The federal government committed $28 million to the construction of a new, overland road for Hatchet Lake Denesuline Nation and Wallaston Lake and, in the last federal budget committed a further $49 million toward the project, according to a Indigenous Services Canada spokesperson.
“Currently, residents depend on a precarious 42-kilometre crossing over Wollaston Lake, which has become increasingly unreliable due to climate change. Weaker ice in the winter and lower lake levels in the summer have made access difficult and costly, emphasizing the urgent need for a stable, all-weather road,” quote from a Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) news release dated June 17.
“The latest federal government budget proposed additional funding to support the Wollaston Lake/Hatchet Lake Denesuline Nation, all-season road project in Saskatchewan,” reads the news release.
The purpose of the funding is to provide “safe, reliable road access” to remote First Nation communities. The project, begun in the in 2008, has from Kilometre 25 to 103 left to complete the proposed project.
Primarily, access to Hatchett Lake Denesuline Nation and Wollaston Lake is by air travel, barge in the summer, and ice road during the winter, according to the news release.
Hatchet Lake as a population of approximately 2,000 people, of which, more than 1,500 live on reserve.
While the federal government is providing $72 million of the projected $94 million project, the building of the road is a Saskatchewan Highways project.
“This road is more than just a connection to the outside world. It’s a lifeline that will bring safety, economic opportunities, and a brighter future for our people. We are grateful for the support and commitment shown by both the federal and provincial governments. The new road will ensure our community thrives,” Chief Bartholomew Tsannie of Hatchet Lake Denesuline Nation, is quoted as saying in the news release.
