In 2023, Highway 97, north of Summerland, was closed because of a rockslide that deposited 3,000 cubic metres of material onto the highway surface/ Province of BC

By Vernon Matters Staff

driving woes

Feds petitioned on alternative to Hwy 97 in Okanagan

Jan 19, 2026 | 3:00 PM

An online petition to the House of Commons, calling on the federal government to work with the province on a secondary roadway from Penticton to Kelowna, had garnered over 1,600 signatures as of Monday.

Launched Jan.7, the petition highlights the driver frustration, safety risks, and sense of community isolation caused by repeated closures to Highway 97 in recent years due to landslides, rock falls, wildfires, accidents, and truck incidents. It adds the closures impact the economic stability across the South Okanagan region.

The petition was initiated by Penticton’s Kandace Sztepanacz, and sponsored by Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay MP, Conservative Helena Konanz.

It calls for funds to build a secondary roadway connecting Naramata and Kelowna.

As per e-petition regulations, citizens can sign it by March 8, and the House of Commons then has 45 days to respond.

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The document states:

The federal government has previously provided funding for provincial infrastructure projects that enhance safety, trade routes, and emergency preparedness, demonstrating its ability to support projects of regional importance. We, the undersigned, residents of the Okanagan Valley, call upon the House of Commons to respectfully request that the Government of Canada work with the Province of British Columbia to plan and fund a secondary roadway connecting Naramata and Kelowna in order to improve public safety, ensure reliable emergency access during Highway 97 closures, and reduce the risk of communities being cut off.

The petition can be found here: www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-7035