Next challenge for Arctic Economic and Security Corridor is to define exact route

“I don’t want to take credit for this one. This is Indigenous governments showing leadership, governments working together, and it’s a glimpse of what the future of the NWT can look like, when we approach major opportunities as partners.”

– Premier R.J. Simpson

The proponents of the Arctic Economic and Security Corridor came together on Tuesday morning to celebrate reaching consensus on a proposed rough routing for the estimated $4 billion 400-kilometre all-season road.

This ambitious nation-building project is being led by the Tłı̨chǫ Government and Yellowknives Dene First Nation in partnership with the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Tłı̨chǫ Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty admitted that reaching an agreement between the two prominent First Nations wasn’t without its challenges, but protecting caribou routes was at top of mind.

The project has been discussed for a number of years, with an early “road to resources” in a heartland of a caribou migratory area, being rejected by the Elders. In the first phase, it would have extended Highway 4 (the Ingraham Trail) from Tibbitt Lake to Lockhart Lake.

Lafferty said now there is a solution that will balance a minimal impact on caribou, with creating opportunities for First Nations people, and also the Northwest Territories.

“It has not always been easy. The two Nations came together. We talked about the northern section, and the middle section, and the southern section of the corridor. We most of the time agreed on the northern section and the middle section, and also the Wekweètì area. But when it came to southern section, there were three options.

“But we came together, we made a decision together, we compromised. Both nations came together, and both nations wanted to have the corridor outside of Yellowknife, so our people can benefit.

“The corridor obviously was a dream, and now we have a project that we talked about. Now we’re in the planning stages. So it was a great victory, in my view. The Yellowknives Dene First Nation and our Tłı̨chǫ government, with the Elders and with our leadership coming together, we achieved our vision, our dream.

Lafferty stressed the weekend announcement of the proposed routing corridor agreement was just “the start of our engagement”

He continued: “It is a route that’s 30-kilometres wide, and within that frame, we have to find the actual route that’s going to go to Nunavut, based on the engagement of the community, the stakeholders, the community members, the committees, based upon that conclusion, we’ll have the route identified.”

YKDFN Dettah Chief Ernest Betsina emphasized that the route location consensus, “gave us a shared direction, but it does not establish a final route or authorize construction.”

He continued: “It defines an area for further engagement. Environmental analysis, engineering, and regulatory work still needs to be done. As Indigenous owners of this project, we will ensure that the future route respects our caribou, land, water, wildlife, and rights.

“We will also ensure that the project delivery lasting benefits to our members through jobs, training, contracts, and business development.”

A road from Highway 3 to the Arctic Ocean, with rough industry cost estimates:

• Grays Bay Road and Port: Estimated at over $1 billion for the 230-kilometre Nunavut all-season road, deepwater port, and airstrip. Early pre-construction and planning phases have been backed by federal critical mineral funds and private/Inuit investments.
• Arctic Economic and Security Corridor: Estimated at $4 billion for the 400-km all-season road extension through the Slave Geological Province in the NWT to the Nunavut border.

Strategic Infrastructure, Energy and Supply Chains Minister Caroline Wawzonek said, “where we’re starting from today is putting us on an interesting and exciting path.”

She continued: “The opportunity is enormous. It’s nation-building infrastructure. It’s going to open up one of Canada’s most important and under-accessed critical mineral regions, strengthen Northern infrastructure, create lasting opportunities for Indigenous governments and Northerners, and really connect Canada into being an Arctic nation.”

Premier R.J. Simpson said the AESC partnership model is something he would like to see continue across the NWT.

“There’s still much work ahead. There will need to be further engagement and more work to do as the GNWT works to formally endorse a final route,” he said.

“But today, it’s time to take a moment and recognize what we’ve accomplished, or what has been accomplished. I don’t want to take credit for this one. This is indigenous governments showing leadership, governments working together, and it’s a glimpse of what the future of the NWT can look like when we approach major opportunities as partners. Congratulations to the Tłı̨chǫ and Yellowknives Dene. Thank you for the work you have done to get us here.”

Chief Betsina said there are 300 community members currently, or until just recently, employed at one of three diamond mines — all of which are either closed, closing or have signalled they will in a couple of years.

“So, they’re knocking on my doors and they’re knocking on (Ndilǫ Chief Fred) Sangris’s doors, looking for work and saying, “What’s next?’  Well, I believe that this project is going to be next, this corridor is going to be next … this will give the opportunity for our members to continue working, and the beautiful thing is about it is that most of these members have experience in the haul truck driving and heavy equipment, and … that’s definitely a bonus.”

As for the deadline to design the final routing within the 30-kilometre agreed-on outline, Chief Betsina said it’s a “tight time frame.”

Grand Chief Lafferty said he couldn’t provide an exact timeline, but “we’re going according to what the federal government timelines are.”

He continued: “The Liberal Government is in (federal) power now, and so we’re taking advantage of that. We’re working with the Prime Minister’s Office, the Major Projects Office at the federal level.”

Grand Chief Lafferty said the AESC is “a lasting legacy,” as once the road is completed, there will be opportunities to monitor the road’s condition and provide upkeep.

“And we, as the Tłı̨chǫ Government, we have our lawmaking powers, working with ECC (GNWT Department of Environment and Climate Change) and other jurisdictions, taking over control of regulatory matters when it comes to enforcing the monitoring of caribou, the wildlife environment, the waterways.

“The whole operation will be a long-term project, so it’s a lasting legacy, and we want to create opportunities for our two nations and also our neighboring Indigenous governments as well. We’ve already reached out to them, and that there will be plenty of opportunities for other Nations to come on board as well.

“We’ve all set the doors open for them, and we’re here today, and addressing that in public as well. That we all need to work together to make this a reality.”

Being together in public to show unity for the feds is section 4(4) of  the MOU signed in January between the Tłı̨chǫ Government, the YKDFN and the GNWT:

To support the continued advancement of the AESC project concept, the Partners agree to: Promote the AESC, including at industry forums, public events, and intergovernmental tables, reinforcing the unified approach of the Partners.

Deputy Premier, Finance and Strategic Infrastructure Minister Caroline Wawzonek had this overview on the AESC:

“Looking from the Northwest Territories as a whole, as the three diamond mines are closing, obviously, we’re looking to what’s coming next.

“There’s a lot of projects that are at advanced stages that have claims staked, that have interests, that have exploration levels. Can I stand here and tell you exactly which mine is opening when? I absolutely can’t. I can tell you that having a road going through this region is going to accelerate having mines, because one of the biggest things that the industry brings to us about barriers, energy is one, and transportation is the other.

“So, for breaking down one of those barriers, you’re going to see projects that maybe weren’t economical becoming economical, and those that are moving faster.

“They might not be as big as a diamond mine, but I mean, if you wind up with five or six over the course of time, then then I think it starts to replace what we have right now.”