An environmental impact assessment (EIA) was completed along the La Loche winter road connecting highway 881 (south of Fort McMurray) to highway 956 and eventually highway 155 in Saskatchewan. The EIA was required before upgrading of the road to all-season access could begin. Assessments of the 62 km stretch included identifying key wildlife habitat, providing mitigation recommendations to potential impacts on wildlife and terrestrial habitats, and developing a Caribou Protection Plan to protect critical habitat for listed boreal populations of Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou).
