Hundreds of people took to the streets of Winnipeg, Saturday, demanding the federal government pick up part of the tab for an all-weather road to Shoal Lake 40 First Nation in northwest Ontario.

Nearly a hundred years ago, construction of an aqueduct to supply Winnipeg with drinking water cut the First Nation off from the mainland.

A barge transports people across the water until the lake freezes and an ice road can be built.

In the fall and spring, as the ice is forming or melting, tragedies have occurred.

"In the last 15 years, nine people have died crossing,” said band member Sharon Redsky. “There's a huge human cost to getting on and off reserve."

The community that supplies Winnipeg with drinking water has been under a boil-water advisory for 18 years.

The band would like to see a $30-million all-weather road constructed, saying that would spur economic development and allow it to build a water treatment facility.

The hundreds that gathered in Winnipeg Saturday want commitments from all three levels of government to get the road built.

"As you see behind me, these are the Winnipeggers that believe that our right to have clean and fresh drinking water for our families and children is the same right that our relatives at Shoal Lake 40 should have,” said Michael Champagne before the march began.

Premier Greg Selinger has promised Manitoba will cover a third of the cost and the City of Winnipeg has agreed to match that $10-million pledge.

So far, the Conservative government has only committed a million dollars for a design study.

"Let's hope that the federal election generates a result of justice for the people of Shoal Lake Band 40,” said Selinger after addressing the crowd gathered outside the Manitoba Legislative Building.

Both the NDP and the Liberals have promised to fund the federal portion of the road if elected.

"It's a small price to pay to ensure the people of Shoal Lake have clean water,” said Winnipeg Centre Liberal candidate Robert-Falcon Ouellette.

"All levels of government should be paying their fair share to finish the Freedom Road,” said Pat Martin, the NDP’s candidate in the same riding.

After speeches advocating for the construction of the road, the crowd marched to Stephen Juba park on Waterfront Drive where there is a monument to the aqueduct that cut Shoal Lake 40 off from the mainland in the first place.