River conditions pushing company out of Moosonee

A company that ships goods to the James Bay Coast said it may pull out of Moosonee because the Moose River has become too difficult to navigate.

Rheal Cool is the president of Moosonee Transportation Limited.

His barges deliver key supplies to the First Nations communities further north, destined for remote fly-in communities such as Attawapiskat and Fort Albany.

But Cool said he hasn't seen sediment build-up like this in his decades working the river.

"We are taking two or three tides to get out, where we would normally get out in one tide," said Cool. "That can make a difference of 12, 24 or 36 hours per trip."

If it's not dredged he plans to move his business.

"There's no way we can operate nor will we operate under these conditions," said Cool. "We are going to take our barges out of here."

Cool blames a hydro dam upstream for pushing extra sediment into the Moose River.

"They released too much water too soon and just created a massive 100 bulldozers or more pushing the existing sandbar into the waterway," said Cool.

He wants Ontario Power Generation to dredge the river, which is something spokesperson Neal Kelly said is not in the plans.

Kelly said the spring melt was difficult this year, but the impact on the river is natural.

"The sedimentation would be an issue regardless of the presence of hydro-electric facilities upstream," said Kelly.

Cool is using an extra tug boat to make sure all supplies make it north.

If things don't change before next summer he said he will leave Moosonee and ship from the Quebec side of James Bay.