We’ll ‘set the bar high’ on Ring of Fire environment assessment, First Nation chief says – by Naimul Karim (Financial Post – September 27, 2022)

https://financialpost.com/

Ontario government has described the Ring of Fire as one of the ‘most promising’ regions for developing critical minerals

Indigenous groups who support building an all-season pathway into Ontario’s mineral-rich Ring of Fire region say they hope to allay concerns of neighbouring First Nations by conducting strong environmental assessments (EA).

The First Nations of Marten Falls and Webequie are currently conducting EAs for three proposed roads that would provide access to the region situated in northern Ontario’s James Bay Lowlands, about 500 kilometres from Thunder Bay.

The EA will keep in mind the “respect of our First Nation neighbours,” Marten Falls Chief Bruce Achneepineskum said at a panel discussion at the Indigenous Led Projects Forum in Toronto. “We will ensure that we capture their concerns … we capture their obligations … not only doing the bare minimum that the EA act requires, but doing more.”

He added that they hope to “set the bar high. I can relate to the rights that we carry as a First Nation and our First Nation neighbours carry, it’s something that’s the basis of our existence, the basis of our culture and our lives.”

For the rest of this article: https://financialpost.com/commodities/mining/well-set-the-bar-high-on-ring-of-fire-environment-assessment-first-nation-chief-says