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More message than money for northern road

Feds pony up $2.67M for $3-B project

By: Alexandra Paul

Posted: 02/4/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

It's only $2.67 million -- a drop in the bucket of cash needed -- for a project to cut through 1,000 kilometres of wilderness and make the first all-weather roads on the east and north sides of Lake Winnipeg.

But a federal funding announcement Friday for a road linking Blood-vein First Nation to the first stretch of that network sent powerful signals to Manitoba's highway builders.

"This is an opportunity for the East Side Road Authority and the Bloodvein First Nation to demonstrate to Canada how well we work together," said Ernie Gilroy, the authority's CEO.

"We think this is something the federal government should recognize, and it may make it easier talking to them about ongoing funding."

The all-season road network could ultimately cost more than $3 billion and take 20 to 30 years to complete, if Manitoba goes it alone.

The province has committed $1.2 billion, at a rate of $75 million a year for the next 15 years.

"If the federal government were to contribute a similar amount, it would take half as long to build," Gilroy said.

The network includes two major routes. One runs north-south -- Hollow Water to Poplar River and east to Pauingassi and Little Grand Rapids. The second is an east-west route to link the Island Lake and Northern Cree communities to Norway House.

For now, Manitoba has put up $830,000 and Bloodvein First Nation $390,000 toward construction of a 2.5-kilometre access road to link it to the province's 87-kilometre east-side road segment from Hollow Water First Nation to Bloodvein.

In a federal, provincial and First Nations announcement, Ottawa issued a couple of statements Gilroy tagged as hopeful.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan was quoted as saying Ottawa is committed to improving infrastructure in remote communities, while Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, Manitoba's regional minister, said: "This announcement is one example of how our government is working with First Nations and other partners to create jobs and economic growth."

Bloodvein will receive millions of dollars worth of contracts to create 30 jobs on the Ojibwa First Nation, which is currently linked by air or winter road to the south.

"We have been waiting for a long time for this, and we are excited to have access to the east side road," Chief Roland Hamilton said in the statement.

The province will award $15 million in contracts to the First Nation through a community benefits agreement with the East Side Road Authority.

Bloodvein will get another $106 million in contracts and jobs over five years for building the road through its territory as the all-weather link is extended north from its boundaries.

"It is where the jobs are right now, and it will benefit anyone wanting to come in and out of the community with reduced costs and waiting times. This project shows that with the province, the federal government and the community working together, things can get done," the chief stated.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 4, 2012 A8

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