Toronto : Ontario’s Minister of Energy and Mines Stephen Lecce announced Wednesday that the province is speeding up construction of a 230-kilometre transmission line into the mineral-rich Ring of Fire region, calling 2026 “a year of moving with speed.”
The Greenstone Transmission Line will stretch from Nipigon Bay to near Aroland First Nation, in what the province describes as the “gateway to the Ring of Fire.” The project is expected to be completed by 2032.
“We are emerging as a reliable and a stable democratic partner that the world can count on for those ethical resources,” Lecce said. “From new roads, the transmission in the Ring of Fire, to moving forward with North America’s largest nuclear expansion, we are open for business and we mean business.”
The Ontario government estimates that Ring of Fire development could generate $22 billion over 30 years and create 70,000 jobs. Key minerals in the region include chromite, nickel, copper, cobalt, gold, zinc, palladium, platinum, and titanium—many of which are critical for electric vehicle batteries and green energy technologies.
While mining approvals are still pending, infrastructure efforts to connect the remote area to the provincial highway network have accelerated. Ontario recently signed $40-million agreements with Marten Falls and Webequie First Nations to support road construction through their territories, as well as a $62-million deal with the Municipality of Greenstone.
Last month, Premier Doug Ford signed an agreement with Prime Minister Mark Carney establishing a streamlined and flexible assessment process for major projects, including those in the Ring of Fire.
