One remote Northwestern Ontario First Nation community is calling out the province for lack of support in creating economic growth.
Marten Falls First Nation issued a news release Thursday, slamming the Ontario government for failing to follow the Ring of Fire memorandum of understanding signed between the community, the province and the federal government.
Marten Falls Chief Bruce Achneepineskum pointed to the delays with building a training centre and four houses, which would have employed community members and helped address their housing crisis.
“These projects are stalled due to funding and lack of commitment from the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines,” Marten Falls Chief Bruce Achneepineskum said in a statement.
“We have inappropriate living conditions, people who want to be trained and employed. We have tried to address these problems with community-based solutions, but letters responded to by ministers with very little changes.”
The chief also expressed displeasure with the response from the government.
“Meetings produce little in terms of rectifying the issues. We do not feel we are being heard,” Achneepineskum said.
Meanwhile, another First Nations community is speaking out against a mining company’s plan to do some work in the region.
Earlier this week Neskantaga First Nation issued a public demand for Nortont Resources to halt plans for exploration drilling later this month.
Neskantaga leaders claim the community was not adequately consulted.
Northern Development and Mines Minister Michael Gravelle said the government is committed to working with First Nations.
“We are in a time of reconciliation and rebuilding a relationship that was pretty badly damaged and that’s still a priority for us,” Gravelle said.
He recently met with Matawa First Nations annual general meeting a few weeks ago where he met with leaders from the area communities.
