Latest news with #BrokenheadOjibwayNation
CBC
09-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
Sand mining company offers 5% of profits, up to $20M a year, to Manitoba First Nation
Mining company Sio Silica has offered Brokenhead Ojibway Nation a five per cent share of profits from its proposed sand-extraction operation, promising the Winnipeg-area First Nation $20 million in annual revenue once the project is operating at full capacity. The Alberta-based company, whose plan to extract up to 33 million tonnes of high-grade silica from the below the surface of southeastern Manitoba over 24 years was rejected by the NDP government in 2024, has held a series of meetings with Brokenhead members since last fall as part of a revised effort to obtain an environmental licence for its operation. In a presentation at Winnipeg's Club Regent hotel on Monday night, Sio Silica officials displayed a slide stating its mining operations will bring "significant financial benefits" for the First Nation, which has 2,307 members living both on and off reserve. Those benefits include employment, training and educational opportunities, Sio Silica chief executive officer Feisal Somji said at the meeting. "We recognize that when a new project and a new process comes into the area, you're not automatically qualified or educated on how to to work and benefit from that," Somji said in an address to Brokenhead members. "We have to ensure that there is proper training, proper education and proper resources for everyone to take advantage of that." The sand Sio Silica hopes to extract does not lie below Brokenhead's reserve lands. Sio Silica president Carla Devlin said the band is being consulted because it is the closest First Nation to the wells her company intends to drill across a broad swath of land in southeastern Manitoba. "We believe First Nations need to be at the table before approval, not after. And if we're serious about true reconciliation, then it's about partnership," Devlin said Tuesday in a telephone interview. She would not confirm whether a formal partnership with Brokenhead is on the table or whether the benefits promised to the community depend on formal band support for the project. "Right now, I can't speak to that. I can tell you that we are actively engaging in respectful dialogue and we're encouraging economic reconciliation for First Nations," she said. Brokenhead Chief Gordon Bluesky also did not confirm whether a formal partnership is on the table. In a statement, Bluesky said it's important Brokenhead members understand the full scope of a project proposed for its territory, where he said generations of development have impacted land and water with no benefit to the nation or the well-being of its members. "This cannot continue," Bluesky said. "If we are truly going to advance economic reconciliation on our territory, it must happen on our terms." Taylor Galvin, a Brokenhead member who lives in the community and opposes to the sand extraction proposal, said she and other band members were told Tuesday night the band has already hired an official to work on an impact-benefit agreement between the First Nation and Sio Silica. "A lot of people who were there didn't realize that we were even at that stage, considering there's no licence and there's no signed agreements yet," Galvin, a graduate student in environmental studies, said Tuesday in a telephone interview. "They're already moving forward on impact benefits and have somebody who's working on this file already." Sio Silica proposes to drill fewer wells, at first Sio Silica's original application for an environmental licence was rejected by the province over concerns about the potential effects on water quality and the geological stability of the aquifer containing ultrapure crystalline quartz, which can be used to produce solar panels, new batteries and semiconductors. The company proposed to drill up to 7,200 wells to the east and southeast of Winnipeg to extract the sought-after substance from about 50 metres below the surface. The Clean Environment Commission, an arm's-length provincial body, raised concerns about the proposal and advised the government only to approve it after applying many conditions to the proposal and to insist it proceed in stages, with only a few mines drilled at first. "As a general principle, full-scale production should only proceed if and when the body of scientific and engineering evidence confirms that the risks are adequately understood and manageable," the commission advised in its report. Sio Silica now proposes to drill 25 wells during its first year of operation and 75 wells the following year, according to its Monday presentation. Somji also suggested the company erred in its earlier public-relations efforts by describing its sand-extraction process as utilizing new technology. "One of the mistakes that we made in the past is we talked about it being a patent pending process and that was really just an element of advantage that we could have on our competitors," he said at Monday's meeting. "But the actual process itself is not new, it's not novel. It's just taking a a process that's being used, using air to lift sand and using that to extract the material. Since the province rejected Sio Silica's licence application, the mining company has rebranded its project as SiMBA, amended its plans to involve more gradual drilling and started engaging with Brokenhead. Brokenhead member Galvin said she wants to know why Sio Silica did not consult First Nations during its first attempt to secure an environmental licence and questioned the sincerity of the company's current effort. "It's a political checkbox that they all have to, we all have to, abide by nowadays, right? It makes them look good," Galvin said. "They're just trying to dot their i's and cross their t's to make everything look like they're following through on consultation, engagement and all these different things with the nearest First Nation." How the mining would work 2 years ago Duration 0:32 How Sio Silica hopes to extract sand from below the surface of southeastern Manitoba. Tangi Bell, who leads a non-Indigenous organization opposed to Sio Silica's extraction plans, called the company's ongoing effort to obtain an environmental licence "simply absurd." Bell, the Springfield-based president of Our Line In The Sand, said if another licence application is filed, she wants the NDP government to ensure the Clean Environment Commission holds a public hearing and provides funding for participants, something she said did not happen when the previous application was considered under the former Progressive Conservative government. The province has not received any new or revised licence applications from the company, according to a spokesperson for Environment and Climate Change. Sio Silica president Devlin said the company intends to file a new application this calendar year. Devlin is also the mayor of East St. Paul, where Brokenhead owns 194 hectares of land, including a three-hectare reserve established two decades ago and another 25-hectare parcel that will become a new Brokenhead reserve. She said she would consider recusing herself from any future East St. Paul decisions related to Brokenhead developments should the First Nation become a formal partner with Sio Silica. Galvin, the Sio Silica opponent, said she does not trust Devlin because she wears both hats. "It's a very clear and open conflict of interest on her part," Galvin said. In a 100-page report issued in May, Manitoba's ethics commissioner determined former Manitoba premier Heather Stefanson and two of her PC cabinet ministers violated the province's conflict-of-interest law and should be fined for pushing for the approval of the Sio Silica proposal after the Tories lost the 2023 election to the NDP. Sio Silica was not sanctioned in that report. What silica mining critics fear 2 years ago Duration 0:31 What critics fear could happen if silica mining in southeastern Manitoba is approved.
CTV News
05-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Brokenhead Ojibway Nation creates new reserve land in East St. Paul
Sign for the economic development zone of Brokenhead Ojibway Nation is shown. (Scott Anderson/CTV News Winnipeg) More than 60 acres of land in East St. Paul has officially become reserve land for Brokenhead Ojibway Nation (BON). On Friday, July 4, 2025, BON announced the creation of a new reserve on 60.76 acres east of Highway 59 and south of the Perimeter Highway, near the boundary of Winnipeg. BON said it is exploring a range of potential uses for the land, including residential and commercial development, recreation and wellness facilities. 'This site has incredible potential to create jobs, expand services, and support our ongoing work to build a stronger economic future for our Nation,' said Chief Gord Bluesky in a news release. 'It reflects our Nation's commitment to growth, self-reliance, and working in true partnership with our neighbours.' The reserve designation follows 20 years of negotiations with the federal government. BON said the land acquisition will help unlock new economic development opportunities. 'Through the expansion of Brokenhead Ojibway Nation's land base, we are not only advancing reconciliation and fulfilling past obligations under the Treaty Land Entitlement process, we're also creating new opportunities for growth and development,' said Rebecca Alty, federal minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations.
Winnipeg Free Press
05-07-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Brokenhead Ojibway Nation plans 60 acres of economic expansion
Brokenhead Ojibway Nation Chief Gordon Bluesky's field of dreams is one step closer to reality. 'I call it that because I always drive past it and say it's going to be something one day,' he said, standing in front of a 60-acre soybean field on the northeast edge of Winnipeg. The goal is to turn it into 60 acres of residential, commercial and retail development. NICOLE BUFFIE / FREE PRESS Brokenhead Ojibway Nation Chief Gordon Bluesky on the East St. Paul farm field recently designated as reserve land. On Friday, Bluesky announced the parcel of land had been successfully transferred to the Manitoba First Nation from the Rural Municipality of East St. Paul, 16 years after it was initially purchased through a federal Treaty Land Entitlement claim. The land sits within the RM, on the boundary of the City of Winnipeg, east of Highway 59 and south of the Perimeter Highway. Bluesky is eyeing the area as the next opportunity for economic prosperity for Brokenhead and the areas it surrounds. 'We've already increased the land value around our main reserve with the developments that we have there,' the chief said. 'The work that we're going to be doing on these lands doesn't just benefit First Nations people.' The transfer to reserve land is the first step in the site's redevelopment. Next will come consultations with surrounding landowners and community members from Brokenhead to see what is desired for the area. Affordable housing and retail are among the amenities expected to be built on the land, Bluesky said. The parcel is part of 480 acres previously purchased by the First Nation in the late 2000s. It was only recently was transferred to reserve status through the federal claim agreement, with a push by the provincial government through an order in council. Brokenhead also owns land in the RMs of Lac du Bonnet, Alexander and East St. Paul, and within Winnipeg (including the Westwood Village Inn and property on Nairn Avenue which is currently going through the reserve creation process). 'We're trying to fulfill our treaty land entitlement, which is an outstanding obligation from 1871 — our people were promised these lands,' Bluesky said. Federal Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs Rebecca Chartrand (Churchill—Keewatinook Aski) attended the ceremony on behalf of Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty. Chartrand called the transferred land a foundation for community prosperity. 'These new lands open doors, they bring opportunity through jobs, investment and thriving business that lift up entire communities.' NICOLE BUFFIE / FREE PRESS Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Kyra Wilson said urban reserves are a testament to the economic sovereignty of First Nations communities and looks forward to seeing more urban First Nations development. Since 2006, more than one million acres across Canada have been transferred to reserves, Chartrand added. In Manitoba, about 10 other First Nations are eyeing transfers through Treaty Land Entitlement claims, which Chartrand said she would help advocate for. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. Bluesky compared the 60-acre parcel to the 160-acre Naawi-Oodena site along a portion of Kenaston Boulevard in south Winnipeg. The former Canadian Armed Forces land is jointly owned by the seven Treaty 1 Nations (Brokenhead, Long Plain, Peguis, Roseau River, Sagkeeng, Sandy Bay and Swan Lake). Naawi-Oodena recently opened its first business at the site: a gas bar/convenience store. Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Kyra Wilson said urban reserves are a testament to the economic sovereignty of First Nations communities and she looks forward to seeing more such development. 'We are strong in our business, we're strong in our vision and it's about reclaiming that land and those spaces,' she said. Nicole BuffieMultimedia producer Nicole Buffie is a multimedia producer who reports for the Free Press city desk. Born and bred in Winnipeg, Nicole graduated from Red River College's Creative Communications program in 2020 and worked as a reporter throughout Manitoba before joining the Free Press newsroom in 2023. Read more about Nicole. Every piece of reporting Nicole produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Brokenhead Ojibway creates new reserve on outskirts of Winnipeg
Brokenhead Ojibway Nation is expanding its reserve land just outside Winnipeg city limits, in a move the First Nation says will help advance its economic development and self-determination. Almost 25 hectares (60 acres) of land in the rural municipality of East St. Paul, just northeast of Winnipeg, have been added to the First Nation's jurisdiction, its leadership announced Friday. Brokenhead Chief Gordon Bluesky said the Treaty 1 signatory has been negotiating with the federal government for nearly 20 years to create the new reserve, and that the announcement has been a long time coming. "We're trying to fulfil our treaty land entitlement, which is an outstanding obligation from 1871. Our people were promised these lands in 1871," Bluesky said. "We've worked long and hard, and I acknowledge my ancestors for having that foresight in terms of having these opportunities available to us. And I'm just here to carry the ball over the finish line." 'We have lots of ideas' Bluesky said the plot — east of Highway 59 and south of the Perimeter Highway — was purchased in 2009 as part of a larger purchase of over 194 hectares of land in the rural municipality. It's near Na-Sha-Ke-Penais, the three-hectare reserve the First Nation established on land it purchased in East St. Paul around 2002. A news release said the reserve land — primarily agricultural — will be used for traditional uses, including hunting and trapping. Bluesky said the First Nation is also eyeing further economic development. "We have a lot of ideas," he said. "A lot of that is centrally focused on us getting services here to this site. But essentially, we're looking at some mixed residential, some commercial, some retail." The chief said the area could become a suburb of Winnipeg eventually as the city grows, but there's a lot of infrastructure required before shovels go into the ground. A 'historic milestone' Federal Northern and Arctic Affairs Minister Rebecca Chartrand said there's a lot of bridge-building the federal government must do with First Nations communities. "There's still 10 communities here in Manitoba that are looking to advance their treaty land entitlements," she said. "These are communities that we definitely want to support." Chris Henderson leads the Treaty Land Entitlement Committee of Manitoba, and helps First Nations get land promised by the Crown. He said the announcement is part of a historic process toward recognizing First Nations' inherent right to govern their land. "These three parcels that were set aside earlier this year, they now fall under the inventory and the jurisdiction of Brokenhead to do with as they please. They don't need anybody's permission," he said. "That is a historic milestone."
CBC
05-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
Brokenhead Ojibway creates new reserve on outskirts of Winnipeg
Brokenhead Ojibway Nation is expanding its reserve land just outside Winnipeg city limits, in a move the First Nation says will help advance its economic development and self-determination. Almost 25 hectares (60 acres) of land in the rural municipality of East St. Paul, just northeast of Winnipeg, have been added to the First Nation's jurisdiction, its leadership announced Friday. Brokenhead Chief Gordon Bluesky said the Treaty 1 signatory has been negotiating with the federal government for nearly 20 years to create the new reserve, and that the announcement has been a long time coming. "We're trying to fulfil our treaty land entitlement, which is an outstanding obligation from 1871. Our people were promised these lands in 1871," Bluesky said. "We've worked long and hard, and I acknowledge my ancestors for having that foresight in terms of having these opportunities available to us. And I'm just here to carry the ball over the finish line." 'We have lots of ideas' Bluesky said the plot — east of Highway 59 and south of the Perimeter Highway — was purchased in 2009 as part of a larger purchase of over 194 hectares of land in the rural municipality. It's near Na-Sha-Ke-Penais, the three-hectare reserve the First Nation established on land it purchased in East St. Paul around 2002. A news release said the reserve land — primarily agricultural — will be used for traditional uses, including hunting and trapping. Bluesky said the First Nation is also eyeing further economic development. "We have a lot of ideas," he said. "A lot of that is centrally focused on us getting services here to this site. But essentially, we're looking at some mixed residential, some commercial, some retail." The chief said the area could become a suburb of Winnipeg eventually as the city grows, but there's a lot of infrastructure required before shovels go into the ground. A 'historic milestone' Federal Northern and Arctic Affairs Minister Rebecca Chartrand said there's a lot of bridge-building the federal government must do with First Nations communities. "There's still 10 communities here in Manitoba that are looking to advance their treaty land entitlements," she said. "These are communities that we definitely want to support." Chris Henderson leads the Treaty Land Entitlement Committee of Manitoba, and helps First Nations get land promised by the Crown. He said the announcement is part of a historic process toward recognizing First Nations' inherent right to govern their land. "These three parcels that were set aside earlier this year, they now fall under the inventory and the jurisdiction of Brokenhead to do with as they please. They don't need anybody's permission," he said. "That is a historic milestone."
