The construction of a mining access road near Cat Lake First Nation is now on hold.
A court judge has granted, at the request of the community, an interim order pausing the work by First Mining Gold.
The company received permission from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry to build an 18-kilometre road to its Springpole mining project.
The company wants the road to avoid travel over winter roads.
Since establishing a camp in 2015, First Mining has used an ice road to move supplies and access the site.
It travels 40 kilometres, of which 34 is over ice and half over nearby Birch Lake.
First Mining says there have been several incidents of vehicles breaking through.
Cat Lake objects to the work, saying the Ministry ignored the community’s moratorium on mining exploration and related road work within its traditional territory.
First Mining indicates it proactively engaged with the area’s Indigenous communities over the past year regarding the safety concerns of using the ice road in light of the warm conditions experienced.
Chief Executive Officer Dan Wilton says he is disappointed by the band’s decision but is open to further talks.
“First Mining continues to listen to the concerns of Indigenous communities and is always willing to meet with community leaders to discuss these and any other matters regarding our activities in their traditional territories,” says Wilton in a release.
First Mining adds it has committed significant resources toward consultation efforts with the area’s Indigenous communities and is committed to working with them to understand the potential impacts on their rights and the traditional land users around the exploration Camp.
