of northern and remote routes and 4,500 km of feeder routes are being added to the National Highway System (NHS), including the Dempster Highway and the North Klondike Highway, to the Dempster junction.

"This decision officially recognizes the strategic importance of these highways to the economic and social well-being of northerners," acting minister of Highways and Public Works Archie Lang said. "The Dempster and North Klondike highways provide primary access to many Yukon communities and to remote economic activities and resources for Yukon people. This expansion will result in a better highway system that will benefit Yukoners, Canadians and our visitors."

The NHS now encompasses 38,021 km of key highways, a 55 per cent increase since 1988, in three categories:

1. Core routes include 27,608 km of key inter-provincial and international corridors, including 945 km of the Alaska Highway from the B.C. border to the Alaska border and 134 km of the South Klondike Highway to the Alaska border.

2. Feeder routes include 4,490 km of key links to the core routes from population and economic centres.  The Yukon has no feeder routes recognized under the NHS.

3. Northern and remote routes which include 5,922 km of key links to core and feeder routes.  The Yukon now has 948 km of highway included in this category; 483 km of the North Klondike Highway from the Hwy 1 to the junction of the Dempster Highway and 465 km of the Dempster Highway to the N.W.T. border.

Recognition of these Yukon highways under the National Highway System provides higher profile and priority for federal funding opportunities.

The full report of the task force can be obtained on the Internet at www.comt.ca

Backgrounder: National Highway System

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BACKGROUNDER: National Highway System

Canada's National Highway System (NHS) was established in 1988 by the Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety.  The 24,500-kilometre network of key inter-provincial and international highways and roads was the focus of a federal-provincial-territorial co-operative study carried out between 1988 and 1992.

In September 2004, the Council of Ministers approved the addition of 2,700 kilometres of new routes to the NHS to reflect the changes in Canada's population, economy and trading patterns since 1988.  The ministers also directed the review to explore the concept of a category system for the NHS. 

This review was led by Transport Canada and the New Brunswick Department of Transportation; all federal, provincial and territorial transportation departments participated.  The report was presented to the Council in Calgary on September 22, 2005.

The report was endorsed and an expanded NHS has been approved that now encompasses 38,021 kilometres of key highway linkages in three categories:

1. Core Routes: key inter-provincial and international corridors; including the original 1988 NHS routes and the September 2004 additions.

2. Feeder Routes:  key links to the core routes from population and economic centres; including important border crossings.

3. Northern and Remote Routes:  key links to core and feeder routes that provide the primary means of access to northern and remote areas, economic activities and resources.

The expanded National Highway System is now as follows:

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