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The Webequie First Nation and Juno Corp have announced a new cooperation agreement to foster economic participation opportunities and advance exploration and potential mining partnerships in Northern Ontario’s Ring of Fire.
This first Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on February 24th in Webequie First Nation between Chief Cornelius Wabasse and Juno Corp.’s president & COO, Jacob McKinnon.
Juno is a privately held Canadian exploration company and the largest claim holder within the Ring of Fire, a metal-rich region located in northern Ontario. The company plans to carry out targeted exploration activities within its approximately 1,300 sq. km land position that covers prospective ground hosting a diverse inventory of precious, base and rare earth metals.
Webequie is a growing Ojibway community located on the northern peninsula of Eastwood Island on Winisk Lake, 540 km north of the city of Thunder Bay.
“This MoU is an economic milestone for our First Nation members. We are a community that believes in self-determination and pursuing collaborative alliances with the right government and business partners,” Webequie Chief Wabasse said in a media release.
“This MoU brings us one step closer to securing new employment, training, business prospects and ongoing consultations as mining develops in our traditional territory.”
The First Nation is currently studying the potential for an all-season supply road that will link Webequie to emerging mining sites in the Ring of Fire area
“Moving forward, the MoU formalizes collaborations and strengthens the existing relationship between the First Nation and Juno Corp. at both the strategic and working level. The agreement includes commitments to regular meetings; the establishment of a working group committee; support for local cultural activities, and cooperation measures to mitigate any impacts from exploration activities on traditional lands,” Chief Wabasse said.
“Juno Corp. is committed to reigniting exploration to unlock the tremendous economic potential of the Ring of Fire for the benefit of First Nations and the mineral industry in support of a green economy,” McKinnon said.
Webequie First Nation is the most proximate community to the Ring of Fire and is located approximately 35 kilometres to the west of the exploration project. The First Nation is currently studying the potential for an all-season supply road that will link Webequie to emerging mining sites in the Ring of Fire area.
