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The Deh Cho Bridge provides a safe, reliable way for people to
cross the Mackenzie River all year.
Chapter Four
DEH CHO BRIDGE
C
anada’s Northwest Territories are some of the most remote
parts of the country. The region is vast. It has an area of about
1.3 million square kilometres. The Mackenzie River crosses
through this region. It is the longest river in Canada. And it is
very wide.
PURPOSE
Extreme winters in the Northwest Territories cause the river to
freeze by early November. Boats can only cross the river in the
five-month span when it is not frozen. A ferry service used to take
people from Fort Providence to towns on the west side of the
river in the summer.
People crossed the river by ploughed ice roads in the winter.
But there was no fixed link between communities east of the
