Biodiversity Boreal Natural resource development

WCS Canada Comments: Webequie Supply Road Project Environmental Assessment Report/Impact Statement

Kirkwood, A. & O'Connor, C.

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Key points

These comments focus on Environmental Assessment Report/Impact Statement for the Webequie Supply Road, one of three proposed road segments that would comprise a Ring of Fire mining access corridor. WCS Canada has consistently recommended a more integrated, forward-looking process to move beyond piecemeal project-by-project assessments for proposed developments in the Ring of Fire area in northern Ontario.

Here we highlight a key concern around the Webequie Supply Road project – the lack of information provided for the impacts of ‘floating road’ construction on peatlands. A 'floating road' places a road on top of peat, rather than excavating peat to place the road on a more stable subsurface under the peat soils. The term ‘floating road’ is a common misnomer since the road is not floating - it is supported by the compressed peat.

While a 'floating road' is framed in the Environmental Assessment Report/Impact Statement as the mitigation solution to reduce the impacts of road construction, it also states that a traditional approach of excavating peat would not be economically viable. Given the 'floating road' is required for this project, it does not represent a mitigation approach. There must be a demonstration of how impacts to hydrology, vegetation, and peatland ecology will be minimized within the 'floating road’s' construction. Further, the Environmental Assessment Report/Impact Statement does not currently provide sufficient evidence to assess potential impacts of a 'floating road' on peatlands.

Specifically, we recommend that:

• The ‘floating road’ should be acknowledged as the standard and most economically viable construction approach for this landscape. The EAR/IS must recognize the inherent impacts associated with the ‘floating road’ construction methodology, and must demonstrate efforts to avoid and minimize impacts to soils, hydrology and the peatlands ecosystem.
• The proponent must provide an up-to-date and comprehensive review of environmental impacts of ‘floating roads’ on peatland soils, hydrology and the peatland ecosystems and provide evidence to support proposed approaches for how these impacts will be avoided or minimized.

Recommended citation

Kirkwood, A. & O'Connor, C. (2026). WCS Canada Comments: Webequie Supply Road Project Environmental Assessment Report/Impact Statement. Wildlife Conservation Society Canada [WCS Canada]. https://wcscanada.org/resources/wcs-canada-comments-webequie-supply-road-project-environmental-assessment-report-impact-statement/