Conservatives are accusing the Liberal government of jeopardizing a critical national transportation corridor after the Department of National Defence announced the Canadian Armed Forces will end its long-running support for avalanche control operations in Rogers Pass after 2027.In a statement released Tuesday, Conservative MPs Dane Lloyd and Mel Arnold said Ottawa has failed to explain how avalanche control and public safety measures will continue once military involvement ends in the mountain corridor along the Trans-Canada Highway in Rogers Pass.“For 65 years, soldiers of the Royal Canadian Artillery have supported avalanche control operations in the area, helping keep this vital economic corridor open year-round,” the MPs said.The operation, known as OP PALACI, has seen members of the Canadian Armed Forces work alongside Parks Canada to conduct artillery-based avalanche control in the mountainous region.According to the Conservatives, more than 4,000 vehicles and 40 trains pass through Rogers Pass daily, making it one of Canada’s key transportation links between western and eastern Canada.The MPs claimed every hour the corridor is shut down costs the Canadian economy an estimated $3 million.“This significant Liberal government cut puts safety and a key economic corridor at risk,” the statement said.The Conservatives are now calling on the Liberal government to ensure avalanche control operations continue in Rogers Pass and other major transportation corridors after the military agreement expires.They argued the cost of maintaining the operation is minor compared to the economic damage that could result from prolonged closures or disruptions along the route.The federal government has not yet publicly detailed what replacement measures, if any, will be implemented after the Canadian Armed Forces withdraws from the operation in 2027.
