The same day Premier Doug Ford called an early election, his government announced it had reached a $20-million deal with Aroland First Nation that will, “build roads along the entire route to the Ring of Fire.”
The Shared Prosperity Agreement includes $20 million for infrastructure and new energy transmission projects in Aroland. Ontario promises to upgrade existing roads to the community, located 60 kilometres north of Geraldton, and build a road from Aroland northward to Marten Falls First Nation. Ontario also made a vague commitment to support Aroland in vying for a smelter, and it intends to meet further over potential resource-benefit sharing.
Aroland Chief Sonny Gagnon posed for photos with Ford during the press conference in Toronto on Tuesday, wearing a PC campaign toque emblazoned with “Canada Is Not For Sale.” But while Gagnon said he was “pro-development,” he was also clear that this deal should not be understood as a license to mine in the proposed Ring of Fire.
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