Road Conditions in Upper Fintry
251125 – I have received numerous requests from and have met with residents of Upper Fintry/Muir Road area about the unpaved road network within their community. This is long overdue and should have happened in the early 2000’s when the water system saw the roadway dug up for the water infrastructure. The fact is the number of homes was not nearly what it is today. During the last Census 2016-2021 the community went from a handful of homes to 130+. Dust suppression does not work well as you can see in the picture you just inhale something with the dust.
I have spoken with various government “road people” from Provincial Ministers to the local contractors responsible for the actual maintenance of the roadways. In the North Westside it is the Vernon office and service contract that applies not the Kelowna based one responsible for the rest of RDCO. This means the relationship is not strong between RDCO and the Vernon office in charge of our service contract and the contractor and Ministry office report to the RDNO Electoral Area Committee in Coldstream and I sit on the EASC (RDCO equivalent to the RDNO EA Committee) in Kelowna!
For many years the RDCO did little to no advocacy for services outside of their mandate leaving rural residents on their own with a very small voice with senior levels of government. The municipalities are able to speak directly with senior levels of government (that where all the money comes from) EA’s on the other hand get spoken for especially in the RDCO.
With the formation of the EASC advocacy (in my opinion) became a core function of the committee as we can focus and strengthen the message using the weight and expertise of RDCO and their staff to construct the most effective message and send it to the right people.
The discussion is here: To consider recommending the Regional Board send a letter to the Minister of Transportation and Transit (MOTT) citing concerns with the road dust in Upper Fintry. 7.1 Video – Community Concerns with Road Conditions in Upper Fintry ELECTORAL AREA SERVICES COMMITTEE AGENDA Thursday, June 05, 2025
Letter to Minister of Transportation and Transit – Community Concerns with Road Conditions in Upper Fintry Letter to Ministry from RDCO
Macklin McCall – Roads Upper Fintry 251125 Letter of support from local MLA
Mike Farnsworth – Roads Upper Fintry 251125 Reply from Provincial Ministry
Google Images – Upper Fintry Roads
Media
Fintry residents, fed up with dust and potholes, call on province to pave their roads 250502
Health Factors
In BC, the province leans hard on calcium chloride and magnesium chloride for dust suppression on rural roads-they’re hygroscopic salts that grab moisture from the air to clump the dirt and cut airborne particles by up to eighty percent, which is a win for overall air quality and fewer asthma flares from the dust itself. But health-wise, they’re not risk-free, especially with repeated exposure in a residential spot like Upper Fintry. Main hits: skin and eye irritation from splashes or windblown residue-think dryness, redness, or even mild burns if it’s concentrated and touches bare skin or paws. Inhalation is low-key since it’s not toxic like silica, but chronic breathing of the brine mist could tickle throats or lungs, worsening allergies or COPD for sensitive folks. Ingestion is rare but a concern if kids or pets lick treated gravel it could upset stomachs, cause nausea, or in big doses, mess with electrolytes like sodium levels. Long-term studies show minimal cancer or organ risks at road-use doses, but runoff spikes chloride in local water, indirectly stressing aquatic life that might affect drinking sources. Overall, safer than unchecked dust clouds, but push for eco-alternatives like lignin-based binders when locals complain-they’re milder on skin and less salty.
The UN’s World Health Organization lumps road dust from gravel or unpaved roads under particulate matter pollution-PM2.5 and PM10-the tiny bits that sneak deep into lungs and bloodstream. Their fact sheets nail it: this stuff spikes risks for respiratory crud like asthma attacks, bronchitis, and COPD flares, plus heart issues-strokes, irregular beats, even premature deaths. Globally, ambient air pollution like this kills four point two million a year, hitting rural spots hard where dust kicks up unchecked. Vulnerable crew? Kids, elderly, anyone with lung or heart probs-they get hit worst, with eye irritation and allergies thrown in. No direct gravel road deep-dive, but they push mitigation like paving or suppression to slash exposure.
