First Nations Warn of Blockades Over Ontario’s New Mining Bill
Road, rail, and mine blockades may be coming as First Nations leaders push back against a new Ontario law that would speed up big mining projects in the north.
The government says it has heard people’s concerns and will make some changes to Bill 5, but it does not plan to cancel it.
Many First Nations, environmental groups, and civil rights organizations are angry about the bill. They say it ignores Indigenous rights and weakens rules that protect endangered animals.
The bill would allow the province to set up “special economic zones,” where normal laws from cities and the province would not apply to some projects.
Premier Doug Ford says he plans to make the Ring of Fire in northern Ontario—an area with important minerals—one of those zones.
Today, several First Nations chiefs are at Queen’s Park, speaking to a committee about the bill. They say it does not follow the government’s legal duty to consult with Indigenous communities, as promised in Treaty No. 9.
