Ontario announced Wednesday it will invest nearly $62 million to begin building infrastructure for a road network to the mineral-rich Ring of Fire region, marking the first physical construction step in a project that has faced years of Indigenous opposition.
The province will rehabilitate a 5-kilometer stretch of road in Geraldton that will serve as the gateway to the eventual corridor into the remote mining area, with construction crews expected to mobilize this fall.
“This is more than a roadworks project, it’s a signal that Geraldton is a gateway to one of Ontario’s greatest assets,” said Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford during a Toronto announcement.
The Ring of Fire, located about 500 kilometers north of Thunder Bay, contains vast deposits of chromite, nickel, copper and other critical minerals essential for electric vehicle batteries. Premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Mark Carney have promoted mining the region as part of Canada’s response to ongoing trade tensions with the United States.
However, the project faces significant opposition from First Nations communities who argue their treaty rights are being violated. Nine Indigenous communities have launched a legal challenge against Ontario’s Bill 5, passed in spring 2025, which allows the government to suspend provincial and municipal laws in designated “special economic zones” to fast-track development.
“We do not stand with Ontario in support of Bill 5,” said Aroland First Nation Chief Sonny Gagnon, whose community signed a road agreement with the province. “We do stand in support of the other First Nations in Ontario who are opposed to Bill 5.”
Even First Nations partnering on road projects have expressed concerns. Marten Falls First Nation Chief Bruce Achneepineskum, whose community is leading environmental assessments for the proposed road network, said “I’m not OK with this bill.”
Read: Ontario First Nation Seeks to Halt Ring of Fire Mining Development
Webequie First Nation Chief Cornelius Wabasse participated in Tuesday’s announcement and said his community remains committed to ensuring development benefits First Nations. “We are open for working together,” he said.
The provincial government says it will soon send the Geraldton road contract out for tender, with full construction expected to begin in spring. Environmental assessments for the full road network aren’t expected to be completed until 2026.
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