Highway of Tears

Origin and Scope of the Crisis

The term Highway of Tears was coined in 1998 during a vigil in Terrace, British Columbia, by Florence Naziel, who thought of the families crying for their lost loved ones. The highway itself was completed in 1969, which coincides with the earliest cases. The victims are disproportionately Indigenous women and girls, linking the corridor directly to the broader MMIWG2S+ crisis in Canada. Exact numbers of victims vary between official and community counts. The RCMP's Project E-Pana, a special task force, officially investigates 18 cases along Highway 16 and other northern corridors. Indigenous organizations and advocates, however, estimate the number of missing and murdered women associated with the area is over 40. This discrepancy in numbers often points to differing criteria for inclusion and historical underreporting. The vast majority of victims were last seen hitchhiking, a common mode of travel in a region historically lacking reliable public transit.

Numerous social and economic factors contribute to the vulnerability of individuals along the highway. These include intergenerational poverty, the legacy of the residential school system and the Sixties Scoop, substance use, and widespread domestic violence. Poverty, in particular, limits vehicle ownership, making hitchhiking a necessary, though dangerous, means of travel for work, school, medical appointments, or visiting family across great distances. The physical environment also complicates investigations as the region is remote and heavily forested, with soft soil in many areas and scavengers that can disturb remains. Until very recently, large sections of the highway had no cellular service, isolating travellers in emergencies and hindering communication for those in distress.

Police Investigations and Suspects

The first RCMP investigation to examine Highway of Tears cases as potentially linked began in December 1998. The major investigative effort, Project E-Pana, was launched in 2005 with provincial funding. Initially focused on Highway 16, its scope expanded to include cases near Highways 97 and 5, following criteria that victims were female, involved in high-risk lifestyles or hitchhiking, and were last seen within a mile of those highways. By 2014, the task force had reportedly shrunk from 70 officers to 12, which limited its capacity to pursue complex cold cases across a vast geographical area.

Investigations have led to convictions, but many cases remain unsolved. Three serial killers, Brian Peter Arp, Edward Dennis Isaac, and Cody Legebokoff, have been convicted in cases related to the corridor. Project E-Pana has also linked several historical homicides to the now-deceased American criminal Bobby Jack Fowler, though he was never charged with any Highway of Tears cases. In 2014, Garry Taylor Handlen was charged and later convicted for the 1978 murder of 12-year-old Monica Jack, marking the first Project E-Pana case to be fully resolved through court proceedings. RCMP officials have stated that while they have persons of interest in several cases, a lack of evidence has prevented charges, and they acknowledge they may never solve all the crimes along the remote highway.

The 2006 Symposium and Community-Led Recommendations

In March 2006, a major two-day Highway of Tears symposium was held in Prince George, organized by Aboriginal groups and attended by over 500 leaders and family members of victims. This gathering produced the Highway of Tears Symposium Recommendation Report, which outlined 33 specific recommendations across four key themes: public awareness and prevention, emergency planning and protocols, victim family support, and community development and transportation. The central and most publicized recommendation was the creation of safe, reliable public transportation along Highway 16 to deter hitchhiking. Other recommendations included improving cellular service, enhancing educational and social services for Indigenous people, and providing culturally appropriate counselling for families affected by the tragedies.

This community-driven report was later endorsed by British Columbia's Missing Women Commission of Inquiry, led by Commissioner Wally Oppal in 2012. The report has served as a foundational document for advocacy ever since. Its calls were echoed and expanded by the 231 Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in 2019. In April 2026, Carrier Sekani Family Services hosted a 20th anniversary commemoration of the original symposium in Prince George, reviewing the 33 recommendations and assessing progress under the theme Where We Have Been, Where We Are Now, and Where We Are Going. Advocates at the 2026 event reiterated that while some steps had been taken, much more action was urgently needed to fulfill the promises made two decades earlier.

Government Response and the Email Scandal

Government response to the crisis has been criticized as slow and, at times, obstructive. A significant scandal emerged in 2015 when British Columbia's information and privacy commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, published a report titled Access Denied. The report revealed that government officials had triple deleted emails related to the Highway of Tears. The deletion was allegedly ordered by ministerial assistant George Gretes and carried out on the account of an executive assistant in the Ministry of Transportation. Triple deleting involves removing an email from the deleted items folder and then overriding system backups, making recovery nearly impossible and constituting a serious breach of public record laws.

Commissioner Denham found this action was a deliberate attempt to skirt freedom of information laws after an opposition request for files on missing women and ministry meetings. The emails were sought following a 2014 ministry tour of Highway 16 to discuss safer travel options. George Gretes resigned and was later convicted of lying to the privacy commissioner, receiving a 2,500 dollar fine. A special prosecutor was appointed to oversee the RCMP's investigation into the matter. This scandal severely undermined public trust and highlighted the political sensitivity surrounding the government's handling of the Highway of Tears file, demonstrating a failure of transparency and accountability.

Transportation and Safety Initiatives

Addressing the lack of transportation has been a central and long-fought demand. After a decade of advocacy following the 2006 recommendations, BC Bus North, a subsidized intercommunity transit service, began operations on a section of Highway 16 between Prince George and Burns Lake in June 2017. The service runs on alternating days. In 2024, the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure committed 10.2 million dollars in provincial and federal funding for an action plan to improve safe transportation along the corridor. However, research presented at the 2026 symposium indicated persistent gaps, with community focus groups reporting the bus service was infrequent, trips were too long, payment methods were inconvenient, and safe waiting areas were lacking for passengers.

These gaps mean some people, particularly those needing to travel very early for work, still resort to hitchhiking. Infrastructure improvements have also been pursued. In December 2024, Rogers installed five new 5G cell towers along a 166-kilometre stretch between Prince Rupert and Prince George, finally closing a major cellular dead zone that had existed for decades. This improvement was a direct response to the longstanding recommendation for better communication infrastructure to enhance traveller safety. Despite these steps, the need for comprehensive, frequent, and accessible transportation connecting all communities remains a critical and unmet safety requirement along the highway.

Advocacy, Memorials, and Public Awareness

Advocacy and remembrance efforts are largely led by Indigenous organizations and families. Carrier Sekani Family Services runs the Calls for Justice program, which oversees the Highway of Tears Initiative. This program works to implement the 2006 symposium recommendations and the national inquiry's Calls for Justice through research, education, and community safety projects. A key memorial project involves the creation of two artistic pillars. The Pillar of Hope was unveiled at Cottonwood Island Park in Prince George in April 2026. A second, the Pillar of Strength, is being planned for downtown Prince Rupert. These serve as permanent places for remembrance and awareness, honouring the lives lost and providing a space for healing.

Public awareness has also been raised through numerous media projects. Documentaries such as Finding Dawn (2006), Highway of Tears (2014), and the VICE mini-series Searchers: The Highway of Tears (2015) have brought national and international attention to the cases. These works often highlight the systemic racism that leads to diminished media coverage and police attention for Indigenous victims compared to non-Indigenous victims, as was noted in the disproportionate coverage of the disappearance of white tree planter Nicole Hoar in 2002. Annual events like Red Dress Day continue to call for government action on the unimplemented recommendations, keeping the issue in the public consciousness and demanding accountability for the ongoing crisis.

Ongoing Challenges and the Path Forward

Two decades after the first major symposium, advocates stress that the crisis is not historical but ongoing. The 2026 anniversary event served as a somber reminder that many of the 33 recommendations are only partially implemented or ignored. Systemic issues like poverty, inadequate housing, and gaps in social services that contribute to vulnerability remain largely unaddressed. The need for safe, frequent, and affordable transportation between all communities along the highway continues to be a critical issue. Furthermore, families of victims still seek answers and closure for unsolved cases, with Project E-Pana's resources having diminished over time, limiting investigative progress. The path forward, as outlined by leaders like Regional Chief Terry Teegee and advocates like Mary Teegee, requires all levels of government to work collaboratively with First Nations communities to fully implement the existing recommendations and Calls for Justice. This includes honouring the truth of the families' experiences, addressing the root causes of violence, and making tangible investments in community safety and wellness. The Highway of Tears remains a powerful call for justice and a test of Canada's commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, demanding concrete action to prevent further loss of life along this corridor and across the country.

Questions about Highway of Tears

How many victims are associated with the Highway of Tears?

The number of victims varies between official police counts and community estimates. The RCMP's Project E-Pana officially investigates 18 cases of missing and murdered women along Highway 16 and connected corridors. Indigenous organizations and advocates, however, estimate the number is much higher, exceeding 40 individuals. The discrepancy stems from different criteria for inclusion and the fact that many families believe cases were not properly investigated or linked by authorities over the decades.

Has anyone been convicted for murders on the Highway of Tears?

Yes, several people have been convicted. This includes three serial killers: Brian Peter Arp, Edward Dennis Isaac, and Cody Legebokoff. In 2019, Garry Taylor Handlen was convicted for the 1978 murder of Monica Jack, which was the first case under Project E-Pana to be fully solved through court proceedings. The RCMP task force has also linked several historical cases to the deceased American criminal Bobby Jack Fowler, though he was never formally charged in any Highway of Tears prosecutions before his death in prison.

What were the main recommendations from the 2006 Highway of Tears Symposium?

The 2006 symposium produced a report with 33 recommendations. The most prominent call was for the establishment of safe, reliable public transportation along Highway 16 to provide an alternative to hitchhiking. Other key recommendations included improving cellular service along the entire highway, enhancing educational and social services for Indigenous communities, providing culturally appropriate victim family support, and launching public awareness campaigns. These recommendations were later endorsed by the provincial Missing Women Commission of Inquiry in 2012.

What is the BC government email scandal related to the Highway of Tears?

In 2015, B.C.'s Information and Privacy Commissioner reported that government officials had triple deleted emails related to the Highway of Tears. This occurred after an opposition request for files on missing women and ministry meetings about highway safety. The commissioner found the deletion was a deliberate attempt to avoid freedom of information laws. Ministerial assistant George Gretes, who ordered the deletion, resigned and was later convicted of lying to the commissioner. The scandal damaged public trust in the government's handling of the issue and led to a police investigation.

What transportation improvements have been made along Highway 16?

After years of advocacy, BC Bus North, a subsidized intercommunity transit service, began operating on a section of Highway 16 in June 2017. In 2024, the B.C. government announced a 10.2 million dollar action plan to improve safe transportation along the corridor. Despite these steps, gaps remain. Service is infrequent, trips are long, and safe waiting areas are scarce, leading some people to still resort to hitchhiking. Improving transportation was the central recommendation of the 2006 symposium report, and advocates continue to push for a more comprehensive and reliable system.

What happened at the 20th Anniversary Highway of Tears Symposium in 2026?

In April 2026, Carrier Sekani Family Services hosted a four-day event in Prince George to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the original 2006 symposium. The gathering reviewed the progress on the 33 recommendations, with advocates and family members stating that governments were not doing enough. It also featured the unveiling of the Pillar of Hope memorial in Cottonwood Island Park. Research presented showed that while the BC Bus North service was a positive step, significant transportation gaps still force some people to hitchhike, underscoring the ongoing nature of the safety crisis along the highway.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Nosy Mag desk. Last updated 2026-10-20.