Ontario First Nations announce new step in Ring of Fire road building

Two northern Ontario First Nations say they are taking another step toward all-season road access to potential mining sites in the Ring of Fire.

The region about 500 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay is said to be rich in critical minerals and the province has made long-standing promises to develop and mine the area.

Marten Falls and Webequie First Nations are co-leading the planning of a Northern Road Link project, which the province says is the final piece of critical road infrastructure.

The two First Nations are announcing today that they will be submitting a terms of reference for an environmental assessment for the proposed road.

Chief Bruce Achneepineskum of the Marten Falls First Nation says the project represents a potentially bright future for generations to come.

The region in Northern Ontario holds some of the world’s richest deposits of chromite, nickel, copper and platinum — valued at anywhere from $30 billion to $60 billion.