Manitoba Hydro and Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation sign historic
Wuskwatim Project Development Agreement

Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (NCN) is based in Nelson House, Manitoba, about 800 km north of Winnipeg and 80 km west of Thompson. The First Nation has 4,000 members living in Nelson House, South Indian Lake, Leaf Rapids, Thompson, Brandon and Winnipeg.

Manitoba Hydro, a provincial crown corporation, provides electricity throughout the province and natural gas services to southern Manitoba. Nearly all of Manitoba Hydro’s electricity is generated from self-renewing waterpower.

The Project Development Agreement was ratified by 64 percent of NCN voters by secret ballot on June 7 and 14. The signing of the historic agreement was marked by a colourful ceremony in Nelson House on June 26, attended by Manitoba Premier Gary Doer, Hydro CEO Bob Brennan and other federal, provincial, Aboriginal and business leaders.

"This is an exciting day for us as engineers, and a proud one as Manitobans,” said Jim Smith, Acres Manitoba Vice President.

The development includes the construction of a 200-MW, low-head generating station on the Burntwood River at Taskinigahp Falls in the Nelson House Resource Management Area, which can be up to 33 percent owned by NCN, through its wholly-owned Taskinigahp Power Corporation.

“This agreement is a wonderful and important milestone in the long history of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation that I believe will usher in a new era of economic development and prosperity for our members along with greater independence,” said NCN Chief Jerry Primrose. “The project truly represents a 21st century opportunity for our First Nation to continue to live off the land – but in a new way – by developing and using our water resources sustainably and with minimal environmental impact.”

Bob Brennan, Manitoba Hydro President and CEO concurred, saying “We are delighted to be partnering with NCN in developing the Wuskwatim generating station. This partnership is a good deal for NCN, for Manitoba Hydro, for Manitobans and for our environment. This agreement will be a model for First Nations peoples to benefit from natural resource development projects in Canada.”

The project has been jointly developed by NCN and Manitoba Hydro using both western science and NCN’s traditional knowledge, including input from its resource harvesters and Elders that helped determine the location of the dam and routes for the access road and transmission lines.

NCN members have worked on ongoing field studies and other programs designed to monitor environmental impacts, and will also be responsible for implementing cultural programs at the site and managing any social impacts from the project.

Members of the First Nation have been preparing for jobs on the Wuskwatim project through skills development and training programs at the newly opened, $8.6 million Atoskiwin Training and Employment Centre (ATEC) in Nelson House. ATEC was established as part of the negotiations to build Wuskwatim, in order to ensure NCN’s members would be qualified to take advantage of the jobs. Approximately 300 people have received training so far.

Wuskwatim will offer more jobs in the summer season than in the winter season, and more in the later years of construction, than in the first two years. During the busy summer season, the workforce could range from 150 to 540 people.

In addition to employment opportunities for qualified NCN members, the First Nation will undertake about $100 million of work through directly negotiated construction contracts for NCN businesses and joint-venture partnerships.

The Wuskwatim partnership is the first of its kind between Manitoba Hydro and a First Nation and offers a model for future hydroelectric developments in northern Manitoba. Construction is expected to begin this summer and continue through 2012.

For further information, please contact:

Marcel Moody
Manager, Future Developments
Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation
Phone: 204-484-2414
ncninfo@ncncree.com