WHEREAS Regional Parks are a major economic, social and recreational driver in all regions of the Province; and

WHEREAS RMs with Regional Parks are in desperate need of financial Assistance to upgrade the dust free surfaces of access roads to these parks;

BE IT RESOLVED that Regional Park access roads be permitted, under the Municipal Road for Economy Program (MREP), to be rebuilt to their existing road standards for road surface and right of way widths.

Response from Honourable Don McMorris, Minister of Highways and Infrastructure:

I understand that my predecessor, the Honourable Jim Reiter, met with the MREP Program Management Board on April 2, 2012, and committed to providing direction on the eligibility of regional park access roads and the SARM resolution to allow the top width of a regional park access road to be less than the minimum standard of 8.6 metres.

I want to confirm that regional park access roads are still eligible for funding under MREP, but that the 8.6 metre minimum standard for the top width must be maintained for all roadway projects under MREP because of safety concerns.