The Canadian Press
TORONTO – A northwestern Ontario first nation is planning to take the provincial government to court over plans to begin clear-cutting in their traditional territory.
The Grassy Narrows First Nation has filed an application for judicial review against both the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of the Environment.
The application challenges the Natural Resources Ministry’s 10-year logging plan that would see clear-cutting of about 50,000 hectares of the Whiskey Jack Forest, as well as the Environment Ministry’s decision not to order a comprehensive review of that plan.
Grassy Narrows argues that logging in their traditional territory would exacerbate a mercury contamination crisis that’s plagued the community for decades.
The first nation has dealt with high mercury content in its water since a nearby paper mill dumped large amounts of the chemical into the Wabigoon River system in the 1960s.
Neither the Ministry of Natural Resources nor the Ministry of the Environment immediately responded to requests for comment.
