Concept and Background

The Sunshine Coast, a peninsula of the lower mainland, is only accessible from Horseshoe Bay by ferry. As the population of the Sunshine Coast grows and as the traditional industries of logging and fishing deteriorate, the need for an alternative means of transportation is becoming more desirable for those who commute regularly to the Lower Mainland for work or pleasure. In addition, the Sunshine Coast area is depending increasingly on tourism as a viable industry. Road access would be highly desirable to promote tourism, particularly as this road would also access the Whistler ski resort area.

Map showing area of interest. Produced by Dawn Cambrin in ArcMap.

The area in question stretches from Squamish on the Lower Mainland through to Port Mellon or Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast (see above map). Squamish is situated at the tip of Howe Sound and is accessible by Hwy 1, a major road that is well maintained and undergoing improvement in order to meet the needs of the 2010 Olympics being held in Whistler. Port Mellon is the point furthest north on the Sunshine Coast accessible by road. It is the location of a large pulp mill employing approximately 1000 people. The road to Port Mellon is well maintained in order to meet the needs of the mill. Sechelt is the central 'hub' of the Sunshine Coast with the main business and commercial zones located here.

The area between Squamish and Port Mellon and Sechelt has very rugged terrain. There are only a few very small communities along the north-east shore of Porpoise Bay, just outside of Sechelt. The rest of the area is uninhabited except for temporary sites to accommodate loggers at the numerous logging sites. There are several provincial parks in this area: Tetrahedron, Tantalus, and Mt. Richardson.