Blue River is a small highway town in the North Thompson Valley. It sits on Highway 5, roughly midway between Kamloops and Jasper. Most travellers know it as a stop on the road between Vancouver, the Interior and Alberta. Others come for heli-skiing, Wells Gray Provincial Park and Murtle Lake. On October 1, 2026, the North Thompson got some big news. The federal government named a new oil pipeline along the existing Trans Mountain corridor a project of national interest. Below, we look at what that means for Blue River and the Highway 5 corridor. Then we look at what it means for hospitality property in the area.

Pacific Link Is Now a Project of National Interest

On October 1, 2026, Prime Minister Mark Carney named the Pacific Link pipeline a project of national interest. The roughly 1,250 km line would carry up to one million barrels of crude oil a day. It would run from Bruderheim, near Edmonton, to a port in the Lower Mainland. Its estimated cost is between $35.2 billion and $43.7 billion. Trans Mountain, the federal Crown corporation, would build and operate it. The Government of Alberta and Pembina Pipeline are partners.

The route is expected to follow the existing Trans Mountain corridor through the North Thompson Valley and Kamloops. Early maps show a new corridor section between Blue River and Clearwater. The route is not final. An alternate route through the Sea to Sky and Sunshine Coast is also under consideration. According to Alberta, early construction could start as soon as September 1, 2027, once consultation, approvals and permits are complete.

What the Last Pipeline Meant for the North Thompson

The North Thompson has been here before. During the Trans Mountain expansion, Trans Mountain ran a work camp near Blue River for up to 550 workers. From July to September 2022, the North Thompson section averaged 2,782 to 3,239 workers a day. Only 34 per cent stayed in camps. More than half, 52 per cent, stayed in area hotels, rentals and other accommodation.

That demand filled rooms and campsites up and down the valley, and it also put pressure on housing. Clearwater mayor Merlin Blackwell wants planning to start now. He spoke to Castanet on October 1, 2026. “We know what not to do from very recent experience, so let’s have a much better plan on all of this,” he said. He suggested designing temporary construction sites to leave a lasting benefit. Ideas include future housing or a permanent campground.

Highway 5: Blue River’s Steady Base

Pipelines come and go, but Highway 5 does not. The Yellowhead South is the shortest land route between Vancouver and Edmonton. It also carries traffic to Jasper and Mount Robson. Blue River sits right on it. As a result, long-distance drivers, RV travellers and tour groups stop for fuel, food and a bed. VIA Rail’s Canadian also makes request stops in town.

World-Class Wilderness on the Doorstep

Blue River is home to Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing, a world-famous heli-ski operation. In April 2024, Alterra Mountain Company completed its purchase of the business. In summer, visitors come for Wells Gray Provincial Park. Blue River is also the north access to Murtle Lake, a large paddling lake closed to motorboats. Others book wildlife tours along the glacier-fed rivers, or fish, hike and camp in the surrounding mountains.

What It Means for North Thompson Hospitality Property

In short, Blue River has two layers of demand. The first is steady: Highway 5 traffic, Jasper and Mount Robson visitors, heli-skiing in winter and wilderness trips in summer. The second could arrive later this decade. If Pacific Link goes ahead on the Trans Mountain corridor, the North Thompson would likely see another construction cycle. Last time, more than half the workers stayed in local accommodation. For an owner-operator, that combination is the appeal. The business rests on the highway and the outdoors, with possible upside from a major project.

For more on the same corridor, see our article on Valemount and the Robson Valley, just up Highway 5.

BC Commercial Group currently has a property listed in Blue River:

• Blue River: Blue River Campground, the only campground in Blue River, with 65 sites and 7 cabins on Highway 5

Related Articles

• Kootenay Lake and Nelson: Hospitality Outlook
• Powell River and Texada: Sunshine Coast Hospitality Outlook
• Valemount and the Robson Valley: Today’s Demand and the Next Pipeline
• Northern BC LNG Projects: Chetwynd to Prince Rupert

Sources

• Castanet: New pipeline could bring 1,000 workers, revive Clearwater community pressures (October 1, 2026)
• BOE Report: Pacific Link welcomes Project of National Interest listing (October 1, 2026)
• Government of Alberta: Pacific Link
• Pipeline Online: West Coast pipeline to parallel existing Trans Mountain route
• Too much boom: pipeline workers outnumber residents in one northern BC village (December 17, 2022)
• Trans Mountain: Blue River Camp Community
• Business Wire: Alterra closes acquisition of Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing (April 25, 2024)