While most residents like the unseasonably mild weather this week, it been hard on the winter ice road system in the north.
Of the 31 communities connected by winter roads, only one is fully open and half are only open to light traffic.
Indigenous Affairs minister Greg Rickford says he will be talking to the Transportation Minister about the issue.
“We’re heading back to Toronto to assess some of the issues that are going on there,” says Rickford.
“I continue to work with Indigenous Affairs, Northern Development and Mines and my colleague Caroline (Mulroney) in the Ministry of Transportation.”
Over the weekend, a groomer fell through the ice in North Cariou Lake and the Nishinawbe Nation says a number of communities are running out of fuel because it can’t be hauled on the winter ice roads.
Rickford says, “Some of that is obviously driven by weather and we’ve faced this before, so we’ll continue to support those communities and their access.”
Close call in North Caribou Lake First Nation today with the winter road construction crew going through the ice in a groomer. Good thing they had logs tied to front & back. Both men got out safe. It’s getting more challenging with the changing climate. #NishnawbeAskiNation pic.twitter.com/XbvtkLiAqy
— Alvin Fiddler (@gcfiddler) February 1, 2020
