ID: 1506
Presenting Author: Anna Dabros
Session: 749 - Engaging Indigenous Nations for Inclusive Impact Assessments and Misinformation Response
Status: pending
Mining development in the Ring of Fire region requires sustainable development preserving the environment and Indigenous stewardship.
The Ring of Fire (RoF) in northeastern Ontario is a mineral-rich region (nickel, chromite, and copper) with its current estimated value of CAD $1 trillion. Since its discovery in 2007, proposed mining development has sparked controversy due to environmental risks and inadequate Indigenous consultation. Located in Treaty No. 9 territory, the area is home to several First Nations, including Marten Falls, Webequie, and Neskantaga. In 2019, fifteen First Nations called for a federal Regional Assessment (RA) to examine cumulative environmental, social, and cultural impacts of the potential development. Finalized in 2025, the RA’s Terms of Reference emphasize consultation with scientists and Indigenous communities. This presentation supports the RA by applying the Bowtie Risk Assessment Tool to evaluate potential threats from constructing linear infrastructure, specifically, roads, which the government of Ontario is planning to construct to connect the remote RoF region in the north with the south of the province. The RoF region sits within the Hudson Bay Lowlands (HBL), one of the world’s largest peatland complexes. These globally significant peatlands store approximately 74 gigatons of C and regulate climate, as well as support unique biodiversity of fauna and flora. Disturbance could transform them from C sinks to sources, accelerating climate change, exacerbating wildfire risk, and contributing to habitat loss for vulnerable species like woodland caribou. This review aims to inform sustainable planning amid ongoing political, environmental, and Indigenous rights challenges.
Anna Dabros (PhD, McGill University) is a forest ecologist with Natural Resources Canada, studying plant ecology, and impacts and restoration of industrial disturbances in boreal ecosystems
Coauthor 1: Effah Kwabena Antwi
Coauthor 2: Celina Waldron
Coauthor 3: Akua Nyamekye Darko
Coauthor 4: Kellina L. Higgins