Today, the first ever roundtable on First Nations winter roads took place at the RBC Convention centre. Leaders from northern communities, as well as ministers from both Indigenous Services Canada and Manitoba’s department of Transportation and Infrastructure were there to discuss, and listen to the impact of inadequate road systems on communities.

One Chief said today "30 years ago we would have 10 inches of ice by now. With climate change, we can't continue to construct the roads the same way, but we have been and it’s not working anymore."

"Climate change is not going to wait for us", another Chief said.

The most common theme throughout the day was that all-weather roads are the obvious permanent solution, but that they have been told time and time again that is limited by cost. Some questioned why urban centres receive a budget of tens of millions per year to upgrade and maintain existing road infrastructure when First Nations communities have been in desperate need of permanent solutions for decades.

Everything from food, to health, to tourism opportunities which could bring revenue into communities are being stunted by the quality of the roads and the ever-shortening winter road season.

In her closing remarks, Minister of Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) Patty Hajdu announced that as an immediate solution, the Federal Government will be providing an additional $20M over four years to northern road construction.

She also announced that ISC is prepared to fund the establishment of a northern roads agency that would be a permanent, long-term solution. Minister Hajdu was clear that this would be an arms length agency, not a government committee, as committees are at risk of being dissolved in the event future ministerial leadership does not see it as a priority.

A timeline of early January was suggested for the group to decide how they would like this agency structured, and what it will be called.