Preparations can officially begin for the building of a major power line connecting 17 remote northern First Nations to the grid.
Wataynikaneyap Power Chief Executive Officer Margaret Kenequanash says they have secured up to $1.9-billion needed for the project.
“Now we’re able to issue what they call a Notice to Proceed for the contractor to begin the work.”
The notice was signed Tuesday, and means that the firm Valard LP can start engineering and design work in preparation for construction.
The project involving 1,800 kilometres of power line is expected to be finished by the end of 2023.
Pikangikum First Nation was the first connected to the line in December 2018, and Kenequanash notes they’re thankful the power line survived two major forest fires and, more recently, a severe windstorm.
Kenequanash indicates it’s a major step forward.
“I’m very excited and very happy to have witnessed this completion, or this milestone, and now we look forward to the work that we need to do. We have a lot of tasks before us.”
She notes they have been talking about this project since 2007.
Below is the full list of the First Nations that will be connected:
-Bearskin Lake
-Cat Lake
-Deer Lake
-Kasabonika Lake
-Keewaywin
-Kingfisher Lake
-Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug
-Lac des Mille Lacs
-Lac Seul
-McDowell Lake
-Muskrat Dam
-North Caribou Lake
-North Spirit Lake
-Pikangikum
-Poplar Hill
-Sachigo Lake
-Sandy Lake
-Slate Falls
-Wabigoon Lake
-Wapekeka
-Wawakapewin
-Wunnumin Lake
-Mishkeegogamang
-Ojibway Nation of Saugeen
