Neskantaga First Nation – Capital Planning Study

S. Burnett & Associates Ltd. (SBA) had been retained by Neskantaga First Nation in order to provide engineering services required for the completion of a Capital Planning Study that formed the basis of the planning needs for the community for the next twenty years.

Neskantaga First Nation is located on Attawapiskat Lake in Ontario. In the 1990’s, the Community began the process of relocating, to its present location on Grandmother’s Point, due to a number of factors including design flaws, environmental and spatial concerns.

The study would form the basis of the planning needs for the Community as well as the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) in determining capital needs requirements for Neskantaga First Nation. The Community’s involvement was essential in the development of the Capital Planning Study document because the document is only useful if developed with the community, not just for the community. The study needs to identify all current community needs, how future growth would be accomplished, locations of the future growths and plans for new structures and infrastructure in order to be valid.

The Community recently completed an Economic Development Strategy and undertook the Capital Planning Study to address existing and future needs for the community in terms of infrastructure, community facilities, housing, remediation of existing assets and future development.

SBA successfully completed this project in collaboration with Neskantaga First Nation, government agencies and non-government agencies.

“SBA’s involvement in this project will be to work with the Project Team to complete a Capital Planning Study that addresses the Neskantaga First Nation’s existing and future needs. The Study will be completed for the community and will meet or exceed the requirements of the Community as well as all applicable regulations.”