B.C. Highway Flood Recovery Projects - Canal Road Dip Slide - Pender Island

1. After the November 2021 atmospheric river event, abnormal road deformation occurred at the Canal Rd Dip Slide. The slide was investigated in early 2018, but this event triggered road deformation enough to enact an emergency response/recovery disaster project. This included transitioning to single lane alternating traffic and closing off the outside lane. Geotechnical monitoring devices were installed and showed that heavy rainfall events add additional movement within the active landslide, in which, during these times, load restrictions were enacted. The proposed project is designed to a climate resiliency standard that will provide a long-term safe solution for this only connecting route between North and South Pender Island.
2. The project consists of realigning the existing roadway onto a solid bedrock foundation. This includes excavation and blasting rock to carve the new alignment. A retaining wall is required at the eastern end of the project to retain the soils and earth above the rock of that specified section. Additionally, upgraded culverts and drainage ditches are to be constructed. The existing roadway will be offloaded and revegetated with grass, trees and shrubs, as well as the remaining disturbed areas where applicable.

1. The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure’s (MOTI)’s number one priority is safety of the public. Being the only route that connects North and South Pender, it is crucial to use an option that solves the on-going active landslide issue at the Canal Rd Dip. The design parameters for the solution are standard across the province in order to ensure a safe, long-term solution. Another important priority was to preserve the natural environment as much as possible. The team worked extensively with Parks Canada and designed a project to minimize impacts to Parks Canada as much as possible and preserve the Park.

1. The railing is a requirement for safety of Ministry Maintenance staff and to protect public/animals away from the wall edge. The railing itself is only 1m high and will be surrounded by revegetation rather quickly once the project is completed.
2. MoTI is responsible for the wall’s maintenance, which would be carried out  by the maintenance contractor.

No other approved alternatives have been considered. The vegetation surrounding the wall will help reduce potential noise and the imbedded bedrock will encompass approximately 60% of the wall area.

1. As the roadway is on an active landslide, in order to maintain this active route between North and South Pender island, these additional measures were required from a safety standpoint so that this wasn’t just a band-aid repair that could cause future catastrophic failures, losing all connection for businesses and residents. The alignment was built to the Ministry standard that is compliant with all Ministry roads and highways. Other options considered were along the existing alignment, which included a bridge option over the active landslide, or soil anchors and retaining wall downslope. Both of these options were considerably expensive, and the road would’ve had to be shut down for an extensive period of time. Being the only route for public and emergency vehicles, this was deemed a top priority to leave the existing alignment in use.

1. This FAQ is designed to provide requested clarity and reach a wider audience.
2. The project website has been available online since early 2022, an email account has been available to answer public concerns CanalRdDIP@gov.bc.ca, with signs posted at the site with this information.
3. This is a disaster mitigation project and it was deemed to be in the best interest of the community to proceed with an option that could be constructed without disrupting the existing route.

An extensive revegetation plan is proposed, which includes replanting of trees, shrubs and seeding all necessary areas that were disturbed. This includes the area behind the proposed wall, and along the new road alignment.

The existing roadway will be offloaded and additional tree planting will be offset there as well.

There is a guarantee period for these species and they will be maintained for 5 years. This work will be managed by the maintenance contractor after the initial 1-year contract period.

1. Consultations occurred with First Nations and approvals were received from MOTI and Parks Canada to proceed

1. Yes, the existing road (ambient) conditions were used as a standard for the road width and requirements. The necessity of the wall was due to the upland slope with realignment of the roadway into solid bedrock. Geotechnical monitors were installed in the existing roadway and the slide movement has been monitored since the project began. Load restrictions have been implemented when rainfall events occur. Realigning the roadway into solid bedrock removes the weight restrictions.

1. The ministry is moving ahead with these plans and construction is underway.

1. The highest point of the wall would be 10.5m from the roadway. Roughly 7m of that height will be bedrock itself. The wall is built top down from the existing ground, once the bedrock is encountered, the wall construction stops, and the bedrock is benched and cut down to the roadway ditch.
2. The shotcrete retaining wall will have a natural rock finish and will blend in with the bedrock below