Marten Falls First Nation (MFFN) Community Access Road
March E-Blast 2024
Current and upcoming activities
Welcome to the MFFN Community Access Road March 2024 E-Blast with updates on current and upcoming activities.
This E-Blast features:
Employment Readiness Project Meeting
On March 21, 2024, the Marten Falls First Nation Employment Readiness hosted a meeting for Marten Falls First Nation community members and youth. The meeting was hosted in Geraldton, Ontario and centered on taking ownership of economic opportunities and being ready for the future.
The meeting was hosted by North Superior Workforce Planning Board, who works with communities and individuals on workforce development planning.
As the Community Access Road continues through the Environmental Assessment / Impact Assessment process, the training and employment for Indigenous communities that come from the road and other opportunities is critical to the growth and prosperity of the area. Learn more about the Employment Readiness Project here.
MFFN in the News
Marten Falls First Nation is making headlines! Check out the articles below for news and updates as they relate to the MFFN community, the Community Access Road and other opportunities in northern Ontario.
- Province agrees to fund shovel-ready projects on First Nations
On Tuesday, March 5, 2024, The Ontario government, Marten Falls First Nation and Webequie First Nation signed an agreement to develop community infrastructure projects including all-season roads. This news is a significant step towards empowering these communities to participate in future economic development opportunities and foster positive social and economic development.
For more information, read the article by the Sault This Week here.
- Juno and Marten Falls First Nation Sign Exploration Agreement
On March 6, 2024, Chief Bruce Achneepineskum of Marten Falls First Nation signed an exploration agreement with Juno Corp. This collaboration between Marten Falls First Nation and Juno Corp marks the beginning of mineral and economic development within traditional territory in Northern Ontario.
For more information, read the full article by The Timmins Press here.
Photo by Shan Qiao Photography
Field Studies Update
- Atigwag / Caribou Collaring Program
Radio tracking collars have been collecting information about the seasonal migration of atigwag / caribou throughout the region over the past three years. The program is now complete, and the collars have been programmed to fall off. The collars will be retrieved between April 8-12, 2024, though dates are subject to change based on weather conditions.Do you think you found a dropped collar? If possible, please take a photo, collect the collar, and report to the 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, and / or any animal signs in the area).
More information on the Caribou Collaring program can be found in the Winter Field Notice here: https://www.martenfallsaccessroad.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-01-18-Winter-Field-Notice.pdfAny collars that do not fall off as intended will be manually removed and retrieved by researchers*. This activity was initially expected to take place in March 2024, however due to poor snow conditions, the manual collar removal will be postponed until winter 2025. Notice will be given prior to the field program commencing.
- *A specially trained caribou capture team will be deployed to manually remove the collar without harming the animal.
- Spring Groundwater and Geochemistry Field Program – Groundwater sampling (May / June 2024)
The Groundwater and Geochemistry Program is expected to continue in late May / early June 2024. Over 20 well sites are sampled seasonally to monitor groundwater conditions in the area. To support and inform the environmental assessment, the groundwater samples are sent for laboratory analysis and are tested for general water chemistry, metals, solids content, nutrients, hydrocarbons and others.
To learn more about the studies taking place to support planning of the Community Access Road, check out the early findings summaries 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.
