Highway of Tears: Canada's Unsolved Missing and Murdered Women

Between Prince George and Prince Rupert in northern British Columbia, a 719-kilometre stretch of Yellowhead Highway 16 has become synonymous with tragedy. Since 1969, at least 18 women have been officially documented as missing or murdered along this route—though Indigenous organizations estimate the true number may exceed 40—with most cases remaining unsolved.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) formed Project E-PANA in 2005 to investigate unsolved cases tied to Highways 16, 97, and 5 in the region. By 2006–2007, the project had taken ownership of 18 cases: 13 homicides and 5 missing-persons investigations, some dating back over three decades. Yet as of 2024, almost all these cases remain closed without resolution.

The discrepancy between official RCMP figures and community estimates reflects deeper frustrations about police response. While the RCMP officially lists fewer than 18 cases under Project E-PANA, Indigenous organizations and activists argue that many cases go unrecorded or remain under-investigated, pushing the estimated total closer to 40–50 victims. This pattern of missing and murdered women along the Highway of Tears has become intrinsically linked to the broader Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) movement in Canada, highlighting systemic vulnerabilities faced by Indigenous communities.

**Why the Highway Remains Deadly**

The remote, forested terrain of northern British Columbia creates a perfect storm of isolation and vulnerability. Limited public transportation means many residents—particularly women from Indigenous communities—have historically relied on hitchhiking to travel between towns. This dependency has made them targets for predators operating along a highway that stretches across vast, sparsely populated stretches of wilderness.