3 B.C. highways reopen, food systems starting to stabilize, provincial officials say

Heroic "round the clock" efforts to restore key transportation and food supply lifelines in British Columbia are starting to bear fruit, the province's transportation and agriculture ministers said on Saturday.

Highway 99 reopened around noon PT with two lanes north of Pemberton to small vehicles only, with authorities still asking motorists to only travel for essential reasons such as returning to a primary home address.

"This will provide a second connection from Lower Mainland to the north, through Pemberton and Lillooet," Rob Fleming, B.C.'s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, said at a press conference Saturday morning. "It is designed for smaller vehicles because of the terrain — nothing larger than a cube truck will be allowed on the highway."

According to a provincial government release Saturday, "checkpoints will be in place and travel restrictions will be enforced," and only vehicles weighing less than 14.5 tonnes will be allowed. Heavier trucks should take Highway 3, which reopened Friday, the release said.

"I can't stress enough that keeping this corridor open is vital to British Columbians where goods are short," Fleming said, referring to Highway 3. "People have been up day-and-night working around the clock… at an accelerated, exhausting pace."

On Vancouver Island, the Malahat highway reopened Friday to two-way traffic after being shuttered by torrents of floodwater last week.

Highway 99 was severed when a major mudslide last Sunday swept vehicles off the road after a massive and devastating rainstorm.

The mudslide near Lillooet killed at least four people, with RCMP confirming Saturday they recovered the remains of three men near the scene. RCMP said another remains missing.

"It is very sad, tragic news for the province that the RCMP have confirmed the deaths of other individuals in the slide events," Fleming said. "Our thoughts are with their loved ones at this time."

Asked about Friday's new provincial essential travel restrictions on affected routes — rules which also limit motorists to 30 litres of fuel per fill-up until Dec. 1 — Fleming said the province is still limiting travel to "essential" purposes such as commercial deliveries, getting stranded travelers and evacuees to safety, and recovery efforts.

"We want people to travel for essential purposes, which is reconnecting with their primary addresses," Fleming said.

But while many images have circulated of empty grocery store shelves in various regions of B.C., including areas far from flooding, provincial Agriculture Minister Lana Popham said there are currently no food shortages — just "pinch points in the supply chain" that are being gradually restored with new supply.

Thousands of livestock are reported to have died in flooding of the Sumas Prairie in Abbotsford as cold waters rose and feed ran out. Volunteers and farmers have spent much of the week attempting to rescue as many animals as possible from the floodwaters.

Some grocery stores have put in place limits on how much milk, eggs and meat shoppers can buy.