Ring of Fire Updates Weekly News Roundup

November 2-8, 2021 : Weekly News Roundup

The sell-off of Noront Resources mining claims in the Ring of Fire region continues in a bidding war between mining corporations. The bidding deadline has been extended by a week.

Ontario’s fall economic statement was released (a “mini budget”) that shows a lot of funding committed to highway development, and very little offered for climate change concerns. The provincial government intends to push ahead with the Ring of Fire road developments, but has not allocated money to the project. They are calling for the Federal government to match the funds already assigned to the project.

The Narwhal released an in-depth article about the Mushkegowuk Council’s process of establishing a large Indigenous conservation area in Hudson Bay. See the last article in this round-up for the full story with photos of the region.

November 2, 2021 (Yahoo! Finance)

BHP in talks with Wyloo over Noront takeover, extends tender expiry

“Nov 2 (Reuters) – BHP Group Ltd has started talks with billionaire Andrew Forrest’s Wyloo Metals regarding the takeover of Noront Resources Ltd as both the companies try to acquire the Canadian nickel producer.” Read more here . . .

November 2, 2021 (Northern Ontario Business)

BHP in talks with Wyloo over acquisition of Noront’s Ring of Fire assets

BHP extending the initial expiry of its offer from Nov 9 to Nov 16

“The two leading Australian bidders for Noront Resources and its Ring of Fire nickel and metal assets are discussing a “mutually beneficial arrangement” regarding the sale of the Far North junior mining company.” Read more here . . .

November 2, 2021 (Toronto Star)

Bidding war at standstill

“Noront Resources urged its shareholders on Oct. 28 to get cracking and tender their shares to a well-fixed Australian bidder, as there appeared to be no better offer on the horizon.” Read more here . . .

November 3, 2021 (BNN Bloomberg)

BHP’s bidding war with billionaire over Noront Resources may end

“…BHP and Wyloo Metals “are considering a mutually beneficial arrangement regarding the acquisition of Noront by BHP,” the statement said, adding that there was no assurance an agreement would be reached.” Read more here . . .

November 4, 2021 (The Narwhal)

The Ford government’s mini-budget offers little on the environment
On the heels of the environment minister’s COP26 visit, the Tories presented a financial plan in which new highways overshadowed climate commitments

“The new [Ontario budget] document also says mining development in the Ring of Fire region in Northern Ontario south of Hudson Bay will drive the province’s economic recovery out of the pandemic . . . But it doesn’t allocate any new funding for the task, asking instead for the federal government to match the $1-billion Ontario has already pledged.” Read more here . . .

November 4, 2021 (TVO)

Five things you should know about Ontario’s fall mini-budget

ANALYSIS: Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy presented the fall economic statement on Thursday. Here’s what it has to say about deficits, transit, and more

“Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy rose in the legislature Thursday afternoon to present Ontario’s fall economic statement — a “mini-budget” that lays out the government’s spending priorities for the coming years, though not as comprehensively as the document presented at the beginning of the fiscal year. The 2021 FES contains multiple measures organized according to three themes: “Protecting Our Progress” (investing in health-care and long-term care and continued COVID-19 measures); “Building Ontario” (large investments in highways, transit, and other infrastructure); and “Working for Workers” (a minimum-wage increase, extended supports for workers in the skilled trades, and a new tax credit intended to encourage domestic tourism).” Read more here . . .. (see 3. Changes in the far north?)

November 5, 2021 (Country 1053)

Local MPPs Skeptical About Ring of Fire Promise

“A billion dollar promise from the province for one of Canada’s most important mineral deposits.

The roads that are starting up there don’t go to the mining site yet, not to mention there are federal environmental assessments still ongoing,” said Thunder Bay-Atikokan NDP MPP Judith Monteith-Farrell. “Having that kind of misleading statement is kind of unfortunate.” Read more here . . .

November 6, 2021 (The Narwhal)

Could an Indigenous conservation area in Hudson Bay also be the key to saving carbon-rich peatlands?

The Mushkegowuk Council has been pushing to protect the area in Northern Ontario – a major carbon sink the size of Portugal – for decades

“Lawrence Martin can’t put a date on when he first heard community Elders call for conservation efforts in James Bay and Hudson Bay — but the interest goes as far back as he can remember. 

Martin is the marine region manager for a new conservation project spearheaded by the Mushkegowuk Council, which represents seven First Nations in the Hudson Bay Lowlands in northern Ontario. He says Elders have been encouraging an initiative like this for decades . . .

In August, the Mushkegowuk Council signed a memorandum of understanding with Parks Canada to establish a National Marine Conservation Area in James Bay and southwestern Hudson Bay. At more than 90,000 square kilometres — an area roughly the size of Portugal — the conservation area would be the largest in Ontario and second largest in the country, after Nunavut’s Tallurutiup Imanga.” Read more here . . .

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