Aroland First Nation Chief Sonny Gagnon said last week he didn't want any secret deals being cooked up on resource development taking place in his “backyard.”
After a rocky private meeting with Cliffs Natural Resources CEO Joseph Carrabba in Thunder Bay last week, Gagnon was upset by the confidentiality between the Ohio miner and the provincial government on the location of a ferrochrome processing plant.
So his northwestern Ontario First Nation has filed a request for disclosure for the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines (MNDM) under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
In a release, Aroland states it is will be directly impact by the Cliffs project which includes a potential intermodal-reload facility at Exton, just east of his community.
“The decision to file a freedom of information request was made when it came to light that the Ontario government and Cliffs have been holding confidential meetings, concealing information and are preparing to make an announcement.”
Aroland requests record from MNDM and all provincial ministries on the decision to site the ferrochrome production facility in Sudbury.
Cliffs has not yet made any official announcement on the smelter's location but the Ohio miner has secured land north of the city.
Aroland and Marten Falls First Nation favour siting the ferrochrome production facility in northwestern Ontario to maximize the economic and social benefits to isolated First Nation communities.
Aroland also maintains a federal comprehensive environmental assessment does not go far enough and is pushing for a negotiated joint panel review.
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