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Ontario's Ring of Fire
Credit: Global Forest Watch Canada/Genevieve Margherio

Ontario continues to be a beacon of hope for ecosystems and a bastion for mining.

The government continues to walk along a tightrope in the Ring of Fire mining region, saying it wants to get it right by protecting the environment and respecting First Nations.

The Far North Act, which sets an objective of protecting more than 50% of the region from development based on community-led land-use plans, remains in place. It enshrines the principle of land-use planning before development; however, it did not contemplate a project the size of the Ring of Fire. Respected negotiators by Matawa First Nations and the Ontario government have been hired to determine under what conditions development can proceed in the Ring of Fire.

The Ring of Fire is a potential new mining area approximately 500 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay. It has, however, been over-hyped and expectations have been raised, making regional planning tricky. Despite promises by the Ontario government to get it right, major mining and infrastructure proposals are moving forward in the Ring of Fire area without a broader, regional-level environmental assessment. Without such an inclusive and measured approach, there is expected to be uncertainty and challenges between mining companies, First Nation communities, and the provincial and federal governments. Ecosystems will be at risk. A broader process is needed because mining here is expected to impact at least three large watersheds and more than 15 First Nation communities.

While some have expressed frustration, the reality is this is a massive undertaking involving a constellation of legal, environmental, economic, political and Aboriginal issues. If Ontario leads the way with a strategic regional environmental assessment and local First Nations negotiate strong agreements, the prize could be a model for the world of how to blend indigenous rights, environment, and economy into a process that actually works. This could be a major victory for the future of Canada's boreal ecosystem.

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