B.C.’s Transportation Minister says work to four-lane the Trans-Canada highway through Chase should begin this fall.

The first phase will see more than three kilometres of the highway expanded. The contract for that work will go out to tender this summer, but was first expected to in 2017.

Claire Trevena was asked why there has been a delay.

“I wouldn’t say it’s delayed,” she says. “I would say that we are continuing to work, as the previous government did, continuing to work with communities to make sure that we get the right highway for the communities, for us as a province, for everyone who is using it as a main commercial link through B.C.

“We’re continuing to go through our own internal processes, so we are working literally as fast as we can. My mandate is to accelerate the four-laning of the Trans Canada, I want to make sure that we are accelerating it but we’ve got to make sure that we get it right.”

The province has budgeted $199 million for the project, and Trevena declined to comment on a current cost estimate.

Last week, Liberal Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Todd Stone told NL News he is convinced the project will come in over budget.

(Photo: Ministry of Transportation)