https://www.thesudburystar.com/
Most agree developing Northern Ontario’s mineral riches a key economic imperative but not at the expense of Indigenous rights or the environment
Between the trade war being waged by the U.S. and a federal election coming fast on the heels of a provincial one, a mineral-rich region located some 800 kilometres northwest of Sudbury, is suddenly getting a lot of attention, and not because it shares a name with a Johnny Cash song.
It’s because of the cash it could inject into the Canadian economy, while also acting as a bulwark or bargaining chip in protecting our national autonomy. “It’s amazing that before (Donald) Trump took power, nobody down here in southern Ontario knew what the Ring of Fire really was,” said mining analyst Stan Sudol, who grew up in Sudbury but now calls Toronto home. “It meant something to the people in Northern Ontario and the mining industry, but the general population was mostly oblivious.”
That changed with the advent of Trump 2.0, with its threats of tariffs and possible annexation, and the Fortress Am-Can response of the Doug Ford government in Ontario, which called for, among other things, fast-tracking mining projects.
The province said areas “where multiple critical minerals are present or likely to be present, such as the Ring of Fire” should be designated as “regions of strategic importance” and “supported with a special approvals process that significantly reduces the timelines to get minerals out of the ground.”
That focus has continued post-election, with new Ontario minister of Energy and Mines Stephen Lecce pledging to bring forward a “comprehensive plan” this spring to expedite mine development.
For the rest of this article: https://www.thesudburystar.com/feature/federal-election-2025-ring-of-fire-as-canadas-front-line-vs-trump