FORT WILLIAM FIRST NATION, Ont. — The death of a worker involved in the construction of the Wataynikaneyap power project in Northwestern Ontario remains under investigation.
Details are scarce.
The Ontario Ministry of Labour says it's looking into the death of an employee at a remote worksite northwest of Muskrat Dam First Nation.
An earlier statement from Wataynikaneyap's office on the Fort William First Nation said only that the worker was found deceased the evening of Jan. 26 at a location 390 kilometres north of Pickle Lake.
The person's family has been notified.
"On behalf of the people, our partners, and the leadership, I offer our deepest condolences," said Wataynikaneyap CEO Margaret Kenequanash.
The statement added that the project contractor, Valard Construction, notified regulatory authorities about the death.
A labour ministry spokesperson on Monday identified a secondary employer on the project as K & L Contracting.
She said that after a ministry inspector and the OPP visited the worksite two days after the death was reported, six orders were issued to Valard.
Details of those orders currently are not being made public under ministry policy.
Wataynikaneyap Power is a licensed transmission company that's majority-owned by a partnership of 24 First Nations in collaboration with Fortis Inc. and other private investors.
WP will construct and operate about 1,800 kilometres of transmission lines bringing electricity to remote communities.
NOTE: This story has been updated to include additional information provided late Monday by the Ontario labour ministry
