THUNDER BAY — The chief of Bingwi Neyaashi says an upgraded power transmission line can’t come soon enough.
Paul Gladu’s community, also known as Sand Point First Nation, was one of seven First Nations in Northwestern Ontario to receive a total of $350,000 from the federal critical minerals infrastructure fund.
Six of the communities, including Bingwi Neyaashi, Animbiigoo Zaagi’igan, Aroland, Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging, Ginoogaming and Red Rock Indian Band each received $50,000 for engagement studies to inform ongoing work to upgrade hydro lines that would run from existing 230 kV infrastructure near Nipigon though Greenstone to points north.
“We have a line … coming from Rocky Bay and we’d have a power outage at times, two or three times every couple of months,” Gladu told reporters at a Wednesday morning press conference in Thunder Bay where the funding was announced. “It’s very important that now we get this new line coming in.”
Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu — who also holds the portfolio responsible for FedNor — made the announcement as part of a larger $850,000 total for 14 projects by First Nations in B.C., Saskatchewan and Ontario from the infrastructure fund’s Indigenous grants stream.
The proposed Greenstone transmission line is being led by Aroland First Nation, along with several others in the region. The structure would replace the existing and ancient radial line that officials have said doesn’t carry enough power to support, not only the communities, but an expected influx of mining operations.
The funding announced by Hajdu will be for the communities to each “form a project partnership and undertake community engagement to support free, prior and informed consent for a proposed Greenstone transmission line upgrade,” a government document says. The work would support various lithium and other minerals projects in the region, particularly Rock Tech’s Georgia Lake lithium deposit.
“The purpose of this (funding) today is to address what First Nations have often said, which is they want to be part of this, but oftentimes there’s capacity issues to actually participate,” Hajdu told reporters. “It’s like a chicken and an egg problem — how can you say you’re going to consult and engage and include First Nations if the capacity isn’t there to be able to do that.”
“This is about building capacity for communities and it looks different in every community.”
Hajdu said the lack of “capacity” isn’t that First Nations lack knowledge, but they’re often “torn in a million directions” already and then, on top of that, are expected to give free, prior and informed consent to advance projects that affect their communities.
“The idea behind this fund is to actually put money where our mouth is,” she said.
Ensuring consent is vital, Hajdu added, and it doesn’t necessarily mean a simple yes or no.
“I think what you hear often is that people will feel very backed into a corner if something’s being imposed without engagement,” she said. “Consent isn’t an on or off thing — it could also mean, we support this project, but it has to look (different), it has to have different conditions.”
“Let’s do things in a better way.”
Aside from the six First Nations who received the funding for partnerships and engagement around the Greenstone transmission line, a seventh — Nibinamik — also received $50,000 for a “corridor study.” The study will look at the feasibility of developing a transmission line into the remote First Nation, as well as an all-weather road and other utilities “through an east–west, multi-use corridor,” according to government press materials.
The study will also examine the potential to link up with proposed road projects being advanced by Marten Falls and Webequie.
Back in Bingwi Neyaashi, Gladu, the community’s chief, said there are numerous projects on the go that require better power transmission infrastructure. He said they’re also very close to the proposed Rock Tech mine.
“We have over 150 projects and we’re crazy busy,” he said, adding that there are “a lot of opportunities with solar, wind, and we’re needing this line coming through.”
“We’re a First Nation that’s willing to work with other First Nation projects and move things ahead,” Gladu said. “That’s the only way we’re going to manage if we work together.”
