QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of Natural Resources
Ring of Fire Development
December 14, 2022
Welcome, minister.
The Ring of Fire in Ontario’s James Bay Lowlands region has been identified as a region of critical minerals since the year 2006. It has been repeatedly described as a unique resource and opportunity.
The current pace of development, however, is discouraging. In fact, it’s not at all clear whether that rich region will ever be developed.
I also understand that consultation with Indigenous communities is important — it is, in fact, vital — as are the various environmental and other assessments that must be conducted.
My questions to you are as follows: What will move that project forward? Is there a realistic and actual timetable that you can share with us for the development of the Ring of Fire? If it’s clear in your view that it will not proceed, can the people involved know this sooner rather than later? Thank you.
Thank you.
I will speak generally and then speak to the Ring of Fire. More generally, we do have work to do to ensure our regulatory processes are able to move at the speed we need to in order for us to have access to the minerals that are required for the energy transition. We need to do that in a manner that is sensitive to the environment — not cutting corners on environmental sustainability — and in a matter that respects our duty to discharge and that respects the rights of Indigenous peoples.
We are working actively within the federal family to figure out ways to do that; there are a number of initiatives under way. We are working directly with most of the provinces and territories under the Regional Energy and Resource Tables to look at aligning those things.
The Ring of Fire, however, is a particularly complex area. Much of it is in peatlands, which are a huge carbon sink. The last thing we want to do when fighting climate change is to make climate change worse. Second, there are legitimate Indigenous concerns in the area that need to be heard and addressed.
There is a process going on in terms of assessing two roads, but those are largely independent of any project; they are for Indigenous communities. There is a regional assessment going on, which should help to enable specific project assessments going forward.
We do not yet have a specific project proposal. A lot of people think there is some project for the Ring of Fire. I know that Wyloo Metals, which holds the rights, is interested in moving forward, but we have not had any project enter the environmental assessment stage. There is the regional assessment going on.
At the end of the day, we are interested in finding pathways through which some portions of that region could be mined in a manner that is sensitive environmentally, but we have to address the environmental concern around the peat. We also have to address the legitimate issues the environmental communities have if we are going to find a pathway forward. That is the work that I am doing with every day.
