PENTICTON, BC — Conservative Party of BC candidate Tracy St. Claire today committed to secure funding to upgrade the 201 Forest Service Road near Penticton, establishing a safer and more reliable secondary route connecting the South and Central Okanagan.

For years, recurring closures on Highway 97—triggered by severe landslides, wildfires, and major vehicular collisions—have repeatedly severed the regional transportation grid. Whenever Highway 97 shuts down, thousands of Okanagan motorists, emergency services, commercial haulers, and tourists are forced onto 201 FSR as an unmanaged detouring option.

However, in its current state, 201 FSR remains narrow, dirt-paved, and unnecessarily dangerous. Local search and rescue teams, including Central Okanagan Search and Rescue (COSAR) and Penticton Search and Rescue (PENSAR), have had to execute multiple emergency extractions along the corridor. These incidents routinely involve motorists, essential healthcare staff, and families stuck in deep mud, sudden snowstorms, or treacherous terrain. The RCMP has repeatedly issued explicit public advisories instructing drivers to avoid the road during highway closures, characterizing attempts to navigate the route as “a bad idea.”

“During the Bald Range wildfire, we saw just how vulnerable Penticton and Summerland are when our transportation routes are threatened. We were losing safe routes in and out of our communities,” said Tracy St. Claire, Conservative Party candidate for Penticton-Summerland. 

“Highway 97 will close again, whether because of wildfire, landslides or serious collisions, and we need a safe, reliable alternative. As your MLA, I will not stop until I secure funding for this critical project.”

– 30 –

Media Contact:
Alex Shiff, Director of Media Relations
media@conservativebc.ca