TORONTO — The Ontario government has announced over $3 billion for loans, grants and scholarships it says will be used to encourage Indigenous participation and ownership in the province’s mining sector.
The Ford government has said the province’s mineral deposits, including the Ring of Fire in the far north, are a key part of its pushback against the ongoing trade and tariff war with the United States. In announcing the money, Greg Rickford, Ontario’s Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation, said it’s important to have First Nations on board as partners.
“I want to separate out, of course, the opportunities for careers in legacy resource development, responsible resource development, projects,” Rickford told a press conference in Toronto.
“The ability for Indigenous businesses and communities to develop businesses either in partnership or on their own, the capacity and the tools to do that.”
In a media release issued Wednesday, the Ontario government said it’s building a “made-in-Ontario critical minerals supply chain,” and is touting reserves of nickel, titanium, copper, cobalt and lithium.
Of the announced money, $3 billion will go to tripling the total amount of loan guarantees available through the Indigenous Opportunities Financing Program and expanding eligible projects to include those in mining, resource development, pipelines and other sectors.
Premier Doug Ford pledged this funding when he made a campaign stop in Thunder Bay in February.
The announcement comes at a time when First Nations leaders, including the Nishnawbe Aski Nation and the Anishinabek Nation, are slamming the provincial government over Bill 5, which the government has said is aimed at “cutting red tape” for permitting mining and resource development projects, but is being criticized by opponents for weakening environmental protections and oversight of mining operations.
“The legislation allows the Ontario government to bypass critical processes that safeguard species at risk, cultural heritage and treaty rights, particularly in regions like the Ring of Fire,” the Chiefs of Ontario posted to its website in a summary of what it says the bill's implications are for First Nations.
“It concentrates decision-making power in the hands of ministers and the Lieutenant Governor without mandating First Nations involvement, threatening sovereignty, land stewardship and ongoing reconciliation efforts.”
“We know successful strong partnership with First Nation communities are essential to getting Ontario's critical minerals out of the ground,” Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce said.
“Indigenous leaders have called on governments to further step up to support capacity building, which means helping Indigenous communities navigate the numerous and complex consultations underway.”
Lecce said the province’s plan will “streamline approvals” while “fully respecting the duty to consult.”
Rickford said improvements to transportation and power supply and generation are also beneficial byproducts of mining development.
“We've had tremendous support from people across Ontario when this has the added benefit of providing access for these isolated communities,” Rickford said.
“In the case of the Ring of Fire, it's important to point out that we're talking about half a dozen First Nations communities that are still on diesel power for their electricity sources,” he continued.
“You don't want that, I don't want that, and they don't want that.”
