David Robinson says he has a comprehensive plan that would move the Ring of Fire development plan forward.
The Ring of Fire is a rich ore deposit in a remote section of northwestern Ontario, which no land transportation access, but a promise of billions of dollars worth of chromite and other metals. The province has taken heat for not producing a plan to allow development to move forward, and work in the area has effectively stalled.
Robinson, the Green Party candidate in the Sudbury riding byelection, said his plan includes developing a regional governance structure for those areas of Northern Ontario without functioning local governments. Regional government for the Far North will greatly strengthen the voice of people living in the area – and those expected to reside in the North when the Ring of Fire is developed.
“Sustainability begins at the local level,” says Robinson. “The people who live in the Far North will be hosting what will assuredly be one of the largest economic enterprises this province has ever seen. What we don’t need are politicians and bureaucrats sitting in a Toronto boardroom calling the shots for the Far North.
“Right now, that appears to be the plan that the Liberals, PCs and NDP have for the region.”
David Robinson has written extensively about developing the Ring of Fire. His plan is based on five pillars: the use of renewable energy; developing a 21st Century transportation system; ensuring local communities benefit; maximizing economic opportunities for the North through value-added industries; and, the need for life-cycle planning for extracted resources.
“I’ve got a solid plan for ensuring that Sudbury and all of Northern Ontario benefit from developing the Ring of Fire,” says Robinson. “The North can’t continue to be treated as a resource colony run out of Toronto. Local people need to see real benefits. I’m afraid that the other parties are eager to give away our resources to multinational companies with little local benefit, just as Alberta is doing with its oil. And that’s simply not sustainable.”
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