Ontario minerals key in tariff fight, Premier Doug Ford says

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Critical minerals are at the heart of Ontario’s plan to shore up the economy in the face of punitive tariffs from south of the border.

That was the message Premier Doug Ford had on Monday speaking to the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada’s annual convention at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

“President (Donald) Trump’s tariffs are taking direct aim at our economy, at our workers, at our families and our communities,” Ford said.

“I don’t know what’s coming tomorrow, I’m not even sure President Trump knows what’s coming tomorrow — we have to be prepared for anything and everything, so together we need to build a stronger, more resilient and self-sufficient economy.”

Ford called on the province and Canada to build what he described as the most competitive economy in the G7 — and that includes easier approval for important mining projects.

“We need to take advantage of the incredible resources we have here in Ontario,” Ford said. “Our abundant mineral wealth, every critical mineral in the world — they need it, we have it, they want it, and we’ll make sure we deliver it.”

Ford spoke of his government’s previous ongoing efforts to access and market resources in the Ring of Fire, located in Ontario’s far north in the lowlands of James Bay — an area rich in gold, zinc, copper, nickel and platinum-group metals such as osmium, iridium and palladium, all vital material in a variety of fields, including technology, semiconductors, and electric vehicle batteries.

Monday’s speech was Ford’s first remarks since last Thursday’s election that saw him capture a third straight majority government.

Part of the initiatives Ford campaigned on included streamlining project approvals, which often find themselves mired in red tape.

“I’ll be making it clear to the federal government that the time for the redundant, wrong-headed impact assessment requirements — it’s over, they’re done,” Ford said.

“We cannot afford to add years and years of delays, massive costs to critical mineral projects, so that the federal government can waste time repeating and replicating assessments that Ontario has already done. Instead, we need the federal government to et out of the way, so we can get these projects done.”

bpassifiume@postmedia.com
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