Aroland First Nation Chief Sonny Gagnon at Tuesday's news conference at Queen's Park in Toronto. Photo: APTN.
Aroland First Nation has signed a deal worth more than $20 million to develop the Ring of Fire, with the money set for community infrastructure projects related to mineral development, business development and community wellness.
“Our line is pro-development,” said Chief Sonny Gagnon. “We have an opportunity with my community to attain the skills that we need to be self-sustaining, to get off government funding.”
Nestled in the remote expanse of the James Bay Lowlands, the Ring of Fire is a mineral-rich region, with long-term potential to produce chromite, cobalt, nickel, copper and platinum, critical to Ontario’s expansion into new economic development.
Critical minerals like these play a role in the future of low- and zero-emission vehicles and transportation and help support the transition to a cleaner, sustainable global economy.
However, mining and developing those minerals also come at an environmental cost.
One of the most contentious issues in the Ring of Fire’s development was the construction of all-season roads to connect the region to the rest of Ontario. These roads were seen as critical for transporting minerals and equipment, but they also cut through sensitive ecosystems and the traditional territories of Indigenous communities.
The region has also been an ongoing flashpoint for debates about First Nations rights, environmental stewardship and the future of reconciliation in Canada.
Aroland First Nation, 60 km north of Hwy 11 near Geraldton, Ont., was one of nine First Nation communities impacted by the proposed development of the Ring of Fire.
Gagnon attended a press conference with Premier Doug Ford and Greg Rickford, minister of Northern Development and Indigenous Affairs on Tuesday to announce he signed the deal.
He stressed that the money will help address drug addictions plaguing the small community and its housing shortage. Gagnon said half of its 700 members live in Thunder Bay due to a lack of homes.
The deal will also create an independent income source separate from government transfer payments he said.
Gagnon once joked that he was ready to jump on the bulldozer with Premier Ford and “ride it to the ring of fire.”
The bulldozer comments were a threat according to Chief Chris Moonias of the Neskantaga First Nation, who told APTN’s Nation to Nation last week, that he was worried development could go ahead without the agreement of all Matawa First Nations, including Neskantaga who have not yet decided to make a deal.
Gangon said the comment was neither meant to threaten or to go public.
“That was between me and him, this joke, it was never meant to go out to any other chiefs,” said Gangon. “We’re only talking the Marten Fall’s community access road and that’s where it ends.
“It’s not leading to any Ring of Fire unless the other communities are in favor of moving the project forward.”
Some of the details of the deal include; up to $2.27 million for a comprehensive community plan to support business development and community wellness; Ontario will support Aroland in “considering opportunities” to develop a trans load facility and a host community for a smelter; and talks will be held with Aroland and other First Nations to establish an agreement to share the economic benefits of forestry and mining operations in the region.
A win for the Ford government is connecting Hwy 643 to Marten Falls First Nation and Webequie First Nation and providing access to the Ring of Fire.
Aroland has been in on-again-off-again negotiations for almost ten years and finally ratified the agreement only Sunday night, “ crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s,” said Gagnon.
Negotiations have been ongoing behind closed doors and last March, Gagnon and Ford shook hands and “agreed to get the deal done, “ said Ford.
“ I’ll never forget that day chief,” Ford said. “We were in my office and we literally shook hands and that handshake made everything an opportunity to move forward.
“It meant everything to me.”
Ford officially set a provincial election for Feb. 27, more than a year before the next fixed election date on Tuesday as well.
