Province says it will finish Ring of Fire road 5 years ahead of schedule

Ontario vows to accelerate Ring of Fire road construction, aiming to connect First Nations and boost northern economic growth by 2030.

The Ontario government has released a plan to accelerate the completion of construction on the all-seasons roads to the Ring of Fire five years ahead of schedule.

That means construction is now expected to start in June of this year and roads in the area will begin opening in November 2030.

The government has also signed new economic partnerships with Marten Falls First Nation and Webequie First Nation. Along with the accelerated timeline, the developments “will pave the way for advanced exploration activities in the Ring of Fire,” the province said in a news release March 2.

“Unlocking Ontario’s vast supply of critical minerals in the Ring of Fire is at the heart of our plan to protect Ontario and build a more competitive, resilient and self-reliant economy,” Premier Doug Ford said in the release.

“Today’s accelerated construction schedule and historic economic agreements with First Nations partners will see roads to the Ring of Fire finished five years ahead of schedule as we begin to deliver generational economic benefits to the region and all of Ontario.”

Provincial figures estimate the Ring of Fire could create more than 70,000 jobs and add $22 billion to the province’s economy over the next 30 years.

Details released Monday said the Webequie Supply Road is scheduled to start construction in June and open by November 2030, four years ahead of schedule

The Marten Falls Community Access Road is scheduled to start construction in August and open by November 2031, four years ahead of schedule.

Upgrades to the Anaconda and Painter Lake roads are scheduled to open by November 2030, two years ahead of schedule.

And the Northern Road Link is scheduled to start construction in spring 2028 and open by November 2031, five years ahead of schedule.

“Together, these four road segments will connect First Nations to the provincial highway network, improve access to essential goods and services and provide reliable access to the area that is critical to the development of the Ring of Fire,” the province said.

“Ontario is urging the federal government to match or exceed its $1 billion investment in Ring of Fire infrastructure and enable further acceleration of construction on the Ring of Fire roads by providing a streamlined permit and authorized approval approach.”

Bruce Achneepineskum, Chief of Marten Falls First Nation, said the community’s vision is to lead economic development within its traditional territory.

“True reconciliation requires the resources to make that happen,” Achneepineskum said in the news release.

“Through this agreement with Ontario for development planning, we are laying the groundwork for sustainable, Indigenous-led prosperity as the Ring of Fire advances. We are equipping our people with the tools to protect our interests, capitalize on business opportunities and drive long-term economic independence. This is about ensuring our community is ready to build, lead and thrive.”

The Ring of Fire region is located around 500 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay and covers about 8,000 square kilometres.

The province is making investments to advance the next phase of work for the Ring of Fire roads projects, including early construction works, detailed design and contract administration and a construction delivery model.

In September 2025, the government announced $61.8 million for the Geraldton Main Street Rehabilitation Project, a critical road infrastructure project in Greenstone that will be the gateway to the Ring of Fire.