Following the Throne Speech, which outlined commitments to pass legislation streamlining mining processes and reducing red tape, the Ford government announced today the “Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, 2025.” This bill aims to streamline approval processes for new mining, infrastructure and resource development projects—including in the Ring of Fire— by creating economic zones and implementing a new “One Project, One Process” model to reduce delays on approvals. The announcement confirmed that environmental, social, and financial consultations will remain in place and continue to be upheld throughout the process.
During the press conference, both the Premier and the Minister of Energy and Mines underscored the importance of unlocking Ontario’s critical mineral reserves. Against the backdrop of the geopolitical tensions with the United States, they highlighted the urgency to bolster Ontario’s economy and make it a global critical mineral superpower.
If the legislation is passed, the province will develop criteria to evaluate potential economic zones, with a focus on prioritizing critical mineral development projects such as nickel, copper and chromite. The goal is to designate the first zone by September 2025.
KEY MEASURES
- Create authority to designate special economic zones to help advance projects of provincial importance.
- Implement a new One Project, One Process permitting model that streamlines approval processes across government to one process, with the intent of reducing government review time by 50 per cent.
- Implement a “registration-first” approach to speeding up housing, transit, infrastructure and other projects impacting certain species.
- Establish a new Species Conservation Program to support the valuable work of species experts and community-based conservation initiatives across the province.
- Eliminate registration fees for the Environmental Activity and Sector Registry.
- Protect critical mineral resources from bad actors by proposing authorities to restrict the registration or transfer of mining claims, deny a lease, cancel a mining claim registration or terminate a lease, on the basis of protecting the strategic national mineral supply chain.
- Build a secure energy grid by restricting access of foreign state-owned or based companies while streamlining the permitting process to get projects built faster.
WHAT’S NEXT
In the coming weeks, the legislation is expected to proceed through first and second readings, which it will likely pass with the support of the Ford government’s majority. Following the second reading, the bill will be moved to committee, where it will undergo a clause-by-clause assessment. Stakeholders will have the opportunity to participate, provide input on potential amendments, or demonstrate their support for the bill.
For businesses affected by this bill, now is the ideal time to begin preparing their position to ensure their priorities are aligned and heard.
