Two horses were struck by vehicles on Highway 99 north of Pemberton in the early hours of Sept. 20, reigniting longstanding safety concerns about the busy corridor and prompting renewed community calls for government intervention.
“On September 20, 2025, at about 4:45 am, our Pemberton Detachment RCMP Members received reports of a collision involving a vehicle and horses on Highway 99,” a detachment spokesperson said.
“The vehicle involved did sustain damage; however, there were no injuries to the driver.”
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The incident follows years of accidents and near-misses involving free-roaming horses on the highway, a stretch frequently identified by residents as hazardous due to sharp curves, poor visibility and high speed limits.
In the days following the collision, local resident Elkie Webb launched an online petition urging the province to reduce speed limits, improve signage and consider physical crossings or barriers to protect animals and drivers alike. The original petition garnered 140 signatures to date.
“Living along Hwy 99, I witness the daily dangers posed to everyone using this road,” Webb wrote in the petition text. “Frequent accidents on Hwy 99 bring heartbreak and divide our community, underscoring the urgent need for stronger safety measures.”
The petition calls for lowering the 80 kilometres/hour speed limit between the Pemberton Creek bridge and Mount Currie to 50 kilometres/hour, with stricter limits at night alongside clearer wildlife warning signs and engineered crossings.
In an interview, Webb said the community has shown both support and resistance to reducing speeds.
“Some people travelling through the Valley want to make their commute quicker and have decided that the extra minutes saved are worth it [even] if it comes at the expense of slowing down through communities along the highway,” she said.
“Many community members, including myself, have been advocating for changes for years because of concerns about family safety and the daily experience of using this highway.”
While past efforts have led to incremental improvements such as additional signage, Webb said those changes have been insufficient.
“Many safety concerns—speed, visibility, and community risk—remain, so progress has been slow,” she noted.“The signage can still be confusing for drivers. Suggested limits aren’t always clear, and combined with legal and political uncertainties, it’s hard for drivers to know how to respond.”
She noted that while the Village of Pemberton can support residents, ultimate authority lies with the provincial Ministry of Transportation and Transit (MOTT), which manages the Highway. The Village of Pemberton has made similar comments during past discussions on the issue. In February, the Village announced they had partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture to write to MOTT, proposing an 80 to 60 kilometres/hour speed reduction.
“Meaningful action depends on clear, enforceable decisions and follow-through,” Webb said. “The ultimate jurisdiction for changes like speed limits remains at the provincial level … all [the Village] can do is support the petition and advocate for action.”
Kate Cole, who works in the Pemberton Emergency Department, said the presence of horses on the highway risk impeding first responders travelling North from the Village.
“Each time I respond to a night call, I find myself wondering: Where are the horses tonight? I hope there is no fog. Will I hit one? Will I injure myself and delay care for the very patient I am racing to help?”
For Cole, the situation requires a conversation beyond just a speed reduction.
“Some have suggested lowering the speed limit, but from my many night-call experiences, speed alone is not the issue. Horses can appear suddenly, even at very low speeds, particularly in low-lying fog,” she wrote.
“We need a long-term plan to keep both people and horses safe, whether through fencing, relocation, or another community-supported intervention. Until action is taken, every single person who drives this road, especially those tasked with saving others, is at risk.”
The RCMP told Pique that there isn’t an investigation into the horses’ owner, and that the current “file has been concluded.”
The Village of Pemberton has received Webb’s petition and has it listed under “correspondence for information” ahead of the Oct. 7 council meeting. Under council policy, it has not yet been added to an agenda for formal discussion.
In a statement, the Village said the petition was submitted as correspondence only because it lacked petitioners’ names and addresses, as required by council policy. If resubmitted in proper petition form before Oct. 1, the matter could be added to the council agenda.
“I’m cautiously hopeful,” Webb said of the Village’s next steps. “It’s good that the issue is being discussed, but meaningful action depends on clear, enforceable decisions and follow-through.”
Until then, residents say the danger will remain.
“Waiting until a death happens will be far too late,” Cole warned.
