QUEEN'S PARK — The Ontario government plans to introduce legislation allowing it to designate areas containing critical mineral deposits, including the Ring of Fire, as regions of strategic importance.
The commitment was made in the Speech from the Throne opening the new session of the legislature on April 15.
The government said the legislation will give it the authority to support the province's economy and security interests by offering "significantly streamlined permitting and approvals" to developers that meet high operating, safety and environmental standards.
It also promised the constitutional duty to consult with First Nations will be met.
The government described the Ring of Fire as being on the front line of Canada's battle against economic threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, saying the 5,000-square-kilometre zone contains the most promising mineral development opportunities in the world, with deposits of chromite, copper, cobalt, nickel, platinum and other minerals.
"To effectively seize this opportunity ... we need to get our critical minerals out of the ground, processed and shipped to the factory floors," it said. "For decades, Ontario's critical minerals have remained trapped, locked and held back by red tape and duplicative federal approval processes that together can take up to 15 years to complete."
The speech included a commitment to ensure northern communities, including First Nations, reap the benefits of mining through equity partnerships.
On a visit to Thunder Bay during the provincial election campaign in February, Premier Doug Ford revealed his intention to designate regions of strategic importance.
In Tuesday's throne speech, the government said it will not only speed up mining approvals, but it will also support critical mineral processing in the province.
"Instead of being ripped and shipped overseas, minerals mined in Ontario will be refined in Ontario, creating new opportunities for workers in northern hubs like Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury and Timmins."
First Nations' leaders, including the chiefs of the Matawa First Nations, have pushed back in the past on Ford's desire to expedite development in the Ring of Fire.
Neither Matawa nor the Nishnawbe Aski Nation has responded so far to the undertakings made by the government in the Speech from the Throne.
But Marit Stiles, the leader of the opposition NDP, said, “Unleashing the economic potential of our province means working with northern communities, in partnership with First Nations, and making sure that key mining and infrastructure projects are done right, not just done fast."
