OTTAWA – The governments of Ottawa and Ontario are poised to finalize an agreement aimed at streamlining regulatory processes for large-scale projects, notably the road development to the mineral-rich Ring of Fire in northern Ontario. This deal, set to be signed on Thursday, addresses the issue of duplicative regulatory work associated with impact assessments conducted by federal and provincial agencies.
Sources from both levels of government, who were not authorized to speak publicly, indicate that the agreement will enable a unified approach to project assessments. A draft version of this deal, recently uploaded to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada’s website, emphasizes the “One Project, One Review and One Decision” strategy, which aims to facilitate collaboration between the two governments in the review process.
The Webequie First Nation and Marten Falls First Nation are currently leading environmental assessments for three proposed roads intended to connect their communities with the provincial highway system and mining activities within the Ring of Fire region. In a separate arrangement concerning these roads, the federal government has pledged to align its impact assessment timeline with that of the province. Both First Nations have expressed intentions to commence road construction by 2026.
Despite requests for comments, neither the provincial government nor Ottawa has responded. The signing ceremony will feature Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford, highlighting the significance of this collaboration. Insights into the agreement were uncovered during a recent journalistic visit to the Ring of Fire area, part of an initiative supported by the Pulitzer Centre.
Both Webequie and Marten Falls argue that the construction of these roads could significantly alleviate poverty in their communities. However, not all nearby First Nations agree with the development plans. A source close to Ford's office stressed the imminent reforms will expedite various large-scale projects across Ontario, encompassing roads, highways, and mining operations. The source emphasized, “This is huge, not just for the Ring of Fire, but for mining in general, and building roads and highways,” predicting that the changes would be “10 times more transformational than any major project.”
A senior official within the federal government reiterated the crucial focus on eliminating redundant processes while assuring that standards for environmental protections and rights will remain stringent throughout the reviews. The federal government is also establishing a regional assessment working group to gain a deeper understanding of development impacts; however, both the province and the involved First Nations assert that this initiative will not interfere with the proposed road projects.
Under the new agreement, both governments intend to collaborate on the assessments pertaining to navigable waters, species at risk, and migratory birds, areas which have traditionally fallen within federal jurisdiction. With these protocols in place, the provincial government is now reportedly unlikely to utilize controversial new powers aimed at designating the road to the Ring of Fire as a special economic zone. This special designation would have granted the province the authority to bypass provincial and municipal regulations to expedite the construction of a prospective mine in the area.
The Ring of Fire is known for its potential wealth of critical minerals, but opposition exists among several First Nations against both the roads and associated mining projects. Wyloo Metals, an Australian mining corporation, is nearing the completion of a feasibility study on two proposed underground mines at its Eagle's Nest site. Additionally, Wyloo and Juno Corp., a Canadian junior mining entity established in 2019, hold a significant majority of the over 40,000 mining claims in the Ring of Fire region, with other companies like Teck Resources and Canada Chrome Corporation also owning substantial claims.
These mining ventures are expected to exploit various critical mineral and base metal deposits, including nickel, copper, chromite, titanium, platinum, vanadium, iron, and gold, all of which are essential for manufacturing batteries, cellphones, stainless steel, semiconductors, and more.
