Two northwestern Ontario First Nations have given conditional approval to advance a massive open-pit gold and silver mine and also reached an infrastructure agreement for a permanent road into the area.
Cat Lake and Lac Seul announced June 16 they will authorize First Mining Gold’s Springpole project following the completion of a four-year review process through its Anishinaabe-led Impact Assessment (ALIA), a process they’re calling the “first of its kind in Ontario.”
There’s also been a “landmark agreement” to proceed with construction of an all-season access road to connect the remote community of Cat Lake to Sioux Lookout via the Vermilion River Road.
No start date was provided a news release on when construction will begin, but the route will utilize existing forestry roads combined with new construction to minimize costs.
The access road has been a key priority for Cat Lake, the closest community to the proposed Springpole mine.
Chief Russell Wesley said a permanent road “ends decades of isolation, improves safety and healthcare, and lowers living costs.”
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