TORONTO — Today, as the next step in the government’s plan to protect Ontario, the province is introducing the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, 2025. If passed, this comprehensive legislation would cut the red tape and duplicative processes that have held back major infrastructure, mining and resource development projects, including in the Ring of Fire. By streamlining approval processes while maintaining robust environmental standards, Ontario will unleash the economic potential of its critical minerals to make the province’s economy the most competitive place in the G7 to invest, create jobs and do business.
“The maze of bureaucracy, red tape and duplicative processes holding back our economy means that a single mining project can take 15 years to be approved,” said Premier Doug Ford. “In the face of current Ontario-U.S. trade tensions, it can no longer be business as usual. We are cutting red tape to unlock our critical minerals and unleash our economy to create new jobs and opportunities in the north and across the province.”
The current permitting and authorization processes for mining and major infrastructure projects require proponents to navigate a complex process of overlapping and duplicative approvals from multiple ministries and levels of government. The Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, 2025 would streamline this process to minimize delays, lower costs and set service standards for government review times, in order to simplify and speed up the approvals process. The province will maintain its robust environmental standards throughout, while also fulfilling its constitutional obligations to Indigenous communities, including the duty to consult.
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