The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.
Federal Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford is among those waiting to see how the province’s Ring of Fire development corporation will unfold in the next week — if the Ontario Liberals are to keep one of their election promises.
Rickford said Tuesday he and his government, as well as mining sector representatives and first nations, would like to know more about the development corporation Gravelle announced 10 months ago — then reannounced in the spring.
Gravelle announced last November the “devco” would be established to design, engineer, construct and maintain infrastructure to bring mines into operation in the Ring of Fire, 540 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay.
Gravelle and Rickford spoke at a news conference Tuesday at College Boreal, wrapping up the two-day Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference. Both stayed on message about the Ring of Fire, repeating what they had told provincial and territorial ministers and reporters earlier.
Gravelle said repeatedly that Ontario, which has pledged $1 billion to build infrastructure in the Ring, is looking for the federal government to become a full partner in developing the area.
Rickford said his government has money available through the Build Canada Fund for specific projects if and when the province makes decisions on key issues such as revenue sharing with first nations and the direction of a transportation corridor.