Three northern Ontario First Nations taking legal action against province over boreal forest

A group of First Nations in northern Ontario, that are part of the James Bay Treaty (Treaty 9), are taking the province to court over changes to environmental and forest management legislation and regulations.

Three of the 49 Treaty 9 First Nations -- Chapleau Cree First Nation, Missanabie Cree First Nation, and Brunswick House First Nation – launched legal action in court on Friday over concern for the degradation of the boreal forest in their traditional territories.

"The action aims to force Ontario to make meaningful changes now before harms are irreversible to the detriment of the boreal forest, all Treaty 9 First Nations, and all Ontarians," the group said in a news release Tuesday.

"The plaintiff First Nations want Ontario to finally understand that its approach to managing the forests and the environment, including the widespread spraying of glyphosate herbicide, Ontario is failing to uphold the promises it made under Treaty 9 to protect the First Nations’ way of life and livelihoods in their traditional territories."

Continued development of the region's forestry industry has taken place without the full participation of the local First Nations, it said.

"The result has been rampant landscape fragmentation, degradation, and contamination of traditional territories over time," the news release said.

"The pace of degradation has been increasing, resulting in decreasing forest cover and lower forest resilience. These are known contributors to climate change."

Finding more sustainable approaches to protect the forest and species at risk is the goal of the legal action that was filed on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

CTV News has reached out to the Ontario ministries of environment, northern development and Indigenous affairs and natural resources and forestry for comment on the matter and is awaiting a response.