Neskantaga and Attawapiskat land defenders building village to protect sacred sites and block road construction to Ring of Fire mine in Ontario – PBI Canada
November 6, 2025
On October 29, The Toronto Star reported: “Premier Doug Ford says he is ramping up plans to mine critical minerals in Ontario’s environmentally sensitive Ring of Fire after reaching a $39.5 million road-building partnership with … Webequie First Nation Chief Cornelius Wabasse [for] the proposed all-season Webequie Supply Road…”
At the time of this announcement, the Government of Ontario stated that construction of this road could begin in June 2026.
Then, just a few days after the announcement, Jon Thompson of Ricochet Media reported: “[The] Neskantaga [First Nation] has been intent to oppose the Ring of Fire at least until basic infrastructure demands are met [Neskantaga has been under a boil water advisory for 30 years]. This summer, its members, along with their neighbours downriver in Attawapiskat First Nation, began erecting a village to block road construction across the Attawapiskat River what would be the path to the Ring of Fire.”
