Ontario set to begin building road to the Ring of Fire

TORONTO — Ontario is set to begin building the road to the Ring of Fire.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford says the province is investing nearly $62 million in Geraldton, Ont., to rebuild several segments of existing road that will serve as the start of the eventual road to the mineral-rich region.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Mark Carney both want to mine the region as part of the country’s response to the ongoing trade war with the United States.

The Ring of Fire is some 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, Ont., and said to be rich in a multitude of critical and base minerals, though the political push to mine it has seen strong resistance from First Nations in the area who are worried they will be left behind by governments again.

The project will connect Highway 11 in the south with Highway 584 in the north and be able to handle sustained truck traffic from mining activities.

That road project would ultimately connect to three other proposed roads to the Ring of Fire that have been undergoing environmental assessments over the last several years.

Those roads would connect Webequie First Nation and Marten Falls First Nation, which are only accessible by air or winter road, to the provincial highway system, as well as to mining activities.

The province is set to reveal the details in a news conference Wednesday morning.

“This is more than a roadworks project, it’s a signal that Geraldton is a gateway to one of Ontario’s greatest assets in the face of economic threats from the United States, and that our government is serious about supporting the communities that anchor the north,” Rickford said.

“With First Nations and communities as integral leaders in these projects, our government is ensuring partnerships remain a central piece of our commitment to unlocking the Ring of Fire and building infrastructure that delivers prosperity for northern and First Nations communities, for generations to come.”

In the spring, Ford’s government rammed Bill 5 through the legislature. It’s a law that, in part, aims to speed up the building of large projects, including mines.

The new law also gives the government the ability to create so-called “special economic zones” that allow for the suspension of provincial and municipal laws.

Ford has said the Ring of Fire would be declared the first such zone, though that hasn’t occurred yet.

The bill sparked anger among the majority of First Nations across the province, who said it ignores their concerns and tramples their treaty rights.

Most took issue with the lack of consultation beforehand. The government has tried to appease First Nations since and has said it will not move forward without extensive consultation.

The province will soon send the Geraldton road contract out for tender with the hopes of construction beginning in the spring.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2025.

Liam Casey, The Canadian Press