Steve Bell has submitted this response: “It’s important for anyone new to the issue to appreciate that Freedom Road is the outcome of many many years of investigation, deliberation and research by a large, diverse group of very qualified technical and political people representing the many governments having jurisdiction in the issue. By far, the greatest amount of careful and creative consideration of the problem has been undertaken by the people of Shoal Lake 40 whose very survival turns on the resolution of the access question. You can be assured that they have thought of every possible way of getting secure access to their homes.
While there are other complexities, secure access through Iskatewizaagegan #39 Independent First Nation is not possible because establishing a “right of way” would require that community to “surrender” (an Indian Act term) their own right to that portion of their land. Knowing the negative consequences of Winnipeg’s imposed “right of way” across Shoal Lake 40 reserve it should come as no surprise that a “right of way” is a non-starter.
It’s worth noting that over the years a Mayor of Winnipeg and former Minister of Indian Affairs personally attempted to explore this option and concluded that the western access was the only feasible option.
The water and wastewater systems on SL40 are collectively owned by the entire First Nation—as they are in most First Nation communities and municipalities. There are tough regulations and severe liability issues that apply to communal water treatment systems. These standards do not apply to private water systems. The level of health protection a cottage-owner might provide to his or her own family is determined by the diligence and the budget of the person responsible. In a communal system, the responsible, liable party—which is the government of the First Nation or the municipality—is literally “cooking for the whole community.”
Water treatment systems that provide adequate health protection for all the water used in the home, to the standard required by law, are most cheaply and consistently provided by centralizing the treatment. If individual treatment were cheaper and better, the budget-minded governments of Winnipeg and other jurisdictions would be recommending it to their water consumers.”

Freedom Road is a jointly developed project that is the result of 26 years the governments of Manitoba, Winnipeg and Shoal Lake 40 working to achieve a viable solution in a complex, multi-jurisdictional environment. After years of work by responsible, qualified representatives of these governments and after 18 years of boil-water order, the joint conclusion is that the only feasible access is to the west of the community.
People who wish to understand the issues and the solutions are encouraged to participate in one of the public tours of Shoal Lake 40’s Museum and community. Contact the band office at 807-733-2315
It should be noted that community-wide water and wastewater systems operate under different regulations with much more onerous liabilities on the operators than private, one faucet, seasonal cottage water systems.