A $62-million provincial investment into the start of Ring of Fire road construction is being praised by the Northern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA).
Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation Minister Greg Rickford announced this week that a five-kilometre stretch stretch of Highway 584 was being upgraded this fall in the town of Geraldton, the starting point of the minister’s “Corridor to Prosperity” into the Far North.
In a news release, NOMA calls the investment a “critical step” towards improving the region’s transportation network and to “unlock new economic opportunities for municipalities, First Nations, and industries across the region.”
“Upgrading road access is not just about paving roads—it’s about paving a path toward economic opportunity, inclusion, and sustainable growth for our communities,” said NOMA president and Marathon mayor Rick Dumas in a statement.
“These improvements will benefit local businesses, enhance regional mobility, and strengthen our collective ability to participate in the Ring of Fire’s exciting development.”
NOMA vice-president and Greenstone councillor Eric Pietsch said the road upgrades will support municipalities and First Nations in “connecting them to vital economic corridors.”
“As a councillor in Greenstone, I know firsthand the importance of reliable transportation infrastructure.”
However, Sheri Taylor, chief of nearby Ginoogaming First Nation, would like to see that kind of infrastructure investment in her community and others. The First Nation declared an emergency late last year over the failure of a vital access bridge.
“Ginoogaming First Nation’s infrastructure is at the end of its life, with no plans or funding in place to repair or expand it," Taylor said by email.
"We have invested significantly in the economy of Greenstone, Ontario, and Canada, yet that investment has not been acknowledged or matched. Ontario must commit to First Nations infrastructure first — starting with ours — before investing further in municipal projects.”
Ginoogaming is one of nine member communities of Matawa, a northwestern Ontario tribal council, with territorial claims in the Ring of Fire.
