There’s some private sector movement with the Ring of Fire and both developments involve the second largest player at the site. KWG intends to form a partnership with the Marten Falls First Nation. It’s expected both sides will equally share the profits once mining begins at the James Bay site. In addition, KWG now knows what a railroad would cost to get to the Ring of Fire. The cost is estimated at just more than $1.9 billion. KWG hired China Railway to study the feasibility of a rail line and found an area that crosses Marten Falls First Nation traditional territory is a viable route.
Meanwhile, Premier Kathleen Wynne has repeated to Moose News a position she revealed a few weeks ago over the Ring of Fire. Wynne says if the province can’t reach a consensus with the Matawa First Nations then it will move forward with the Aboriginal communities that want to keep talking. The delay appears to be the road infrastructure but the Premier says it’s not about who will own the road but rather what route it follows. Wynne says despite this, it’s still possible to advance some road work. Wynne says there are sections of roadway that can be built and her preference is to get a start on a route. The Premier says it’s important to determine the road’s location because the companies need certainty about the infrastructure at the Ring of Fire. Moose News asked how those talks are going, but Wynne says she can’t talk about specifics. She would only confirm that talks continue and we need to let them play out.
