No funds allocated to pave gravel road: ministry official

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This article was published 17/08/2018 (2077 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s unclear whether the province will heed the pleas of 100 people from a remote First Nation who walked more than 600 kilometres to convince the government to pave a gravel road where 11 people have died.

Indigenous and Northern Relations Minister Eileen Clarke promised to pave the road after meeting with Mosakahiken Cree Nation Chief Jim Tobacco, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Garrison Settee and other community leaders Thursday, a news release from MKO reads.

However, a spokesman for the minister said the province didn’t commit any money to the project or promise to pave the road.

“We are committed to work together with the community to discuss options, which could also include equipment upgrades to maintain the current road,” spokeswoman Andrea Slobodian wrote in a statement. “Manitoba Infrastructure considers provincial road 384 a very good gravel road.”

“The community would like to see a paved road and feel that is best way to ensure that more people will not be put in danger due to poor road conditions,” Settee said in response.

The marchers came from the Mosakahiken Cree Nation in Moose Lake, which is approximately 75 kilometres southeast of The Pas. They say the 65-km stretch of gravel road that links their community to vital services in The Pas is in poor shape after logging companies left the area more than five years ago.

Eleven people have died in accidents due to road conditions, the marchers told the Free Press Thursday. The gravel stretch has structural problems and deep potholes because of flooding and poor drainage.

“I’m familiar with the markings on the side of the road where lives have been lost,” Settee said when reached by phone Friday morning.

“Basically, it’s for safety reasons. So many kinds of transportation go through, students are transported on that road, ambulances are transported on that road,” Settee said. Residents said they can only travel 60 km/h on the road.

One community member’s illness makes it painful to drive more than 30 km/h, Settee said.

The former NDP government promised to fix the road in 2016, but that promise wasn’t met, Shelby Tobacco told the Free Press Thursday.

“(The NDP) had not reserved funds for the project,” Slobodian wrote. The current government also hasn’t reserved funds for the project.

However, the departments of Indigenous and Northern Relations and Infrastructure also plan to work together on a larger review of northern Manitoba roads, Slobodian said, adding the province will continue to monitor the gravel road.

— with files from Alexandra Paul

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca