Premier Doug Ford says his government will begin work this year to connect Ontario’s highways to the Ring of Fire, with access roads to the mineral-rich area now expected to be in place by November 2031.

The new timeline will complete the project years ahead of schedule and will help spur mining of critical minerals in the province, Ford said Monday, while speaking at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

“Nothing’s more promising than the Ring of Fire, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create more than 70,000 jobs, make Ontario a critical mineral superpower, and add $22 billion to our province’s economy [over the next 30 years],” Ford said, repeating numbers he’s previously shared.

Construction on the Webequie Supply Road and Marten Falls Community Access Road is slated to begin later this year, according to a provincial release, while construction on the Northern Link Road — joining the two other roads — is expected to get underway in 2028 and open three years later.

Ford has sought to speed up Ring of Fire development

Recently, Ford’s government has worked to accelerate development of the area, saying economic uncertainty coming from the U.S. requires economic projects to be fast-tracked.

“With President Trump’s tariffs causing so much uncertainty, we don’t have a second to waste,” he said Monday.

Last year, the province passed the controversial Bill 5, which empowers the province to create “special economic zones,” where cabinet can exempt companies or projects from having to comply with any provincial law, provincial regulation or municipal bylaw. Ford previously said he wanted to designate the Ring of Fire as one of those zones.

Many surrounding First Nations and environmental groups went to Queen’s Park last year to protest the law, saying the province’s push for development hasn’t allowed them the time and resources to be properly consulted about how these projects may affect them. 

WATCH | First Nation partners with Ontario to speed up Ring of Fire road construction:

Ontario First Nation signs deal with province to speed up road construction to Ring of Fire mining site

A remote northern First Nation has signed a partnership deal with the province, designed to speed up construction of a road to the future Ring of Fire mining site and bring supports to the local community. But another northern mining agreement, also announced today, is being harshly criticized by other First Nations. Queen’s Park reporter Lorenda Reddekopp has more.

Ford said Monday that he no longer plans to make the Ring of Fire a special economic zone.

“We don’t need it when we have great partners,” he said, referring to First Nations in the area.

Ford also signed a deal with Prime Minister Mark Carney at the end of last year agreeing to a streamlined and flexible assessment process on major projects, including the Ring of Fire.

Multiple First Nations have signed various agreements with the province to help build roads to the region, as well as develop the area where it connects to the provincial highway system. That includes Webequie and Marten Falls First Nations, whose chiefs joined Ford Monday to sign new economic partnerships with the province.

Ford signed economic partnership agreements with the two First Nations Monday. He said those agreements will ensure the First Nations in the Ring of Fire region are full economic partners and benefit from job opportunities associated with development there.

The First Nations in the Ring of Fire region can currently only be accessed by air or winter road, and Ford said all-season roads to the area, along with providing access to large deposits of critical minerals, will bring more opportunities to the communities and their young people.