Long Lake #58 First Nation seeks greater role in northern Ontario development

By Rick Garrick

LONG LAKE #58 FIRST NATION — Long Lake #58 First Nation Chief John O’Nabigon is calling for significant economic opportunities for his community as major energy, transportation, resource, and infrastructure initiatives are being developed across northern Ontario.

“There is a great deal happening around Long Lake #58 [First Nation], and we can see a number of opportunities coming together,” Chief O’Nabigon says. “Our job is to make sure our community is ready. We want our members to benefit through jobs, businesses, partnerships, ownership, and stronger community infrastructure, while protecting our lands, rights, and future generations.”

Chief O’Nabigon says his community is located in a strategic location, with a strong land base and young population.

“[The] projects that are being discussed across northern Ontario can help create lasting prosperity for our people, and that’s what we’re looking for,” Chief O’Nabigon says, noting initiatives such as the Ring of Fire mining area, the Northern Shield Energy Corridor pipeline that would carry oil from Alberta to refineries in southern Ontario, and all of the mining projects in the area. “Canada is taking those initiatives to create an economy for Ontario and Canada Strong, and we’re willing to be a part of that — we want to be able to prosper from that ourselves.”

Chief O’Nabigon says the Trans-Canada Highway, Highway 11, goes right through their traditional territory.

“This [Northern Shield] Energy Corridor is going right through our community,” Chief O’Nabigon says. “I make the reference that it’s not only in our front door or our back yard, it goes right through our living room. And of course, we have the highway safety concerns that we’re now getting movement on and talking with Ontario and Canada representatives to increase the safety for our community members along the highway.”

Long Lake #58 First Nation states that it is also working with the governments of Ontario and Canada to advance its long-standing land claim, which could strengthen its land base and ability to invest in its future as well as provide certainty for those wanting to invest in this resource rich area of the province.

“As a First Nation that’s right in the middle of all this, we should be able to be consulted and we should be able to have a say, and we want to look at equity positions and how we can prosper from the business side,” Chief O’Nabigon says.

Chief O’Nabigon says they are talking about being in a position where they can be a proponent and have an equity stake.

“It goes beyond revenue sharing — it’s about generating our own profits from these opportunities, generating our own prosperity by strengthening our governance and economic capacity that will enable us to be equitable partners in these huge projects,” Chief O’Nabigon says. “We’re talking about multi-billion dollar projects that are going to go throughout the country when you talk about this new movement with the Canada Strong Act and Ontario and Canada working together to strengthen the economy of Canada, and we want to be part of that.”

Chief O’Nabigon says they don’t want to just be given handouts or to be handed out contracts.

“We want to be owners, and I think that’s how we have meaningful wealth generation for our communities,” Chief O’Nabigon says. “We want to be able to have the ability to take care of our own needs financially. When Canada and Ontario talk about partners, that’s what the partnership is about.”

Long Lake #58 First Nation also states that it is strengthening its governance and economic institutions so it can assess opportunities carefully, negotiate strong agreements, and make sound long-term decisions, noting that a Governance Committee has been established to guide the work, with technical and strategic support from Mamaskatch Advisory Services.

“We are approaching this with optimism,” Chief O’Nabigon says. “Long Lake #58 [First Nation] is in a strategic location, with a strong land base and a young population. If we prepare properly and make good decisions, the projects being discussed across northern Ontario can help create lasting prosperity for our people. We want governments and industry to recognize Long Lake #58 [First Nation] as a serious partner in the future of the region.”