Mushkegowuk Grand Chief Lawrence Martin speaking at the energy symposium in Timmins on Thursday.
Timmins Times LOCAL NEWS photo by Len Gillis.

Mushkegowuk might buy Ontario Northland Railway


By: Len Gillis
Thursday, January 22, 2015
The Timmins Times

The Mushkegowuk Tribal Council is considering the idea of teaming up with a Southern Ontario rail company to purchase the rail division of Ontario Northland with an eye to expanding rail service on the James Bay Coast and eventually to the Ring Of Fire mining development. Mushkegowuk represents the First Nations Communities along the James Bay Coast.

Mushkegowuk grand chief Lawrence Martin revealed Thursday afternoon that his organization has been approached by TGR Rail Canada Ltd, which is one of the companies bidding on the divestment of Ontario Northland Transportation Commission.

"They gave us a proposal to consider in which we would look at an MOU (Memorandum Of Understanding) to discuss the possibility of a partnership with them," said grand chief Martin, speaking to the Aboriginal Energy Symposium in Timmins Thursday afternoon.

He said TGR Rail Canada, based out of Toronto, is one of the companies approved by the province as eligible to purchase Ontario Northland rail operations provided they do it in a partnership with a Northern Ontario organization such as Mushkegowuk.

CHIEFS WILL DISCUSS IT NEXT WEEK

"At this point I can say it is a proposal. We are looking at it. We cannot make any comments on it except to say we will be talking about it with our chiefs next week, and we will bring it up to our assembly that we have in Kashechewan next week," said Martin, adding that he hopes the project is approved by the chiefs.

"If that is the case, then we will go into our communities and have consultations," Martin added. He said that he likes the idea of a partnership with TGR.

"These guys are different," said Martin. "They don't want to talk about treaties. They said they need land to lease from us, all they need to know is how much we want for it."

Ron Dancey, the chairman of the board for TGR Rail, confirmed for The Timmins Times that there is indeed a bid on the table for the partnership and to purchase Ontario Northland rail operations. Dancey said he could not discussion dollar amounts at this time.

"We've had discussions along those lines, yes," said Dancey. "We would like to be able to take over the ONR and bring it up to standards and start making it into a proper railway."

Dancey said he is hopeful that a formal partnership with Mushkegowuk will come about and that it would need to get final approval from Queen's Park.

"It's really dependent on the provincial government, and when they're prepared to make a move. We are already to go. We have a transition team ready to go. It is up to the provincial government to decide that the best thing for Ontario Northland is to privatize it and at that point in time, we would certainly be interested in it," said Dancey.

'WE HAVE THE MONEY'

"I can't discuss amounts at the moment, but we have the funds to do whatever is required," Dancey added. "We have the financing in place to purchase the ONR and to do the upgrades to the ONR. We also have financing arrangements in place to extend it up to the Ring Of Fire."

"We are hopeful the Aboriginals will be onside. We are looking forward to working with them. Of course, it is the provincial government that needs to make a move on this, and they need to move sooner than later."

Grand chief Martin said his personal opinion is that the proposal is a good one because there is already an idea on the table to extend a high voltage hydro transmission line from the James Bay coast on a new right-of-way to the Ring Of Fire. He said it would only make sense to create a right-of-way to serve hydro and rail service at the same time.

Martin added that however the deal unfolds, the most important factor is that the Mushkegowuk people will have ownership of the project.