Chief of Shawanaga First Nation says tentative agreement reached with Ontario to expand Highway 69

There is a sign of progress in the effort to complete the four-laning of a final section of Highway 69 that links northern Ontario to the southern part of the province, and improving the safety of the heavily-travelled route.

The chief of Shawanaga First Nation, Adam Pawis said he has reached the beginning of an "amicable agreement" with Ontario that would pave the way for the highway to be widened through the First Nation's territory.

The 68-kilometre stretch of road, north of Parry Sound,  between Nobel and Pickerel River, also runs through two other First Nations: Henvey Inlet, and Magnetawan.

Pawis said his negotiations continue on a number of details, including how to manage the land base of the reserve.

"In our land code process, we are not able to diminish the land base of our reserve and, therefore, the land that is required for the footprint of the highway will be replaced," he said. "We're currently working with different levels of government to identify those lands and add them to the process."

Pawis said he's pleased that the Ontario government is back at the table on the issue.

"There was a period of time where there was no mandate for the Ministry of Transportation to actually get this project completed," he said. "I want to say about 36 months ago, we began the re-discussion of these components and we have been working towards an end goal because a better, safer highway not only benefits the community of Shawanaga First Nation, but it also benefits Ontario citizens as they travel for tourism, for working opportunities and also to move goods around the province."

Last June, an Indigenous-owned construction company announced it was poised to take on the expansion project when all the details are ironed out.

Shwe Miikaan is owned by Shawanaga, Magnetawan and Henvey Inlet First Nations, which have formed a limited partnership with AtkinsRéalis (formerly SNC Lavalin.)

The last time a portion of four-laning of Highway 69 was completed was in December of 2021, when fourteen kilometres around French River opened up.

The ministry of transportation and the chiefs of Magnetawan and Henvey Inlet First Nations were not immediately available for comment.