Feds investing $1 billion for road to Ring of Fire in Ontario: Carney

The Ring of Fire region, about 500 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, is said to hold some of the world's richest deposits of chromite, nickel, copper and platinum. (File)

Prime Minister Mark Carney says his government is putting down $1 billion to help build the road to the mineral-rich Ring of Fire region in northern Ontario.

The region is said to be rich in nickel, chromite, copper and gold and Carney says it will secure Canada’s critical mineral supply chain.

The area sits partially in the James Bay lowlands, part of North America’s largest wetland, and is home to a number of remote, fly-in First Nations.

Earlier this year, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced construction had begun on two of the roads that will eventually connect the provincial highway system to the mining area some 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, Ont.

Ford had long called for the federal government to match his government’s $1-billion investment in the road project.

The province has signed partnerships with three First Nations who want the road, while many others are decidedly against it.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2026.