Construction of Tlicho all-season road paused

The COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted construction of the Tchall-season road.

In a notice to regulators this week, the general contractor on the project said construction has been paused until May 15.

The $200 million road will run from Highway3 west of Yellowknifeto the tiny Tchcommunity of What.

According to the notice, only a handful of workers remain on site for security purposes and to monitor the siteas spring closes in.

In an email, the territorial government said that, for the past month, no new non-essential workers have been allowed on the construction site. Non-essential workers who have left have not been allowed to return.

The government says it is too early to tell how the pandemic will affect the timeline for the project.

It was planning to open the 97-kilometreroad to the public in the fall of 2022.