MARTEN FALLS FN – Marten Falls First Nation is commencing a study under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act, 1990 for the design, construction and operation/maintenance of a proposed All-Season Community Access Road (the Project).
Marten Falls First Nation Chief Bruce Achneepineskum says, “This is a project Marten Falls is doing to enhance our community and make our community more accessible for our community members. It will be the launch pad for our community to access economic opportunities in our territory that have never been available.”
Marten FallsFirst Nation is a remote First Nation community in the Far North of Ontario, located at the junction of the Albany and Ogoki Rivers, approximately 170 km northeast of Nakina, Ontario (see map).
The existing winter road access to the community has been determined to be insufficient for the community and for other transportation needs primarily due to the limited reliability of open winter road access.
Therefore, all season road access connecting Marten Falls First Nation to the provincial highway system to the south is required to improve the well- being of Marten Falls First Nation by facilitating the transport of goods, services and resources.
Two broad corridors (see map) are being considered in determining the location of the all-season road.
The planning process:
This study will be carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act, 1990. The first step of the Environmental Assessment (EA) process is the preparation of a Terms of Reference (ToR) which will set out the EA framework and work plan for addressing requirements under the Environmental Assessment Act, 1990, including an outline of the studies and consultation activities that will be undertaken to evaluate alternatives and predict the potential adverse effects of the Project and measures that will be required to avoid, reduce or mitigate these effects. Marten Falls First Nation will consult during the preparation of the ToR before it is submitted to the Minister of Environment,
Conservation and Parks (Minister) for review and approval. There will also be an opportunity for public comment on the ToR after it is submitted to the Minister. If the ToR is approved, the EA will proceed in accordance with the ToR.
Consultation: Indigenous communities, government agencies, municipal officials, members of the public and other interested persons are encouraged to actively participate in the EA process.
Consultation and engagement opportunities will be organized throughout the EA process and will be communicated advertisements, radio, mail-outs and the Project website (www.martenfallsaccessroad.ca).
