The Government of Canada is investing $16 million in major highway upgrades and critical safety improvements through Kootenay National Park

Improvements will enhance public safety, renew aging infrastructure, and support a high-quality visitor experience.

RADIUM HOT SPRINGS, BC, June 1, 2026 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature, announced a $16 million infrastructure project for essential upgrades along Highway 93 South in the southern portion of Kootenay National Park. The Government of Canada is committed to protecting natural and cultural treasures in Canada and advancing infrastructure projects at Parks Canada administered sites to create economic and tourism opportunities and ensure the safety of visitors travelling to and through these iconic places.

For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples travelled and stewarded the landscape that is now Kootenay National Park. Highway 93 South has connected communities and travellers through the Canadian Rockies for more than a century and continues to serve as a vital route for residents and visitors.

This investment will focus on several key sites in and around Sinclair Canyon, a historic and highly travelled gateway to the Village of Radium Hot Springs and popular tourism destination for the region. The work will enhance public safety, address aging infrastructure, and help maintain a high‑quality visitor experience. Major elements of this work include the rehabilitation of the Sinclair Canyon Bridge and a retaining wall near the park's southwest boundary, as well as repairs to the Sinclair Creek Rock Tunnel near the Radium Hot Springs pools.

Both the Village of Radium Hot Springs and the Radium Hot Springs pools will remain open and accessible throughout the season while construction is underway. Last year, Parks Canada celebrated the renewal of the Radium Hot Springs Aquacourt building, now offering a modern, safe, accessible and inclusive experience for residents and visitors. During construction along Highway 93 South, Parks Canada will work closely with municipal and tourism partners to support visitor access and community needs.

The Government of Canada remains committed to protecting natural and cultural heritage and investing in infrastructure at Parks Canada administered places. These projects help conserve the environment, create economic and tourism opportunities, and ensure the safety of the millions of visitors who travel through this key highway corridor each year.

Quote

"As part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Government of Canada is committed to preserving the integrity and beauty of the Rocky Mountains, including Kootenay National Park, while maintaining the critical infrastructure that allows visitors and communities to safely access and enjoy these places. Through this essential work, Parks Canada is improving the safety and reliability of roads, bridges, and visitor infrastructure in a challenging mountain environment, while protecting wildlife and sensitive ecosystems and supporting local tourism and economic activity."

The Honourable Julie Dabrusin 
Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature

Quick Facts

• With the renewal of the Canada Strong Pass, the Government of Canada is once again offering free admission to national historic sites, national parks, and national marine conservation areas operated by Parks Canada and a 25% discount on camping fees this summer from June 19 to September 7, 2026. 
• As part of Budget 2024, the Government of Canada announced $545.1 million over four years for key projects focused on ensuring highways and roadways remain safe and open, protecting heritage canals and preventing the loss of iconic built heritage, and providing for the continuity of visitor services.
• Parks Canada manages approximately 3,300 km of highways and roadways with an estimated replacement value of $10 billion. This collection of roadways serves Canadians from providing the public and tourism industry with access to Parks Canada's administered sites and facilities via scenic highways to providing permanent park townsite residents with community access while enabling the operation of the municipal services they require. 
• In 2024, significant upgrades to the Radium Hot Springs Aquacourt, a classified federal heritage building, were completed with approximately $29 million in federal funding invested over several years in building renewal and improvements.
• For current travel information always check DriveBC. For project information and updates, please visit the Kootenay National Park website, and follow Kootenay National Park on Facebook.

Related Document

News Release: Federal infrastructure improvements completed at Radium Hot Springs in Kootenay National Park

Related Links

• Kootenay National Park Construction Work
• Kootenay National Park Facebook
• History of Highway 93 South
• Parks Canada mobile application
• Parks Canada website

SOURCE Parks Canada (HQ)

Contacts: Keean Nembhard, Press Secretary, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature, 343-292-6096, [email protected]; Media Relations, Parks Canada, 855-862-1812, [email protected]; Media Relations, Lake Louise Yoho Kootenay Field Unit, Parks Canada, [email protected]