A billion dollar promise from the province for one of Canada’s most important mineral deposits.
Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy released Ontario’s fall economic statement on Thursday, stressing “It is time to get the road to the Ring of Fire built.”
This is a project many in Northern Ontario have been looking forward to, though some local Members of Provincial Parliament (MPP) are remaining skeptical about the claim.
“The roads that are starting up there don’t go to the mining site yet, not to mention there are federal environmental assessments still ongoing,” said Thunder Bay-Atikokan NDP MPP Judith Monteith-Farrell. “Having that kind of misleading statement is kind of unfortunate.”
Monteith-Farrell goes on to mention that other provincial governments have made promises surrounding the Ring of Fire that have never been cashed in on.
Bethlenfalvy pointed the finger at other political parties for refusing to get the project moving.
Thunder Bay-Superior North Liberal MPP Michael Gravelle added “I am pleased to see they have maintained that commitment and they are continuing to work with the present First Nations to build a supply road.”
The fall economic statement is projecting a $21.5-billion deficit in 2021-22 with a prediction that it will drop to $12.9-billion by 2023-24.
