Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks in Sudbury, Ontario, on March 19. The Canadian Press
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has promised to invest $1 billion to help build roads into Ontario’s remote Ring of Fire mining region. He also vowed to fast-track federal permits, aiming to boost the long-stalled development. However, the Australian company behind the main mining project remains unsure if it will move forward.
The Ring of Fire, located about 550 kilometers north of Thunder Bay, holds valuable minerals essential for Canada’s green energy goals. Politicians and mining experts have long promoted the area’s potential, but no mining has begun. Since a promising nickel discovery in 2007, several companies have tried and failed to get the project running.
A major challenge has been the lack of basic infrastructure. The area has no grid power or roads, making it difficult and expensive to transport resources. Poilievre’s pledge would be the first time both federal and provincial governments agree to co-fund the necessary infrastructure.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has already committed $1 billion to the project. He has repeatedly urged the federal government to do the same. The proposed road network would connect the Ring of Fire to Ontario’s highway system. It would also link several First Nations communities, improving their access to transportation.
Webequie and Marten Falls First Nations, which are leading federal environmental assessments for parts of the road project, welcomed Poilievre’s support. In a joint statement, they said the funding would help develop sustainable infrastructure, unlock resources, and create long-term economic opportunities. The plan also includes a proposal for mining companies to share tax revenue with First Nations.
For Wyloo Pty Ltd., the Australian mining company with the most promising assets in the region, road funding would reduce some of the uncertainty around the project’s economic feasibility. Roads are the only realistic way to transport ore out of the region.
Kristan Straub, CEO of Wyloo Canada, said the political backing from Ontario, along with potential federal support, is the strongest he has seen. “I can’t think of a time when we’ve had this much political support,” Straub said.
Wyloo owns the Eagle’s Nest nickel project, one of the few discoveries in the region with a feasibility study showing it could be profitable. However, the mine’s projected lifespan is only 11 years, with the potential to extend it by another nine years. In comparison, nickel operations in Sudbury have been running for over a century.
Wyloo is currently updating its feasibility study, as the last one was done in 2012. Despite the growing political momentum, Straub said there is no guarantee the company will build the mine. “I can’t say that we will definitively build the operation,” he stated.
One of the biggest hurdles is Canada’s lengthy environmental review process. Seven federal and provincial studies are still ongoing, some dating back to 2020. They are expected to take years to complete. Poilievre vowed to speed things up by approving all federal permits within six months.
While many First Nations support the project, others oppose it, citing concerns over environmental damage and the impact on traditional hunting lands. The mix of support and resistance adds to the uncertainty surrounding the project.
