In Canada, Québec’s department of sustainable transport has issued the final authorisation for the Route 167 Extension highway development project in the James Bay region of the province.

The $332m project will allow for road access to Stornoway’s Renard Diamond Project through the towns of Mistissini and Chibougamau.

The Route 167 Extension project involves the construction of a 243km road with a speed limit of 70 km an hour, two lane gravel-top highway under the supervision of Quebec’s department of transportation (MTQ)

The road will be designated as a multi-service provincial highway, connecting Renard to the end of the current Route 167 at Lac Albanel (Temiscamie), and will provide access to other mining projects as well as the new Albanel-Temiscamie-Otish Park.

Starting in 2015, Stornoway will contribute $44m for the project, amortised for a period of ten years, and will also contribute to the cost of road maintenance.