November 8, 2000

Manitoba Highways and Government Services Minister Steve Ashton has released a provincial study on developing an all-weather road system to improve access to remote communities along the east side of Lake Winnipeg.

The study, entitled All Weather Road East Side of Lake Winnipeg Justification and Scoping Study, covers an area that extends from the vicinity of Manigotagan in the south to Oxford House in the north and from Lake Winnipeg in the west to the Ontario border.

"This region has no all-weather road access and we see this as a serious barrier to future development and economic growth," said Ashton. "The study provides excellent insight into current conditions and anticipated community needs as the resident population increases."

The study's general conclusions are:

• The existing winter road system provides marginally acceptable service to communities.
• Total costs of the winter road system are rising due to growing populations in the region and increasing demands.
• The majority of communities in the region support an all-weather road system as a means of reducing the cost of living, enhancing travel opportunities, and improving emergency, health, education and social services.
• Communities have concerns about the impact of an all- weather road and the resulting resource development on lifestyles, land use, the environment and control over their future destiny.

• Rapid population growth in the study area justifies the all-weather road project for many of the communities based on long-term transportation costs.
• Resource development projects potentially supported by an all-weather road system include expanded forestry operations, mining exploration opportunities, hydro development, and enlarged fisheries and tourism.

Communities in the study region include Bloodvein, Berens River, Poplar River, Little Grand Rapids, Pauingassi, St. Theresa Point, Waasagomach, Garden Hill, Red Sucker Lake, Norway House, Cross Lake, Oxford House, Gods River and Gods Lake Narrows.

Under the study, two all-weather road route scenarios with different points of origin were evaluated. Under one scenario, all the east side communities would be connected from the south via Manigotogan. Under the other scenario, the northern communities would be connected from the west via Norway House/Cross Lake with a separate connection from Manigotagan serving only the southern communities.

"This region is under-served by the current provincial transportation network," said Eric Robinson, minister of Aboriginal and northern affairs. "The potential economic and health benefits these Aboriginal and First Nation communities would derive from the building of a year-round road system could significantly enhance the quality of life in the region."

The province is now proposing to undertake jointly with the federal government a road system planning and corridor study in conjunction with the recently announced Lake Winnipeg east side wide area planning process. This work would identify and select corridor options on a network basis for detailed engineering and environmental analysis.

"We will be in contact with the federal government with the hope that negotiations can be started to extend the road network in Manitoba," said Ashton. "The costs of a major expansion such as this are significant and federal government involvement is critical for the advancement of this project. I look forward to working with the federal government on this important initiative."

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