RANKIN INLET - A Comaplex Minerals Corp. proposal could see a bridge built over the Meliadine River and a road constructed to the mine site outside of Rankin Inlet.

Initial ballpark estimates on project costs are about $15 million for the road and $2 million for the bridge.

Assistant deputy minister Shawn Maley anticipates public access to a new road and bridge being considered to the Meliadine mine site. - NNSL file photo

Community and Government Services (C&GS) assistant deputy minister Shawn Maley said the proposal calls for Comaplex to partner with the government on the project, but a decision has yet to be made.

He said C&GS is looking at the proposal as a public-private partnership (P3) through Building Canada, but the department is in very preliminary discussions to advance the project.

"It's not a true P3, where the private sector builds infrastructure and leases it back, but it is a P3 in the sense Comaplex would build the road and the government would do the bridge," said Maley.

"That partnership would allow the feasibility stage to proceed.

"There's a lot of work that needs to be done, but I like the proposal because it's getting people to think a little outside the box here."

Maley said the history of P3 projects differs greatly across Canada.

He said while there have been a few successful projects, there's also been many that cost governments a lot of money.

"In this particular situation, I want to make it clear the private sector is not proposing to build and then lease infrastructure back to the government.

"Comaplex are saying here's the project – a road to the Meliadine, a bridge across the river and a road to the mine site – if we pay for so much will you pay for the rest?"

Maley said because the proposal has been on the table for awhile, issues such as public access will be resolved before the project begins.

He said he sees the road and bridge as accessible to the public, but some controls would need to be put in place.

"You would have extraordinary heavy equipment out there that you wouldn't find on a normal road.

"So, obviously, there would need to be some parameters established.

"But I would say there would be public access to it, especially if the government is involved."