'It's everything for us': Shoal Lake 40 celebrates start of Freedom Road construction

After decades of isolation, shovels have hit the ground to bring Freedom Road to Shoal Lake 40, an isolatedFirst Nation on the Manitoba-Ontario border.

A special ceremony was held on Friday to mark the beginning of construction of the 24-kilometre Freedom Road, which will connect the community to the Trans-Canada Highway.

"It's amazing.It was a long, long journey to get to this point and I thank many, many leaders before me, including my dadin the '50s when he was chief," said Shoal Lake 40 Chief Erwin Redsky.

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Shoal Lake 40, which is on a peninsula, was effectively made into an island more than 100 years ago during construction of Winnipeg's aqueduct.

Winnipeg tap water still flows from Shoal Lake but the First Nation, which straddles the Manitoba-Ontario border and has a population of about 700 people, has had a boil water advisory for nearly two decades.

There is no reliable way in and out of Shoal Lake. The community constructs a winter road when ice gets thick enough and uses a barge, which has broken down many times, when the ice is thin or gone.

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"[The road] will mean everything. It's a life and death situation. It will bring hope for the youth. It will save lives. It will bring water treatment. It will bring economic development. It will bring prosperity," Redsky said.

"It's everything for us. We will be able to take the garbage off the island. We can manage our community and rebuild the community and catch up to the rest of Canadians."

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Last December, the province of Manitoba, City of Winnipeg and federal government reached a three-way funding agreement for the road. The federal government has agreed to pay up to $20 million, while the province and city each agreed to pay $10 million.

'We were told it wasn't possible'

Preparation for the construction began in the winter, when the community used the ice road to bring in supplies.Friday's celebration marked the start of the portion of the road located on the reserve, a stretch of about 8.7 kilometres. That portion is expected to be completed by the end of October.

At the same time, Redsky said the province is going through a process of approvals, licences and consultation for the portion of Freedom Road located off reserve. The goal is to start that construction in the fall so the entire road can be completed in a year and a half.

"I can't imagine just being able to drive. We were told it wasn't possible and it's becoming real and it's hard to believe, yes, but I can't wait for that day to happen. It's amazing," he said.

The community plans to celebrate each step along the way to construction, Redsky said, because it's been a very long journey. But he said the road also sends a strong and important message about taking reconciliation seriously.

"Shoal Lake 40 has been the model of that broken relationship, and I think Shoal Lake 40 can be that model of the new relationship that needs to take place not only with our community, but with Indigenous communities across the country."

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