Highway 1 reopens between Abbotsford and Chilliwack, Tiger Dam removed
Highway 1 through Abbotsford reopened just after 2 p.m. Thursday.
“I know it has been hard on people and families as we worked to protect this vital highway, but the results are very good,” said Transportation Minister Rob Fleming.
Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun called the reopening "great news" during his afternoon update on the flood situation.
The mayor said Abbotsford police escorted the first vehicles through the previously closed portion of the road to ensure the road is clear and safe.
"This is great news not only for our residents, but also for people, goods and services to be able to once again access this key transportation corridor," Braun said.
Before the highway could reopen, work began around 7:30 Thursday morning to dismantle the Tiger Dam on the highway near Cole Road.
BC Dairy says the highway reopening is a “significant milestone and will help farmers within the flood zone receive better access to services they need.”
The BC Chicken Marketing Board calls the reopening a “relief,” saying it’s been difficult to get essential service trucks from farms through.
The city lifted evacuation orders for Huntingdon village Wednesday night, but evacuation orders for the rest of Sumas Prairie remain in place.
The mayor said Thursday that the city expects to be able to begin lifting other evacuation orders in the next few days. However, he once again repeated that the former Sumas Lake - a low point on the prairie approximately 4.5 kilometres in diameter - would take weeks to drain.
The city's Barrowtown Pump Station reduced water levels in the lake by about seven inches over the last 24 hours, Braun said. He estimated the floodwater in the former lake is between five and six feet - or a little less than two metres - deep, and said it will likely be two to three weeks before the pump station can remove all of the water that remains.
The dam over the highway was built Sunday evening as worries grew that the Nooksack River south of the border would overflow as more heavy rains came.
A Tiger Dam is a series of large, water-filled tubes used to create a barrier against flooding.Crews work to dismantle a Tiger Dam in Abbotsford, B.C., on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021. (Michele Brunoro / CTV News Vancouver)
Crews work to dismantle a Tiger Dam in Abbotsford, B.C., on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021. (Michele Brunoro / CTV News Vancouver)
Crews work to dismantle a Tiger Dam in Abbotsford, B.C., on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021. (Michele Brunoro / CTV News Vancouver)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'The lost season': Winter comes to a close as Canada's warmest on record
The warmest winter on record could have far-reaching effects on everything from wildfire season to erosion, climatologists say, while offering a preview of what the season could resemble in the not-so-distant future unless steps are taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
NEW High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Freddie Mercury's home is on the market for first time since 1980 minus his 'exquisite clutter'
Freddie Mercury's sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century -- minus his "exquisite clutter."
NEW Where to watch the state funeral for former prime minister Brian Mulroney
A state funeral for former prime minister Brian Mulroney will be held in Montreal on March 23. CTV News will have live special coverage of his funeral service.
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.