Resources Road (Photo: Shane Clausing / EverythingGP staff)

By Shane Clausing

resource road

New provincial funding crucial for economic development in County of Grande Prairie

Aug 14, 2021 | 10:29 AM

On August 13 the County of Grande Prairie learned that it will receive $1.7 million in funding from the Province of Alberta to help with future resource road development.

The money would be used to upgrade the south end of Resources Road near a proposed $2.6 billion methanol plant. It is planned for a spot near the International Paper and Weyerhaeuser mills.

With a potential $2.6 billion plant in the works for one of the County of Grande Prairie’s most important areas, Reeve Leanne Beaupre says the project could drive large economic opportunities to the region.

“This project is very important,” expressed Beaupre. “It’s a part of our strategic network, part of the funding will go towards resource road. It will support multiple industries including forestry and our energy partners in the area.”

The announcements for resource roads also include $2,075,164 from the province for the MD of Spirit River to extend and upgrade the Highway 49 access on Range Road 54. The total project cost is $4,150,328.

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There was also a long list of projects announced under the Strategic Infrastructure Transportation Program.

“The projects identified in this STIP (Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program) funding will really improve our competitiveness and efficiency in the region,” said Grande Prairie-Wapiti MLA Travis Toews. “It’s key infrastructure that will support our forestry industry, energy industry and eventually, we believe, Nauticol’s methanol plant.”

Beaupre adds that Resources Road and Highway 40 are some of the busiest roads in the County.

She tells EverythingGP that being able to upgrade the roads in the area, will allow for the County to be prepared if Nauticol’s plant gets the green light.

“If you take a look at the traffic today just on Resources Toad, there are over 3,000 vehicle movements a day and Highway 40 sees 10,000 plus a day.”

“Having that money available to the County of Grande Prairie from the province to invest in the safety of our travel industry is substantial.”

The funding would also help roads in the surrounding areas.

“We just really need to have those types of safe infrastructure corridors available to us,” she said.

“As we try and help the province recover and come out of this economic crisis, we need to continue to have those strategic investments, so we continue to attract investment across Canada and internationally as well.”