Question Period Note: Poplar River

• Poplar River First Nation declared a state of emergency on May 30, as they no longer have access to the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation barge due to a fire. The barge season typically begins the first week of June.
• The barge repair is expected to be complete by late October 2022.
• ISC is working with First Nation leadership to maintain adequate supplies until the barge is repaired and resumes regular operations in late October.

Poplar River First Nation has advised they no longer have access to the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation barge due to needed repairs this season resulting from a fire that occurred on the vessel. They indicated that they use this barge to bring in a variety of supplies during the shipping season which typical begins the first week of June.
Some critical supplies typically freighted by the barge, such as food and fuel, are being delivered to the community by air as no other viable interim transportation options were found. Poplar River First Nation has provided community members with subsidies to offset the increased cost for goods.

The barge repair was initially expected to be completed by September 2022 but has been delayed to late October. The delay will impact the community’s commercial fishery’s Fall season

The Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation and Transport Canada were able to certify the Edgar Wood, a Provincially owned vessel, to service Berens River and Mcbeth Point. This vessel was operational as of June 18th. Unfortunately, the Edgar Wood could not service Poplar River.

The ISC led Indigenous Inland Commercial Fisheries Initiative provided $101,000 to relocate approximately 20 commercial fishers to alternative licensing areas to fish and deliver to alternative fishing stations for the Spring/Summer fishing season. According to Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation, because of this support provided, fishers from Poplar River and Berens River received close to a $1,000,000 in payments for fishing this spring/summer commercial fishing season that otherwise would have been lost.

Poplar River has submitted a funding request totaling $100,000 to once again relocate the fishers for the Fall fishing season which will be supported by the Indigenous Inland Commercial Fisheries Initiative .

If pressed on assistance for the supplies
• Temporary shipping solutions are maintained for supply deliveries. A local airstrip brings essential supplies, excluding heavy supplies (i.e. construction materials).

• ISC provided $101,000 to support the relocation of ~20 commercial fishers to alternative areas to fish. The fishers reached allotted quotas and maintained income during the 2022 spring/summer fishing season.

• Delays on the barge repair will cause fishers to relocate for the Fall fishing season. The community has requested an additional $100,000 for relocation. This will be supported by ISC-led Indigenous Inland Commercial Fisheries Initiative.

If pressed on Working Group
• A consultant has been hired by the community to liaise with all parties including: ISC, the Province of Manitoba and Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation to find a solution to the barge service disruption.

• As a result, a working group has been formed with the First Nation and key stakeholders to support collaborative discussion to which the ISC Manitoba Region has been an active participant since discussions began in early-May.