Marten Falls First Nation (MFFN) Community Access Road
February E-Blast 2024
Current and upcoming activities
Welcome to the MFFN Community Access Road February 2024 E-Blast with updates on current and upcoming activities.
This E-Blast features:
New Video: Community Access Road Route Selection Update!
The next major milestone for the Community Access Road is the selection of the preferred route. Recently, our project consultants presented a technically preferred preliminary route recommendation. Community feedback received during meetings and open houses was considered to revise the recommendation. After careful consideration, an updated technically preferred route recommendation has been identified.
Watch our video for updates on the latest preliminary route recommendation.
*The technically preferred route recommendation is preliminary. The route will be further informed through consideration of Indigenous Knowledge.
The Community Access Road Webinar Series
The Climate Change Adaptation webinar was held on February 8, 2024. If you were unable to attend the live webinar, head over to our webinar showcase to view it, and other past webinars.
We want to learn about your experience and perspectives on the changing climate. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey on climate change and your community. You can access the survey here.
Upcoming webinars will include Cumulative Effects and Engineering and Construction. Stay tuned for more information.
Curious about what we are studying for the community access road? Check out previous webinars here and watch your inbox for updates on upcoming webinars. Follow us on Facebook and visit the website for details.
Spring Field Studies
Field Studies will continue in 2024. These programs are designed to better understand the existing conditions of the local environment and potential effects of the MFFN Community Access Road. The following programs will occur between February and May 2024, with exact dates being provided once confirmed.
Conclusion of Atigwag / Caribou Collaring Program
In 2021, 30 radio tracking collars were placed on atigwag / caribou within the Local Study Area. The radio tracking collars have been collecting information about the seasonal migration of atigwag / caribou throughout the region over the past three years and were timed to automatically fall off in February 2024; they will be retrieved between March and July 2024.
Any collars that do not fall off as intended will be manually removed and retrieved by researchers*. This activity is expected to take place in March 2024, however if there is not enough snow cover, removal will occur in winter 2025.
*A specially trained caribou capture team will be deployed to manually remove the collar without harming the animal.
Think you found a dropped collar? If possible, please take a photo, collect the collar and report to the Marten Falls First Nation Community Access Road Project Team at 1-800-764-9114, or email info@martenfallsaccessroad.ca. Please provide detailed information about where you found the collar (e.g., date, location, habitat type, any animal signs in the area).
The Winter 2024 field notice can be viewed here.
Spring Groundwater and Geochemistry Field Program – Groundwater sampling (May / June 2024)
The Groundwater and Geochemistry Program will continue in spring of 2024. Over 20 well sites are sampled seasonally to monitor groundwater conditions in the area. The groundwater samples are sent for laboratory analysis and are tested for general water chemistry, metals, solids content, nutrients, hydrocarbons, and others, to support and inform the environmental assessment.
To learn more about the studies taking place to support the planning of the Community Access Road, check out the existing conditions reports and field program notices, valued component videos and past webinars.
*Timelines and programs are approximate and may shift; we will provide updates as required.
Follow us on social media!
We are now on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram! Follow us to stay up to date on the Community Access Road.
Please contact us at any time with questions or comments, or to schedule a meeting. Meetings can be arranged in-person in any community, in the Thunder Bay area, or online. We want to hear what you have to say!
Questions or comments? Contact us at 1-800-764-9114 or info@martenfallsaccessroad.ca.
