By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Source: Thunder Bay Source
The winter road into Webequie is a bit late but should be ready soon, Coun. Randy Jacob said Friday.
“Hopefully by the end of this month,” he said.
He said the icy path to his Treaty 9 community is very important as a supply route for groceries, construction materials and much more.
Indigenous Services Canada’s latest update on winter roads lists Webequie, Eabametoong and Nibinamik First Nations as having routes “under construction” while the winter road into Neskantaga is open to light loads.
Indigenous Services Canada classifies light loads as passenger vehicles, said Karen Waite, the department’s manager of assets and northern roads in Ontario.
The status of a separate road into Marten Falls is unknown, according to the update.
Webequie, Eabametoong, Nibinamik, Neskantaga and Marten Falls are all in Corridor 4 of the northern Ontario winter roads system.
In Corridor 2, North Caribou Lake’s winter road is listed as open to full loads while Muskrat Dam’s road is open to light loads.
Roads in Corridor 1, which includes Pikangikum, Sandy Lake and five other First Nations on the west end of northern Ontario, are all under construction or, in the case of North Spirit Lake, of unknown status.
The same is true for all Corridor 3 communities, which include Kingfisher Lake and Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug.
Fort Severn and Weenusk, served by a corridor coming out of Manitoba, have winter roads under construction.
(File photo)
