Some links below and my thoughts on it all.

Both the Watay power project and Noront's road study financed by the gov't used the services of Hatch..who now will be an equity partner of Noront as per today's NR.

There are 3 projects that are somewhat...joined at the hip

First the East west Tie project:

The East West tie project will "improve the flow of cheaper and lower-emission energy, and add the capacity needed for major regional development projects like the Wataynikaneyap Power Project and the Ring of Fire."

Notice..that Nextbridge awared this project to Quanta services inc., a huge USA company from Texas...

And Blackrock and Vanguard are large...shareholders of Quanta.

Valard...is a subsidiary of QUANTA

Then we have the Watay power project.

Recently the watay project was awarded to ....Valard(Quanta)

The watay project , once finished will supply 20 MG of power to Musselwhite mine.

from the past:

"Noront PR rep Janice Mande added that Goldcorp TSX:G has shown interest in Noront’s proposal as a route for transmission infrastructure. The major’s fly-in/fly-out Musselwhite mine lies roughly 130 kilometres southwest of Eagle’s Nest and Blackbird

The route would upgrade an existing winter road to all-weather status. Among its advantages, it “avoids provincial parks, avoids areas of special interest to aboriginal groups and provides the greatest benefit to first nation communities,"

If there was interest before...why wouldn't there be interest .....now?

And to me .it looks like discussions are taking place about the watay project and the east west road because of some commonality.

Valard (Quanta) was awarded the watay project but there was this interesting portion in the Sept. 10, 2019 NR.

Full notice to proceed is expected to occur upon the project's financial close in the coming months and Quanta expects to include the project in its remaining performance obligations and backlog at that time

with construction to begin in the first quarter of 2020, and completion of the project is expected by the end of 2023.

That above timeframe also matches up to what Rickford recently stated about a Rof road.

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From the past 2016: 

https://agoracom.com/ir/Noront/forums/discussion/topics/673036-ring-plan-close-noront-head/?message_id=2107711

"The Hatch study looks at the cost to build a road, its location, and whether a pipeline or railroad would be a better way to move ore, he said."

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 the Watay  power project  phase1&2 ...also used Hatch.

https://agoracom.com/ir/Noront/forums/discussion/topics/714703-ot-watay-power-selects-pre-qualified-contractors-for-power-project/?message_id=2206552

Watay said that Hatch, the engineer on the project, would continue working to release the project’s full request for proposals (RFP) documents.

newmont-goldcorp's musselwhite will be a customer needing 20 megawatts of power once Watay's phase 2 is done. Watay's contractor expects to start the project in the spring 2020

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 Noront PR rep Janice Mande added that Goldcorp TSX:G has shown interest in Noront’s proposal as a route for transmission infrastructure. The major’s fly-in/fly-out Musselwhite mine lies roughly 130 kilometres southwest of Eagle’s Nest and Blackbird

The route would upgrade an existing winter road to all-weather status. Among its advantages, it “avoids provincial parks, avoids areas of special interest to aboriginal groups and provides the greatest benefit to first nation communities,

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https://www.transformers-magazine.com/tm-news/6894-valard-to-provide-epc-services-for-ontario-transmission-line.html

Canada: Quanta Services, Inc. announced today that its operating subsidiary, Valard Construction (Valard), was selected by Wataynikaneyap Power LP to provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) solutions for the Wataynikaneyap Transmission Project (Watay Project) in Northwestern Ontario, Canada.

The contract value for the project makes it one of the largest projects ever awarded to Quanta. Quanta's scope of work on the project consists of EPC services for more than 1,800 km of transmission and distribution infrastructure ranging in voltage from 25 kV to 230 kV and 22 substations. Once completed, the Watay Project would be the largest electric infrastructure project ever implemented to connect remote communities in Ontario, including 17 First Nations communities, with electricity generation and distribution systems that are not currently connected to the provincial transmission grid.

Preconstruction activities are expected to begin immediately, with construction to begin in the first quarter of 2020, and completion of the project is expected by the end of 2023.

Full notice to proceed is expected to occur upon the project's financial close in the coming months and Quanta expects to include the project in its remaining performance obligations and backlog at that time.

https://news.ontario.ca/mndmf/en/2019/02/new-transmission-line-to-power-economic-growth-in-northwestern-ontario.html

New Transmission Line to Power Economic Growth in Northwestern Ontario

Ontario's Government for the People is supporting economic growth, job creation and resource development in northwestern Ontario by providing certainty around the construction of a new transmission line between Thunder Bay and Wawa.

Greg Rickford, Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines and Minister of Indigenous Affairs visited Fort William First Nation today to announce that Ontario has directed the Ontario Energy Board to designate NextBridge as the transmitter to build the line, known as the East-West Tie Line Project.

"Maintaining reliability and cost-efficiency is a top priority for our government," said Minister Rickford. "Moving forward with the East-West Tie Line will support economic growth in northwestern Ontario, signalling that Ontario is Open for Business, and connecting communities and Indigenous people with good, local job opportunities, now and in the future."

The 450-kilometer transmission line is needed to meet growing demand for electricity in northwestern Ontario. It will enhance reliability, improve the flow of cheaper and lower-emission energy, and add the capacity needed for major regional development projects like the Wataynikaneyap Power Project and the Ring of Fire.

"I welcome the government's bold action to confirm that NextBridge will construct the East‐West Tie Project," said Fort William First Nation Chief Peter Collins. "This is good news for families and businesses in Northern Ontario. The East-West Tie Line will ensure the availability of electricity in the region, supporting a new era of economic growth and opportunity."

"Learning from and inspired by the people and the land, we set out to develop an energy project as unique as the north," said Jennifer Tidmarsh, Project Director, NextBridge. "By working together, we developed a project that is strong, respectful of community, reflective of the uniqueness of the north and most importantly built on trust and mutual benefit. By working with our Indigenous and municipal partners, we all proved that by finding innovative ways to ensure mutual benefit and economic participation it is possible to develop energy infrastructure with local consent from host communities."

Feb 2019

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/industry-news/aboriginal-businesses/east-west-tie-build-will-need-workers-1254461

Valard Construction was chosen by NextBridge as project manager to build the East-West Tie transmission project. 

NextBridge anticipates a spring 2019 construction start.?