The Ford government is preparing to table new legislation that will speed up mine development and other major projects by designating them as “special economic zones” — starting with Ontario’s mineral-rich Ring of Fire.
Premier Doug Ford and Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce unveiled the plan at a press conference in Toronto Thursday, saying it would streamline approvals, cut through red tape, and guard against what they described as national security threats posed by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
“President Trump wants to destroy our economy, take jobs away from Ontarians and Canadians, and we have to get up and fight like we’ve never fought before,” Ford said at a press conference this Thursday. “We can’t be caught up in red tape and regulations and dilly-dallying around.”