The Liberal government introduced legislation Tuesday that would see $85 million put in a trust for the cleanup of mercury that has contaminated the river near Grassy Narrows First Nation.

If passed, the trust would ensure that this money set aside for remediation will be there regardless of who is in power.

“This legislation is a historic milestone in my people’s long fight to make our poisoned river flow with life again and to gain justice for our people,” Chief Simon Fobister said in a release.

The proposed legislation calls for a panel — made up of government officials as well as representatives from Grassy Narrows and nearby White Dog First Nation — that would be in charge of directing the money.

The $85 million was previously announced this past summer by former Environment Minister Glen Murray, who at the time lamented the “gross neglect” of the people of Grassy Narrows living downstream from the mill. The province’s commitment to pay for the cleanup follows decades of activism by community members, from chiefs to mothers to youth. And it followed a Star investigation that probed the impact of the poisoning and decades-long lack of action by government.

Between 1962 and 1970, the paper plant in Dryden, then owned by Reed Paper, dumped 10 tonnes of mercury into the river about 100 kilometres upstream from Grassy Narrows.

The mercury, a potent neurotoxin, contaminated the fish, which poisoned the people of Grassy Narrows and nearby Wabaseemoong (Whitedog) Independent Nations.

The mercury contamination still plagues these Indigenous communities in northern Ontario. Recent key findings by the Star, environmental group Earthroots, and top scientists have shown high levels of mercury in soil, fish and river sediment — all strongly suggesting the site of the mill is still leaking mercury nearly 50 years on.

Then the Star reported that the government has had an explosive report in its possession for over a year. The report, which was commissioned by Domtar, the company that now owns the mill, says that in 1990 the environment ministry was told that mercury was visible in soil under a building on the mill site.

Further, companies that previously owned the mill tested groundwater wells on the property in the 1990s and early 2000s and discovered elevated levels of mercury. Just last year, Domtar had one of these wells tested and the result showed an elevated mercury level. (There is no suggestion that Domtar, a pulp manufacturer several owners removed from Reed Paper, is responsible for any source of mercury.)

The people of Grassy Narrows say they weren’t told about any of this information until days ago.

On Tuesday the Liberals were repeatedly criticized for keeping the information in the report secret until now.

“The fact of the matter is that this government has had that report in its possession for over a year, and this government has always known this information. This is not new information,” said New Democrat MPP Sarah Campbell (Kenora-Rainy River).

“The minister did not let the people of Grassy Narrows know. How is that transparent?”

Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Minister David Zimmer did not directly answer why the report was not released sooner but said the government is committed to cleaning up the river.

“We have recently provided about $5.2 million to support pre-remediation work, and subsequent to that, we have set aside $85 million for remediation efforts,” said Zimmer.

“This government is serious about dealing with this issue.”