Regional Assessment in the Ring of Fire Area – Update

October 22, 2020 — Ottawa — Impact Assessment Agency of Canada

On February 10, 2020, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada determined a Regional Assessment under the Impact Assessment Act will be conducted in an area centred on the Ring of Fire mineral deposits in northern Ontario, approximately 540 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay and 1,000 kilometres north of Toronto.

The Minister has requested that the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (the Agency) engage interested groups and individuals, and to continue to meet with the Government of Ontario and federal departments on the appropriate activities, outcomes and other aspects of the Regional Assessment.

In the coming weeks, the Agency will be announcing the start of active engagement on the Regional Assessment to receive input and advice from participants. The first step in this engagement will focus on collecting information and inputs that will contribute to the design of the Regional Assessment process and the development of the Terms of Reference for the assessment. Participant funding will also be announced and made available to assist with the participation of the public and indigenous communities in the upcoming steps of the Regional Assessment process.

The Agency recognizes it is more challenging to undertake meaningful public and Indigenous engagement in light of the circumstances arising from COVID-19. The Agency continues to assess the situation with participants, make adjustments to engagement activities, and is providing flexibility as needed in order to prioritize the health and safety of all Canadians, while maintaining its duty to conduct meaningful engagement with interested groups and individuals.

For more information on the Regional Assessment, upcoming engagement, and funding opportunity or to join the distribution list for the Regional Assessment in the Ring of Fire area, please email iaac.regionalrof-cdfregionale.aeic@canada.ca. Members of the distribution list will receive email notification when engagement or funding opportunities are posted on the project home page on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry website (reference number 80468).

For media inquiries, please contact the Agency at iaac.media.aeic@canada.ca or 343-549-3870.