The Québec Government and the Cree Nation sign La Grande Alliance

Québec Premier François Legault and Grand Chief of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee) and Chairman of the Cree Nation Government, Dr. Abel Bosum, officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding on collaborative, long-term, balanced economic development in a spirit of respect for Cree values in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay Territory. You can find more information here: https://www.cngov.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/grande-alliance-communiqu-anglo-002-1415clean-2.pdf

The project stems from a patient consultative process with the Cree communities and calls for:

  • the extension of the rail network to promote economic development and reduce the impacts of trucking;
  • the electrification of certain industrial projects;
  • the sharing of infrastructure in the territory;
  • local labour force training;
  • the identification of new protected areas conducive to the connectivity of the territory’s wildlife habitats.

It is anticipated that the plan will extend over a period of 30 years to ensure the predictability and stability of the economic and social development of the Eeyou Istchee James Bay Territory and Québec overall.