Ontario Connecting Ring of Fire with New Transmission Line

New electricity infrastructure will help unlock the Ring of Fire, creating more than 7,000 jobs and driving economic growth in the North

As part of its plan to protect Ontario and build a stronger, more self-reliant economy, the government is taking a major step to power northern Ontario and unlock the vast economic potential of Ring of Fire by declaring the Greenstone Transmission Line a priority project and designating Hydro One to develop and construct it. Today, Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines, and Greg Rickford, Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation and Minister Responsible for Ring of Fire Economic and Community Partnerships, were joined by Chief Yvette Metansinine of Animbiigoo Zaagi-igan Anishinaabek First Nation, Chief Gladys Thompson of Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaaek First Nation, Chief Paul Gladu of Bingwi Neyaashi Anishnaabek First Nation, and Chief Allan Odawa Jr. of Red Rock Indian Band to announce that the Ontario government is accelerating construction of the 230-kilometre line that will run from Nipigon Bay to near Aroland First Nation and the gateway to the Ring of Fire.

The Greenstone project will create more than 7,000 jobs and is part of the government’s broader plan to protect Ontario by driving economic growth in the North, supporting mining sector development and reshoring Ontario’s domestic supply chains. The government and Hydro One have also committed to leveraging the Canadian and Ontario supply chain, with 93 per cent of the project’s costs to date staying in the country and supporting thousands of Canadian workers.

“Last year, our government took action to bolster our self-reliance by reducing the permitting timelines by 50 per cent to build mines faster, along with a new processing fund to end the ripping and shipping of our resources abroad,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines. “We are putting Canada first by accelerating a plan to create 70,000 jobs supporting the Ring of Fire. With President Trump’s economic assault on our country, Ontario is officially giving the greenlight to build the Greenstone Transmission Line, delivering the energy backbone and infrastructure to unlock the Ring of Fire’s vast mineral potential. Ontario has what the world needs as a reliable and stable democratic partner, and that is why we are unlocking one of the largest undeveloped, high-grade deposits of critical minerals on earth.”

With electricity demand in northern Ontario projected to increase by 81 per cent by 2050, Ontario is making historic investments to build the infrastructure needed to deliver clean, reliable power to the region. Once complete in 2032, Greenstone will provide the capacity needed to unlock 350-700 megawatts of additional hydroelectricity and other power generation. Ontario is building for the future, since Ontario’s Integrated Energy Plan was unveiled, the province has authorized 600 kilometres of transmission lines.

“Through the designation of the Greenstone Transmission Line as a priority project, our government is expediting the construction of this critical 230-kilometre line connecting First Nations and Northern communities to clean power that will reduce reliance on diesel, advance economic reconciliation and unlock the Ring of Fire,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation and Minister Responsible for Ring of Fire Economic and Community Partnerships. “As outlined in our Shared Prosperity Agreement with Aroland First Nation, we are working in lockstep with First Nations leadership to power the North, supercharging economic growth and meet electricity demands for generations to come.”

Ontario committed to building the Greenstone Transmission Line as part of the Aroland – Ontario Shared Prosperity Agreement, which includes $70 million to advance work on the new line which will be essential for advancing mining operations in the Ring of Fire. Indigenous communities will also have access to Hydro One’s First Nations Equity Partnership Model which will include First Nation leadership in decision making and 50 per cent ownership of the line. This marks significant advancement of economic reconciliation with Indigenous peoples of Ontario to drive economic growth and build and upgrade infrastructure in Northern Ontario.

Development in the Ring of Fire has the potential to support more than 70,000 jobs across Ontario and generate approximately $22 billion in economic output over 30 years, helping fund schools, hospitals and public services.

Energy For Generations, Ontario’s first Integrated Energy Plan, highlights the importance of advancing new transmission infrastructure across the province to support economic growth for Ontario families and businesses. The plan also highlights Ontario’s commitment to enabling Indigenous leadership and partnership in the development of energy infrastructure in their Treaty and traditional territories, and that new transmission lines present an important opportunity to advance economic reconciliation with Indigenous communities.

Quick Facts

• This work began in 2023, as Ontario and the IESO launched the Northern Ontario Connection Study to explore connecting the region. Based on that work in 2024, Ontario launched the Reducing Diesel Reliance Initiative, culminating in a commitment to build clean energy transmission and generation in the region.
• In 2024, 93 per cent of Hydro One’s supply chain was sourced from Canadian companies and procured over $158.3 million on materials from Indigenous communities, the highest spend to date.
• The government has issued an Order-In-Council (OIC) and a Minister’s Directive to the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) to amend Hydro One’s transmission licence to designate them as the transmitter responsible for the development and construction of the Greenstone Transmission Line and a separate but related OIC to declare the project as a government priority. These actions provide regulatory clarity to Hydro One and the OEB and reduce delays and costs associated with the Leave to Construct approval process.
• The 230 km single-circuit 230 kV transmission line, designed to support a second circuit, will run from the East-West Tie near Nipigon Bay, connect to a new station near the Longlac Transformer Station, and extend north to terminate at a new Switching Station in or near Aroland First Nation.
• According to Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), the province’s demand for electricity is forecast to increase significantly by 2050 driven by economic development from key industries such as mining for critical minerals alongside increasing needs from the expansion of housing and electrification initiatives.