NISHI-KHON/SNCLAVALIN November 14, 2007 BY EMAIL Kivalliq Inuit Association P.O. Box 340 Rankin Inlet, NU X0C 0G0 016259-30RA Attention: Melodie Sammurtok, Project Manager Dear Ms. Sammurtok: Re: Nunavut-Manitoba Route Selection Study: Final Report We are pleased to submit the final documentation of the Nunavut-Manitoba Route Selection Study as a concluding deliverable of this two-year multi-disciplinary study. An electronic copy of the Final Report is submitted initially via email. One hard-copy report will be subsequently provided to each member of the Project Working Group, along with a CD containing the electronic copies of the Final and Milestone Reports, along with all the associated Appendices. On behalf of the Nishi-Khon/SNC-Lavlin Consultant Team, we would like to thank you, members of the Project Working Group and the Project Steering Committee, for your guidance and valuable contributions to this study. It has been our pleasure to work with KIA, Nunavut, Manitoba and Transport Canada on this challenging project. We look forward to continuing working with you over the next few years on the business case development, more detailed engineering and environmental studies necessary to bring this important project to fruition. Yours truly, SNCLAVALIN INC. Tim Stevens, P. Eng. Project Manager Enclosures DISTRIBUTION LIST Project Steering Committee: Methusalah Kunuk Assistant Deputy Minister, Transportation, Nunavut Department of Economic Development & Transportation Tongola Sandy President, Kivalliq Inuit Association John Spacek Assistant Deputy Minister, Transportation Policy & Regulation. Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation Ken Vipond Agreements Coordinator, Manitoba Aboriginal & Northern Affairs Project Working Group: Amar Chadha, P.Eng. Director, Transportation Systems Planning & Development, Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation Alan Johnson Manager, Transportation Planning Nunavut Department of Economic Development & Transportation Melodie Sammurtok Project Manager, Kivalliq Inuit Association Lorraine Sourisseau Regional Manager, Coordination Initiatives, Transport Canada Others: Alex Campbell Deputy Minister, Nunavut Department of Economic Development and Transportation Andrew Horosko, P.Eng. Deputy Minister, Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation David Duncan, P.Eng. Senior Transportation Planning Consultant Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation Lance Vigfusson, P. Eng. Assistant Deputy Minister Engineering and Operations Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation Luis Manzo, P.Ag. Director of Lands, Kivalliq Inuit Association Jackson Lindell Land Use Inspector, Kivalliq Inuit Association NKSL Consultant Team: Tony Wachmann, P. Eng. Corporate Sponsor/Director Tim Stevens, P.Eng. Project Manager Phoebe Cheung, P.Eng. Project Engineer Mike Patterson, P.Eng. Geotechnical Engineer & Project Liaison Ben Hubert Environmental Planning/Public Consultation Dan Highway Manitoba Liaison John Hickes Nunavut Liaison Dr. Jack Mollard, P.Eng. Route Engineering George Mollard, P.Eng. Route Engineering Don Kuryk Cost Estimating and Staging Dr. David Witty Social, Economic and Community Planning Peter Lyall, P.Eng. Benefit Cost Analysis NKSL Central Filing Date: November 14, 2007 NISHI-KHON/SNCLAVALIN FINAL REPORT DOCUMENT NO.: Revision No.: 0 016259-0000-30RA-0006 CLIENT: KIVALLIQ INUIT ASSOCIATION PROJECT: NUNAVUT-MANITOBA ROUTE SELECTION STUDY Name Title Signature Prepared Phoebe Cheung, P.Eng. Project Engineer by: Reviewed Tim Stevens, P. Eng Project Manager by: Approved Tony Wachmann, P. Eng. Corporate Sponsor/ by: Director REVISION INDEX Revision Prepared Reviewed Approved Pages Remarks No. Date Date Date Revised PA April 26, 2007 April 26, 2007 April 26, 2007 N/A 1st Client Submission Sections 4.1, Revised for review by 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, PB Aug 22, 2007 Aug 22, 2007 Aug 22, 2007 Project working Group 6.0, 7.3 and 9.1 0 Nov 9, 2007 Nov 14, 2007 Nov 14, 2007 Section 6 Issued as Final NISHI-KHON/SNCLAVALIN NUNAVUT-MANITOBA ROUTE SELECTION STUDY FINAL REPORT COVERLETTER DISTRIBUTION LIST REVISION INDEX TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................1 1.1 BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 NOTICE TO READERS ........................................................................................................ 2 1.3 STUDY GOALS.....................................................................................................................3 1.4 STUDY ORGANIZATION...................................................................................................... 3 2.0 INPUT STAGE ...................................................................................................................... 5 2.1 DEVELOPMENT OF ROUTE ALTERNATIVES.................................................................... 5 2.2 FIRST PUBLIC CONSULTATION......................................................................................... 6 3.0 ROUTE SELECTION .......................................................................................................... 11 3.1 EVALUATION AND SELECTION OF PREFERRED ROUTE............................................. 11 3.2 SECOND PUBLIC CONSULTATION.................................................................................. 15 4.0 REFINEMENT OF PREFERRED ROUTE .......................................................................... 17 4.1 TERRAIN CLASSIFICATION AND CONSTRUCTION COSTS .......................................... 17 4.2 TRAFFIC VOLUMES ON PREFERRED ROUTE ............................................................... 19 4.3 MAJOR BRIDGE CROSSINGS .......................................................................................... 22 4.4 PROPOSED TRAVELLER SERVICES............................................................................... 25 4.5 GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE AND ALIGNMENT ALTERNATIVES .................................. 27 4.6 ISSUES FOR FURTHER STUDIES.................................................................................... 28 5.0 MINING INTERESTS, HYDRO-ELECTRIC AND UTILITIES DEVELOPMENT................. 30 5.1 MINING INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES............................................................................. 30 5.2 HYDRO-ELECTRIC AND UTILITIES DEVELOPMENT...................................................... 34 November 14, 2007 i Nunavut-Manitoba Route Selection Study Project No. 016259 FINAL REPORT NISHI-KHON/SNCLAVALIN 6.0 WORK STAGING AND PRELIMINARY IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY ....................... 37 6.1 ALL-WEATHER ROAD PHASE ......................................................................................... 37 6.2 WINTER ROAD PHASE .................................................................................................... 40 6.3 RECOMMENDED IMPLEMENTATION SEQUENCE ......................................................... 45 6.4 CORRIDOR LAND USE POLICY ....................................................................................... 51 6.5 ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING AND APPROVAL ......................................................... 53 7.0 BUSINESS CASE AND PROJECT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ................................... 55 7.1 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS ............................................................................... 55 7.2 NATIONAL HIGHWAY POLICY.......................................................................................... 60 7.3 PROJECT FUNDING CONSIDERATIONS......................................................................... 61 7.4 COMMUNITY ACCESS PROGRAM APPROACH.............................................................. 63 8.0 NEXT PHASES OF ROAD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT................................................... 64 9.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................................... 66 9.1 TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY ................................................................................................. 67 9.2 STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS.......................................................................................... 68 November 14, 2007 ii Nunavut-Manitoba Route Selection Study Project No. 016259 FINAL REPORT NISHI-KHON/SNCLAVALIN List of Figures: Figure 1-1 Study Organization Chart Figure 2-1 Common Route (NRA) and Route Alternatives (WRA, CRA and ERA) Map Figure 4-1 Generalized Terrain Types of Preferred Route: Whale Cove to PR290 (Nelson River) Figure 4-2 Inter-community Traffic AADT Volumes: 2008 and 2031 (NRA+ERA) Figure 4-3 Major Bridge Crossings and Proposed Traveller Services along Preferred Route (NRA+ERA) Figure 5-1 Mineral Projects in Nunavut Figure 5-2 Mineral Exploration Licenses in Northern Manitoba Figure 5-3 Churchill to Kivalliq Region Transmission Line Corridors Figure 5-4 Potential Hydro Sites in Kivalliq Figure 6-1 Staging of the Preferred Route (WR and AWR - Option 1A) Figure 6-2 Staging of the Preferred Route (WR and AWR - Option 2A) Figure 6-3 Preferred Staging of Nunavut-Manitoba Road Figure 8-1 Future Development Phases of Proposed Nunavut-Manitoba Road Appendices Appendix 1 Mineral Exploration Maps: Nunavut And Manitoba Appendix 2 Letter from Nunavut Planning Commission (April 10, 2007) Appendix 3 Excerpts of Environmental Guidelines (July 26, 2007) November 14, 2007 iii Nunavut-Manitoba Route Selection Study Project No. 016259 FINAL REPORT NISHI-KHON/SNCLAVALIN 1.0 INTRODUCTION