As the Ontario government continues to push for development in northern Ontario, an Anishinaabe First Nation in the region is praising a mining company for “demonstrating true reconciliation” by agreeing to withdraw from an area in the community’s traditional territory. Biigtigong Nishnaabeg says it’s not opposed to development, but it must be done on the community’s terms. You gotta try to make them understand why it's a good thing to return the land.”Private citizens returned land to Biigtigong Nishnaabeg last summer, he added. “They know that true reconciliation means the return of some of the land.”‘There's a little bit of a trade off’About 450 people live in Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, located just over 300 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay off the Trans-Canada highway. As prospectors continue to stake claims all across the north, Biigtigong Nishnaabeg says there’s lessons to be learned from Landore’s approach.

Source: CBC News March 11, 2026 20:02 UTC