Ontario Construction News staff writer
Ontario says it is accelerating construction of the 230-kilometre Greenstone Transmission Line to run from Nipigon Bay to near Aroland First Nation and the gateway to the Ring of Fire. Hydro One has been designated to develop and construct the line.
The provincial government and Hydro One have also committed to leveraging the Canadian and Ontario supply chain, with 93 per cent of the project’s costs to date staying in the country.
Plans call for the line be completed in 2032.
“Last year, our government took action to bolster our self-reliance by reducing the permitting timelines by 50 per cent to build mines faster, along with a new processing fund to end the ripping and shipping of our resources abroad,” Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines, said in a statement.
“We are emerging as a reliable and a stable democratic partner that the world can count on for those ethical resources,” Lecce said.
He said the Greenstone Transmission Line will deliver the energy and infrastructure to unlock the mineral potential of the Ring of Fire, one of the largest undeveloped, high-grade deposits of critical minerals on earth.
Chromite, nickel, copper, cobalt, gold, zinc, palladium, platinum and titanium are among minerals and metals in the region used in electric vehicle batteries.
With electricity demand in northern Ontario projected to increase by 81 per cent by 2050, Greenstone will provide the capacity needed to unlock 350-700 megawatts of additional hydroelectricity and other power generation, the province says. Under Ontario’s Integrated Energy Plan, the province has authorized 600 kilometres of transmission lines.
Ontario has committed $70 million to advance work on the new line which will include First Nation leadership in decision making and 50 per cent ownership of the line.
The province says development in the Ring of Fire has the potential to support more than 70,000 jobs across Ontario and generate approximately $22 billion in economic output over 30 years.
While mining has yet to be approved, Premier Doug Ford has signed a deal with Prime Minister Mark Carney agreeing to streamline major projects. Several First Nations in the region say the province’s push for development hasn’t allowed them the time and resources to be properly consulted about how these projects may affect them.
Environmental organizations have also warned that Ring of Fire development will damage the environment and harm wildlife including caribou herds.
