Bird Construction Expands Marten Falls Partnership to 184-Kilometre Access Road

Highlights

• Bird Construction and Marten Falls First Nation have expanded their Piinahzii LP partnership to include construction of the Marten Falls Community Access Road.
• The access road will extend approximately 184 kilometres in northern Ontario.
• The project includes 35 bridge and culvert structures.
• The road will provide Marten Falls First Nation with its first connection to Ontario's provincial highway network.
• The partnership includes opportunities for local employment, training and contracting.

Lead

Large-scale transportation projects in remote regions require extensive civil infrastructure work while addressing access, logistics and local participation. Bird Construction is expanding its existing partnership with Marten Falls First Nation to include construction of an approximately 184-kilometre community access road in northern Ontario, adding a major road-building component to the partnership's existing infrastructure activities.

184-Kilometre Road Program

Piinahzii Limited Partnership, a majority Indigenous-owned partnership established by Marten Falls First Nation and Bird Construction earlier in 2026, has amended its agreement to cover construction of the Marten Falls Community Access Road. The partnership initially focused on community infrastructure and readiness activities within Marten Falls First Nation and its Traditional Territory.

The access road will span approximately 184 kilometres and include 35 bridge and culvert structures. It represents the longest section of a proposed 514-kilometre all-season road network being developed to improve access to the Ring of Fire region.

The road will connect Marten Falls First Nation to Ontario's provincial highway network. The connection is intended to provide year-round road access to health care, education, essential services and economic opportunities.

Partnership-Based Construction Delivery

The expanded agreement places road construction within the existing Piinahzii LP framework, combining Bird Construction's infrastructure capabilities with Marten Falls First Nation's participation in project delivery.

The partnership structure also provides for employment, training and contracting opportunities involving community members and Indigenous businesses. These elements are incorporated into the expanded scope alongside the physical infrastructure work.

The project follows an earlier agreement announced in May 2026, when Bird Construction and Marten Falls First Nation established Piinahzii LP to pursue infrastructure projects in the community and Traditional Territory. That agreement included workforce development, local business participation and capacity-building activities.

Why It Matters

For infrastructure owners and contractors, the project illustrates the scale and coordination required to deliver transportation infrastructure in remote areas. The 184-kilometre alignment, combined with 35 bridge and culvert structures, creates a substantial civil construction program rather than a single road segment.

The project also connects community infrastructure needs with a broader proposed road network serving the Ring of Fire region. For construction participants, the partnership model places local employment, training and contracting alongside the physical delivery requirements of a major transportation project.

Source: Bird Construction