A rural road in the North Okanagan will be undergoing a name change in the near future.
The Ministry of Transportation says Squaw Valley Road, located near Lumby, will be changed because of its derogatory meaning to Indigenous women.
“The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure takes the concerns put forth by local First Nations communities on this matter very seriously,” the ministry said in an email to Global News.
The ministry says all name changes for roads that fall under its jurisdiction require provincial approval.
“The ministry ensures that consultation occurs with residents living on the road, as well as those directly impacted by the road name change, such as the regional district that provides emergency services to the area,” said the ministry.
“The ministry is currently in consultation regarding this road name change and cannot confirm when the road name change may occur. We cannot speak to what the road name will be until all consultation has concluded.
“We are taking steps to find a more suitable road name which involves consultation with the Splatsin, whose traditional territory this road resides within.”
For more information about road name changes, click here.
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