Slave Geological Province Corridor

Slave Geological Province Corridor

The Slave Geological Province Corridor (SGPC) project is a transformative strategic initiative that will provide foundational infrastructure necessary to support new economic opportunities, including improved access for critical mineral exploration and development, in the Slave Geological Province.

The SGPC project is proposed to provide all-season road access to the Nunavut border, with the potential to link to the proposed Grays Bay Port and Road Project.

The GNWT’s priority is to advance an Environmental Assessment for the Lockhart All-Season Road (LASR), which would extend access from the end of Highway 4 at Tibbitt Lake, to Lockhart Lake. This will replace the need for approx. 180 km of the seasonal Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road.

ANTICIPATED BENEFITS

  • Improved access to the resource-rich SGPC, which includes known deposits of Critical Minerals that are essential to support transition to a lower carbon economy.
  • Supporting economic growth in resource extraction, reduced costs of exploration, development, and transport of goods to market.
  • Improved safety, reliability and resilience of the NWT transportation system in the face of climate change.
  • Stimulate direct economic development through project construction, operation, and maintenance.
  • Supported by the Taltson Hydro Expansion project, renewable energy will be provided to the region, essential for sustainable development and responsible resource extraction.

CURRENT STATUS

The GNWT is currently preparing to enter Environmental Assessment
(EA) for the proposed LASR.

  • Funding required to advance planning studies for the SGPC Project and complete an environmental assessment for the LASR was secured in 2019, under Transport Canada’s National Trade Corridors Fund.
  • Engagement with Indigenous governments is underway to support additional baseline fieldwork including and socio-economic impact assessments, and Traditional Knowledge studies.

NEXT STEPS

  • 2025: Indigenous Engagement, environmental and engineering fieldwork to inform EA.
  • 2025: Submit EA to Mackenzie Valley Environmental Review Board.
  • 2028: Report of EA and Responsible Ministers’ decisions.
  • Ongoing: Finalize environmental baseline data collection, project design, update project specific business case, develop detailed costing estimates, identify and evaluate construction funding opportunities.