Ontario, First Nations moving forward with Ring of Fire development – by Elaine Della-Mattia (Sault Star – August 27, 2019)

https://www.saultstar.com/

The Ontario government is taking a different approach so the Ring of Fire development can move forward. It expects bilateral agreements to be established with First Nations communities this fall, paving the way for the development of a north-south route.

The Ontario government says it’s establishing bilateral agreements with First Nations communities in order to start a north-south route to the Ring of Fire.

Greg Rickford, Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines and Minister of Indigenous Affairs, said the Conservative provincial government’s plan to ink agreements with the First Nation communities and get a shovel in the ground is quicker and cheaper than that of its predecessor so that the “corridor to prosperity” can be built.

“Frankly, to this point it’s been a little complicated and lengthy. It has not necessarily met the timelines that the market should expect a project to come onboard,” Rickford told a Tuesday morning audience at Algoma Steel.

Rickford said the former government’s framework of an agreement — a $20 million process – developed some guiding principles with Indigenous leaders but didn’t lead to putting a shovel in the ground.

Rickford said that the Indigenous leaders were becoming disenchanted with the lack of progress and came to the PC government with requests to move forward. “We think it’s time to actually move forward with opportunities that are ripe to develop,” he said.

For the rest of this article: https://www.saultstar.com/news/local-news/ontario-first-nations-moving-forward-with-ring-of-fire-development