Following the completion of a landmark $49-million upgrade to the Bamfield Road in 2023 and the increase in travellers to the region, Huu-ay-aht First Nations is now calling on the Province of British Columbia to take the next critical step: officially redesignating Bamfield Main Road to recognize its regional and provincial significance. On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, Huu-ay-aht Executive Councillors ƛicitatḥ, Edward R. Johnson, and Wiiheyakchikk, Brad Johnson, met directly with Minister of Transportation and Transit Mike Farnworth to discuss the proposed redesignation and long-term vision for the road.
The four-year collaborative infrastructure project, funded jointly by the Huu-ay-aht First Nations, the Province of British Columbia, and key partners, transformed the once-treacherous logging route into a safer link between Port Alberni and Anacla (Bamfield, B.C.). The initiative gained urgency after numerous tragedies along the road, including the 2019 bus crash that claimed the lives of two University of Victoria students, as well as the loss of two residents near Sarita.
Following construction, Huu-ay-aht submitted a comprehensive Bamfield Main Road Completion Report and maintenance assessment to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Data collected in 2024 highlights the route’s vital role in regional travel, recording average daily traffic counts of 554 vehicles in the summer and 185 vehicles in the winter, with passenger vehicles accounting for 89% of all traffic year-round.
Redesignating the route as provincially significant would secure dedicated funding to protect safety gains and drive economic development across tourism, forestry in the area, and marine research at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre.
“The investments made through reconciliation have demonstrated what is possible,” Executive Councillor Edward R. Johnson shared. “Now is the time to build on that success, protect the gains already achieved, and establish a long-term pathway for safe, reliable access and sustainable economic growth.”’
To ensure coordinated oversight following their meeting with Minister Farnworth, Executive Councillors Edward R. Johnson and Brad Johnson recommended re-establishing the Bamfield Main Road Working Group. This body would bring together the Province, First Nations leadership, local governments, and forestry industry partners to manage ongoing safety priorities, such as maintenance at Mt. Underwood and Sarita.
Huu-ay-aht has requested that the Ministry initiate formal discussions on both redesignation and reconvening the working group in the coming months to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Bamfield Main Road.
