Feds announce almost $45 million in new investments in Kootenay National Park

Improvements will include work along Highway 93, rehabilitation and repairs at Radium Hot Springs, and flood response work.

Extensive work will be carried out on Highway 93 South, repair and rehabilitation work at the Radium Hot Springs site and emergency flood response work on the park's bridges, campgrounds and day use area. — Photo courtesy Parks Canada

Hardly a day goes by lately that we aren't hearing of another funding announcement from David Wilks, Member of Parliament for Kootenay-Columbia.  The lastest beneficiary is Kootenay National Park at Radium Hot Springs.

David Wilks, Member of Parliament for Kootenay—Columbia, on behalf of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, announced infrastructure investments totaling $44.9 million in several Parks Canada projects across Kootenay National Park.

This major investment includes extensive work on Highway 93 South, repair and rehabilitation work at the Radium Hot Springs site and, emergency flood response work on Kootenay National Park’s bridges, campgrounds and day use areas.

These projects are the result of an unprecedented investment by the Government of Canada to support infrastructure work in our national historic sites, national parks and national marine conservation areas. This investment represents the largest federal infrastructure plan in the 104-year history of Parks Canada, ensuring these cherished places are protected and secured for the future while also creating and protecting jobs and opportunities.

Quick Facts

• Established in 1920, Kootenay National Park represents the south-western region of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. From glacier-clad peaks along the Continental Divide to the semi-arid grasslands of the Rocky Mountain Trench, where cacti grow, this park is home to a rich diversity of landscapes and ecology.
• Radium Hot Springs, located inside Kootenay National Park, is home to Canada’s largest hot springs pool. The mineral water of Radium Hot Springs is uniquely odourless and clear, making this hot springs a highly prized destination for visitors.
• Kootenay National Park welcomes approximately 400,000 visitors every year. Last year, more than 21 million visits were made to Canada’s national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas.
• Parks Canada is present in hundreds of communities across Canada and contributes approximately $3 billion dollars to the Canadian economy every year. Parks Canada’s overall contribution to the Canadian economy is responsible for more than 40,000 jobs from coast to coast to coast.