The military has decided to end its role in avalanche control along a major British Columbia transportation route, that has seen it fire artillery shells to set off slides in Rogers Pass for more than 60 years.
The Department of National Defence says the current five-year agreement with Parks Canada will expire in August 2027, and it won’t be renewed due to defence modernization policies and divestment of what it calls legacy artillery systems.
The operation involves gun crews who fire 105-millimetre howitzer field guns from positions along the Trans-Canada Highway.
Parks Canada says they are still actively discussing the issue with the Department of National Defence, and ensuring safety and the flow of vehicles and goods through the pass remains a top priority.
The Highway 1-CPKC rail corridor, including Rogers Pass, is the main transport route between Vancouver and Calgary, with other routes requiring a significant detour to the north or south through the Rockies.
The issue has drawn the attention of the federal Conservatives, who are urging the Liberal government to address how avalanche control will continue after the agreement ends.
“The economic importance of this corridor cannot be understated: over 4,000 vehicles and 40 trains pass through Rogers Pass every day, and every hour it’s closed would cost the Canadian economy an estimated $3 million,” say Opposition spokesman for emergency preparedness Dane Lloyd and associate shadow fisheries minister Mel Arnold.
The Department of National Defence says it intends to help Parks Canada plan the necessary transition while reducing pressures on the Armed Forces before the agreement expires.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 12, 2026.
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