FORT NELSON, BC, May 13, 2026 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is taking action to rehabilitate the Alaska Highway and protect it from climate-related damage.
Today, the Honourable Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant, announced that the Government of Canada has awarded a $14.6-million design-build contract to Top Notch and Enviro-Ex (joint venture), to relocate 2.3 kilometres of the Alaska Highway, at the 780-kilometre mark, beyond an area of the Liard River shoreline that's expected to erode over the next century.
Work will also include land and river studies, environmental reviews and detailed design, with construction scheduled this summer.
Through a Limited Indigenous Offering procurement process, this competitive process was only open to Indigenous businesses led by members of the eight First Nations whose traditional territories are located along the parts of the highway maintained by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC).
This procurement creates direct economic opportunities for these communities and contributes to the government's Indigenous procurement targets. This approach supports PSPC's commitment to reconciliation and inclusive growth by enabling significant Indigenous participation in the design and construction phases of the project.
The joint venture is between Top Notch Oilfield Contracting Limited, a company owned by a member of Blueberry First Nation, and Enviro-Ex Contracting Limited. The contract supports Indigenous economic leadership and strengthens local capacity through federal procurement.
Quotes
"Protecting the Alaska Highway means protecting the communities, workers and businesses that depend on it every day. We're not waiting for climate impacts to force our hand; we're taking action now to strengthen critical infrastructure, reduce long-term costs and keep goods moving across the North. And we're doing it the right way: by working in partnership with Indigenous communities, creating real economic opportunities and making sure they're at the centre of building the infrastructure of tomorrow."
The Honourable Joël Lightbound
Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant
"The Alaska Highway is the Yukon's essential land connection to the south, and Yukoners depend on it to access essential food, healthcare, and more. Moving this vital route away from the Liard River will protect it from erosion and washouts, while an Indigenous‑led procurement approach reinforces the Government of Canada's commitment to reconciliation and supporting local jobs."
Brendan Hanley
Member of Parliament for Yukon
Quick facts
- The Alaska Highway stretches 2,450 km across northern British Columbia and southern Yukon into Alaska.
- PSPC is responsible for the section from km 133, north of Fort St. John, British Columbia, to km 968 at the British Columbia and Yukon border. This section includes 58 bridges and bridge culverts, over 2,100 small culverts, and several pits and quarries.
- The PSPC section of the highway is the principal land transportation link to northern British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska from the rest of Canada and the lower 48 American states.
- Given that the PSPC-operated section of the Alaska Highway passes through the traditional territories of First Nations, PSPC has engaged with First Nations and worked with them to determine if their traditional interests will be impacted by the proposed activities.
- This procurement process followed a two-phase solicitation, including an Invitation to Qualify and a Request for Proposal, as well as an online bidders' conference.
Associated links
- Contract award notice on Km 780 Liard River Road Reconstruction and Erosion Mitigation
- Alaska Highway
- Directory of Federal Real Property: Alaska Highway
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SOURCE Public Services and Procurement Canada
Contacts: Laurent de Casanove, Director of Communications, Office of the Honourable Joël Lightbound, [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Services and Procurement Canada, 819-420-5501, [email protected]
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