Aboriginal and / or Treaty Rights and Interests
An assessment of Aboriginal and / or Treaty Rights and Interests was undertaken with 23 Indigenous communities potentially impacted by the development of the Community Access Road. Areas of Interest were identified for each Indigenous community to illustrate where they exercise / hold Aboriginal and / or Treaty Rights and Interests (ATRI) and practice culture, and therefore, where potential Community Access Road-related impacts could occur.
As of May 15, 2026, to meet the requirements of the approved Terms of Reference (ToR) and the Environmental Assessment Act (EAA), potentially affected Indigenous communities received their own confidential Aboriginal and / or Treaty Rights and Interests (ATRI) Impact Assessment (IA) Report specific to their unique existing conditions and potential impacts.
Marten Falls First Nation has released a redacted version of their community-specific ATRI IA Report to the public. The full report can be viewed here:
This was followed by the on May 22, 2026, which The updated Technical Support Document includes an overall summary of predicted residual impacts and their severity across potentially affected communities (See Table 7-2 on pages 127-131). The update also includes a letter from Chief Bruce Achneepineskum, affirming Marten Falls First Nation’s position on the Community Access Road in relation to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), available in Attachment B. In the letter, Chief Bruce Achneepineskum asserts Marten Falls First Nation’s rights and responsibilities to the land, including their authority to plan, develop, and give consent to projects within their traditional territory.
In addition to the ATRI IA Report, the Technical Support Document (Appendix O) summarizes existing conditions and evaluates the potential impacts to ATRI for communities that may be affected by the Project. It includes overall summary of predicted residual impacts and their severity across all potentially affected communities (see Table 7-2, pages 127–131), as well as a letter from Chief Bruce Achneepineskum outlining Marten Falls First Nation’s position on the Community Access Road in relation to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) (Attachment B). In this letter, Chief Achneepineskum affirms the Nation’s rights and responsibilities to the land, including its authority to plan, develop, and provide consent for projects within its traditional territory.
Aboriginal and / or Treaty Rights and Interests Webinar
Learn about how Aboriginal and / or Treaty rights and interests are being considered for the Marten Falls First Nation Community Access Road. This webinar outlines the approach to identifying and assessing potential impacts on rights and interests, as well as how Indigenous knowledge and community input are incorporated into the Environmental Assessment / Impac Statement.