By Abdul Matin Sarfraz \/ Canada\u2019s National Observer \/ Local Journalism Initiative Despite pushback from First Nations and environmental advocates, the Ford government is moving ahead with the first segment of a road network to Ontario\u2019s mineral-rich Ring of Fire. The $61.8 million upgrade to Geraldton\u2019s Main Street project will connect Highway 11 to Highway 584 in Greenstone and is billed as the \u201cgateway\u201d to the Ring of Fire, about 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay. The road is the first Ring of Fire project to be approved under Premier Doug Ford\u2019s controversial Bill 5, which aims to fast track projects by creating \u201cspecial economic zones\u201d exempt from environmental rules and planning laws. The province says it is a critical step toward unlocking the region\u2019s nickel, copper, platinum and chromite… <\/p>\n
By Abdul Matin Sarfraz \/ Canada\u2019s National Observer \/ Local Journalism Initiative Despite pushback from First Nations and environmental advocates, the Ford government is moving ahead with the first segment of a road network to Ontario\u2019s mineral-rich Ring of Fire. The $61.8 million upgrade to Geraldton\u2019s Main Street project will connect Highway 11 to Highway 584 in Greenstone and is billed as the \u201cgateway\u201d to the Ring of Fire, about 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay. The road is the first Ring of Fire project to be approved under Premier Doug Ford\u2019s controversial Bill 5, which aims to fast track projects by creating \u201cspecial economic zones\u201d exempt from environmental rules and planning laws. The province says it is a critical step toward unlocking the region\u2019s nickel, copper, platinum and chromite... <\/p>\n