One of northwestern Ontario’s most beleaguered First Nation communities is getting hooked up to the electricity grid.
Pikangikum First Nation is being connected to the Ontario power grid.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett announced $60 million for the project.
It means the community will be able to offer a reliable, clean source of power instead of using diesel generators.
Officials expect the work to be done by November of 2018. They are looking to hire a construction company by the fall.
The power line being built from Red Lake to Pikangikum is expected to create 110 jobs and is being fast tracked.
Pikangikum Chief Dean Owen told a packed room at the Victoria Inn Thursday how a fast growing population in his First Nation and unreliable generators led to rolling brown outs.
(Photo and video by Sheri Leviski Kotyk)
