By Josh Kozelj, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter FRASER VALLEY CURRENT

The Fraser Canyon has many natural attractions鈥攎ountains, forests and a fast-moving river鈥攂ut two man-made objects are showcasing the route for travellers and potential tourists not familiar with a road less travelled.

Two new highway signs were unveiled along Highway 1 in Lytton and Yale in August. They serve as waymarkers along the once-bustling corridor, highlighting the canyon鈥檚 Indigenous and settler history while pointing visitors to local stops of interest.

The signs marked the first milestone in a collaboration between local governments, the province and Indigenous peoples to revitalize tourism in a region hit hard by slow growth and several natural disasters in recent years.

鈥淚 can tell you when I drive by those signs, I have a sense of pride,鈥� said Jackie Tegart, the former Fraser-Nicola MLA who began lobbying for the project in 2019.

The signs were the first priority outlined in the Fraser Canyon Tourism Master Plan, a document that was finalized in March 2021 and expected to guide all tourism-related projects in the corridor until 2030. And the plan鈥檚 goal is ambitious and daunting鈥攖he reversal of a travel trend that has been taking place for nearly 40 years.

One highway opens, another slows

In the 1970s and 80s, the communities that lined the Fraser Canyon were small but vibrant, thanks to the highway that ran through them. At the time, Highway 1 was the quickest way to get between Vancouver, most of the Okanagan, northern parts of the province, and Alberta.

Then came the Coquihalla. The highway cut more than an hour from the journey between Hope and the Interior hubs of Kamloops and Kelowna and quickly became the busiest mountain highway in the province.

Since 1986, the year the highway opened, the Coquihalla has become the preferred route for Lower Mainland travellers going to the interior and Alberta, and those making the reverse trip. It鈥檚 faster, has more lanes, and is far less twisty than the Fraser Canyon highway, which is now even referred to as `the road less travelled鈥� in government-funded marketing materials.

鈥淢any people will go to the interior using the Coquihalla because it鈥檚 quick and convenient,鈥� said Walt Judas, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of BC. (Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon does retain one advantage: it never climbs high into the mountains, meaning it often experiences rain when the Coquihalla gets snow.)

The new highway led to fewer tourists along the Fraser Canyon, which forced businesses to close and many residents out of town in the 1980s.

The population of Ashcroft, for example, peaked at nearly 2,200 residents in 1981鈥攆ive years before the Coquihalla opened鈥攁ccording to provincial census data. Cache Creek, which now hosts about 970 people, topped at just over 1,300 residents in 1981 too. And Lytton鈥檚 population also peaked in the 1970s before steadily declining.

Although the Coquihalla is one major explanation for the drop in tourism, it鈥檚 not the only reason. Recent natural disasters have dissuaded travel to the corridor.

Within six months in 2021, a wildfire destroyed 90 per cent of downtown Lytton and a series of atmospheric rivers closed the Fraser-Thompson Corridor from Spences Bridge to Hope for two months. Last year鈥檚 Kookipi Creek wildfire also burned down 27 properties along Highway 1.

(Tegart said the new signs were not going to go up until the Lytton rebuild was underway. Rebuilding efforts began in December 2023. Since then, a handful of residents have returned to homes, but rebuilding efforts have been plagued by high costs linked to provincial archeology rules.)

鈥淢any people were passing by the Fraser Canyon,鈥� Tegart said. And for those who did vention up the highway, a lack of signage left many remaining businesses and attractions hidden to travellers.

Open for business

Inadequate signage is not a new concern for highways in B.C.

In 2022, the Tourism Industry Association of B.C. found many signs across the province were poorly maintained and rarely acknowledged Indigenous communities and attractions. The group also reported that there are few guidelines on how often highway signs should be inspected, cleaned or replaced.

The lack of maintenance reflects budgeting constraints and the size of the province, Judas said. There are many remote areas in B.C., and especially during the winter months, the signs can be tough to maintain.

It remains to be seen whether the signs will increase tourism in the Fraser Canyon. However, Judas said they can鈥檛 hurt.

鈥淭he signs are attractive, they鈥檙e noticeable, they tell a bit of a story. And to me, it enhances the visitor experience as they鈥檙e travelling through the province,鈥� he said.

The new signs鈥攚ritten in English, Halq鈥檈meylem, and Nle?kepmxcin鈥攈onour the Indigenous history of the land and its Gold Rush legacy. The blended history was made in consultation with local Elders, who greenlighted the use of Indigenous language on the signs.

Since September, Lytton Mayor Denise O鈥機onnor says she has noticed a number of people interacting with the new sign south of town鈥攁 positive sign for a community looking to get its local economy up and running.

Unlike the new sign in Yale, which sits at a frequently used highway rest stop, she noted the Lytton one practically sits on its own. There are no washrooms or rest stop-like features, but visitors are still keen to check it out.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just unbelievable the number of tourists that are stopping already,鈥� O鈥機onnor said. She noted there is more work that needs to be done to attract tourists, who may be weary of travelling to a community recently ravaged by a fire. But O鈥機onnor expects the sign to support that push.

鈥淚t鈥檚 one piece,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think a lot more has to happen, but it鈥檚 an incredible start.鈥�

O鈥機onnor would like to see more pullouts and signs along Highway 1 viewpoints鈥攁nd for new markers to describe the Indigenous and Gold Rush history of the Canyon.

The revitalization committee wants to continue adding signage along the highway, Tegart said. But no additional areas have been announced.

In Hope, there are discussions about building signs that encourage people to take Highway 1, said Mayor Victor Smith. He wants something large that is both noticeable and photo-worthy.

鈥淲e want to have a picture of the sign, people standing there, so you see the size of it,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淧eople will want to get a picture with the signs, which means they got to drive there.鈥�

As more emphasis is placed on the Fraser Canyon, Tegart is reminding residents of proper travel etiquette. Because they emphasize the region鈥檚 Indigenous and settler history, she hopes visitors will not trespass into sensitive ecosystems and look after the land they pass through.

鈥淲e wanted to set a tone that said, `We welcome you as visitors, but you are visitors,鈥濃�� Tegart said.

鈥淲e are looking for a respectful visitor.鈥�