Frontier Lithium advances PAK project with Indigenous agreements and 1P1P framework

Frontier Lithium has entered into process agreements with Deer Lake First Nation and Sandy Lake First Nation. The agreements aim to advance project permitting processes for potential all-season road access, and the potential construction and operation of a mine and mill. They recognize both regulatory requirements and Anishinninew laws and protocols.

Deer Lake is an Oji-Cree First Nation community located north of Red Lake, Ontario and Sandy Lake is an independent Oji-Cree fly-in community located northwest of Red Lake.

The process agreements provide structure, transparency, and predictability as technical studies and permitting activities progress under the One Project, One Process (1P1P) framework. They emphasize early engagement, information sharing, and meaningful participation throughout First Nations and Crown approval processes.

Frontier Lithium can now advance permitting more efficiently, aligning provincial requirements while focusing on consultation, environmental stewardship, and respecting Anishinninew laws. These agreements build on a decade of relationship-building, including exploration agreements in place since 2016.

The agreements align with the province's goal of reducing government review timelines by 50% and Frontier's anticipated 24-month 1P1P timeline for completing Provincial permitting. Throughout this process, the agreement calls for respecting Anishinninew laws and protocols, environmental protections, and community priorities that are expected to remain central to decision-making.

"These process agreements represent what Frontier considers a best practice for how exploration and mining companies approach Indigenous engagement. We are excited to keep moving forward, and we view these agreements as essential to ensuring that any consideration of the project proceeds in a coordinated manner that integrates Indigenous perspectives with provincial regulatory processes," Trevor Walker, president and CEO of Frontier Lithium, stated.

He added: "We are committed to learning from and working with Deer Lake First Nation and Sandy Lake First Nation, guided by Anishinninew law, in a way that is respectful and grounded in their responsibilities to the land."

"Deer Lake First Nation has been clear that any development in our territory must proceed with transparency, respect, and meaningful participation from our community. Our process agreement is an important step in setting out how we will be engaged as Frontier's project moves through Ontario's One Project, One Process framework, and reflect how our concerns about the land, water, and future generations will be heard and considered." Chief Lenard Mamakeesick of Deer Lake First Nation commented.

Sandy Lake First Nation added: "Sandy Lake First Nation has a responsibility to protect our lands, waters, and future generations. These process agreements create clarity around how information will be shared and how our laws and protocols will be respected as the project is considered. We look forward to working cooperatively with Frontier through a structured process that supports transparency, community participation, and careful consideration of potential development."

"Ontario is proving that you can move major critical mineral projects forward through real partnership. Ontario's One Project, One Process designation for Frontier Lithium's PAK project is driving this job creating project forward with speed and in meaningful partnership with Deer Lake First Nation and Sandy Lake First Nation so that we build the mines Ontario needs to power the clean economy of the future," Stephen Lecce, Ontario's minister of energy and mines, stated.

More details are available at www.FrontierLithium.com