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Is Highway 28 Still A Priority?



For decades, highways have shaped the way communities grow. They determine where businesses invest, how goods move, and how people connect across rural and urban Alberta. But not every highway receives the same attention, and in northeast Alberta, one particular corridor has become the focus of renewed political pressure.


Highway 28 runs through the heart of the region, linking communities, industry, and tourism hubs from the Edmonton area toward Bonnyville, Cold Lake, and beyond. Supporters say it’s more than just pavement; it’s an economic lifeline. Oil and gas traffic moves along it every day. So do families heading to tournaments, tourists travelling to lakes and campgrounds, and the heavy trucks that keep northern economies moving.


And yet, while some sections of the route have seen upgrades over the years, leaders in the northeast argue that the northern portions of the highway have not received the same level of investment.


That concern has led to a renewed lobbying effort.


Deputy Reeve Ben Fadeyiw of the MD of Bonnyville has now been appointed chair of a new committee under the Northeast Alberta Alliance for Growth and Opportunity — or NAAGO — focused specifically on Highway 28. The committee brings together municipal leaders from across the region, including Bonnyville Mayor Elisa Brosseau and Smoky Lake County Deputy Reeve Lorne Halisky, with a shared goal: convincing the province to recognize Highway 28 as a key economic corridor for northeast Alberta.


The group says the long-term vision is clear, passing lanes along the entire route and twinning between Bonnyville and Cold Lake, improvements they argue are necessary to handle increasing industrial traffic and to improve safety.


Lobbying on the issue began in late 2024, but momentum slowed during the province-wide municipal elections in 2025. Now, with a new committee in place and a renewed push underway, the question is back on the table.


Is Highway 28 still a priority for Alberta’s transportation future? And how do rural municipalities convince the province that investment in this corridor matters — not just locally, but economically for the entire region?


For this edition of the show, we’re joined by the newly appointed chair of the committee and Deputy Reeve for the MD of Bonnyville, Ben Fadeyiw, to talk about the push to finish Highway 28 — and whether this new alliance can bring the province to the table. ------

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