M.D. OF BONNYVILLE – There are big plans to grow tourism in the Lakeland, but local leaders say the condition of the main highway bringing many of those visitors into the region remains a problem.

Highway 28 came up during Travel Lakeland’s presentation to M.D. of Bonnyville council on August 11, when Deputy Reeve Ben Fadeyiw questioned how the region can successfully attract more tourists when portions of the highway continue to leave travellers with a rough first impression.

The concern comes despite significant provincial investment already made along the corridor and more work in various stages of planning, including engineering for the eventual twinning of Highway 28 between Bonnyville and Cold Lake.

‘Our highways are our biggest deterrent’

Travel Lakeland President Michelle Wright was presenting the organization’s developing 20-year Destination Development Plan, which aims to attract tourism investment and get more visitors travelling throughout northeastern Alberta.

Fadeyiw supports growing the industry, but said the roads bringing people here have to be part of that conversation.

“We all love to see tourism here and people come travelling down our highways, and our highways are our biggest deterrent to coming up here,” Fadeyiw said.

He pointed to a recent drive to Edmonton where he encountered three vehicles broken down along the route.

“I went to Edmonton the other day and there was three breakdowns on the highway,” he said. “One was a fifth wheel, one was a motorhome and one was a camper.”

For Fadeyiw, the concern is what those travellers tell people when they get home.

“When these people go back home, they’ll have nothing but terrible things to say about coming up here,” he said. “It’s sad for our tourism industry.”

Work is happening on Highway 28

The concerns don’t mean Highway 28 has been forgotten.

In May, Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul MLA Scott Cyr said the province had already committed $66 million toward improvements along the corridor, including intersection upgrades, signal replacements, curve reconstruction and additional passing and climbing lanes.

One of the biggest long-term projects is the proposed twinning of Highway 28 between Bonnyville and Cold Lake, where engineering work is underway.

Other work identified earlier this year included signal and lane upgrades through Bonnyville, a 41-kilometre paving overlay between Warspite and Highway 36 planned for 2026, and design work for paving between Vilna and Ashmont, tentatively targeted for 2027.

Engineering has also been progressing on sections closer to Edmonton.

The province’s investment addresses many of the same concerns municipalities throughout the Lakeland have been raising for years, particularly as oil and gas activity, agriculture, tourism and expected growth connected to the F-35 program at 4 Wing Cold Lake put more pressure on the corridor.

Tourism plans depend on getting people here

Wright agreed with Fadeyiw that tourism development can’t happen in isolation from infrastructure.

“We recognize this tourism strategy will not be successful if the infrastructure is not in place to support it,” Wright told council.

She said Travel Lakeland has also raised Highway 28 with MLAs throughout the region.

“We have brought it up with all of the MLAs,” she said.

That’s particularly important given the scale of what Travel Lakeland is trying to build.

Its developing tourism strategy is looking at everything from outdoor recreation and Indigenous tourism to culinary experiences, air access and all-season resorts. In the M.D. of Bonnyville, Travel Lakeland is specifically exploring the potential to grow Kinosoo Ridge into a signature regional attraction.

The organization’s long-term vision also depends on visitors moving between communities rather than travelling to one destination and heading home.

Progress and pressure at the same time

For Highway 28, both things can be true.

Millions of dollars have already been invested, additional paving and safety work is planned and engineering toward the long-awaited twinning between Bonnyville and Cold Lake represents significant movement.

At the same time, Fadeyiw’s comments show municipalities aren’t ready to stop pushing.

The Lakeland wants more people discovering what northeastern Alberta has to offer. The challenge now is making sure the road they take to get here keeps pace with those ambitions.