Biigtigong Nishnaabeg

East-West Tie Transmission Line Technical Review

NextBridge was proposing to construct, own, and maintain the East-West Tie Transmission Project, a new, approximately 446 km long double-circuit 230 kV transmission line that connects the Lakehead Transformer Station in Shuniah, Ontario, to the Wawa Transformer Station east of Wawa, Ontario. The project assessment areas passed through the central portion of Biigtigong Nishnaabeg’s traditional territory.

Our team was commissioned by Biigtigong Nishnaabeg to carry out a technical review of the draft Environmental Assessment, focused on the accommodation and protection of the community’s rights and interests as they relate to human and natural environment. We provided a plain language explanation of the scope and nature of the project and helped to establish where Biigtigong Nishnaabeg’s rights and interests overlapped with the project.

Value for the Client Group

Our review clearly identified potential impacts to Biigtigong Nishnaabeg’s Indigenous and Treaty rights as a result of the proposed project, as well as the extent to which the project could affect its interests in territorial stewardship, environmental protection, and economic and community development. Our review also provided recommendations on changes to the environmental assessment to protect the health of the community and the lands and waters and ensure the community could continue to exercise their rights without limitation.