Sheshegwaning First Nation investigates quarrying

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Sheshegwaning First Nation, on the western tip of Manitoulin Island, is investigating quarrying as a new means of economic development.

The band entered into an agreement last year, currently being renegotiated, with Architectural Stone, a well-established stone company headquartered in the Sudbury area.

"Architectural Stone approached the band last year," according to Ron Constant, plant and operations manager for Sheshegwaning. "The company brings in their equipment to do the quarrying and three First Nations members receive training in quarrying practices."

The deal became viable after the band purchased a piece of property in Robinson Township on western Manitoulin Island. The stone is extracted from a pit located on Lot 19, concession 10, and transported to various destinations by island trucking companies.

"The dolomitic limestone in this area is very attractive," Constant said. "It is fairly easy to extract, and readily accessible.

"Eventually we want the band to become more self-sufficient," he said. "The project is sufficient for our needs at this time. We need to gain more experience before we look at developing more sites. Right now, Architectural Stone provides two full-time people plus a supervisor, and three of our workers get hands-on experience.

"The feedback from our workers has been positive. They enjoyed the opportunity last season, and we hope to have a similar agreement this year."

To show its commitment to the project, Sheshegwaning recently purchased a Case 9060 excavator capable of carrying a 15-tonne stone.

A type of Manitoulin limestone known as Silverwater has properties that make it very sought after for home construction. High quality dimensional stone produced is used for floor tiles, wall panels, countertops, flagstones and fireplaces.

Clarence Panamick, Sheshegwaning's economic development officer, stressed that restoration work must be completed after quarrying. Approximately 2,000 tonnes of landscape stone and 2,000 tonnes of dimensional stone were removed from the site in 2002.

"I am concerned that we may be taking too much of the island away," he said. "We are looking at methods of restoring the land."

In Panamick's view, it is important for Sheshegwaning residents to support economic development projects that preserve the well-being of the people and Mother Earth.

Manitoulin is part of the Niagara Escarpment, where quarries are governed by Ontario's Pits and Quarries Act. Companies are required to have a land restoration plan in place for when the site is depleted.

Rodney Gibson, CEO of Architectural Stone, stated, "The relationship with the Sheshegwaning band is working out fine. We are developing a market for the Silverwater product. It is a very nice marble in terms of its color."

He expects to reopen the quarry in late May or early June with the same manpower as last season.

Sheshegwaning has what might be described as a mouse and elephant relationship with its gargantuan neighbor, Lafarge Canada Ltd. The small First Nation has entered an industry dominated by the multinational Lafarge, which runs the Manitoulin dolomite quarry at Meldrum Bay.

The huge marine-based quarry produced 5.015 million tonnes in 2000 and 4.571 million tonnes in 2002. It also spent $14.9 million to upgrade the plant. Construction aggregates are shipped out on Great Lakes freighters bound for American centres such as Cleveland and Chicago.

Although the Lafarge quarry with its 68 employees overshadows the Sheshegwaning initiative, the band hopes to one day run its operation independently.

Meanwhile, the band might encounter more competition, as the area becomes popular with stone producers. Recently, two other quarry operators purchased land in Robinson Township.

Applications from Colonial Brick and Stone and Big Island Quarries will come before the Manitoulin planning board in the near future.