BEC / June / 2014 - page 8

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne pledges
$1 billion to build a transportation route to
the mineral-rich Ring of Fire – a mining devel-
opment project situated in Northern Ontario
– with or without federal assistance.
The significant mineral find, which stands
as the largest mineral reserve in Ontario,
would generate growth as well as create jobs
in Ontario and the nation, though the chal-
lenge arises through a lack of access to the
remote area and impacts to the surrounding
First Nations communities.
Wynne allocated $1 billion from her $119.4
billion budget towards infrastructure to devel-
op the Ring of Fire on a condition that Harper
would match the funds, though the federal
Conservatives remain hush about their plans.
Her outlined platform also predicts Ontario`s
net debt to grow by $20.1 billion to $289.3 bil-
lion by the end of this year.
In a recent election debate, Wynne ad-
dressed any and all concerns thrown her way,
from economic benefits for First Nations to
providing skilled workers for the mining sec-
tor, and stated the development is just as, if
not more, significant as Alberta`s oil sands.
Wynne and her government are vesting all
efforts into making this infrastructure budget
come to life if re-elected come June, and plan
to spend the money over ten years to build the
much-needed transportation route at all costs.
LIBERAL LEADER
GOES SOLO ON
$1B RING OF FIRE
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business elite canada
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JUNE 2014
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