The federal government will put down $1 billion to help build a controversial road to the Ring of Fire region in northern Ontario, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday. The region is said to be rich in nickel, chromite, copper and gold and Carney said its development will secure Canada’s critical mineral supply chain. “Canada is matching Ontario’s $1-billion investment to build road infrastructure to reach the Ring of Fire,” Carney said as he and Premier Doug Ford announced an $8.7-billion joint plan to help Ontario’s tariff-affected industries, including steel and automotive sectors. The Ring of Fire sits partially in the James Bay lowlands, part of North America’s largest wetland, and is home to a number of remote, fly-in First Nations. Its mineral development has been a major focus for Ford since he took office in 2018. Contruction of two roads Earlier this year, Ford announced construction had begun on two of the roads that will eventually connect the provincial highway system to the mining area some 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, Ont. Ford had long called for the federal government to match his government’s $1-billion investment in the road project. Ontario’s previous Liberal government had also asked Ottawa to match that money. “Last December, I joined the prime minister here in Ottawa to sign an agreement that would eliminate federal duplication for the roads to the Ring of Fire,” Ford said Wednesday. “Thanks to that agreement, we got shovels in the ground on the roads to the Ring of Fire this summer and are well on our way to unlocking, as the prime minister mentioned, 70,000 jobs and $22 billion in economic activity that will be powered by the Ring of Fire’s critical minerals.” The province has signed partnerships with three First Nations who want the road, while many others are decidedly against it. Signed partnerships Webequie First Nation and Marten Falls First Nation, both remote fly-in communities, want a road to connect to the provincial highway system as well as the economic opportunities in mining the Ring of Fire. They both say it will lift their communities out of poverty. Aroland First Nation sits further south and its road will be upgraded to handle greater traffic. However, many other First Nations in northern Ontario are against the proposed road. They say they haven’t been consulted and the road will change their way of life. Neskantaga First Nation and Attawapiskat First Nation have built a settlement where the proposed road will cross the Attawapiskat River. The Canadian Press visited the region last year, including the settlement, where community members plan to block the road whenever construction crews arrive, years from now. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2026. Liam Casey, The Canadian Press
