Ontario Construction Report staff writer
Construction has started on the Marten Falls Community Access Road, a 184-kilometre all-season road that will connect Marten Falls First Nation to Ontario’s provincial highway network for the first time.
The road is scheduled to open by November 2031, four years ahead of its previous schedule. It is the longest segment of the proposed 514-kilometre Ring of Fire road network.
“We’re delivering on our promise to protect Ontario and stand up to President Trump by unlocking the Ring of Fire,” Premier Doug Ford said at the site on Monday. “The Marten Falls Community Access Road is a critical link in the Ring of Fire road network, connecting the people of Marten Falls to better services and good-paying local jobs while connecting the rest of Ontario to the incredible economic potential of the Ring of Fire.”
Initial construction activities will include tree clearing, establishing a work camp and creating access to aggregate sites along the route. The project will include 35 bridges and culverts.
The road will provide Marten Falls First Nation with year-round access to health care, social services and economic opportunities while reducing transportation costs and improving access to essential goods.
The project is part of Ontario’s accelerated Ring of Fire road delivery plan, which the province says is intended to unlock the region’s critical mineral resources, strengthen domestic supply chains and support economic development in Northern Ontario and First Nations communities.
Construction on the Webequie Supply Road began in June 2026 and is scheduled to be completed by November 2030, four years ahead of schedule. Upgrades to Anaconda and Painter Lake roads also began in June, two years ahead of schedule.
The Northern Road Link is scheduled to begin construction in spring 2028 and open by November 2031, five years ahead of schedule.
“Accelerating the construction of Ring of Fire roads demonstrates our commitment to cementing Ontario’s position as a world leader in the critical minerals space and supporting all-season road access for First Nations and driving economic growth across Northern Ontario,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation.
Marten Falls First Nation is a remote Anishinaabe community about 400 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, at the meeting of the Albany and Ogoki rivers. The community is currently accessible by air and a seasonal winter road.
“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for Marten Falls First Nation,” said First Nation Chief Bruce Achneepineskum. “The approval of the Community Access Road reflects the vision, determination and leadership of generations of our people who worked toward creating a permanent, year-round connection to the provincial highway network.”
The Ring of Fire region is located about 500 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay and covers approximately 8,000 square kilometres. It contains significant deposits of critical minerals used in electric vehicles, batteries, defence technologies and advanced manufacturing.