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Community Works

our projects

Shoal Lake 40 First Nation has an unwavering commitment to creating innovative, sustainable and critical infrastructural needs for our community. We have undergone several major projects that allow us to build a strong community and foster opportunity and economic development within our Nation. 

Major Projects

Freedom Road | June 3rd, 2019

After more than a century of being unable to travel by road to and from mainland Canada, Shoal Lake 40 welcomed the opening of Freedom Road, a road that provides year-round, all-weather access to the community and improves the accessibility of essential goods and services. The all-season road connects our community to the Trans-Canada highway and is the result of strong leadership by the Shoal Lake 40 Chief and community and a unique cost-sharing partnership between the Government of Canada, the Province of Manitoba and the City of Winnipeg.

“Freedom Road is a product of the efforts of generations of our people and former leaders. Sadly, some paid the ultimate price,” said then Shoal Lake 40 Chief Erwin Redsky, describing how road access can too often mean the difference between life and death in remote, isolated communities.

NWP Highway Twinning | 2018 - Present

Since 2018 the Niiwin Wendaanimok Partnership has been working for the interests of the people of Wauzhushk Onigum, Washagamis Bay, Shoal Lake 40, and Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation. Their focus has been concerning the Twinning of Highway 17 between the Manitoba/Ontario border and Kenora (“the Project”). The Project is planned to move forward in several phases, though the specific dimensions of each phase is currently under review. With that said, the Province of Ontario is considering twinning the highway between the Manitoba border to the western extent of the Kenora border. The Niiwin Wendaanimok is working hard to ensure potential impacts from the Project are mitigated and to secure economic opportunities for the four Nations. 
  
2020 saw the completion of the Phase 1 Anishinaabe Aki Kakendamowin (AAK), the documentation of the knowledge and practices associated with the care and protection for the lands, skies, soils, and waters. This knowledge has been used to identify and assess potential impacts of Phase 1 of the Project through the Harmonized Impact Assessment (HIA), ground-breaking impact assessment process that harmonizes the principles of the Anishinaabe Sacred Earth Law (Manito Aki Inakonigaawin) with contemporary scientific impact assessment best practices and principles. For more information, please visit niiwinwendaanimok.com.

ojibway heritage school | 2019

Shoal Lake 40 constructured a  new 1,704 sq. m K-8 school building with classrooms, library, cafeteria, multi-purpose rooms, a large gymnasium, staff offices, meeting rooms and support spaces. The school grounds will also include a soccer field, basketball court, playgrounds, outdoor cooking area and outdoor educational areas, as well as support infrastructure such as garbage collection, snow storage areas, parking lot and a septic tank and field. The school site covers an area of approximately 3.5 ha.