By Steve Hubrecht
Radium Hot Spring’s resident herd of bighorn sheep can breathe a sigh of relief. The proposed wildlife overpass for the sheep to cross Highway 93/95 south of the village is a massive step closer to reality, now that the funds for it have been raised.
The bighorn sheep, which spend long stretches of the year literally living in the village, have been an iconic part of Radium for generations and are internationally famous.
But over the past two decades the herd’s population has been cut almost in half, from 230 to about 120. Each year the sheep fatalities, especially those caused by vehicle strikes, are more pronounced during the winter. But the recent winters have been dramatically worse than normal, with a staggering 15 bighorns killed in 2021 alone.
That prompted an outcry that generated headlines around the globe and sparked efforts spearheaded by Radium residents to do something to save the sheep.
After consultation, the provincial Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) proposed putting up wildlife fencing along Highway 93/95 south of the village (the worst spot for bighorn-vehicle collisions) and building a wildlife overpass so the sheep (and, of course, other wildlife) can safely pass from one side of the highway to the other. Such overpasses and fencing have met with considerable success in Banff National Park.
But MOTI couldn’t pay for the whole project, which costs around $4 million. So Radium residents began a fundraising campaign. Donations poured in, but the price tag was high and after an initial surge, the effort appeared to have stalled, prompting concern in Radium about just how long the overpass might take to get done.
Then last week mining company Teck Resources Ltd. announced it would donate $2.5 million to the overpass, meaning the project now has all the money it needs.
“We’ve been delighted to see the donations come in, some big ones and a lot of small ones that got the ball rolling initially, and now this very big donation that takes it over the finish line,” Radium Mayor Mike Gray told the Pioneer.
Gray thanked MOTI for being inclusive on the project, consulting with not just the village, but also with local First Nations, Parks Canada, other federal and provincial agencies, as well as with locals dedicated to the cause of the bighorns. He also thanked Radium residents for their passionate commitment to saving the bighorns, saying that such passion was the key to the project’s success.
MOTI explained in a press release that the project will include approximately six kilometres of wildlife fencing and gates that will guide animals to the overpass and safely over the highway, and that a contract for construction will be going to tender soon.
“It’s vital that we keep people safe and protect these animals that are so critical to regional biodiversity,” said MOTI Minister Rob Fleming. “With the help of our partners, this new overpass will support safe passage for the bighorn sheep, protecting this herd that is so important to local First Nations and all the people of the East Kootenay.”
