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- Feb 8 - BC pauses $160M Malahat expansion
Feb 8 - BC pauses $160M Malahat expansion
Weekly roundup. Victoria council to push for wheelchairs in bike lanes.
Capital Daily Team
February 08, 2026
Good morning !
The Olympics officially kicked off on Friday—have you been keeping up?
So far, as of writing this, Canada has scored one bronze medal (courtesy of speed skater Valérie Maltais). But I’m sure there are many more medals to come.
— Robyn
Today’s approx. read time: 8 minutes
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BC pauses $162M Malahat-widening project amid environmental concerns for Goldstream
Carl Olsen at his weekly protest in support of Goldstream protections. Photo: W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Committee
For more than three years, Carl Olsen (ZȺWIZUT), a W̱SÁNEĆ elder, has stood on the side of the Trans-Canada Highway where it passes Goldstream Park to protest a highway expansion he said could cause significant damage to the waterway and surrounding forest.
Now, his calls for action are finally being answered. The province announced Thursday that it was pausing the $162M project that would have widened the highway near Goldstream and added a median along the Malahat corridor.
“I'm very happy about that decision,” Carl told Capital Daily. “But I'm going to remind myself that they did use the word ‘paused’ in their statement.”
Since the expansion project was announced, Carl has said widening the highway would cause significant damage to the stream and forest. For years, he’s been volunteering with the Goldstream Hatchery, which works to improve salmon spawning in the stream, and he knows how fragile the ecosystem is.
The proposed removal of 700 trees had the potential to cause the stream to heat up, killing off salmon eggs and fry, according to Carl. Losing these trees could also remove homes for a variety of wildlife and lead to more debris and runoff ending up in the water, according to studies conducted by WSANEC.
It appears these concerns have finally given the province pause. In its announcement, it said “additional work” was required to “address environmental considerations in this sensitive area.”
The Ministry of Transportation says it will update its 2012 Highway 1 Malahat Safety Review to include current information about the highway’s condition and crash data. This new report will be used to determine future short-, medium- and long-term improvements that can be made to the corridor without damaging the surrounding environment.
The province said the $162M set aside for the project will be reallocated to “other transportation priorities.”
Carl has no plans to stop his weekly protests. Goldstream, he says, still needs protection.
“It's about saving the environment in restoration of Goldstream, or in our language, SELE₭TEȽ,” he said. “Yeah, I'm going to remain there.”
⚠️ Capital Bulletin
Missing teen: Blake was last seen at his home in Vic West on Jan. 26. [VicPD]
An overdose advisory is in place for Greater Victoria for the second time in 2 weeks. [Island Health]
Family Day is a week from tomorrow. [City of Victoria]
Coldest Night of the Year fundraising walk. [Feb. 27]
Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.
