Next summer's construction of an all-season community access road to Marten Falls First Nation provides a “very big light at the end of the tunnel,” said Chief Bruce Achneepineskum.
His community signed a Community Partnership Agreement with the Ontario government today that will provide up to $39.5 million for community infrastructure and capacity building, while supporting the development and construction of a permanent road into the remote community for the first time.
Most importantly, for the Ontario government, it’s regarded as a milestone that should finally clear the way to finally start construction on the road to the Ring of Fire.
The signing ceremony took place at Queen’s Park in Toronto, Nov. 27.
Bringing Marten Falls into the fold was the missing link on a crucial 197-kilometre stretch that’s needed to tie the whole Ring of Fire road network together.
Premier Doug Ford said the announcement is all about advancing the Ring of Fire, one of largest deposits of critical minerals, globally.
Unlocking the mineral potential of this untapped opportunity will be “transformational” for northern First Nations in creating new jobs and economic prospects across the region.
Since January, the Ford government has been methodically putting the pieces in place with community agreements and infrastructure investments, beginning with Aroland First Nation, the Municipality of Greenstone, and Webequie First Nation in October.
Existing roads in the area needed to be beefed up to handle heavy truck traffic, as well as construction of local commercial amenities, such as a First Nation-owned highway plaza in Greenstone.
Marten Falls is expected to submit its environment assessment of the road by Feb. 20, which, pending approvals and local consultation, could trigger construction by August.
Greg Rickford, minister of Indigenous affairs and First Nations economic reconciliation, said the signing of the agreement immediately triggers the release of funding for the procurement of materials and equipment this winter in preparation for upcoming construction.
Rickford said he sees “no barriers” to getting construction underway this summer as the project moves into a next phase of design engineering.
Come next spring and summer, he said, all three sections of the combination Ring of Fire haul and community access roads will be under construction.
“This is an extraordinary moment for us all,” said Rickford.
The one snag, Rickford and Premier Doug Ford mentioned, was that Ottawa needs to officially end its “duplicative impact assessments” in the Ring of Fire region.
Currently, there is no federal environmental assessment of the Ring of Fire underway, only a Regional Assessment process, which has no decision-making authority.
Prime Minister Mark Carney is fully supportive of the “One Project, One Review” process on nation-building projects, but has yet to make changes at the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and the way energy, mining and infrastructure projects are reviewed.
The agreement sets the stage for a life-changing transition for many in Marten Falls.
Achneepineskum said the remote First Nation has to rely on expensive air travel to get in and out of the community, a pricey endeavour and a “huge hardship” for many in the community in getting to medical appointments and adding to the cost of groceries.
He said there should be a better way to spend the $600,000 in provincial funds allocated for a winter road network that only lasts six to eight weeks at best, a brief window to haul in building materials and other supplies.
In a later interview with Northern Ontario Business, Achneepineskum said discussions on the agreement came together quickly in recent weeks.
There was a major obstacle with the Ontario government that had to do with litigation that Marten Falls launched last August against the province.
The community was seeking $300 million in compensation involving a historic grievance against the government for massive dam and watershed diversion projects carried out in the 1940s and 1950s. The community claims these hydro projects were done without First Nation consent.
Achneepineskum said that resulted in a hiatus in any talks with Ontario on the Ring of Fire.
Upon reflection, Achneepineskum said Marten Falls leadership came to the conclusion that this case had nothing to do with the Ring of Fire.
“It’s a separate issue.”
Achneepineskum said their case has been amended to make no mention of the Ring of Fire and development on their territory.
“That was the stumbling block for Ontario.”
But their legal challenge continues, he said, because they feel they still have a case on the government’s breach of duty to consult, which has severely impacted their treaty rights to hunt and fish.
Their preference was to finish off their environmental assessment and start negotiations on the access road, which concluded today, he said.
Achneepineskum calls the pact a “startup agreement” to get Marten Falls ready for economic development and address chronic community issues concerning mental health supports, addiction treatment, and building capacity through training and education on how to meaningful take part in building major infrastructure projects in their territory.
During the news conference, Achneepineskum called on Ottawa to come to the planning table, as a treaty partner.
He said his community is playing “catch-up” on the infrastructure front and is looking to the feds for help with a failed and aging wastewater treatment plant and with replacing an antiquated community diesel generation system.
As to who will have the governing authority over these roads, Achneepineskum told Northern Ontario Business that has not yet been decided.
It’ll be part of a future government-to-government agreement as to how to develop that section of road in their territory. Marten Falls will have a say in managing the road and overall maintenance by establishing clear lines of authority, he said.
“That is an agreement that has yet to come.”
When asked how the province’s Bill 5 and the implementation of the controversial Special Economic Zones will be applied in the Ring of Fire, Achneepineskum said Marten Falls will need to come to an agreement with Ontario on how the provisions of that bill will applied.
There’s no acrimony over it, he said. “It’s more about working together.”
During the Queen’s Park news conference, Achneepineskum mentioned that young people from Marten Falls, both on and off reserve, have applauded news of the road, during ratification meetings.
To them, it means more visits home, the opportunity to build a house in a community that’s sure to grow, and the ability to enroll in training programs while living at home.
Achneepineskum said younger community members will have a “fair chance at a better quality of life” than previous generations had.
“Building a road into our community is something a lot of people take for granted, being able to drive to the local grocery store or a hospital. That, for us, is a close reality, being able to do that on our own whim,” he said to Northern Ontario Business.
“That’s a major milestone for us.”