Infrastructure project will advance year round access to Marten Falls First Nation

Marten Falls First Nation has selected Hatch and signed a memorandum of understanding to act as its engineering and project management partner to support the design and delivery of the Marten Falls Community Access Road, that will provide reliable, year‑round access to the community for the first time.

The proposed all‑season road will extend approximately 184 kilometers from the northern end of the Painter Lake forestry road to the Marten Falls First Nation community, connecting the community to Ontario’s provincial highway network. Designed as a multi‑purpose community access road, the Marten Falls Community Access Road will support economic participation and improved access to healthcare, education, and emergency services for the remote community, located approximately 400 kilometers northeast of Thunder Bay, which is currently accessible by air, with winter roads available seasonally.

“For Marten Falls members, the Community Access Road means freedom—the ability to travel safely and easily, to visit family without barriers and to access opportunities that were once out of reach. It means a future where isolation no longer defines us, and where our youth can look forward to education, careers and a life full of possibilities,” Chief Bruce Achneepineskum, Marten Falls First Nation

Hatch and Marten Falls First Nation will work together to support broader community infrastructure needs that enable long‑term well‑being, such as power and other essential services, alongside transportation. Hatch will also provide advisory support to help Marten Falls First Nation plan for long‑term operations and community benefits, including assessing operational needs, workforce requirements, and training pathways that enable the community to build and sustain the skills required for long‑term success.

“Hatch is honored to continue our long‑standing partnership with Marten Falls First Nation for infrastructure of such deep importance to the community,” said John Bianchini, chair and CEO of Hatch. “We are proud to support Marten Falls First Nation’s vision for a future defined by connection, opportunity, and self‑determination. Contributing our expertise in a manner that will create lasting, positive change for generations to come is exactly the work we aspire to do.”

The project advances alongside recent commitments by the Government of Ontario to accelerate construction of all‑season roads to the Ring of Fire. In March, the Province and Marten Falls First Nation also formalized a new economic partnership aimed at enabling advanced exploration activities in the region.

Featured image: (Hatch)