Manitoba seeks legal authority to help fund ‘Freedom Road’ – CTV

November 25, 2015

WINNIPEG — An isolated reserve under one of Canada’s longest boil-water advisories is one step closer to being connected with the outside world.

The Manitoba government introduced a bill Wednesday that would give the province legal authority to help fund construction of a permanent road for Shoal Lake 40 First Nation.

The reserve — on the Ontario-Manitoba boundary — was cut off from the mainland a century ago during construction of an aqueduct which sends fresh water to Winnipeg. It has no all-weather road and has been under a boil-water advisory for 18 years.

“It’s something that cannot be overlooked any longer,” said Aboriginal Affairs Minister Eric Robinson, who introduced the bill. “The challenges faced by Shoal Lake 40 in terms of clean drinking water, the cost of living and all these other factors have to be considered.”