Name of the Project
Tlicho all-season road (TASR) project.

Location
The TASR stretches from KM 196 of Highway 3, west of Behchoko, north to the existing all-season road near Whati, in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

Client
Government of Northwest Territories Transportation.

Project Description
The TASR project is a critical enabler for mine operations at Fortune Minerals’ NICO cobalt/gold/bismuth/copper mine. It will enable Fortune Minerals to truck metal concentrates south to the rail head at Hay river.

The railway delivery will reach its proposed refinery, in Saskatchewan, for downstream processing to value-added products. Currently served by a winter ice road, the Tlicho region has overland access to the Yellowknife region and southern Canada for only three months of the year. During the remaining months, food and supplies are flown in at significant cost, with resulting food prices often 50% higher than in Yellowknife.

The existing winter road is challenged each year by changing lake ice and overland section conditions, resulting from significant variations in winter air temperatures and snowfall. Given the effects of climate change, efforts to improve the winter road system have been a long-standing priority for the government of the Northwest Territories and local communities.

Jobs to be Created
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Value
Not stated.

Duration
Road construction might be undertaken all year round and is expected to take four years to complete.

The operations phase will continue indefinitely into the future and there is no closure and reclamation phase.

Latest Developments
The governments of Canada, the Northwest Territories (GNWT) and Tlicho have jointly announced federal funding for the construction of the TASR project. The federal government will provide up to 25% of the construction costs for this road through the P3 Canada Fund.

Procurement for the TASR project  – through a GNWT public–private partnership – will start with the release of the request for qualifications this month, and will be followed by a request for proposals and bids from private industry to provide combined finance and construction.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
None stated.

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Government of Northwest Territories Transportation public affairs and communications, tel +1 867 767 9082 ext 31042 or
email commcoordinator@gov.nt.ca.