#Ontario’s Long-Term Infrastructure Plan is now available online. Read more about the largest infrastructure investment in the province’s history https://www.ontario.ca/document/building-better-lives-ontarios-long-term-infrastructure-plan-2017 … #LTIP2017 #BuildON

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https://files.ontario.ca/ltip_plan_aoda_english.pdf

ONTARIO IS EXPANDING BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE IN FIRST NATIONS
COMMUNITIES
People living in five Northern Ontario First Nations
communities will be able to connect with friends
and family across Canada and globally, and have
improved access to distance education, skills
training, and new business opportunities, thanks
to a joint investment from the Government of
Canada and the Province of Ontario of up to $69.2
million in the Ring of Fire region.
The Province is pleased to support this broadband
project and Ontario will invest up to $30 million
in Matawa First Nations Management Inc. to
bring modern fibre-optic cable to the area. The
project will see the installation of buried cable
from Wunnumin Lake through the five Matawamember communities of Nibinamik, Neskantaga,
Eabametoong, Marten Falls and Webequie First
Nations, connecting south to Aroland First Nation.

To make the best use of infrastructure funds in the
natural resources and mining sectors, the Province
will continue to:
•
make important linear infrastruture
investments, such as transportation, to support
mineral development in the Ring of Fire (see
Transportation section for more information)

ONTARIO IS SUPPORTING TRANSPORTATION
IN THE RING OF FIRE
The Province is taking an important next step toward
developing the Ring of Fire, an area in Northern
Ontario with significant chromite resources.
Ontario is working with Webequie, Marten Falls
and Nibinamik First Nations to plan and construct
a year-round access road into the proposed
mining-development site being pursued by Noront
Resources Ltd. As part of this project, the Province
is also working with First Nations to build all-season
access roads to their communities.
Ontario will support First Nations to plan and
construct an east-west road connecting the
Webequie and Nibinamik communities to the
provincial highway network north of Pickle Lake.
This project would provide all-season access to
both First Nations communities, as well as into the
Ring of Fire development.
The Province is also supporting Marten Falls
First Nation to plan and construct an access
road connecting the community to the existing
provincial highway network at Aroland/Nakina.
Communities are working to begin environmental
assessments of these projects by January 2018,
and plan to begin construction in 2019, pending all
necessary approvals.
As a next phase, Ontario will continue to support
Marten Falls to undertake further technical and
environmental studies that could inform planning
and development of a north-south access road
tied to the business case for, and development of,
chromite mining in the Ring of Fire.
Building these roads is a critical step in realizing
the economic benefits of one of the largest
mineral-development opportunities in Ontario
in almost a century. Funding for these roads is
part of the government’s commitment to invest
$1 billion in Ring of Fire infrastructure to create
jobs, provide long-term benefits and improve the
quality of life for people in the region.
Ontario is working to support these First Nations
as they address all regulatory requirements, so
that this unique environment is protected.
The Province welcomes this merging of cultural
considerations with regulatory requirements and
will ensure First Nations and their perspectives,
including traditional knowledge, are carefully
considered in decision making.
Investing in the development of the Ring of Fire,
while ensuring that First Nations participate in and
benefit from this development, is part of Ontario’s
plan to create jobs, grow the economy and help
people in their everyday lives.

Supporting economic development: Ontario’s
multimodal transportation system is critical
to the province’s economy. It connects to key
gateways, providing safe and reliable access
to the rest of the continent and the world.
To ensure this system continues to support
the efficient movement of people and goods,
Ontario is investing in priority infrastructure
projects across the province, including
public transit, roads, bridges and highways.
For example, the Province is conducting an
environmental assessment for high-speed
rail along the Toronto-Windsor corridor, and
working with First Nations in Northern Ontario
to plan and construct a year-round access road
to the Ring of Fire development, creating new
jobs and improving the quality of life for people
in the North