The federal Conservative leader is in Sudbury today making promises, if elected, to unlock access to critical minerals in the Ring of Fire and build a new road into the remote mining camp in northwestern Ontario.
“[The Ring of Fire] could make Canada very rich. It would be life changing for northern Ontario towns, galvanizing thousands of paycheques and modern infrastructure,” Pierre Poilievre said at a news conference Wednesday.
“It would help our First Nations become richer. It would boost our economy with billions of dollars, allowing us to become less dependent on the Americans after we start selling those resources overseas.”
In a news release, Poilievre said his party would “greenlight” all federal permits for the Ring of Fire within six months to speed the extraction of chromite, cobalt, nickel, copper and platinum, describing this as essential for the Canadian economy in the face of U.S. trade tariffs.
“Unlocking the Ring of Fire will be life changing for northern Ontario towns and First Nation communities, galvanized by thousands of paycheques and modern infrastructure,” said Poilievre.
The Ring of Fire region, about 500 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, is said to be rich in critical minerals, but development has been slow over the past 15 years.
The federal parties have heightened pre-election efforts in the wake of Mark Carney recently become Liberal leader and prime minister.
In addition to speeding up federal permits, Poilievre said in Sudbury, he would spend $1 billion over three years to build a road linking the mineral deposits and nearby First Nations to the Ontario highway network, while “allowing companies investing in the Ring of Fire to pay a share of their federal corporate taxes to local First Nations.”
Poilievre blamed what he called Liberal “gatekeeping and red tape” for the delays, citing Bill C-69 — federal legislation that changed environmental assessment processes — as a major obstacle. He said the Ontario government is already conducting an environmental assessment for the project, and has accused Ottawa of unnecessary duplication.
“This gatekeeping and red tape was devastating for Canada before Donald Trump threatened tariffs on our economy. Now, it is an act of economic suicide,” said Poilievre.
“By partnering with First Nations to develop our world-class resources, we will bring home powerful paycheques for all Canadians.”
When asked whether he supports processing the extracted minerals in Sudbury, Poilievre said he “absolutely” does.
“Sudbury is the hub. It’s the hub for the supplies that go into our mines, but it’s also the hub where the minerals should go to be refined, upgraded and then shipped to market all around the world,” he said.
“This is a place where we have the expertise, the workers, the financing, the population, the geography… It’s going to bring billions of dollars through Sudbury.”
Tariffs, trade and economic independence
Poilievre also framed his plan for the Ring of Fire as a way to reduce Canada’s reliance on the United States, especially as the prospect of new U.S. trade tariffs looms.
He criticized the Liberal government’s economic record, arguing Canada has become weaker and more dependent on the U.S. under Liberal leadership.
“We’ve lost a half-trillion dollars in investment to the Americans, making us more dependent after 10 years of Liberals on President Trump,” he said.
When asked about the U.S. president’s recent comments that a liberal government would be easier to negotiate with, Poilievre said that’s because liberals have made Canada “weaker.”
“It’s clear that President Trump wants the Liberals in power because they will keep this country weak,” he said.
