The wheels are finally starting to roll on the planned construction of the long-overdue Berens River bridge and an initial 25-kilometre stretch of all-season road to reach Pikangikum First Nation, north of Red Lake.
Kenora-Rainy River MPP and cabinet minister Greg Rickford announced Aug. 21 that the province is partnering with the Whitefeather Forest Community Resource Management Authority and the federal government to build the bridge and an all-season road to Pikangikum.
In a news release, Rickford called it a “momentous milestone” for Pikangikum and six other fly-in communities that will unlock “unprecedented economic reconciliation for the region.”
This segment of road would be the first leg of a longer permanent road network to reach six other remote communities in northwestern Ontario and eventually open up a shipping corridor for a major lithium mine project.
The road and bridge projects were envisioned by First Nation leaders in the area more than 30 years ago.
A provincial news release contained few details on this public infrastructure project, but the combined price tag for the bridge and road is estimated at $76.4 million, according to Jonathan Gregg, strategic initiatives director with the Independent First Nations Alliance, of which Pikangikum is a member.
It’s expected the provincial and federal government will equally share the cost, he said.
The tentative timeline to start construction is the spring of 2025, pending passage of the federal budget in September. The anticipated completion date is 2027.
It will connect Pikangikum to the provincial road network for the first time and establish an initial connection for a longer planned road development that will eventually access Deer Lake, Keewaywin, McDowell Lake, North Spirit, Poplar Hill and Sandy Lake First Nations.
An extended road, further into the region, is also crucial for Sudbury’s Frontier Lithium and its massive high-grade PAK project in the Sandy Lake area. The mine developer needs a permanent road to move ore out to a yet-to-be-determined site for its processing plant and customers in the market.
Pikangikum is a remote community 100 kilometres northwest of Red Lake that is reachable by air and by boat from the Nungesser Road that runs south to Red Lake. The Nungesser ties into provincial Highway 125. The all-season road will replace the need to move supplies by boat in the summer and truck during the winter road season.
The provincial government news release said the road connection will eliminate “the dangerous and lengthy ice crossing” on the winter road to reach Pikangikum and other communities along that seasonal network, making it easier to ship essential goods and services.
All the design work and road routing plans are finished, said Gregg, and the environmental assessments are complete.
“All the environmental permits have been finalized and approved,” said Gregg in an email, “and we are in the final stages of the stage 4 archaeological assessment.”
Contractors have yet to be selected. Tendering will take place this fall, once the federal budget passes, said Gregg.
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There is no official road authority currently in place, but once the road is open, Gregg said the Whitefeather Forest Community Resource Management Authority will have a contract with the Ministry of Transportation to handle its care and maintenance.
Having a permanent road into the area within three years will fundamentally change economic and social opportunities for Pikangikum, particularly in moving out harvested wood in the Whitefeather Forest.
“This bridge and road will benefit Pikangikum First Nation through increasing access to essential goods and services as well as providing future economic opportunities,” said Pikangikum Chief Shirley Keeper in a statement.
“Earlier this year, we felt hopeless as we lost three children because they could not be flown out for emergency medical care. This project announcement brings us hope again. We envision the economic initiatives that our community planned coming to fruition through the bridge and road build, but we also need to plan for the challenges we anticipate from the unknown. Overall, we see a better future for our children and for the generations to come.”
Alex Peters, president of the Whitefeather Forest Community Resource Management Authority, is pleased construction for the road and bridge over the Dogrib Rapids finally has the go-ahead.
“From the beginning of planning, our Elders supported the bridge and road. The late Elder and Head Trapper George B. Strang stood at the rapids with others, motioning with his hands where the bridge was to cross. We have worked on this project for many years. Our Elders guided this work through their planning for the Whitefeather Forest Initiative. We are grateful for their wisdom and support for the bridge and road. Pikangikum and our neighbouring First Nations to the north will now greatly benefit from this infrastructure project.”
In the big picture, the Pikangikum road and bridge establishes a springboard connection that will not only link six more remote communities, but also establish a vital transportation route for Frontier Lithium.
The Sudbury company applauded the funding in a news release, saying the project “exemplifies the collaborative spirit between provincial, federal authorities and Indigenous peoples who have all contributed to the project.”
The construction of a road network to its mine site would dramatically improve the economics and viability of its proposed mining operation.
Frontier called this infrastructure a regional catalyst that will bring “multi-generational benefits throughout the region” and usher in better connectivity, safety, economic opportunities, and enhance the well-being for more than 10,000 residents in the northwest.
"The successful completion of the all-season bridge and road infrastructure will pave the way for enhanced mobility, foster economic growth and decrease costs by improving access to markets, health care, education, and other critical services,” said Frontier Lithium CEO Trevor Walker in a statement. “Importantly, this infrastructure also represents a significant milestone that will help unlock the potential of the PAK Lithium Project."
