Social and Health
- The construction and operation of the Community Access Road could result in social and health effects for some community members.
- Marten Falls First Nation, Aroland First Nation and Greenstone are communities of focus for this assessment.
- Adverse effects could result from things like increased traffic in the area, changes in the population of communities, change in supply / reliance on country foods, increased potential for outsiders to come into communities and increased access to drugs / alcohol.
- The road could also result in positive benefits including potential for better access to health services, education and better connections with friends and family.
- To assess these effects, we will be talking to providers of services (e.g., health care) in the affected communities and to community members to receive their perspectives.
- To meet Gender Based Analysis (GBA+) requirements, we are also interested in speaking to all identity sub-groups that may be present in a community.
Land and Resource Use
- The development of the road could change how the land is being used or could be used in the future.
- This assessment is focused on non-traditional use of land including: forestry, mining, use of
Parks, recreation activities and energy development. - Existing land use plans such as Marten Falls Community Based Land Use Plan will be considered.
- The road will remove some of the existing land base and change land access.
- To assess these effects, we are conducting interviews with various land users including: Ontario government agencies, forestry companies, mining companies and various organizations.
Economics
- The development of the road could result in both positive and negative economic effects.
- During the construction period, there will be new job opportunities and contracts for local companies.
- Job training opportunities will be examined / recommended to increase local community member participation in the Project.
- Once the road is operational, it is expected that there will be new business opportunities in the area, including in Marten Falls.
- Potential adverse effects to existing economic activities such as remote tourism outfitters and trapping will also be examined.
- We are conducting interviews with various interests including community Economic Development Officers and Remote Tourism Outfitters.
Do you have information to share about social and health, land and resource use and / or economics in the study area?