KINCOLITH, British Columbia – With the rocks scraping the undercarriage of the car, the ride out of Kincolith (Gingolx) isn’t the smoothest but for the residents of this reservation in northwest British Columbia, it’s a half-hour of discomfort they’ll gladly endure.
Following decades of requests, pleas and political lobbying with numerous governments, the community finally celebrated the opening of a highway joining it to the nearest town 18 miles east. Upwards of 1,000 guests descended upon the village, double the local population, for the festivities on May 17 after traveling from Greenville (Laxgalts’ap) along the two-lane gravel road.
Prior to this extension of the Nisga’a Highway to the mouth of the Pacific Ocean, which was opened to the public last December, access to Kincolith was restricted to small aircraft or a two-hour ferry ride to Prince Rupert. These boat trips though only occurred twice per week requiring visits to the big city, population 14,000, to last for several days.
Kincolith councilor Floyde Stevens immediately cited the benefits: this road brings to his community Freedom.
“We’re now able to go into Terrace (population 5,000) in one day whereas without the road, we’d take the ferry, stay overnight and even then it may take three days,” Stevens said about the time and monetary restrictions of Kincolith’s isolation. Now to conduct everyday activities, such as shopping, only requires a three-hour drive, one way to Terrace.
There’s nothing fancy about this extension, which cost $20 million U.S. Winding its way through the local mountain range and along the Nass River, the view is splendid but doesn’t negate the bumpiness of the surface covered by various sized stones.
Slowing the two-year project was the difficulty of the land. Though previously surrounded by dense forest, there are numerous slopes exceeding 10 percent attesting to the challenges of constructing a road to sea level from Greenville, where the highway is flat.
“Where you find trees is not the hardest work but where you find the rock,” explained Judith Reid, provincial Minister of Transportation, who attended the opening. “This is phenomenal terrain and with no access for people (and machines), equipment had to be barged in.”
Since the end of the second World War logging roads weaved their way through the area but never connected the numerous Native villages. By the early 80s, pressure was exerted on the provincial and federal jurisdictions to construct a highway, especially when Greenville became linked to the autoroute in 1984.
What concluded almost two decades of promises and waiting for Kincolith was the treaty signed in 1998 between the local bands and the B.C. government that gave economic and local control of 800 square miles to the Nisga’a Nation.
“The road brought the negotiations to a close,” Stevens said as funding was shared between the three levels of government. He added many of the elders who had pursued this goal previously were able to see their dream fulfilled.
Besides providing mobility to individuals, there are several economic benefits upon being linked with the rest of the province. Immediately logging and fishing, entities which the Nisga’a have control over, can be viably extended to Kincolith, while tourism is another option for the community.
“We’re thinking outside of the box because there are a number of economic opportunities and yes, you can get a business on our land,” Stevens said.
The road also permits residents and community members who have left to come back. Stevens noted a small migration of those returning now that isolation isn’t a factor, including the visits by the high school students who board in the Nisga’a capital of New Aiyansh, 60 miles away, to get their education.
Without the reliance of the ocean as a transportation link, one of the few negative impacts of the extended highway will be on the locally-owned ferry. Soon after Kincolith was linked, the company operating the shuttle to Prince Rupert, Pacific Western Marine, lost its subsidies towards maintaining a twice-weekly sailing with a 40-seat ferry.
Kincolith’s council decided in January, at a cost of $230,000, to purchase a 12-seat boat that will continue to maintain a route to Prince Rupert. However, a minimum of eight passengers must board, at a fee of $45 per person each way, otherwise the sailing is canceled because it loses money.
General Manager of Kincolith’s development corporation, Neil Okabe, estimates ferry traffic is down about 75 percent since the road has been opened for six months. Still, he says, there are reasons why the boat is needed.
“Historically, the links with Prince Rupert we’ve had are with families, medical, education and commerce,” Okabe said, mentioning longer-term plans for the boat include charters for tourists. “Right now we’re just making costs but as the boat is owner-operated, we are flexible and can schedule trips according to the need.”
Unquestionably the benefits of Kincolith opening itself to the outside were what its citizens wanted and required. However, there are some dangers the community will have to deal with. Greenville councilor, Reverend Jim Moore, who was also on the highway committee for 12 years, says there can be a greater cultural connection between the two villages now but he warns Kincolith of the societal ills that come with freedom.
“We have access to the amenities of the world and that has its own hazards and we’re starting to get into the petty crimes,” said Moore, also witnessing the rise of alcohol and illegal drug use in his town because of unrestricted movement. “For the next 10 years it will be a trying time because what they thought couldn’t happen, will.”
Regardless of any potential criminal activity, of more immediate concern is maintaining proper driving techniques and safe cars, a concept that only a handful of residents had. Because the local roads didn’t extend outside of the village and there were few cars anyway, now the province’s Motor Vehicle Act will be more strictly enforced.
“Many of these vehicles have never been inspected and probably many of them don’t have insurance,” said Constable Gary Swanson of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Terrace Detachment, referring to about a couple of dozen cars that were in Kincolith before the road opened. “For a lot of them, it will be education through enforcement.”
Swanson suggested the leniency of a written warning for first-time offenders can be more effective than laying charges. Still, he said, cars not roadworthy cannot be tolerated and noted owners might still have to undergo the expense of towing their vehicle to Terrace to bring it up to code. That might seem harsh but along a road where it’s unpaved, unlit and generally unforgiving, such precautions are necessary.
The most serious problem though during the highway dedication was an illegally parked car in what was and will likely be, Kincolith’s first and only traffic jam. During the ribbon-cutting ceremonies, blessing of the highway and the day-long celebration, the invited visitors were a welcome sight rather than any inconvenience.
“This has taken a huge strain off our people because (now) they don’t have to spend a lot of time, money and energy to get to the city,” said councilor Stevens.