The concept of a road connection to isolated communities on Labrador's north coast is once again a source of conversation, and even those who support such an ambitious undertaking realize it would be a tough sell.

You've got to have a dream. - Randy Edmunds

But for some, it's not beyond the realm of possibilitity.

"You've got to have a dream for a dream to come true," said Torngat Mountains MHA Randy Edmunds, whose district encompasses all of northern Labrador and its roughly 3,200 residents.

Both from a cost and engineering standpoint, it's a daunting thing to imagine.

Picture this: a main trunk from Happy Valley-Goose Bay in central Labrador to Nain in the north, with branch roads into Rigolet, Makkovik, Postville, Hopedale and Natuashish.

That's about 860 kilometres of road in all, with an estimated cost of nearly $900 million for construction and pavement — likely much more — plus the cost of winter snowclearing to enable year-round access for passenger and commercial vehicles.

Here is one scenario for a road network to Labrador's north coast. It was presented by Happy Valley-Goose Bay resident and environmental scientist Robert Way during an address to the Combined Councils of Labrador on Feb. 10. (Courtesy Robert Way)

On the other hand, there would be no more depending on aging vessels that can't operate in the winter or costly and limited air services that operate from austere airstrips on Labrador's harsh and rugged coastline.

A road would mean huge potential for tourism growth, and be a drawing card for major industry players to further explore Labrador's vast mineral deposits, replacing isolation with modern transportation.

"I'd certainly love to be able to jump in my car and leave Goose Bay and drive to Nain. Is it a reality in the very near future? It takes a lot of discussion," said Edmunds.

Starting the conversation

The topic generated plenty of discussion at the recent Combined Councils of Labrador annual meeting, where a young Labradorian with a special interest in climate change laid out some provocative scenarios.

Robert Way is an environmental scientist who studies physical geography, but he's never designed or built a road.

He said any serious discussion about a northern gateway should involve a cost-benefit analysis, a very comprehensive engineering study, and most importantly, certainty that residents of the north coast truly want road access.

Way began studying the idea in his spare time several years ago after it became a topic of debate in a federal election, and laid bare his findings to an engrossed audience of municipal and Indigenous leaders in Happy Valley-Goose Bay on Feb. 10.

This graphic compiled by Robert Way gives a breakdown of the various costs to build a modern road network from Happy Valley-Goose Bay to Nain, with branch roads to all communities in between. (Courtesy Robert Way)

His conclusion: a 200-kilometre road from North West River to Postville, with a 100-kilometre branch road to Rigolet, would be the most obvious first phase.

Postville could then be transformed into a hub for enhanced marine services to communities further north, avoiding the need to send vessels on the long steam into Lake Melville and the port of Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

The total cost for such a road, including paving? Roughly $300 million.

For Nain Mayor Joe Dicker, that's a scenario he could get behind.

"We started the conversation. I think we should continue on," he said.

"Work with Postville, work with Rigolet first. And then, if that's successful, we move further north."

Permafrost, mountains and waterways

Way said the terrain is favourable for such a project, but as you move farther north, the level of difficulty — and cost — would spike in order to skirt vast mountain ranges and span waterways.

A road from Natuashish into Nain might not even be feasible, he said, because of dangerous slopes, exposed coastline, the necessity for a serpentine pattern, and permafrost that would add huge costs.

"It's hard to advocate on behalf of something or even articulate if it's viable without knowing how much usage it would even get or which sections would be the most viable," Way said.

The Northern Ranger is the transportation link during summer for passengers and freight moving to northern Labrador. (John Gaudi/CBC)

Apart from the logistical challenges, there's the issue of where money would come from.

The provincial government is in the grips of a financial crisis, and convincing the decision-makers to elevate a northern road — and a very, very costly one at that — on the priority list won't be easy with so many other infrastructure needs throughout the province.

Make big industry pay

But the mayor of Nain believes there's another option: big industry.

Make mining companies pay for the road, he said, as part of any development plans to establish new operations in Labrador.

"Something like this could be funded just from one mine," said Dicker.

Not long ago, a modern road from Happy Valley-Goose Bay to Cartwright Junction existed only in peoples' imaginations. But the nearly 300-kilometre road is now carrying traffic back and forth each day, and it's expected to be fully paved in the coming years.

Route 500 from Happy Valley-Goose Bay to Labrador City/Wabush and the rest of Canada is another vital transportation link that has opened up new opportunities and brought Labradorians closer together on many levels.

It's now possible to drive across Labrador, with a road corridor stretching from Labrador City-Wabush in the west to L'Anse au Clair on the south coast. Now there's talk of a road to communities on Labrador's north coast. (www.newfoundlandlabrador.com)

Whatever happens, Robert Way said changes to transportation services in northern Labrador are unavoidable. He said the consequences of climate change will dictate that.

Way has data proving that winters are getting shorter, and the sea and freshwater ice that enables many Labradorians to travel by snowmobile in the winter is becoming less reliable.

He also predicts weather patterns will make air travel more more difficult in the years ahead.

"There has to be investment in some capacity or another," he said.