Swan Lake First Nation (SLFN) Former Railway Right of Way (ROW) Remediation/Risk Management Project (CSV63)

October 13, 2026 – The Indigenous Services Canada must determine whether the proposed, Swan Lake First Nation Former Railway Right of Way Remediation/Risk Management Project, located in Manitoba is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

To help inform this determination, the Indigenous Services Canada is inviting comments from the public respecting that determination. All comments received will be considered public and may be posted online.

Written comments must be submitted by November 12, 2026 to:

Jonathan Dehinbo
Indigenous Services Canada
200-365 Hargrave Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B 3A3
431-334-6471
Ayonniyi.dehinbo@sac-isc.gc.ca

The proposed project

Activities: The Remediation/Risk Management of the Former Railway Right of Way in Swan Lake First Nation, Manitoba is an environmental cleanup initiative designed to address historical contamination along an abandoned rail corridor. Planned Physical Activities and Physical Works includes:

• Segregated Excavation: Physically excavating contaminated soils using mechanical equipment. This entails digging out 1,900 m³ of soil at APEC 2, 6,610 m³ at APEC 3, and up to 29,530 m³ of ballast and underlying clay along APEC 7. To protect sensitive wetland ecosystems, no soil excavation or ballast removal will take place adjacent to the APEC 7 Area 2 wetlands.
• Hauling and Transport: PHC- and PAH-impacted soil and ballast rock will be hauled to a licensed soil treatment facility. Lead-impacted soils will be taken to a licensed waste disposal facility, and discarded metal debris (~35 m² footprint) will be excavated and hauled to a scrap metal recycler.
• Erosion and Sediment Controls: Prior to any ground disturbance, physical controls such as silt fencing and straw wattles must be constructed around wetland boundaries. In addition, a minimum 100-meter buffer zone will be enforced to prohibit equipment refueling near surface waters.
• Confirmatory Sampling: Field screening of soil headspace vapours and soil samples collection from the excavation sidewalls and floor will be sent for laboratory confirmation before backfilling.
• Backfilling and Compaction: Excavated zones will be backfilled with certified clean fill and compacted to return the terrain to structural stability.
• Site Grading and Granular Cap Construction: Once the ballast and clay are removed, the remaining ROW mound will be graded to promote natural runoff and capped with a granular surface. This physical work will stabilize the corridor against erosion and establish a permanent walking path and ATV trail for community use.
• Decommissioning Works: All existing monitoring wells within the excavation zone will be decommissioned.

Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) is the federal authority funding the project.