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4w ago

Ontario First Nations Vow Resistance as Mining Bill Advances

Bill 5, aiming to fast-track mining in the Ring of Fire, faces strong Indigenous opposition over treaty rights and environmental concerns as hearings near conclusion.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation leaders and community members gathered to drum between consultation sessions on Bill 5 at Queen’s Park in Toronto on May 22, 2025. (Sammy Kogan/The Globe and Mail)
Ontario says it will consult First Nations on Bill 5, which would suspend local laws in special economic zones like the mineral-rich Ring of Fire, but critics say it's falling short.

Overview

  • Bill 5 seeks to expedite mining approvals by creating special economic zones exempt from provincial and municipal laws, with the Ring of Fire as the first target.
  • First Nations leaders argue the bill violates Treaty No. 9 and threatens their way of life, pledging legal action and on-the-ground resistance if their concerns are ignored.
  • Energy and Mining Minister Stephen Lecce announced revisions to the bill’s preamble to emphasize the province’s constitutional duty to consult with Indigenous communities.
  • A motion for additional committee hearings in Northern Ontario was denied, intensifying frustrations among First Nations leaders seeking direct engagement.
  • The mining industry supports the bill for reducing regulatory hurdles, while environmental groups and civil liberty organizations criticize its potential impact on ecosystems and Indigenous rights.