Province, 4 First Nations sign deal to build roads

Project would improve access to Ring of Fire region

This article was written by Liam Casey and was published in the Toronto Star on June 19, 2024.

Exploration in the Ring of Fire is based out of Noront Resource’s Esker Camp in the James Bay Lowlands. Ontario is trying to create an end-to-end manufacturing chain for electric vehicle batteries and it sees the Ring of Fire region as a prime source for the critical minerals needed.

Four First Nations have signed a deal with Ontario for new roads, other infrastructure projects and skills training as the province lays a foundation for plans to mine the mineral-rich Ring of Fire region.

The province said Animbiigoo Zaagi’igan Anishinaabek, Aroland First Nation, Ginoogaming First Nation and Long Lake #58 First Nation will see their roads that connect to the provincial highway system fortified and renewed.

The roads, about 300 kilometres east of Thunder Bay, Ont., will support critical mineral and resource development, Premier Doug Ford said.

“These are all-season roads that will support First Nations communities, built by First Nations workers,” Ford wrote in a statement on Tuesday.

The province signed letters of confirmation with Kenogamisis Investment Corporation,and Minodahmun Development, the former owned by those four First Nations and the latter owned by three of them.

The province is investing in the area, known as Greenstone, as part of its long-term strategy to mine the area and regions north into the Ring of Fire.

Greenstone Gold Mines, one of the largest open-pit mines in the country, is set to officially open later this summer.

The province is trying to create an end-to-end manufacturing chain for electric vehicle batteries and it sees northern Ontario’s Ring of Fire region as a prime source for the critical minerals needed.

Two other communities, Webequie First Nation and Marten Falls First Nation, have signed deals with the province to handle the environmental assessments of three proposed roads into the Ring of Fire.

Several First Nations both inside and outside the Ring of Fire region have said mining on their traditional territories cannot occur without their prior informed consent.

Building up Greenstone is a priority for the province, Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford said. It is an area he has dubbed the “corridor to prosperity.”

As part of the deal with the four First Nations, the province will spend $2 million to build the Migizi Plaza Rest Stop, which will serve as a hub for the nearby communities. The province will also spend $1.9 million to provide training to secure jobs for mineral development.

“Building on the success of today’s announcement we believe we are in the best position any government has ever been to build out the corridor to prosperity for the benefit of isolated First Nation communities north of us and a real prospect of developing critical minerals in the Ring of Fire,” Rickford said.

“We are laying the foundation for Greenstone to become the new centre of gravity for mining, in partnership with First Nations.”

The Ontario Provincial Police also needs a new detachment in the area as its current location is needed for the gold mine. The province said it will work to relocate the police station.

The four First Nations welcomed the news, although one chief said its participation was under duress.

“Minodahmun’s Indigenous workforce development program is crucial for empowering our people with the skills and opportunities to build meaningful careers, strengthen our communities and ensure our members are participating in projects on our lands,” said Ginoogaming First Nation Chief Sheri Taylor.

Author: Ray Nakano

Ray is a retired, third generation Japanese Canadian born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario. He resides in Toronto where he worked for the Ontario Government for 28 years. Ray was ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh in 2011 and practises in the Plum Village tradition, supporting sanghas in their mindfulness practice. Ray is very concerned about our climate crisis. He has been actively involved with the ClimateFast group (https://climatefast.ca) for the past 5 years. He works to bring awareness of our climate crisis to others and motivate them to take action. He has created the myclimatechange.home.blog website, for tracking climate-related news articles, reports, and organizations. He has created mobilizecanada.ca to focus on what you can do to address the climate crisis. He is always looking for opportunities to reach out to communities, politicians, and governments to communicate about our climate crisis and what we need to do. He says: “Our world is in dire straits. We have to bend the curve on our heat-trapping pollutants in the next few years if we hope to avoid the most serious impacts of human-caused global warming. Doing nothing is not an option. We must do everything we can to create a livable future for our children, our grandchildren, and all future generations.”