EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally appeared on The Trillium, a Village Media website devoted exclusively to covering provincial politics at Queen’s Park.
Webequie First Nation has released an environmental report on a road between its community and mineral deposits in the Ring of Fire, a key step toward opening the region to mining development.
The draft environmental assessment (EA) and impact statement (IS) is for one of three different stretches of a road link to planned mining operations in the region. Marten Falls has released the draft EA/IS report for the stretch of road that connects its community, and the two First Nations are jointly leading the process for the Northern Road Link that connects the other two stretches, and is running behind the other two regulatory processes.
The Webequie Supply Road proposal is for a “new all-season road of approximately 107 kilometres (km) in length, connecting Webequie First Nation and its airport to existing mineral exploration activities and proposed future mining development in the McFaulds Lake area,” which is in the Ring of Fire.
Project officials say the 22 Indigenous communities involved in the consultation will get to review and provide comments on the assessment first over the next 60 days, followed by another two-month period for the general public to provide feedback.
Chief of Webequie First Nation Cornelius Wabasse thanked the First Nations that have participated in the process and provided feedback so far.
“We are very proud of this major milestone for the Webequie Supply Road and for our community,” he said in a press release. “The draft Environmental Assessment Report / Impact Statement is a tool for Webequie First Nation and neighbouring Indigenous communities to fully understand both the project footprint and its opportunities, so decisions about the project can be informed by values, knowledge, and lived experience.”
“Our vision for the Webequie Supply Road is an economic development road that creates real opportunities for our young people and future generations to drive to work and back. This project offers possibilities to provide skills training for our youth, create new jobs and business opportunities, and strengthen Webequie’s economic future while remaining deeply connected to our land and traditions.”
The draft assessment and impact statement outlines possible effects of the proposed two-lane all-season road and other planned and existing projects, including the Eagle’s Nest and Big Daddy mines, as well as the Marten Falls community access road.
Fish and fish habitat, as well as vegetation and wetlands, are not expected to be significantly impacted by the project, according to the report.
But anticipated negative impacts on caribou and wolverines, which are both threatened species in Ontario, are “considered to be significant,” the report found.
The draft assessment also considers human health factors such as how members of the Webequie First Nation could be treated by “outside workers” coming to the area.
“Systemic racism and hurtful stereotyping of Indigenous peoples during these interactions may lead to an increase in health issues such as mental wellness issues, substance misuse, and social isolation,” the report says.
As part of mitigation measures aimed at reducing possible negative interactions, the report recommends that external workers are “regularly educated” on Indigenous culture and that companies consider instituting zero-tolerance policies for “racially-charged language or violence” in employment contracts.
The report also looks at possible threats to Indigenous women and girls from external workers.
“Despite mitigation measures, the presence of these outside construction workers may create lingering feelings of reduced safety for women and girls due to the risk of sexual violence and sex trafficking against Indigenous women, girls, and members of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community,” the report says.
The report asks the Webequie First Nation to consider working with the Eagle’s Nest mine to consider ways to stop external workers from entering the community.
Michael Fox, who is the regional consultation lead for Webequie Supply Road, told The Trillium that now the report is out, it’s time for Indigenous and other communities to weigh in on whether planned mitigations are acceptable.
Fox says it’s difficult to say when the process might be completed as it depends on the volume of comments that come in on the project.
“We don't know if it's 1,000 or 10,000 comments. But regardless of the number, we have to address each one of them.”
The milestone assessment comes as tensions over the development of the Ring of Fire have heightened due to legislation passed by the Ontario government last week to expedite mining projects and other development in Ontario.
Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, gives the provincial cabinet the power to designate “special economic zones” where it could then exempt specific projects and proponents, like companies, from any provincial laws, regulations and local bylaws.
Ontario's bill also proposes to speed up approvals for mining projects through a “one-window” approach, ends an environmental assessment for a controversial dump expansion in Dresden, Ont., replaces the province's Endangered Species Act with legislation that environmental groups argue offers far weaker protections, and empowers cabinet to exempt projects from archeological assessment requirements — which Indigenous leaders have warned puts sacred sites at risk.
Indigenous leaders have vocally opposed the legislation and warned the government that it will lead to court challenges as well as “confrontations on the ground,” such as blockades, in a renewed Idle No More movement.
On Monday, Aroland Chief Sonny Gagnon issued a public statement saying his First Nation objects to Bill 5, and criticized the premier for telling the media that he supports the Ring of Fire.
While Aroland has an agreement with the province, it is in support of the Marten Falls access road that runs through its territory, not for mining in the Ring of Fire, the statement says.
“Aroland does not in any way indicate in that agreement or anything else we have published or signed, consent for mining in the Ring of Fire,” the statement says.
The premier addressed this in a speech in downtown Toronto on Monday, saying he would soon have a conversation with Gagnon to reiterate what the First Nation would receive in return for its support.
“Does he want to get off diesel? Because they live on diesel. Does he want a road that they can actually leave their community and drive? Did he want a community centre? Does he want a hockey arena inside that community centre? The answer is 1,000 per cent yes, because I shook his hand in my office,” said Ford.
“We'll have that conversation just to remind them: you can stay the way you're at and you will never move forward, and you'll be wondering if you have diesel to keep your community heated up in the winter, or you can move forward.”
Ford went on to say that many chiefs are afraid to speak up, but text him and have broken bread at his home. “People may say one thing outside, but when we're sitting in front of you, it's a whole different story,” he said.
The Attawapiskat First Nation, also in the Ring of Fire region, released a statement opposing Bill 5.
“Attawapiskat First Nation will not stand by as Ontario continues down this path that will irreversibly harm our people, lands, waters and species,” said Chief Sylvia Koostachin-Metatawabin. “We will not stand silently as this occurs. Ontario can expect a full range of responses to their actions.”
Fox told The Trillium the Webequie Supply Road project was well underway before the recent Bill 5 controversy and has been subject to a “rigorous process” so far, including weighing impacts and mitigation through Indigenous law.
“I think, at the end, the mitigation measures are going to be Webequie mitigation measures that they're going to live up to,” he said.
.jpg;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)
