Brokenhead leadership opens referendum on possible partnership with silica mining company

Winnipeg Free Press

5 days ago

Brokenhead Ojibway Nation has launched a referendum, asking members to vote on a prospective partnership with Sio Silica, an Alberta-based mining company seeking to drill thousands of wells in southeastern Manitoba to extract silica sand.
The online referendum opened Friday and continues until next Friday. Members can also vote in person next Friday at Private Tom Chief Memorial Hall in the community, located about 100 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg.
According to a notice sent to band members from Brokenhead's chief and council, Sio Silica has offered the First Nation five per cent of the profits from its mining operations.
The share is estimated to total $20 million in annual revenue once the project is fully operational, the notice said.
'As part of our commitment to transparency and community involvement, Chief and Council are seeking direction from (Brokenhead Ojibway Nation) members on whether to continue this relationship and move forward with all related next steps,' reads the notice, obtained by the Free Press.
A vote in favour of the partnership would result in the parties negotiating a final agreement and establishing a joint committee to provide oversight and enforcement over potential environmental impacts.
A vote against the partnership means Brokenhead does not accept the current profit-sharing offer, the notice said.
'However, should the Province of Manitoba approve the project, (Brokenhead Ojibway Nation) will still be tasked with negotiating an impact benefit agreement, though the terms — particularly the profit sharing — may differ from the final offer,' the notice reads.
'Whichever direction the vote takes, (Brokenhead Ojibway Nation) leadership remains committed to negotiating an agreement that seeks to benefit the community as a whole.'
Sio Silica has committed to supporting community members with employment, training and educational opportunities, the notice says.
Brokenhead has nearly 3,000 people living on- and off- reserve, according to the federal government.
The Free Press has reached out to Brokenhead Chief Gordon Bluesky for comment.
Sio Silica previously proposed to drill up to 7,200 wells over 24 years in areas east and southeast of Winnipeg. It seeks to remove silica sand from about 50 metres below ground. The mineral is used to make a variety of products, including solar panels, new batteries and computer chips.
Opponents of the plan have raised concerns about the projects potential impact on an underground aquifer, fearing operations could compromise its geological stability and impact water quality. Nearly 100,000 Manitobans source their drinking water from aquifers in the region.
The NDP government denied Sio Silica's environmental licences in February 2024, saying the risks outweighed potential benefits.
Sio Silica later announced it would take another shot at developing a silica sand mine and began meetings with Brokenhead leadership to pitch the project.
A spokesperson for the province declined to comment Friday.
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Tyler SearleReporter
Tyler Searle is a multimedia producer who writes for the Free Press's city desk. A graduate of Red River College Polytechnic's creative communications program, he wrote for the Stonewall Teulon Tribune, Selkirk Record and Express Weekly News before joining the paper in 2022. Read more about Tyler.
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