DAILY NEWS Aug 28, 2014 2:32 PM - 0 comments

First Nations group working on Ring of Fire infrastructure plan

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2014-08-28

Yet another infrastructure plan is in the works for Ontario’s remote Ring of Fire region, this one for an infrastructure corridor consisting of a railway, power, and a seasonal sea port in James Bay.

The big difference here is that the plan is being proposed by First Nations – the Mushkegowuk Tribal Council.

“This is going to be aboriginal-led,” said Mushkegowuk Director of Lands and Resources Vern Cheechoo. “I know there’s other plans in the region – the Ontario government with their corporation plan, we have Ontario Hydro with a grid plan, we have other groups that want to bring infrastructure into the region and we are one of the options. We feel we’re best situated for this.”

Mushkegowuk represents 10,000 people, including members of the Attawapiskat, Kashechewan, Fort Albany, Moose Cree, Taykwa Tagamou, Chapleau Cree and Missanabie Cree First Nations.

The council has started talks with the nine Matawa First Nations, whose territories are closest to the Ring of Fire, on working together.

Some of the previous infrastructure proposals, such as Cliffs’ proposal to build a 340-km all-weather industrial road, for example, proved controversial because of inadequate consultation.

“When looking at all these other plans . . . they don’t mention First Nations too much. All we heard was, yeah, there’s going to be jobs, some economic opportunities, maybe a seat on the board, things like that,” Cheechoo says.

“We felt it was important that we play a big role in unlocking the opportunities in the Ring of Fire, the economic opportunities for all. We want to benefit from it, we want to be able to quite involved with development. To us, it means a lot – it’s our territories, it’s our land, it’s our rivers, we don’t want to be in the back seat when all this development takes place.”

The plan is still just an idea: Cheechoo says the council is looking for $150,000 in capacity funding from government or industry to come up with a concept plan that would outline how to proceed.

Once funding is in place, information-gathering meetings with industry, government officials, and infrastructure experts can take place.

The meetings are crucial to both shape the initiative and gain support for it.

“Industry is actually very interested in meeting with us and that’s what we intend to do as part of building our concept and business case is meeting with industry and meeting with energy companies — Quebec Hydro and rail-related companies — for their expertise.”

Cheechoo says the group will also be meeting with mining companies.

“We hope to meet with Noront and Cliffs at some point because we would need their support to say, 'yes, this is a good plan, this plan makes sense.' So we have to make our case.”

The council also has to meet with government officials, especially since the province has its own plans for coordinating and facilitating infrastructure development in the area. Last November, the provincial Liberals, then in a minority government, announced the creation of a new development corporation to take the lead on infrastructure and bring government, industry and First Nations interests together.

The government announced the establishment of the Ring of Fire Infrastructure Development Corporation, based in Thunder Bay, today. The organization has initially been set up with an interim four-member board of civil servants.

The corporation will be tasked with deciding how to spend the $1 billion the government has committed to infrastructure in the Ring of Fire.

Cheechoo says the province hasn't yet responded to the Mushkegowuk Council's announcement.

In response to a request for comment on the plan, Minister of Northern Development and Mines Michael Gravelle said that the government is aware of Mushkegowuk Council's initiative.

“We understand that Mushkegowuk have engaged Matawa-member First Nations on their proposal and we look forward to hearing more,” he said in an emailed statement.

"Currently, we are working directly with a number of communities in the Ring of Fire area, including our ongoing negotiations with the Matawa-member First Nations, so that they are engaged and actively participating in the discussion related to the project. The Ring of Fire project is a complex undertaking and one that needs the input from aboriginal organizations, industry, municipalities, and the federal government. Ontario has been – and remains – committed to working with First Nations communities as partners, to ensure they have the opportunity to shape and provide input into how the Ring of Fire development moves forward.”

Power possibilities

In terms of energy, the council is eager to look at the possibility of bringing cheap power to the region across James Bay from Quebec.

The inspiration for the idea was the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project, on the Lower Churchill River in Labrador, which will involve underwater transmission lines along part of its route to Nova Scotia.

While Cliffs Natural Resources (NYSE: CLF) suspended work on its Black Thor chromite project in the Ring of Fire last year, the company had previously proposed to build a smelter in Sudbury instead of locally because of the expense of power in the Ring.

In addition to finding funding and getting industry and government on the same page, Mushkegowuk Council also has to sell the concept to its member communities. Cheechoo sees that process taking place when council conducts a prefeasibility study on the proposed development based on the concept plan.

“We still have to get their approval and that’ll be part of the prefeasibility study will be to go into the communities and consult with the people,” he adds. “One of the pros that I see that’s very strong is if we import power from Quebec and bring it across, we don’t have to touch our rivers in terms of damming rivers to build infrastructure for power into the region. I think that’s a big plus for us – the rivers would remain untouched.”

In the longer term, a Quebec connection could open up possibilities for cheaper power for First Nations communities as well, Cheechoo says.

While he’s not sure if the plan will work in the end, Cheechoo says the council has to try. The Mushkegowuk chiefs have all asked for help to develop the economy, and if the plan does work, it could mean a huge economic boost.

“Our late Grand Chief Stan Loutit, who passed away not too long ago, he told us when we look at developing the economy of the region, he said 'think big' and this is what we feel that we’re doing – we’re thinking big and taking chances,” he says.

“We want to live comfortably and enjoy the comforts of life within the community. I genuinely believe that this could happen here with this kind of development, and we want to be able to control it and lead it for everyone.”

http://www.northernminer.com/news/first-nations-group-working-on-ring-of-fire-infrastructure-plan/1003229568/?&er=NA