Highway 1 reopened following Splatsin blockade of R.W. Bruhn bridge replacement

Hwy. 1 open after blockade

Photo: Luc Rempel

Splatsin community members man the blockade on Highway 1 in Sicamous

UPDATE: 6:43 p.m.

The Trans-Canada Highway has been reopened through Sicamous following the Splatsin First Nation's two-day blockade of the R.W. Bruhn Bridge job site.

DriveBC announced the highway had been cleared as of 6 p.m. Tuesday. A Splatsin spokesperson confirmed the blockades were being taken down.

The First Nation had set up dump trucks on Monday to prevent work from continuing on the bridge replacement project. Highway traffic was also halted outside of expected daily construction closures.

Splatsin said the blockade was a response to systemic exclusion and broken project agreements from contractors Aecon and Emil Anderson, who are in charge of the project.

The blockade was to remain in place until a new written agreement was signed guaranteeing Splatsin Development Corporation the participation in the project that was promised in original agreements.

Splatsin is expected to release a statement about the protest and its outcome on Wednesday.

?OPEN #BCHwy1 - The Bruhn Bridge in #Sicamous is now back open outside of regular construction hours. #BCHwy97A #BCHwy97B #SalmonArmBC #MalakwaBC

— DriveBC (@DriveBC) May 14, 2025

ORIGINAL: 10:29 a.m.

A First Nation's blockade of a Trans-Canada Highway construction site is continuing into its second day, with dump trucks set up to block workers and equipment from the $224-million project to replace the R.W. Bruhn Bridge in Sicamous.

At around 10 a.m. on Monday, the Splatsin First Nation parked four dump trucks across the Trans-Canada Highway at either end of the construction project to prevent work from continuing.

They said the blockade is a response to “systemic exclusion,” and broken project agreements from the contractors, Aecon and Emil Anderson, who are in charge of the project.

Splatsin Kupki7 Mike Christian said the blockade will remain in place until the contractors and the provincial government sign a new written agreement guaranteeing the Splatsin Development Corporation the participation in the project they were promised in the original agreements.

Local traffic to properties accessed within the construction area and emergency vehicles are being allowed through the blockade.

All other traffic is detouring around the construction. Travellers are advised to use the alternate route of Highway 97A and Highway 97B between Salmon Arm and Sicamous.

The highway is closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily for bridge work, but the blockade makes the closure 24 hours.

The Ministry of Transportation and Transit said Monday it is working closely with all parties involved to reach a speedy resolution.

Castanet has reached out to Aecon and Emil Anderson for comment but has yet to hear back.