Winter roads are a lifeline in the north. Climate change is making them more untenable
CBC
When the weather turns cold, and the ice starts to form, residents in Fort Chipewyan in northern Alberta start to see an easy way out of their community.
The annual formation of a 177-kilometre stretch of winter road connecting it to the energy hub of Fort McMurray in the south is a lifeline for business and residents with goods and fuels transported by trucks.
But warmer winters are delaying the opening of the road and shortening how long that road can safely stay open.
"We are seeing climate change first hand here," says Mike Mercredi, a councillor with Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation.
"It's unpredictable when the road opens, unpredictable for how long it'll stay open," Mercredi said. That puts a lot of fear in members of the community, he added.
It's one of the reasons many in the region are advocating for a year-round road. A permanent road would save community members a lot of time and energy, he said.
"If it keeps going at the rate we're going, we're probably not going to have a winter road in 10 years. So the talk of a year-round road has to be a very serious one," Mercredi said.
Fort Chipewyan is considered a fly-in, fly-out community. There is no year-round road residents can use to travel to Fort McMurray. The road closed on Tuesday for this season.
The winter road allows people to drive to larger cities like Fort McKay to stock up on goods, access medical services more easily and visit family and friends.
Over the past 10 years, the day the winter road opens has been getting delayed.
In 2013, the winter road was open for 123 days after it opened Dec. 7. This year it opened on Dec. 20 and was open for 97 days.
Keith Smith, director of public works for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, said with rising temperatures the winter road season is being delayed, but so are the load limit increases.
Those are the set weights allowed to drive up and down the road. It's important for bringing up large loads of fuel and goods. With warming weather, the opening date for heavier trucks can be pushed back.
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