DEH GAH GOT'IE KOE/FORT PROVIDENCE - As the legislative assembly meets to discuss a territorial government takeover of the Deh Cho Bridge project, the community of Fort Providence wants to ensure that it's not forgotten.

On March 22, the Deh Gah Got'ie First Nation and the Fort Providence Metis Council released a community position paper about the future of the project, which is located immediately outside of their community.

The Deh Gah Got'ie First Nation and the Fort Providence Metis Council are looking to ensure the community of Fort Providence remains involved in the Deh Cho Bridge project. - NNSL file photo

No matter what new management structure is used for the bridge, the Government of the Northwest Territories has to ensure the continued involvement of the community through the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, said Chief Joachim Bonnetrouge of the Deh Gah Got'ie First Nation.

The band and the Metis Council have a number of specific concerns about the future of the project, including what will happen to the $1.5 million in equity the organizations invested in the project. The two organizations were supposed to receive part of the revenues from tolls collected once the bridge was operational, said Bonnetrouge.

The groups also contributed land for the project and resources, including gravel.

"For us this is a big-value item," Bonnetrouge said.

Bonnetrouge also wants to ensure that the project continues to provide employment and training for residents as well as contract work.

"Those things should not change," he said.

Stringent environmental protection and monitoring is another area of concern. The precautions that have been taken up to this point must continue so that nothing affects the pickerel and whitefish habitats near the community, he said.

Bonnetrouge said he would like to see the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation have representation on the team that will complete the project. The representative could report the status of the project back to the community on a regular basis.

Guidelines about the future of the project and environmental monitoring should also be laid out, said Bonnetrouge.

The community needs to remain involved in the bridge's completion because it started the project and will be living right beside it, he said.

"It will forever change our community," said Bonnetrouge.

The community is quiet and peaceful in the spring every year after the ice crossing closes and before the ferry opens. The bridge and steady year-round traffic will change all of that, he said.

The territorial government is interested in working with the shareholders of the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, said Earl Blacklock, the manager of public affairs and communications with the Department of Transportation.

The exact details of the involvement and whether it will be through the corporation or directly with the community are still being worked out in negotiations. The intent is to define a new partnership, Blacklock said.

"All we know at this point is they won't be involved in the management of the project," he said.

The status of the equity that the two organizations contributed to the project and any future returns from the bridge are negotiation topics. Now that the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation isn't part of the construction management, the question is what changes - if any - need to be made to the concession agreement that defines basic and enhanced returns, said Blacklock.

"That's still very much in the air because of the negotiations that are ongoing," he said.

The territorial government is interested in seeing the community benefit from a project happening on their land, said Blacklock.

The legislative assembly took the next step towards securing the future of the project by reconvening in a special session on March 22 to discuss assuming financial responsibility for the project. This would involve putting the project in the territorial government's books as an asset and also acquiring the $165 million in debt associated with the project, Blacklock said.