Can you outline the logic that prompted the creation of a dedicated Ministry of Mines?

Ontario published its first Critical Minerals Strategy in April of 2021, and the emphasis was on marrying the mineral potential of Northern Ontario with the industrial might of Southern Ontario. The province is now going through a significant change. Several billion dollars have been invested by battery manufacturers in Southern Ontario, and they would not build those complexes if the province did not have the minerals to supply them. Given the emphasis on critical minerals in Ontario and the global economy at large, the Premier recognized that we needed a designated mining ministry.

What is the mandate of the Mining Ministry?

Our mandate is to develop the mineral endowment of the province, and that begins with the Ring of Fire, where it is estimated that a trillion dollars of minerals exists in the ground. Of course, critical minerals are not just in the Ring of Fire. They are present throughout Northern Ontario, including niobium deposits 60 miles south of James Bay; we have rare earths and lithium that is 20 miles north of Otter Rapids, we have a huge nickel deposit in Timmins, and Frontier Lithium in Northwestern Ontario is one the world's biggest and highest grade deposits. There are numerous other lithium deposits, close to Thunder Bay, and on top of that we have tremendous base metal and copper deposits throughout the province. One component of our mandate is to once again become the number one jurisdiction for mining. We want to do that because it is imperative that we modernize into a green, carbon neutral economy.

What issues do you feel are most urgent for the government to effectively address?

One is the need for close cooperation with the Canadian federal government. Throughout Northern Ontario we understand that nothing is going to happen without partnerships with indigenous groups. Therefore, the federal responsibility for indigenous affairs is linked with any development in Northern Ontario. We also created a ministry of red tape reduction, which speaks of our desire to permit facilities quicker than we have in the past.

To what extent do surrounding First Nations support the effort to mine the Ring of Fire?

Within the Ring of Fire, it is important to understand that the chiefs of Marten Falls and Webequie are the ones that are leading the consultation on development of the environmental assessments. Our government, of course, stands ready to support them with the consultation required for these environmental assessments. We have met with the indigenous communities, and they are progressive leaders, who want to see the development of their communities. They want their children to stay in the area, so consequently, they are big supporters of development in Northwestern Ontario.

To what extent is Ontario a competitive jurisdiction from an energy availability perspective?

There is broad consensus that we have to increase our energy capacity. We are very lucky in Ontario because 90% of our grid is already green, and this number will ultimately be 100%. Contrast that to places like Ohio that are only 6% green. That is one of the reasons why Ontario is such an attractive place for sustainable operations. There is a huge initiative right now on nuclear regeneration. The CANDU reactors are the world's safest reactor. When you couple that with small nuclear modular reactors that are being developed and coming on stream in 2026, we are well aligned to meet the increased electrical requirements in Ontario. There is also a big focus on the phenomenal potential to generate hydroelectric power. There is 100% consensus to develop the electrical potential that we have in in Ontario.