A group of Indigenous, municipal and business leaders continue to push for a study on access roads to the Ring of Fire chromite deposit.
Members of the East-West Ring of Fire Road Coalition were at the Ontario Legislature today (Monday) to support their call for an Environmental Assessment of all access road alternatives, including one starting in the Sioux Lookout area.
Mayor Doug Lawrance says they are pleased to see the announcement of the Federal Regional EA process and are reminding both levels of senior government of the importance of considering all routes.
Lawrance notes a regional plan would benefit First Nations communities, mining development and other activities in the area, stressing all options need to be considered with care.
Cat Lake First Nation Chief Matthew Keewaykapow says an east-west road would provide access and benefits for many remote First Nations communities.
He stresses all season road access to their community is critical to their future and is important for health care as well as economic and educational opportunities.
Darrel Morgan is the President of Morgan Fuels and he says important transportation assets such as rail, road connections to the Trans-Canada Highway and air service can be accessed through an east-west alignment, noting the Sioux Lookout Airport already serves as a key air hub for 31 First Nations in the region.
