Impending road, rail, and mine blockades could be looming as First Nations escalate pressure on the Ontario government to halt a proposed bill aimed at expediting large mining projects in the north.
Provincial ministers acknowledge the public outcry and plan to enhance Bill 5, but they are hesitant to commit to scrapping it entirely.
The introduction of the bill has incited outrage among First Nations, environmentalists, and civil liberty organizations, who argue that the legislation disregards rights and weakens safeguards for endangered species.
The province is preparing to establish designated special economic zones that would waive provincial and municipal regulations for specific projects.
Premier Doug Ford has expressed the province’s intention to designate the mineral-rich Ring of Fire in northern Ontario as one such zone.
First Nation leaders are currently at Queen’s Park to address a committee reviewing the bill, asserting that it fails to honor the province’s duty to consult and other commitments outlined in Treaty No. 9.
